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generalluxun · 9 months

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Miraculous: The Movie Reaction/Review

A little more ordering of my thoughts now, and I can go through in a little more detail why I loved this movie so much. This will be a solid look at things, and so... yeah, SPOILERS! And just for the record this will be looking both at the movie itself as a movie AND in comparison to the series. I know that there are different pressures on both, but I do feel there are narrative through lines tackled better or worse.

Putting a cut here for the Spoiler free folks.

This will be somewhat chronological, with some asides.

Okay, so the opening, a great setup. It's a Lore dump, but it's clean and neat and we are already introduced to the vibrant colors we will see throughout the movie, and Mr. Overdramatic Fu who I find priceless.

Marinette:

Oh Marinette, I love this Marinette. She feels downtrodden to start. The type of person for whom one too many hiccups have become a self-fullfiling way of life. The movie spends a lot more time with her on this. Which is to the benefit because her choice and ascension are much bigger payoffs. She's still a dreamer, and energetic, She's our Marinette, but vitalized.

Okay I'll put this here: The Songs. They're fine. They're not great, but they're find. they have a stage-style vibe to them which fits in with the change to Emilie's career. They are also pushing the narrative through most of the time, so even if the song isn't to your liking, you've got a lot going on.

School&Chloé: Marinette seems a lot more jumpy/unpopular in general, it's not JUST Chloé which is a good shift. Don't get me wrong, the blonde is still clearly a nightmare, but it's not she alone among the student body that thinks something's off about Mari at the beginning.

Alya&Nino: What is there to say? She's Alya, she's great. Nino and Adrien friendship! yay! And Alya&Nino are a cute secondary couple-in-the-making. The movie loved it's secondary characters.

Adrien: Sad Adrien, but gentle. Marinette's first interaction with him was great. She's Marinetting, but she actually gets up the will to talk to him. I liked this balance. Yes some of it comes from a shorter runtime, but it comes across as just... healthier?

Gabemoth: Gabriel outside! GASP! He's a human being! Clearly still flawed, but this Gabe is one I buy the ending for, and I quite enjoy it. Both Gabe and Adrien being over the top theaterical fits having Emilie in their lives. and.. OMG we got to see and hear Emilie as a person! I loved this. I'll add in Nathalie here. She didn't have a lot but we get her care for Adrien and the family right away.

Rescue Fu Alleyway and Tikki: Saving Fu felt much more earned in this one, give a bonus to whoever storyboarded this. Marinette pulling him from in front of a bus then bodily putting herself between him and the danger of another oncoming car? This girl! Go Marinette, you've earned these earirngs(want them or not) also: Her reaction to this crazed little man screaming about death and end of the world was awesome, I LOVE them lamp shading this trope.

Little aside about Sabrina She's adorable in the whole movie, but we get a hint of her own independence when she covers for Marinette in the Alleyway, and I loved that. Tiny Character building moments are a sign of great writing.

Tikki: They amped up Tikki's energy and I can see why. Marinette's more reluctant heroine role needed someone with a bit more push to keep her going. This is honestly the most I've ever enjoyed Tikki (not that TV Tikki was awful)

Cathedral: So, We meet Cat Noir here, and he's a cocky goofball, and it works. They balance it well. He gets instant karma a few times, he tries hard, and he does quickly acknowledge Ladybug later on when *she* acknowledges herself. This is an important lesson, people do treat you better when you believe in yourself, it shows. Much like I said with Gabe, Adrien being an overdramatic theater kid fits perfectly in this story.

The back and forth between these two is great. And here's something else: It's instructive for Marinette. If Cat Noir was just a fawning lovesick boy from square one, she wouldn't learn to stand up for herself, which she later uses vs Chloé. People fuss at chat for the watermelon, but Ladybug's throwing her own zingers in there too.

I do like that we bring Fu back here, and then again at the end. He's a little more sane, a little more mentor, so his use as comic relief isn't one note. That's another sign of good writing.

Marinette's refusal: I liked this a lot. It felt right for Marinette. This was dangerous, scary, and she was barely managing for a lot of the fight at the cathedral. I love how the scene evolved from loud and frustrated, to comedy, then finally settled on sincerity. Marinette curling up in her chair was more earned emotion and heartbreak than S5 wrung from me in 13 eps.

Plagg and Adrien: Okay so yeah, Fart jokes. The show had it's share of 'stinky cheese' jokes so we shouldn't point too many fingers. I love dad-Plagg in the TV show, so I was slightly bummed it wasn't as prevelent here, but with Tiki needing a more energetic role, Adrien not being a shut in, and Gabriel not being a complete and total heel, Plagg's role is going to be different. It's worth noting that after Chat's failed confession Plagg does Dad-Plagg him, so all is not lost for that dynamic.

Fairground: Just a showcase of fun. Marinette&Adrien, Alya&Nino, the Akumas, Marinette making the *decision* to be a hero and triggering her first voluntary transformation. The two of them working together. This was a great celebratory event, and it kicks off:

Montage!

You knew they'd need this in a movie covering this much ground. We got to see a few fun akuma designs, a few Adrienette dates, and how the changes wrought on the fairground played out. We had enough time with sad, isolated, Marinette that this does feel like a triumph.

Third Act low point: This is where everyone fails. Chat's confession to Ladybug burns out. Marinette's confession to Adrien burns out. Even Gabriel has burned out. All three of our main players are at their low (which is a brilliant way to hint they're framing Gabe as not just a villain, he's treated to the narrative beats of a hero) All three felt solid and hit hard. It's the Lovesquare cliff notes, but it hits all the right elements. You still come away thinking 'If only they knew!' because the movie has really built up both Adrienette and Ladynoir in equal parts.

Final fight: Damn son, what is there to say? Akumatized Hawkmoth is not playing. Plagg telling Adrien to get his stuff together. This battle is just plain brutal. Mari unmasked! Chat punching his dad. Marinette being a hero without the suit, saving Chat in the same selfless way she saved Fu back at the beginning of the movie. Chat unmasked. and Gabriel's breakdown. *Adrien hugging his dad!* CLOSURE. Ladybug getting her Miraculous Ladybugs and it being a BIG DEAL, like it should be!

The Dance: Cute character moments. Chloe is big enough to give Marinette a 'truce' it seems, but mean enough to let her know it's not over yet. Sabrina's shrug is great :) Oh wait MARINETTE'S DRESS. It's Ladybug, it's beautiful. This girl is a designer. A reveal in snow. The two of them together, yes!

Post-script: Mayura next Villain? I'm hype.

End Notes: I feel this movie hit all the notes it needed to. We got the characters, they were compressed clearly because it's a movie, but still felt themselves, but fresh. Everything about this word feels a little more 'real' which is funny considering how ethereal all the lighting was.

I'm notoriously prone to critique and dissecting media, even media I enjoy. Yet my nitpick sensors were surprisingly mute while watching this. They told a huge amount of story, accessible both to long time fans and newcomers.

I probably have more thoughts, but that's already a lot for a Tumblr post. Feel free to engage my Asks or replies if you have questions or would like opinions on anything specific.

#miraculous ladybug #Miraculous Awakening #Ladybug and Cat Noir the movie #Miraculous Movie #Spoilers #marinette dupain cheng #adrien agreste #chloe bourgeois #alya cesaire #sabrina raincomprix #nino lahiffe #gabriel agreste #nathalie sancour #Master Fu #review

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drdemonprince · 5 months

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Probably a trivial question during a shitty time globally, but I'm going a bit crazy trying to figure this out and need help.

For some reason, people cancel last-minute alarmingly frequently when I host gatherings on days that are extremely important to me. I am talking mainly about my birthday and that of my partner but also a huge milestone graduation do last year was a nightmare as well. Neither I nor my partner have any meaningful relationships with our families anymore due to political differences and rely on our friends for the sense of home and belonging most people get from families.

Except this is a bit of a wasteland, as I struggle to form and maintain close friendships because of how unreliable and disappointing people have been for a while. This is not an individual (although there are a couple of people who I know will cancel every time) but a pattern. Someone will forget to book the right train ticket, another will only lurk on the event group chat and then comment for the first time before the event to say no. One person memorably just said they wanted to keep the option of a weekend gateway open so they could only come to my graduation party if they decided not to do that. Am I missing something here? Is this normal? I need consistency and dependability to feel safe and I feel like people I'd normally choose as friends (witty, nerdy interests, progressive) turn out to be incredibly bad at showing up for me when I need them. A friend I thought was close went completely mum after I graduated and didn't congratulate me at all - after having discussed the degree and its struggles with me for 2 years. Part of me feels like I need to rebuild my circle from scratch and maybe find people I can talk to honestly about my needs from the beginning of the friendship. But it feels so late and desolate to start this process in my mid-thirties. Everyone else has friends they grew up with and who know everything about their lives. Meanwhile, I am at the stage where I have no close friends at all anymore because my needs seem too absurd to even discuss with anyone except my partner, and if I do, I just lose friendships. I remember reading your piece on how to do social things as an autistic person last year and feeling very inspired so I thought I'd reach out to you.

This is all exceedingly, exceedingly normal, especially in the days post COVID for a variety of reasons. When I make plans with people, I assume that roughly 30-75% of the people invited are not going to show up, and I've completely made my peace with that. A friend of mine hosted a movie night a few weeks back, invited I believe around 15 people, and ultimately four showed up, many people being last-minute cancellations or total no shows.

This happens for a variety of reasons. Many people are very socially anxious and decide at the last minute they don't have it in them to show up because they're freaking out. Other people say yes when the event is days or weeks down the line, wanting in the abstract to be there, but then on the actual day of the event, practical daily life constraints are far more visible than they were when the event was just an idea, and so then they have to bail. Other people feel really bad saying no, and so they wait for the last minute to share that they can't make it. And lots of people are so bombarded with notifications on a variety of social media sites and chatting platforms that they just forget all that they've committed to. And then you add into that random illness, flat tires, crying kids, and the like, and you have a lot of reasons why people don't show up to things.

Personally, I have come to accept this. If I go into event planning assuming most people can't make it, my feelings aren't hurt. Every person who does show up is a gift. My invites are an opportunity, a true invitation, not an obligation or an expectation. I don't hurt my feelings in advance by telling myself that I need a high turnout for my birthday or that because I've worked hard making a certain dish for a party (I never actually do that admittedly lol) that a lot of people need to come and eat it.

And I invite people that I like and want to see, over and over again, because I care about them, and I want to show them that I care about them and that I understand they have other things going on and I am not offended that life got in the way for them. I want them to feel loved and included, even if they can't make it. Even the gesture of inviting a person to an event and them showing some interest is a meaningful act of maintaining social connections, for me. And so if they can't make it on the day of, that's fine by me.

I'm 35. My friends are anywhere from 21 to 60-something. People cancel events because of sick kids, broken down cars, long work weeks, depression, double-bookings, writing deadlines, social anxiety, busted ankles, not wanting to see one person they're currently having a difficult situation with, and any number of other factors. If you love people long enough, they get really complicated and their lives get really hard. I find that the most beautiful and friendship-sustaining thing one can do is to not take it personally, because you're going to need that same grace yourself plenty of times. People will drop of the map for months or years sometimes because they're going through hell, and you dont to deprive yourself of being open to reconnection when they're available again.

There's really no need to read anything into the randomness of life. This stuff will happen, so it's rational to expect it, and loving to not mind it too much.

Do you need to make some new friends? Maybe so! I have multiple different friend groups and I think that's healthy. You may find the no-shows less painful if you have more people to lean on. It's always good to form new connections, learn new things about yourself, expand your skills and understanding of the world through new information and experiences. But should you start over, and ditch your friends who are flakey? I don't think so. To be loved is to be sometimes flaked upon (and to flake). In this capitalistic, individualistic hellscape it's vitally important that we extend one another grace.

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creativeafterdark · 8 months

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Chapter 8

So unfortunately this week I have no sketches for the chapter due to slight burn out and work related reasons (also I had completely forgotten we get introduced to the pilgrims minus Sanzang in this chapter and their designs are anything but ready). As a result, I'm just going to write my thoughts.

@journeythroughjourneytothewest

First things first: Guanyin. I love Guanyin. They're just so calm about being attacked by two monsters and letting Hui'an handle combat. It also shows the sheer difference in strength between the four disciples, after seeing the trouble that he went through fighting Sun Wukong. Guanyin is a true being of mercy, not really making a big fuss out of being attacked and I commend them for it, I would be chewing Zhu and Sha's heads off. Though the "Perhaps in Two or Three Years" answer they gave the great Immortal, I'll need to pay attention to how much time passes to see if that's accurate (but I recall the full journey takes 14 years? Correct me if I'm wrong).

Next up: Sha Wujing. So after I'd previously read the Abridged Version, I was utterly confused as to why the Jade Emperor was petty enough to punish this poor man for BREAKING A CUP. Then I found a comic by antidotefortheawkward that explained how breaking a cup could be seen as a signal to attack. And I was like "...ah. That makes more sense now." Still a little petty, not hearing him out, but it made sense that it would be his first thought. Especially if he was cast out AFTER Sun Wukong's Havoc. I don't think we got a clear answer on that timeline (again feel free to correct me!). Even if he did eat people, I still love this pilgrim and can't wait for his chapter.

Next: Zhu Wuneng, aka Zhu Bajie. Quick to lower his weapon for a woman, lol. Jokes aside, it seems as though he's very unlucky with women (and vice versa). There is his flirting with the Moon Goddess (which is still unclear if it was consensual or unwelcomed, that would change my opinion of how this all went down), him killing his new form's mother and siblings (I've heard people say human flesh tastes like pork, so I guess that's where he got the taste for it, huh?), and the death of Second Elder Sister Egg (and him getting all her stuff). Unlike Sha Wujing, it does feel like Zhu Wuneng was begging a lot more for mercy. But Guanyin chose to believe his intent as being genuine, so he will be the next disciple.

Next: OUR DRAGON BOY. I'm gonna call him Bai Longma, as that's the name most know him by. I feel out of all of these, his punishment was the most unfair, and the fact that his father went to the Jade Emperor and seemed to be just fine with a DEATH SENTENCE honestly kills me. Like, I feel as though everyone was so on edge after Sun Wukong that punishments just amped up. I am glad Guanyin immediately jumped to his defense, and as a result got Sanzang a much better mount than any old horse.

And finally: Sun Wukong. Our old monkey. And the start of my favorite relationship in the story (the friendship between Guanyin and Wukong). Sun Wukong is still very bitter of Tathagata's trick but appears willing to do what he must to get free, though knowing what I do, I'm already thinking "Uh huh. Sure. Whatever you say, Great Sage" in a sarcastic tone. But that's for another chapter.

And with that, Guanyin continues their own journey to Chang'an to find our Tang Sanzang.

All in all, a very short but important chapter, setting the stage for journey and meeting the key players.

I probably will be doing more writing than drawing for the next few chapters (minus the intro to Sanzang), to both get off this burn out and because I don't recall any characters that show up more in the story aside from these chapters, so I don't see a point in making a design for them.

#journey to the west #jttw sun wukong #jttw guanyin #jttw zhu bajie #jttw sha wujing #journeythroughjourneytothewest #jttw bai longma #jttw book club

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aceofspades-sml · 1 year

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My (extensive) notes about the Newsies ensemble + secondary and background characters in the UK production

Again disclaimer, I sat in Manhattan so I am aware I missed lots of interactions between the boys but I already have a lot to say from what I saw

Also I will put race in my other post about the main characters because I have way too much stuff to say about him

Uksies spoilers below the cut

A few thoughts about the ensemble :

The level of character in this show is genuinely so good ?? Like even background newsies with little to no line still have a kind of character arc through the show

Because it's not just about what's going on "officially" on stage, it's all the little interactions they have in the background or when walking through the aisles. It's the way they hug and show affection to each other. It's the way they clearly all have preferred friendships, people they will choose to go to, even tho they are close to all the others. It's the way they run to help each other during Seize the day, the way they look so sad and betrayed when the scabs appear for the first time- And I could go on for hours about all the little interactions like those

Also they added so much stuff to give more depth to every single character ??? Like in Seize the day they all come into a triangle and say their name, and yes it's important for the strike on a symbolic level but also in the show, because they aren't just members of the ensemble. Each of them is his own character with his own personality and honestly that's really interesting and meaningful

+ this is echoed later on when the girlsies all come into a circle and say their name during Brooklyn's here (also they have their own dance break !!! Center stage !!). And the Brooklyn girls don't play a major part in the show after that song (except maybe for Spot), but here, in the same way as the boys, they get the opportunity to be seen by the audience as their own character

So yeah I could say a lot about the ensemble stuff but tbh this part was so striking to me I really wanted to talk about it because it's really beautiful and I love the fact that this was included in the show

Anyway a few of my favorite things about the secondary/background characters, in no particular order because I basically just wanted to write down my thoughts

Tommy boy < 33

If you know me you know I love him, and Jack bromage owns my heart and soul

When I talked about how background newsies get a character arc, I was specifically thinking about him. During Seize the day he is the last scab to change his mind (they gave him the "My father's gonna kill me anyway" line !!!!), and then later during the rally he is really angry and screams "WE HATE YOU" at jack at the top of his lungs. Yes he is insecure and mad at Jack because he was the one who convinced him to join the strike and now he is just giving up on them

Tommy boy okay

Also I already mentionned this but in the "who wants Brooklyn" scene he just goes lying face first on the ground and plays dead, which is even funnier because 0.0005 seconds earlier he was among the most eagers to talk to the others neighbourhoods. Comedic gold I swear

Finch

I LOVE DAMON OKAY

His mic was broken at the beginning and there was a moment of panic when he realized it but tbh he coped like a boss

Gayest Finch and I'm not sorry

When the scabs come in and he says "They think they can just walz in here and take our jobs ?", he sounds genuinely heartbroken and betrayed. Those guys are his friends and he can't believe they are doing this. Also when he was saying this line it looked like he was talking directly to one of the scabs but I didn't see which one

Henry

Update on my Henry hyperfixation : it's stronger than ever

Give me Matt's Henry or give me death

"I'M COMING RACE" Okay king

At the beginning of Carrying the banner he scratches his crotch very agressively with his towel and then proceeds to wash his face with said towel. Got quite a reaction from the audience

His attitude and costume clearly put him among the oldest boys along with Finch, Race, Specs and Albert

Before wwk it felt like he was one of the angriest about the prices, tho he also seemed quite bewildered and lost and didn't know what to do about it

His "What the absolute fuck Race" attitude during kony was extremely strong

Also him and Race seemed to be pretty close ! E.g. when the boy all come in front of the gate before wwk, he is pulling a carriage with Race on it and when Race gets down he ruffles Henry's hair, which I thought was a pretty cute detail to add

Mike

He seemed so young ??? When all the boys were discussing the strike he just looked really tiny and anxious

It has been officially established that he is among the youngest newsies and um sir. It shows.

Also he is very loud and visible. He has like 1 solo line but you can't miss him. He talks loudly, gets angry, moves a lot...

Also he goes on the zipline at the end !!

Romeo

"Me thinks the lady needs to be handled by a *snaps suspenders* real man"

Cutest Romeo I swear

Also his "thank you lady" at the beginning ? Not only was it perfect but also I'm pretty sure some of the boys winced (Mark I'm looking at you) and judging by his voice George himself was close to losing it

Overall my favorite interpretation of the character and I was really sad I didn't get to focus on him more

Elmer

Not the one I focused on the most, but Rory looked so sweet honestly !

"I dunno sister but it's bound to rain sooner or later" amazing as always

Everytime I looked at him he looked kinda happy and cheerful, elmer is and will always be the human embodiment of pure sunshine

Splasher !!!

Given that he is a new character, he was the only newsies I didn't know anything about when I came in and I immediately fell in love with him (I mean how can you not)

Okay part of it is because they gave him my favorite line of the show : "at the end of the say who are you gonna trust ? Them (affectionate) or them (derogatory) ?"

And he is genuinely so sweet ?? Everytime I looked at him he was smiling and tbh his smile his very contagious

In seize the day he is the first one to get hit by the cops (he has the line "it's about time you showed up") and um hello ??? Give this boy a hug already

Also obviously, the talent of this guy is incredible. Absolutely rocking the floor in Seize the day + he has an amazing voice !!!

ALBERT

He was ??? Perfect ??

He is loud he is arrogant he is a hothead he is a pure ball of chaos

The leg of lamb scene was legit the most ridiculously funny line delivery. He just comes stumbling on stage in nothing but a towel like "hey race guess what very interesting thing just happened to me-"

During Carrying the banner my boy was straight up ready to fight the Delanceys

"TAKE IT DOWN SHORT STOP" okay but it isn't just the voice it's the way he takes a tough pose and his whole mocking attitude toward Les. Jacob said he was trying to mimic the attitude of the Les he has in front of him and honestly, it shows

Also for anyone wondering yes the Race/Albert friendship was very present. He also seemed kinda close to Specs

Also Specs !

I didn't get to focus on him as much as I would have wanted (same goes for Mush, Jojo and Ike actually that's why I'm not talking about them here, I really hope I'll be able to look at those four more when I go back) but still

They cut "I lost my shoe" ??? The worst part is I actually knew about it but forgot so during wwk I was expecting this line and was really thrown off when they just skipped to the next lyrics

Before Seize the day when he is on look-out and Jack (?) asks if he has any news of Brooklyn he goes "no" and adds "I'm sorry". And like it's a new thing and the way he said it ??? He was so sad and hopeless I just wanted to give him a hug

Okay yes I didn't get to look at them at other moments but still huge shoutout to Josh Denyer and Arcangelo for absolutely rocking the floor during Seize the day

The girlsies < 33

I LOVE THEM ???

Their entrance was so dramatic and sassy pls

Also I will never stop talking about it but- they get a dance break !!! They get to say their names !!! They are so much more important than in any other production I love it

Also they don't just stay in their own little corner, they interact with the boys ! They all seem to be on pretty friendly terms, they talk together, hug and wave at each other...

They aren't just plot devices with one (1) dramatic scene, they are characters ! They have friends !! They have actual friendships with the Manhattan boys !! And it makes the whole Brooklyn's here scene so much more meaningful bc it really feels like they are coming to help their friends

Did I ever mention how much I love Spot ? Lillie slaying as always

She is tough she is sarcastic she is ready to kick your ass I love her

Also at some point Lillie said Spot was very close to Davey in act 2, and if I'm being honest I had some doubts about this friendship but boy oh boy I would die for them

During the rally + during and after once and for all they seem to be talking together a lot and be on very good terms which was actually pretty cool !

Okay moving on to some non-newsies characters and then I'll stop I promise

Bill and Darcy !!!

They switched the costume colors around, Darcy has a dark suit while Bill has a white one so that was a change

Also George said "My father owns the tribune" (instead of just "the trib" like I'm used to) so that threw me off for a bit but actually I liked it

Also I loved the way Alex said "And proud to be a part of your revolution !" It felt really natural and nice I love Bill okay he's so sweet

Anyway then they were just. Vibing by the printing press. Good for them honestly

The Delancey

They are literally evil. They aren't just messing around, they actually mean harm. E.g. when they are taking Jack in the cellar he just falls on the ground and they keep kicking him

But what's to like in this production is their dynamic with each other. They are extremely physical, everything they come in they are always very close, shoulders brushing or something. Also they often gently push and tease each other

Overall in this version they feel so much more like brothers, their dynamic as a family and toward the newsies was much deeper and more interesting than in any other version imo

Also they aren't just physically affectionate with each other. The three scabs ? They were comforting them and patting their shoulders before pushing them towards the other newsies. When the first scab joins the strike (I don't remember who it was), they are being very gentle with Tommy boy, from where I was it looked like they were telling him he was gonna be okay or smth

Hannah < 333

Hello ??? Bobbie Chambers I owe you my heart and soul

She was amazing pls

Extremely light-hearted and a bit sarcastic

At the end in Pulitzer's office she starts going "actually they put up a pretty good banner" and so on and then she sees Pulitzer's face and just goes *okay sorry" in the most oh-shit-don't-kill-me voice ever

Anyway every single one of her lines was delivered perfectly nothing but love for her

Finally, Medda !

Amazing as always, I feel like her relationship with Jack was really explored here !

It's the way they hug the first time Jack comes in the theater. The way she cares so deeply for him and worries about him. It's the way she looks genuinely sad about the fact he wants to go, she knows it's a bad idea and wants to hold him back but at the same time she knows it's his choice so she doesn't force him to do anything

Also the That's rich performance was pretty cool !!

#hey guess who finally did something constructive with their thoughts instead of just screaming around #i feel genuinely bad for completely ignoring some of them but i was trying to focus on everything at once #if i go back at least i know where i need to put my attention #newsies #newsies uk #uksies #leo's newsies analysis

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greetings-humans · 8 months

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what if i am malicious or mean-spirited? what then?

you say it like you aren't, you FUCKING BULLY

but let's ignore the fact that your love language IS BULLYING so that i can disprove those preposterous rumours of cowardice that you've been spreading around about me

meeting noel wasn't really a life-altering experience but deciding to invite him over for that first movie night that lead to a sleep over definitely was. see noel has this type of... disarming confidence that sort of scared me at first, but after a long rant about anime (and the assurance that there was something queer afoot with this guy), i decided to give this a try yknow? after all this is uni and I'm not in my home town and I don't wanna have zero friends here so i put on my big human pants and gave it a shot.

you would not believe how well it worked. see noel has this loud unabashed and pretty much shameless personality that i wasn't sure if i could work with. I'm the type of person that has a history of always being the one to compromise for the louder personality without saying anything and letting things bottle up until i literally decide to cut the other off, so i was cautious about managing my old bad habits and not letting them have a say in this new friendship.

enter stage right noel, who is loud and shameless but so so fucking considerate, who will ask and check, who is so careful about not making me feel uncomfortable (and the fact that i never feel bad about redirecting a conversation because of that speaks for itself). noel, who will initiate conversations that feel so meta because talking about your friendship with the friend involved isn't something i was used to at that point WHICH IS INSANE BECAUSE ITS SO USEFUL.

funnily enough, despite his loud energy (and i have never found anything funnier than this), his gamer rage is a "ts" that barely sounds mildly annoyed. it's endearing and utterly hilarious.

also, and i know noel being autistic plays a part in this but let me tell you, as someone that gets anxious and is a bit of an overthinker, the honesty that's always a part of my interactions with noel is so refreshing. and the fact that on top of all this, this guy doesn't even complain about living in a state of semi-constant confusion at my sarcasm. and by sarcasm, i mean that i sarcastically responded to noel telling me that I'm a sarcastic person okay? it's not just your casual run-of-the-mill thing, i live and breathe in sarcasm and this guy right here (who called me an eldritch being which feels like such a compliment) doesn't even complain. IN FACT i had to needle him into telling me to use /j or /s via texting, which he would never bring up himself ig and honestly. YOU'RE SO CONSIDERATE BUT NOT TO YOURSELF.

ahem moving on. noel is a also a fucking bully in the most loving way possible. we once highjacked a video call for a uni project just to snipe at each other with petty fake (or not so fake but meant with love) insults BECAUSE I COULDN'T TAKE THE ABUSE AND I STAND BY THIS; HE STARTED IT.

he's the guy that calls me out so. much. who loves to needle me and tease me because that's what i signed up for apparently. it took me a bit to figure out how to go about it in a way that didn't lead to me accidentally internalizing the wrong thing, but once i figured that out it was game on.

conversations with noel will span from us aggressively calling each other out, to pretending to be a victorian couple to yelling about cute animals and raving about our specific extremely interesting thing at the moment. this guy has shown me so many different and diverse fandoms, from the owl house (which i still need to finish but whatever) to bee and puppycat to anything link and hyrule related. in return, i try to keep my rants about star wars (which i absolutely love and he absolutely cannot stand to listen too much about) to a minimum (which only works sometimes, sorry). and this right here is so important to me.

I've never had this dynamic before. this mutual understanding of i scream about my thing and you scream about your thing, and we focus as much as we can and if we can't we let the other know and they can scream later or scream via text so we can see it in a few days. that is something that i will never stop appreciating, something that i just wont stop loving about me and noel.

noel is the guy that's always there when i drop drinks (milk and alcohol most notably) on my carpet because istg it never happens when I'm alone or with anyone else. noel is the guy that decided to start writing down this wild au i pitched at him, which we started obsessing over and developing for the entirety of january iirc (and this is what urged me to also start writing about it and suddenly we're writing buddies which is such a fun and interesting experience).

he's the guy that was worried that me losing my social battery meant he did something wrong (something that i hope I've disproved by now, and also I NEVER SEEM TO LOSE MY BATTERY WITH THIS GUY?? I've literally never had this happen with any of my other friends but with noel it takes so long for me to me to go mm i need alone time),

noel has also, at many points this last year, practically moved in with me and yknow what? the absolute peace and calm adoration that i felt when i got home from a uni meeting to see him on my chair drawing, there are no words for it i swear

#also his mom's first (or second sometimes) answer to “guess where i am” is “dee's” which i find hilarious #ask

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riacte · 2 years

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What is UP today I'll talk about the FalseCub shot in round 3 of MCC20 DB because it is sooooooo insane to my tiny brain?? :D

Like yeah as an enjoyer of the MCC9, 10, and 17 DBs (with 17's being the best imo), individual clutches are FANTASTIC (False Supremacy Ace and Grian's entire performance in 17) but this duo clutch from MCC20 has taken over the brain. Because False's shot literally happened ONE SECOND after Cub's and it was almost coordinated.

You can tell that Illumina and False have more DB experience than the other two and Illumina was giving out advice/ orders, like when Cub was tempted to grab the arrow in the middle (he would go on a predictable path and be an easy target) but Illumina and False were like "no no no".

So during the final round, Yellow was 2 down, and it was just Cub and False left against Aqua's full team. They waited for both arrows to come, grabbed one each, and then began to aim. Cub shot Ant, and almost immediately afterwards False shot H. And you can hear SB go from "Nice!" after Cub's shot to "NICE?!?" after False's shot. Swiftly, the two went from a 2v4 to a 2v2 and it was done so smoothly. Almost in unison. In a second, Aqua's advantage was gone. From the leftmost corner of False's POV, you can see Ant dying and just as he falls, False shoots and hits! And because it's the final round, if Aqua wins, it's a clean sweep. False and Cub are literally Yellow's last hope, and they got their two kills so perfectly. It's a great morale booster. Honestly, if I was in Aqua, having two teammates die one after the other on the most important round would just have me QUAKING on the arena. I'm biased but False and Cub looked so intimidating from an outsider POV.

I guess it's also because they're hermits, power of friendship yanno yanno (Gem crying in a corner etc). So it feels extra satisfying. Like, one moment they're playing around in Cub's Target minigame, trying to beat each other, and next moment they're on the Dodgebolt stage and shooting in unison.... it's just so cool aaaaaa

I also liked how you could hear Cub's shot land successfully before False shoots, so it's almost like his shot was an encouragement to her :D And False also shoots down H, which adds an extra layer because H was the OG believer of False Supremacy with that Reddit post and something something MCC9 Blue Bats.

Anyways. I am so obsessed over this tiny thing :DDD

#mcc #mcc20 #yellow20 #cubfan135 #falsesymmetry #falsecub teams are sooooo cool #im 80% sure we're getting falseren for mcc22 tho

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kwangyadetective · 1 year

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⭐️The Dreamers: Dream in a Dream Stages and Defeating an Intruder?

A theory post about NCT Dream’s Best Friend Ever MV of how they went through the Dream in a Dream stages and possibly defeating an alien intruder in their dream.

(!) WARNING: This is a theory as it is not confirmed by SM entertainment nor members of NCT, so please don’t believe this 100%!

Better late than never- (I’m in my one week break and finally have some theories cooking in my head) Yes this blog is still alive despite me posting late nowadays

It took me some time to finally noticed what really happened in the MV but some scenes remind me of the YearDream videos we had in 2021, so my theory is

The Neos are using the Dream in a Dream stages to defeat the green alien that was infiltrating their dreams and possibly the one that is responsible for breaking their dream machine in Glitch Mode.

If you remember in Glitch Mode, which I did write a theory about, they were attempting to control the dream. But there was an issue in the machine so it broke, and possibly, this green monster has something to do with it. Although, yes, it didn’t really do anything aside from standing or sitting around, we saw these eyes (that resemble the monsters’) and it could be disturbing both the dream and Reality.

In the scene where the Neos were walking in a city with people in it, I speculate it being the Reality. This is because of the presence of other people and the city view; while the scenes that are whimsical and colorful are the Dream world because essentially this is where this is where anything is possible unlike the Reality. But because of this alien, there were weird things happening like rubber duckies floating around the city and sea creatures going around. Soon they found out there are these eyeballs which looks like a part of the alien and they used the Dream Stages to put a stop to it.

Aliens aren’t actually a new concept in the Neos’ lore, and even in SMCU as a whole since other artists also had them as concepts. Well, SMCU itself is actually in space. We had U.F.Os in Hello Future, though it seems like this one is a different case.

Dream in a Dream Stages

Although these stages aren’t exactly in the same order in the MV, it is highly plausible that each member went through the stages on their own at different times or speed. But in the end, they were all gathered in the last stage.

Stage 0: The 7th Sense

Something that not many are aware is the actual 7th sense according to the Neo Lore is Empathy. Empathy is important in the lore, which is basically the Neos befriending or empathizing with each other. It is the main key for them to enter Dream in a Dream as a group. One scene that represents this would be when they slept together to enter the dream world. Honestly since their friendship is deep enough, its not necessary to point it out.

Stage 1: Seeing Myself in a Dream

Though not in order, the scene that I found that fit the most to this stage is this particular one. Obviously Mark saw a tiny version of himself, this led him to sleep again to enter the next stage.

Stage 2: Surfing in Our Dreams

Just like what I explained in my Stage 2 YearDream post in 2021, this stage is basically how the Neos get transported randomly to another place. In this case, Jisung was taken into the bathroom after sleeping. He woke up to another dream in the bathtub.

Stage 3: Synchronization of Dreams

Something that I noticed in the Stage 3 YearDream video is the amount of green was there. Well you can see how bright the green was here buttt the main reason why I chose this scene is obviously how all the Neos are in it. They were all synchronized in one place and are ready to go deeper in the dream. To top it all, they are playing around together.

Stage 4: Resonance

This one is tricky but we are getting deeper in the dream world. This one screenshot I took in particular really reminds me of the actual YearDream: Resonance video where all members were laying down. But to strengthen my point, these places do look similar or well honest, they are in their dreamscape.

All the scenes in outer space signify the last part of their journey in defeating the monster, Though it would make more sense if we get a scene where they attack it? But in the end, as we all know, the monster melted in place.

“We are the two as one”

One last thing that is interesting to point out is this line in the lyrics along with these photos of the Neos. SM as a whole is obsessed with the concept of duality, which I have explained in another post. As for the Neos we have the Dream-Reality. Think of it like their NCT2018 album cover; the black and white Reality ver. and colorful Dream ver. Like I mentioned, anything is possible in the dream unlike Reality. These photos could signify this in a way. So far, we don’t have an evil villain (other than the alien here) or a member that is under the villain’s grasp like 127 and the Visions’ case, which is odd. Another confession, all of this is just a theory and I have a small hunch about how relevant the storyline in this MV to their actual comeback since its a Japanese release. But who knows, we’ll find out more in their next comeback.

Guess that’s it :) Next I’ll talk about aespa’s lore sometime this week.

#nct dream #mark lee #haechan #renjun #jeno #jaemin #chenle #jisung #nct #nct theory #smcu

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edgybutnotveryedgy · 8 months

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I'm back and I'm ready to finish what I started. LET'S GO!!!!!! Part 3/3

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

So to summarize what we know about Lila from seasons 1-3, she is a compulsive liar who seems to have an uncanny ability to convince people of her lies no matter how ridiculous they are. As we know, magic and super powers exist in the miraculous universe, so it may not be too far off to consider that Lila may have some sort of powers that allow her to lie so seamlessly. Now from what we see up until season 4 and 5, Lila is malicious but not too dangerous. The most dangerous she is is when she is working with Gabe to try to get Marinette away from Adrien, but otherwise she seems basically harmless.

Continuing into season 4, not much seems to change on that front. She doesn’t seem to play much of a part at all. The only truly notable thing that she says in season 4 ironically comes from arguably one of the most pointless and annoying episodes in the season. (At least in my opinion of course).

Penalteam

At the end of the episode, Chloe goes to sit on the bench where Lila says.

Lila: "Welcome to the bench."

Chloe: "What's your name again?"

Lila: "It's not my name that matters, but who I hate. And I think we've got a lot in common on that front."

(This just has some very interesting foreshadowing.)

Knowing what we know now about Lila, this says so much. Not to mention, I can’t help but to feel like it has some interesting parallels with the season 3 episode Ladybug, when she says to Marinette, “as you said, things aren’t always what they seem at first sight”. Maybe I’m reading too much into this, but I don’t think so. This also sets the stage for season 5 when Lila and Chloe begin working together.

Next in season 5, for the first half, she doesn’t really have much to say, nor any important developments. She just continues with her shenanigans, keeping more to the shadows. Then we get this perfectly unhinged scene in Perfection.

Perfection

After Kagami hangs up on her, we see Lila in a room that is different from her original room. She is sitting in the dark cutting Marinette out of pictures ominously (which is very unhinged and totally normal of her to do).

Lila: "Soon you'll have no one left Marinette. Soon you'll have nothing."

It feels like she's trying to isolate Marinette, and separate her from the people she's closest to. I also can't help but to feel that she is trying to slowly replace her, which is also completely unhinged. (Love that for her). You’ll see more of what I mean in a bit, but yea. Either way, this is honestly such an interesting scene.

Next in Protection, we see Lila is growing closer to Kagami as friends, as well as we see her holding true to her promise in perfection.

Protection

Lila speaking to Kagami about Marinette

Lila: "I wish I didn't have to tell you this but, I can't stand to see you suffer like this any more. You can't attach so much importance to your friendship with Marinette. She doesn't feel the same way. I know this because I have been through such similar pain myself."

Kagami: "What are you talking about? Marinette isn't like that! She's the nicest girl I know! She's always trying to help others."

Lila: "That's what she got me to believe too at first. Until I finally opened my eyes. If you look closely it's not Marinette helping everyone else. It's everyone helping Marinette. She pretends to be weak in order to take advantage of all of you. As a result you all feel like you have to help her. Poor Adrien. Since you two are no longer a couple, he's got no one to protect him. He too has fallen into her clutches without realizing it. Don't you think it's weird that Marinette only ever stutters, face plants, acts all uncomfortable in front of Adrien? That's because from the beginning she's had her eyes on him. With people as perfect as you and Adrien, things are bound to work! You're the ones who should be together. You're the ones who belong together."

Kagami: "There's no way. I- I need to talk to Marinette."

Lila: "Don't waste your time. Manipulators like her always manage to lie their way out of trouble. And of course Adrien would stand up for her. Toxic people like that are dangerous, and you just need to get as far away from them as possible. As soon as you can. I know it's Terrible but there's nothing else you can do."

Everything that Lila says here is interesting. On one hand it feels like she's talking about herself when referring to Marinette, but on the other hand it sounds like she's also talking to herself, when talking to Kagami. As if she herself genuinely believes that Marinette is a liar as well. I can’t help but to wonder if she knows about Marinette being Ladybug. It may not be too unrealistic considering that she knows that Hawkmoth is Gabrielle. If this is the case it certainly brings up a thousand new questions. For one is she somehow able to see through quantic masking? Honestly so many of Lila’s lines this season are very interesting and could have essays written on what they could mean.

Adoration

After Sabrina has been akumatized and bursts through the doors invisible, right as Lila finishes counting down.

Chloe: "Are you a witch?"

This episode was disappointing in terms of Lila lore, except for this one particular line of course. It feels like it’s dripping with foreshadowing. Especially considering that a (hopefully) future sister show called Pixiegirl/Fairyforce has villains called Wytches. Perhaps Lila is a witch? Or maybe this line is meant to allude to her having seemingly supernatural abilities in manipulation? Perhaps time will tell, but it’s still fun to speculate, and I can’t help but feel like this line was intended to be theory bait for suckers like me.

Revelation

Right at the beginning it shows Lila talking on the phone to her "mother" in her new room. After hanging up another woman walks in and starts signing to her. This woman is also apparently her "mom", but is a different "mom" than the one she had originally who was an ambassador. She tells this woman she was talking to her male film agent, whereas she told the other "mother” she was in the Savannah.

Lila: "Oh I was talking to my agent, mom. I was telling him, I'm going to miss you while we're shooting the movie in Mexico.

Mom: "Oh, you're already going so far back when we just met. It will be hard."

Lila: "Yes, I know. We've just been reunited, Mom, but I'll be back soon."

Interesting to note, Lila’s mom who we’ve seen most of the time between seasons 1-3 was in the episode illusion, so it seems unlikely that she would be the mom who thinks Lila is in the Savannah. That means Lila has at least 3 moms. Maybe 4 if you count the random woman who was with her at the train station in the season 4 episode Risk. This instantly brings a flurry of questions but for now we will focus on the rest of this episode.

Next it shows Lila going around getting anything she wants seemingly because she is the alliance girl, but man, people really are invested in hearing whatever she has to say.

In Sabine's painting class

Sabine: "It's wonderful how fast you adapt, Lila. You've only been here for a few weeks, but it's like you've always been part of the class!"

Lila: "The credit goes to you, Sabine. It's such a shame that your daughter Marinette won't bother to take advantage of all that you have to teach!"

Sabine: "Marinette already has so much on her plate..."

Suddenly the Alliance does an update that puts Adrien and Kagami as the new AI faces of Alliance.

Lila: "Oh, right. The update. I actually wanted to tell you today. Taking this class has been an eye opener for me. I'm tired of the fame and all of my superficial connections to people in the world. So I suggested this avatar change. This way, I will be able to fully dedicate myself to my passion for painting among real friends. Thank you, Sabine! You're like a mother to me."

And everyone clapped.

Also very iconic of Lila to begin recruitment tactics to have Sabine join her army of moms. This also goes into the promise that she made in perfection to replace Marinette. Just all kinds of unhinged going on and I’m loving it.

Later after Lila claims the class should hold a reelection, during lunch, Marinette Adrien Alya and Nino all sit and have a discussion together.

Marinette: "It's Lila. No matter what she's doing, she's always up to something!"

Alya: "Marinette, you know we're always ready to believe you, but every time you've accused Lila of something, there's been no evidence, and at worst, it was just a misunderstanding. You've disliked her from day one because you thought she was after Adrien. Fine. But it's over now. You know, Adrien only has eyes for you. You don't need to be jealous anymore."

Adrien: "I'm sorry. I should have said something sooner. But Marinette is right.Lila is a pathological liar and a very talented one at that. She always manages to lie her way out of trouble."

Nino: "Oh, look how you'd say anything for your sweetheart. They sound like a real couple now."

Alya: "That's super sweet of you, Adrien, but you don't have to defend Marinette, you know."

Marinette: (to Adrien) "You were right. We can't talk about it openly. Lila is too good a liar. They'll never believe us."

Lila to Chloe at lunch

Lila: "Don't you want to exterminate Marinette for good, like the vermin that she is? And make her lose everything?"

Chloe: "Of course I do."

Lila: "Then no matter what happens, from now on, do as I say. And in the end, your wish will come true."

Sounds like something a witch or genie or something magical would say. Like genuinely I am not crazy when I say that there’s something supernatural going on here. The show keeps dropping hints like this, and it is really interesting.

When giving speeches, after Marinette's speech, Lila gives her two cents.

Lila: "I'm sorry, I'm going to withdraw my candidacy. Marinette convinced me. She's right to call me an idiot, and to say that what I'm trying to do is pointless.."

Marinette: "I didn't call her an idiot.."

Lila: "It's just that I'm having a really bad day. The truth is, I didn't quit. Gabriel Agreste fired me. (Blah blah blah flowery words). So when I saw Chloe, I was convinced that this could be a new way to make myself useful. To feel like I, too, might belong somewhere. Even though wherever I go, there's always someone rejecting me. But if Marinette is right and there's no hope for Chloe, then there's no hope for me either." [Runs out crying]

(Small note, while Lila is running out she isn't secretly smiling. She looks genuinely upset. She’s a very good actor, or maybe she’s upset… for reasons??? More needs to be considered but imagine if she was genuinely upset by this. For some reason that’s just funny to me. Then again it could be that she was bottling up her pent up frustration from being fired for this moment as well as pushing her feelings towards being upset at Marinette in order to be akumatized.)

Alya: "I think you went a bit too far. You shouldn't have called her an idiot."

Marinette: "I didn't call her an idiot!"

Next scene shows Lila looking in her locker putting her phone down. Next she goes into the bathroom and is apparently focusing her energy on her hatred for Marinette.

Lila: "Come on, Monarch, feel my hatred..."

When Monarch realizes the hatred is no longer directed at him, he sends an akuma to Lila with the power of illusion.

Monarch: "Lila Rossi, I am Monarch! Could it be that you need my help again?"

Lila: "Marinette, it's always Marinette! All my failures are linked to her. Gabriel Agreste dismissed me because of her. And it's the same story at school! All I want now is a chance to get revenge on her!"

Monarch: "With pleasure. The enemies of my friends are my enemies... HOAXER! you have an innate talent for lying to people. Sure, a few people still escape your power. But thanks to the one I'm about to give you, all your lies, no matter how absurd, will irresistibly be taken as the truth. (Blah blah blah explanation of trixx etc)."

THIS WHOLE THING IS GREAT! Like seriously everything I’ve been saying is summarized in this small monologue.

Lila: "I will use my powers to make Marinette Dupain Cheng's life a nightmare! Trust me, Monarch!"

Marinette walked in to hear that last part. Now Lila walking out of the bathroom talks to Marinette directly.

Lila: "Don't worry, Marinette. I'm not going to do anything to you directly. Your friends will take care of it all. Once I reveal to them who you really are."

This line sounds like foreshadowing that goes beyond this episode. I’m back to wondering if she knows that Marinette is Ladybug, and if so how is she going to use that against her? Obviously not in this episode, but perhaps in the future. This especially goes back to my previous thoughts from Protection how Lila genuinely seems to think that Marinette is a liar and manipulator, and honestly? She’s not wrong! We know she’s not wrong. The difference is that Marinette is the protagonist, and she is a hero. She is doing what she does to help others, but at the same time, as the show goes on, the lies get bigger, and the manipulation, intentional or not, is happening and has the potential to fall apart on her.

Lila got all the information on the Agrestes from Nathalie while she was Hoaxer. This isn't evidence of her not being human. Just interesting note. This also goes further into the fact that Lila knows way more than she should. She may have known more than we thought from the beginning tbh.

Confrontation

When Sabrina has run into the bathroom, and Chloe and Lila follow her in to "talk to her" they have an interesting conversation.

Chloe: "Sabrina, you're being ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous. There's no proof that we forced you to cheat."

Sabrina: "Yes, there is."

Chloe: "Show me the proof or I'll have my dad fire yours!"

Lila: "Calm down."

Chloe: "But this dingbat will get us caught."

Lila: "You're the one who will get us caught if you keep getting worked up like this. What's your so called proof, Sabrina? A microphone? A video? It doesn't matter. I'll come up with a new lie and people will believe me. I had everyone believing that Marinette pushed me down the stairs. I have everyone believing that I was halfway around the world so I wouldn't have to go to school. And if I wanted to, I could even convince your own father to put you in jail. And that's what's going to happen if you don't hand over that proof."

Next up Lila learns she was duped by both Sabrina and Marinette, but those were certainly some bold statements that she made. Especially her being fully convinced of her ability to convince Sabrina's father to put her in jail. If this really is just a skill issue then wow. Otherwise there’s got to be something magical going on. Interesting notes concerning this episode though that I’ll talk about in just a bit.

At the end of the episode, it shows Lila calling Chloe, throwing away her wig to reveal she has short brown hair and brown eyes. This is what she says.

Lila: "The war is only just starting. Be ready."

Random kid in front of a different school calls out.

Kid: "Oh, Cerise. Is your movie shoot over?"

Girl: "We didn't think we'd see you again before the end of the school year."

Lila(?): "Yes, I moved heaven and earth so I could be back just in time for the teachers-rep meeting. It would have been such a shame if your favorite delegate were missing."

Something I think is interesting to note about Lila's lying, it seems as though the only time people stop falling for her lies or are resistant to them are either if they've been exposed to the miraculous long enough, such as Marinette Adrien and Gabriel. Even Nathalie while she was Mayura seemed at least partially resistant, although she did still fall for her lies. Also she wasn't using the miraculous as consistently as the other three though. You could argue this as being why Alya Nino and Chloe would still fall for her lies, seeing that they would only occasionally wear the Miraculous. And as far as when Alya got her Miraculous full time in season 4, Lila didn't really have any spotlights during season 4 other than at the end, and that wasn't something that involved her Lying directly to Alya. Another case that is interesting to note, is that Although Kagami still falls for Lila's lies, she seems slightly more resistant than others. Considering that it has been basically confirmed that she is a Sentibeing, this may very well also explain her partial resistance.

Keeping this in mind, it is also important to note that Lila's "spell" seems to be broken in cases where either she lets someone in on her lies, like Chloe and Sabrina, as well as when she is directly caught in her lie such as when the class sees her telling Sabrina about all the lies she's told. You could even argue that as soon as Marinette caught her Lying about knowing Ladybug, or when as Ladybug she told Adrien the truth. Overall though, these all seem to be specific exceptions to the rule. Without magic, or direct intervention, she seems to have the uncanny ability to convince anyone of anything. If she were to put on a black wig with pigtails and wear blue contacts, she could possibly convince everyone that she’s Marinette, including Marinette's parents. Even when it was discovered that she was lying, she still managed to keep people believing her. She may have even been able to lie her way out of the situation in Confrontation, if it weren’t for the fact that her identity as Lila had become inconvenient by then.

Hoaxer

Hoaxer is similar to Volpina except for the fact that she is able to convince people of anything. Her power is lying. This Akumatization seems to be Lila wearing her heart on her sleeve completely. I wish there was more to say about this costume, but I’ve already said what I want to.

Who is LIla Rossi?

Well? I have no idea, because we obviously have never met her! For all we know she could be a real character in universe who our favorite unhinged girl took the identity of, or she was just an alias the whole time. Perhaps it really is the name of our girl, and the made up identity is Cerise? Or maybe her name is Cerise? Or perhaps neither? I don’t know anymore. But lets talk about the ending of episode 26 and how it may relate to our girl. For simplicity sake I think I’ll keep calling her Lila because it’s simpler for me.

So we see some lightning, and Lilas face going from comfort to confusion to deep concern, to OH FUCK OH FUCK OH FUCK! (excuse my profanity). This is so very very interesting, and I want to bring up Onichan again. If you remember from my last post, Lila was freaked out when she realized that someone was following her. I really believe she is running or hiding from something or someone. Maybe something that has to do with why Lila is so good at Lying. I may need to make another post about the possibilities of Lila’s past, and who she may have been, but for now, this is what we have. I know that the show seems to be hinting at her being the future hawkmoth from the season 3 episode Timetagger, and while i do think that seems likely, I also think it is important to consider that maybe she isn’t. Perhaps she is a victim looking for more power over her circumstances while trying to run away from a greater evil? It’s just a thought but why can’t she be a red herring, especially when we have other potential future hawkmoths who are female, like my favorite option Tomoe Tsurugi. For all we know, we may not have even met the future hawkmoth yet. Or she simply is the future hawkmoth. That's my favorite thing about theorizing, is that you’re not right or wrong until the show is finished.

For now, this concludes my crazy unhinged Lila theory with all the evidence I’ve gathered. I tried to leave things relatively vague so that whoever is reading this can come to their own conclusion, but obviously my bias will still exist and influence what I write in here, and the notes I take. I hope to hear more theories about Lila in the future, and maybe at some point I’ll make more theory posts about Lila and Miraculous in general. For now, thank you for reading!

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

#mlb #miraculous ladybug #miraculous #ml lila #mlb lila #lila rossi #miraculous headcanon #miraculous lb #miraculous ladybug theory #miraculous ladybug speculation #mlb theory #mlb analysis

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ipsen · 11 months

Note

1, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12 and 13 for Holometabolism

Hoho, boy, here we go. After a read more!!

1 - What inspired you to write/update this work?

I once put in the tags of a post I can no longer remember that there are only two things that fuel the creative process: love and spite, which are ultimately the same thing-- a desire for something better than what came before.

I am not upset that Eto was scrubbed out of her role in TG:re. I am upset because she was ultimately treated as an afterthought by the story, and that most of her efforts are just attributed to Arima. It's one of Tokyo Ghoul's worst habits: giving men more pity and attention than women. And this is a story with really good women characters that fall flat simply because the story refuses to utilize them.

That is ultimately why I made Holometabolism.

4 - What’s the most challenging part about posting new/updated work? Do you find posting stressful or invigorating?

Posting as I go is probably the only way I can motivate myself to continue a multichapter work. I need some extra validation from sources besides myself, because personal passion can only get you so far in life. You must be uplifted by others in some capacity to, ultimately, make it anywhere.

The hardest part about posting is, to me, clicking the post button. Because I just know there's gonna be some formatting error or whatever that I missed and now I have to go back and FIX IT.

Oh well.

5 - How do you decide how long your fics/chapters will be? Do you have a word count goal?

For Holometabolism specifically, I liked to shoot for at least 4k words because that's a nice healthy number for me. It just seems like the longfics I myself enjoy have a similar word count per chapters, and I've just kinda grown accustomed to it.

But usually my process involves a vision, and then writing to get to said vision. I visualized an EtoKen ending for this fic and then went from there (I actually fleshed out Chapter 4 the most before any of the others, and it's the chapter that's retained the most of its original draft form). Word count isn't a generally a factor, but it does help keep me within a certain limit.

I'm all for a word vomit, but constraints are an integral part of quality. Also makes editing much easier when there's less to actually edit. I like editing the least.

7 - What part of this fic/chapter was the most fun to write?

Now here's a tricky question, because I have a lot of parts that I had so much fun, to the point where ranking them is honestly impossible.

I liked Eto and Touka's first conversation in Ch2. They are foils to one another, with similar backstories and personalities, but they approach things differently. Establishing that was important groundwork for their friendship later on in the fic.

Every time Hinami interacted with Eto was a joy. Hinami is this weird cross between Kaneki and Eto, like a strange brain child of theirs since she was influenced by both of them at key stages in her life.

Ch4's climax (haha) is near and dear to my heart. Not my best work by a longshot, but a very important piece that I'll cherish for a long time. Reconciling your ugliness and bearing it in the hopes for something better is something I want to believe I can do too. So I wrote two people doing it (haha).

Ch5's ending!! I loved taking "I am a ghoul" and making it a positive, awesome slogan! I felt bad having to follow it up with Ch6, honestly. SPEAKING OF--

Eto and Furuta's conversation and "rematch"! So much fun. What better to demonstrate her character development than by having her confront someone she definitely hates? Gotta pat myself on the back for that one.

8 - Which line/paragraph are you most proud of? Why are you proud of this?

Tricky question #2, I see. Well, if I have to pick one, then:

“Please don’t die, Eto,” [Hinami] choked out.

Eto pursed her lips. “Why?”

A few tears dropped onto their hands, coalescing into a small puddle on Eto’s knuckles. “Because… Because I’m not ready to say goodbye.” Hinami pressed their hands against her forehead. “Please… Even if you can’t smile, or laugh, or cry… Live.”

I intended this to be the turning point for Eto's character in this EtoKen fanfiction. A sin, to some, to not have the love interest be the one to start the redemption journey.

Hinami is another one of Eto's foils who is also in the unique position of being capable of holding real and sustainable affection for her. It was important to me to showcase that that was what it was: real, genuine love. Because Hinami, besides Kaneki, is the only person Eto would actually believe in 99% of circumstances, since the girl is both similar to Eto and honest with herself.

12 - What do you hope readers will take away from this work?

"You are worth it, even if you don't think you are." "There's always a little bit of hope for everyone." "Even if you can't smile, laugh, or cry... Live."

Life is mostly good, I like to think, and I wanted to underscore that belief with this fic. I want people to know that hope is stronger than despair, and that it is hope for the future and yourself that drives positive change. Something like that.

13 - Are there any cut lines/scenes from this work? Why did you cut them?

I have an entire document dedicated to "scenes that were Good to me, but either didn't flow properly with the story or just contributed very little to the progression of those involved." There's at least one scene per chapter, too.

I might actually post some of them here on tumblr someday, when I'm feeling enough energy to format each LOL

That's everything! Thanks for the ask!

#ask #tg #holometabolism

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mannatea · 1 year

Text

While There's Still Time, a Fire Emblem 7 ‘fic

Words: 1,221 words Summary: She remembered the Isle, the blood-soaked flanks and wings of pegasi, and her attempt to find survivors. (Fiora's Survivor's Guilt + fear of caring for other people lest she lose them, too.) Pairing/Character: Fiora, Sain Extra Info: This was the 7,000th 'fic posted on FFnet for Fire Emblem back in the day. Wild. Rating: T Genre: Introspection/Friendship.

The title is the link to Ao3. If you read it please take a second to drop a comment!

My notes are pretty simple:

My original intention for this story was to write a piece around 500 words, but obviously that dream died on the vine. (For the rewrite too lmao.)

This was an attempt to give readers a more varied perspective on Fiora, a character who is not very well-loved by the fans, but who really comes together as a believable person through her supports with others. Throughout the game she comes off as rather standoffish, and on occasion outright argumentative (like with Farina), but I think it’s important to remember that she was the commanding officer of a failed mission where she was the sole survivor, and also she’s spent much of her childhood trying to help support her sisters even though it was difficult. She’s had a lot on her shoulders that has forced her to try and think objectively about things, and that attitude makes it easy to forget that she has a lot of love to give—she’s just afraid to give it.

Anyway, we stan Fiora in this house.

The original was written in this super verbose style (one reviewer said it was "like watching two actors on stage" which wasn't exactly a compliment so much as an observation). I kept most of it in the rewrite because I honestly liked how fresh it felt compared to most of the FE stuff I've written in the past, but whether that was the right choice or not I leave up to my readers. Criticize the shit out of it if you please.

Labeled strictly as friendship because I feel it's important to the story. It was also the most-praised thing about the original!

Lastly, I cannot express my disappointment in rereading old reviews that nobody seemed to like the part of the story I liked the best while writing it. I'll see if anyone notices it this time lmao.

#fire emblem #fe7 #fiora #sain #mannafics

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proudfreakmetarusonniku · 2 years

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🎦 - Does the Disc Finale being staged make the Dream SMP's story more or less engaging?

Honestly, I think it worsens the story of every character involved in it, but it most badly affects c!Dreams.

c!Punz betraying c!Dream added an interesting bit of depth to his character. He's normally amoral when it comes to receiving money, but the idea he'd take a lesser payment to help someone he has a soft spot for, that there’s crimes so heinous even he wouldn’t do them for any amount of money. Now, he gained nothing, character wise, from the stream. We just got more of the same, as opposed to some hidden depths.

Destroying the one victory c!Tommy had over his abuser and making it playing completely into his hand makes the story feel a whole lot more hopeless and cynical. The only reason c!Tommy has any sort of freedom is because his abuser allowed him to. The only peace he can get is imaginary. It also makes it much harder to believe c!Tommy will ever be free of c!Dream. If c!Dream would willingly put himself through absolute hell and such extremes as part of his plans, and c!Tommy seems to be important in them, how can we believe he'll ever give up on controlling him?

It also leaves the message of the Final Disc Confrontation hollow. The message was that bonds and attachment are strengths, not weaknesses. c!Clingyduo's kindness and friendship saved their lives. c!Dream's attempts at cutting off his weaknesses only removed the only strength he really had. Now, we know c!Clingy only lived because c!Dream wanted them to. c!Dreams self destructive and miserable ideology where loving anything is wrong is shown as in the right.

But that’s all ignorable. Losing out on potential character depth isn’t the worst thing, and the others are more subtextual than anything. What isn’t is that this makes c!Dream out to be a complete idiot. It doesn’t raise questions on his motives, it makes me wonder how he even got that far if he ever took such insanely high risk and low reward options that make no sense.

For one, c!Punz wasn’t even the one to suggest the prison, if I remember correctly. He was put in the prison at the suggestion of c!Sam, who we know wasn’t involved in the plan at all. The only reason c!Dream is alive is because of that. He gave a prison that he himself rightly owned over to someone who both wasn’t in on the plan and was very protective of c!Tommy. There was nothing stopping him from making c!Punz the warden! If you hinge your entire plan by giving up your freedom to someone you have no control over you're insanely naïve at best. c!Dream could have easily been killed. He's honestly lucky he didn’t, considering what he went through, and if the only reason his plan didn’t end in his own humiliating death is luck, it’s a bad plan.

And, like, why did he need to go to jail? Why did he need to give up his power, his freedom, his ability to do anything else to advance his agenda? That feels like the most insanely extreme option and it has a comical amount of risk to it. Why couldn’t he have gone into hiding or something? The server is massive, and he easily could have laid low until the heat on him died down, without putting himself in danger and limiting his influence.

Was it to turn the server against him? Then why did he specifically avoid mentioning Exile? Did he want the server to be united over something? Because if so, having them go up against a threat for ten minutes and then having them believe it was completely neutralised is the dumbest, most ineffective method of doing so. Was he trying to make himself seem less of a threat? Laying low could do that at way less of a risk. Trying to get the server to pity him for the prison conditions? Then trying to kill innocent children in front of them seems massively counterproductive. Just fucking with c!Tommy more? Then why would he make him think he won?

And that raises the question of why he did anything in Season 2, since he commissioned the prison at the start of it. Why blow up L'Manburg? To get people to hate him more? Seems like a vastly disproportionate amount of effort considering what he already had plans. To get it out of the way? Why would that matter after he was in prison? And it reduces his complexity in Exile. There would be zero reason for him to do any of that except pointless cruelty and evil, as opposed to definitely being a good amount of pointless cruelty but also being to condition c!Tommy into obedience so he could use him as a tool in his plans. What point would there be into deliberately inducing trauma bonding if his plan wasn’t to exploit that?

A good plotter is risky, but there’s a difference between risk and suicidal overconfidence, and the Staged Finale crosses that line so far I can only believe c!Dream managed to do as much as he could was sheer luck, since he seems to have no ability to actually plan anything.

#Dream smp

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echoing-oursong · 1 year

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Like BBC Merlin is so much of a we know what's going to happen but we can see it coming closer and closer as the seasons go on. Because we know Mordred is going to kill Arthur. But what's kinda cool is how Merlin kinda drives him to that point and we see Arthur's death and we can also see Merlin's declining mental health at the stage and how it also plays a role. And how Lancelot was so so important to him because he was his friend and he always supported Merlin and his loss isolates Merlin in a way that he hasn't been before. And the second loss, because Merlin can't even publicly mourn for Lancelot afterwards because of the shade's actions. And he doesn't have that relationship with the rest of the knights that he did with Lancelot because none of them know of his magic and he can't tell because magic is illegal. It's also really telling that after Arthur becomes king, he doesn't advance Merlin, but still leaves him a servant despite him being integral to the battle against Morgana. Like I would bump him up to advisor. Yeah... I do love Merlin. And Gwen. Don't get me started on Gwen. And Lancelot and Gwaine and Elyan. And even Arthur, but he is in a position of power and I'm going to judge him for not using it. Changing Fandoms!

So basically, Nancy cheating on Steve is what started making me get more critical of her and the show. Because I was a casual watcher at one point (I got into the show Dec 2020, because my cousin and my mother were watching it so I was too) and then Nancy cheated but it was never addressed and my brain went, This is wrong. And then season 3 happened and the Jancy stuff happened and more alarm bells were ringing. Because I was reading fic and simultaneously watching the show and fic portrayed her as this paragon. So I knew fandom wasn't addressing it either. And I got even more judgy because cheating is objectively bad, but most of it was saying it wasn't cheating or Steve deserved it. And yeah, that's how Nancy cheating got me into this position. Because we do not like cheating in this household.

Like yeah, the media puts all of Robin's work on Nancy's shoulders. Robin says that "Nancy's shot in the dark was a perfect bullseye!" but the narrative never acknowledges that Robin was the one to find that information. Like I agree that the narrative gives all the credit to Nancy and very little to Robin even though Robin is doing the heavy lifting.

yes this is all so true about BBC Merlin! also like it is a tragedy anyway and we know it's coming (which the execution may have not been the best but it's still a tragedy) Lancelot and Merlin's friendship means so much to me honestly - like it's so sad though that Lancelot was the only knight to really know merlin for his magic and etc. YES! it really is showing that arthur keeps merlin as a servant like idk why he didn't at least make merlin have higher status or something ya know? literally all of those characters are amazing and i love them too (also you are so valid about the arthur thing because also ngl i loved him first but a lot of his actions in canon are so yikes to me and i acknowledge that)

anyway lol change in fandoms. legit same about the cheating thing - ngl i really don't remember what my impression was of Nancy at the beginning but now she's just become such a meh character to me. omg i may have also started that year or maybe the year after (wait lol it might have been the year after thinking about it now) but anyway same I was such a causal viewer too. i can't believe that people said steve deserved it but also i can because legit the reactions with steve (especially in season 1) were so expressive that yeah i can see that honestly it's insane how long this ignoring of cheating and the cheating debate has gone on like people are STILL debating about it which is weird because even if people don't see her hooking up with joanthan cheating - SHE STILL EMOTIONALLY CHEATED ON STEVE BY KNOWING THAT SHE WANTED TO BE WITH JONATHAN THE WHOLE TIME IN THEIR RELATIONSHIP!!!! like she knew before she got back together with steve that she wanted to be with Jonathan - that's called EMOTIONAL CHEATING! like anyway that turned into a rant lol.

yeah they put so much of robin's work to nancy - and that line is insane because i believe when robin says that THEY STILL DON'T KNOW HOW IT FULLY CONNECTS TO WHAT IT HAPPENING!! a;lso sirry that i keep using caps lock but i like to use it to emphasize lol. but yeah you are so right

#answered asks #honeysblooms tag

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theartofdreaming1 · 3 years

Photo

As usual, my thoughts regarding this week’s prompts and random thoughts on chapters 25-27 are below the cut.

heart

The imagery that really caught my attention this time was Peeta pointing out the changes in the moon to Katniss: The only indication of the passage of time lies in the heavens, the subtle shift of the moon. So Peeta begins pointing it out to me, insisting I acknowledge its progress and sometimes, for just a moment I feel a flicker of hope before the agony of the night engulfs me again. - So for one, we see another example of Peeta focusing on the small details in life (which I’ve previously hypothesized to being an important element in his recovery from his hijacking) as well as Peeta being the one to give Katniss hope, even if it’s just for a brief moment. Also, it’s a nice parallel to Katniss looking at the moon and desperately wishing for it to be “her moon” back in chapter 23. As a nocturnal person, I also love watching the moon from my living room window🌙

mind

Hmmh, I don’t think that Katniss and Peeta’s win was predetermined - although I do believe that by introducing the romantic angle, they significantly improved their odds. A Career winning the Games is not really that special and exciting, since it happens so often (although Careers generally satisfy that excitement for violence/blood/gore, that plenty of Capitol people seem to share). As a volunteer from District 12, who achieved an extremely good training score and proved herself to be very capable in the arena already, Katniss definitely had an edge by playing into the classic underdog story, which offered another exciting “narrative” for the Capitolites to follow - that, coupled (heh) with the romance angle Peeta introduced? Katniss (and Peeta) definitely had the entertainment (and excitement through novelty) factor on their side. Ironically, Cato’s chances of winning were not as good as he expected, precisely because he was playing it by the book.

soul

Poor Peeta (and Katniss), it hurts that their relationship was in such a rocky place by the end of the book. Especially those weeks right after the end of Book 1, when there were still cameras around District 12 and they had to pretend while hurting must have sucked big time🥺

Chapter 25

Ugh, the muttations are just so unsettling... *shudder*

Honestly, I’m just so impressed by Peeta’s presence of mind to draw that X on Cato’s hand, after he had just most of his calf ripped off, only to be grabbed and put in a headlock by Cato! He and Katniss work insanely well under pressure

God, Cato’s death is just so gruesome and awful... In the end, his “gift” from the Feast doesn’t help him win at all, but instead ends up prolonging his suffering a cruel amount... I wonder if in general these “gifts” come with a string attached (aside from the expected danger of trying to get them, I mean) - because the Gamemakers also intend for Katniss’s “gift” (medicine for Peeta) to force an even more cruel outcome on her - saving him from blood poisoning only to be forced into killing him herself... 🤔

I’m not sure if this is exactly medical protocol, but I’m terrified that if he drifts off he’ll never wake again. “Are you cold?” he asks. He unzips his jacket and I press against him as he fastens it around me. - Katniss is terrified of the idea of Peeta dying; at the same time, Peeta worries about her freezing - I can’t with these two 😩

Peeta begins to doze off now, and each time he does, I find myself yelling his name louder and louder because if he goes and dies on me now, I know I’ll go completely insane. He’s fighting it, probably more for me than for him - Katniss can’t lose any more people she cares about 😢; on a different note, Peeta fighting his unconsciousness “probably more for [Katniss] than for him” points out one of the crucial elements Katniss brings into Peeta’s life - she is that someone for whom he will fight - including for his own life and well-being - even when it feels easier to give up... Having that person in your life that keeps you going can make all the difference - if Katniss hadn’t had Prim and promised her “to really, really try” to win (and later also made Rue the same promise), I’m not sure she would have made it this far; it’s the thought of Prim anxiously watching her after Rue’s death, that forces Katniss to keep going, to not give in to despair after that particular traumatic event - Peeta, on the other hand, didn’t really have that kind of person in his life, as he will point out on the beach in CF (and Katniss acknowledges herself that the only person who will be devasted if Peeta dies is her)... that is not to say that neither Katniss nor Peeta aren’t fighters on their own - but it helps to have someone that inspires you to not give up

the adrenaline pumping through my body would never allow me to follow him, so I can’t let him go. I just can’t. - We’ll see the mirrored version of this by the end of Mockinjay

Pity, not vengeance, sends my arrow flying into [Cato’s] skull. - Another act of rebellion, technically (sure, this can be spun as Katniss killing Cato so she and Peeta may win - before Peeta dies from blood loss - but we know better - Katniss’s motivation was compassion for her supposed enemy)

We inch down to the tail of the horn and fall to the ground. If the stiffness in my limbs is this bad, how can Peeta even move? - Peeta is tough as nails, yo!

Before I am even aware of my actions, my bow is loaded with the arrow pointed straight at his heart [...] I drop my weapons and take a step back, my face burning in what can only be shame. “No,” he says. “Do it.” [...] “I can’t,” I say, “I won’t.” - In spite of her initial reflex, Katniss chooses Peeta/ chooses not to kill him; it’s a recurring theme in their relationship (despite her wariness of others, she chooses to open up to Peeta eventually; although she vowed to never marry and have children, she’ll choose to have a family with Peeta); also, my psychology-brain just noticed how this moment illustrates how harmful thoughts/impulses don’t have to determine your actions and are not an indicator of who you are - it’s about what you choose to do

“You’re not leaving me here alone,” I say. Because if he dies, I’ll never go home, not really. I’ll spend the rest of my life in this areny trying to think my way out. - Again, makes me think of MJ; also, I think that from this point onwards, Katniss and Peeta are officially linked together forever; the bond they forged during this traumatic experience will connect them to each other until the day they die

“On the count of three?” Peeta leans down and kisses me once, very gently. “The count of three,” he says. - My heart😭

Chapter 26

... while our muscles are immobile, nothing is preventing the blood from draining out of Peeta’s leg. Sure enough, the minute the door closes behind us and the current stops, he slumps to the floor unconscious [...] Through the glass, I see the doctors working feverishly on Peeta, their brows creased in concentration [...] I’m not sure, but I think his heart stops twice. - Peeta was in such a bad shape by the end of the Games; I’m still kinda salty that the movie really glossed over this fact :/

... they’re taking Peeta but leaving me behind the door. I start hurling myself against the glass, shrieking and I think I just catch a glimpse of pink hair - it must be Effie, it has to be Effie coming to my rescue - when the needle jabs me from behind. - Oh geez, in Catching Fire Katniss will also get sedated in a hovercraft because she’s upset about being separated from Peeta 😢 (also, Katniss thinking that Effie is coming to her rescue 😭)

While she [Lavinia, the avox] adjusts my pillows, I risk one question. I say it out loud, as clearly as my rusty voice will allow, so nothing will seem secretive. “Did Peeta make it?” She gives me a nod, and as she slips a spoon into my hand, I feel the pressure of friendship. - Katniss is so considerate of Lavinia’s situation, and Lavinia’s giving her a gesture of comfort and support; they’ve never been able to have a proper conversation (Katniss doesn’t even know Lavinia’s name), but still they managed to build up such a bond - compassion certainly is a strong thing to behold 😭 (and this whole scene is just through and through about compassion, with Katniss asking how Peeta is doing!)

Home! Prim and my mother! Gale! Even the thought of Prim’s scruffy old cat makes me smile. Soon I will be home! - Katniss is so excited to see her home and her loved ones again

I want to get out of this bed. To see Peeta and Cinna - Aww, the two people she grew closest to over the course of the past weeks (Haymitch will be added to that list in just a smidge)

Or do I hear a man’s voice yelling? Not in the Capitol accent, but in the rougher cadences of home. And I can’t help having a vague, comforting feeling that someone is looking out for me. - Thank God for Haymitch!

And behind one of them [doors] must be Peeta. Now that I’m conscious and moving, I’m growing more and more anxious about him [...] “Peeta!” I call out, since there’s no one to ask - Katniss is sick with worry over Peeta; romantic feelings or not, she cares so fricking much for him by now!

I run for them [Effie, Haymitch, and Cinna] and surprise even myself when I launch into Haymitch’s arms first. When he whispers in my ear, “Nice job, sweetheart,” it doesn’t sound sarcastic. - These reunion scenes are so intense and heartwarming! And then Katniss asks about Portia and Peeta because their presence would make this scene complete

when I asks for seconds, I’m refused. “No, no, no. They don’t want it all coming back up on the stage,” says Octavia, but she secretly slips me an extra roll under the table to let me know she’s on my side - It’s moments like these that help humanize Katniss’s prep team - they might be shallow, they might be completely oblivious and ignorant, but they aren’t that bad [of course, the prep team chattering about their mundane lives while talking about the event that ended with the deaths of 22 children shortly after, leaves a bad taste in our mouths]

I immediately notice the padding over my breasts, adding curves that hunger has stolen from my body. My hands go to my chest and I frown. “I know,” says Cinna before I can object. “But the Gamemakers wanted to alter you surgically. Haymitch had a huge fight with them over it. This was the compromise.” - God, the idea that the Gamemakers wanted to give a boob job to an unconscious, malnourished 16-year-old girl makes me sick 🤢 (Also, what’s the flipping deal about boobs?! As a pretty flat-chested gal, I’ve always been annoyed that there are barely any bras my cup size that are not push-up ones; I’m not self-conscious about it, so stop making me pretend that I’m bustier than I actually am!)

“I thought it’d be something more... sophisticated-looking,” I say. “I thought Peeta would like this better,” he [Cinna] answers carefully. Peeta? No, it’s not about Peeta. It’s about the Capitol and the Gamemakers and the audience. Although I do not yet understand Cinna’s design, it’s a reminder the Games are not quite finished. - Ugh, that sinking feeling when Katniss and the reader realize that the Games are still not over... Sidenote: Peeta flirted up a storm with grimy, bloodied Katniss and complimented her when she wore Cinna’s first, absolutely badass costume (”You should wear flames more often”)... Katniss’s girlish outfit has nothing to do with Peeta and she knows it... Cinna could have dressed Katniss up in a trash bag and Peeta would have been smitten - although a trash bag by Cinna would probably still look pretty good ;)

“How about a hug for luck?” Okay, that’s an odd request from Haymitch but, after all we are victors. Maybe a hug for luck is in order. - Aww, Katniss actually wouldn’t have minded giving Haymitch a hug just because - sadly, this is about survival tips instead :/

But what was it Haymitch said when I asked it he had told Peeta the situation? That he had to pretend to be desperately in love? “Don’t have to. He’s already there.” Already thinking ahead of me in the Games again and well aware of the danger we’re in? Or... already desperately in love? I don’t know. I haven’t even begun to separate out my feelings about Peeta. It’s too complicated. - Poor Katniss... she didn’t have the time and peace of mind to sort out her feelings regarding Peeta before they all got tied up and muddled with her need for survival. Now she’ll be having an even harder time trying to untangle that mess :(

Chapter 27

Then there’s Peeta just a few yards away. He looks so clean and healthy and beautiful, I can hardly recognize him. But his smile is the same whether in mud or in the Capitol and when I see it, I take about three steps and fling myself into his arms [...] He rights himself and we just cling to each other while the audience goes insane. He’s kissing me and all the time I’m thinking, Do you know? Do you know how much danger we’re in? After about ten minutes of this, Caesar Flickerman taps on his choulder to continue the show, and Peeta just pushes him aside without even glancing at him. - Man, their reunion here always gets me - it would be so fricking good if Katniss didn’t have to worry about their potential doom 😒😔 - she barely has time to just be happy to see Peeta alive and well before slipping back into survival mode while Peeta is just genuinely thrilled to have her in his arms, completely unaware of the pressure and immediate danger Katniss experiences in this moment... It hurts so bad

I’m with Katniss - How did the previous victors endure rewatching those horrible moments from the Games?! I guess because they had to, but oof... I think I’d just completely shut down, blocking out the footage shown, ugh

But I do notice they omit the part where I covered her [Rue] in flowers. Right. Because even that smacks of rebellion. - In such a callous and cruel place as Panem, any act of compassion can be regarded as rebellion, it’s crazy. In a place filled with apathy, hedonism, greed, and cruelty, the most radical things you can exhibit are love, kindness, and respect!

A wave of gratitude to the filmmakers sweeps over me when they end not with the announcement of our victory, but with me pounding on the glass door of the hovercraft, screaming Peeta’s name as they try to revive him. In terms of survival, it’s my best moment all night. - Again, another instance where Katniss’s genuine feelings/reactions to Peeta are get muddled with her need for survival

The one thing I never do is let go of Peeta’s hand. - irrevocably linked with each other

Despite Haymitch’s running interference, I’m determined to see Peeta privately. - Katniss just wants to have an honest and open talk with Peeta 😢 (I get where Haymitch is coming from, and maybe in this instance it’s the right call, but we’ll see a similar situation in the beginning of CF when Haymitch advises Katniss not to tell Peeta about President Snow’s visit and that time, it doesn’t go so well...)

Then Peeta’s there looking handsome in red and white - for someone who isn’t sure whether she’s into him or not, Katniss sure mentions how good Peeta’s looking a lot 😏

“Well, there’s just this and we go home. Then he can’t watch us all the time,” says Peeta. - 👀👀 Peeta is so thirsty here; reminds me of when he pulled Katniss close to him in the cave before they set out to hunt... He clearly believes she’s also “already there” regarding their relationship; he’s never this “suggestive” (can’t think of a better word right now) with her once she lets him know that she doesn’t really know how she feels about him - I feel a sort of shiver run through me and there’s no time to analyze why - Katniss totally isn’t averse to what Peeta’s suggesting here, either (though there’s probably also a healthy amount of fear mixed in with the thrill of being wanted - letting people in can be terrifying)

I can feel Peeta press his forehead into my temple and he asks, “So now that you’ve got me, what are you going to do with me?” I turn in to him. “Put you somewhere you can’t get hurt.” And when he kisses me, people in the room actually sigh. - It’s me; I’m people 🙋🏼‍♀️ (also, the “turn in to him”?!?!! it just suggests such a closeness, I can’t-)

Katniss burying her face in Peeta’s shirt when she’s afraid she might cry learning that he lost his leg 🥺 (how awful it must be to be constantly on display while you’re dealing with your private feelings, ugh)

“... The moment when you pulled out those berries. What was going on in your mind... hm?” [...] It seems to call for a big, dramatic speech, but all I get out is one almost inaudible sentences. “I don’t know, I just... couldn’t bear the thought of... being without him.” - It might not be a super eloquent way to put what she was supposed to say, but this way, Katniss is being perfectly honest (and frankly, if she’d had the chance to properly process her feelings, she would have been able to voice this sentiment with less hesitation)

I go back to my room to collect a few things and find there’s nothing to take but the mockingjay pin Madge gave me. Someone returned it to my room after the Games. - For one, Katniss didn’t think of that pin (again), but also - was the pin returned to her simply because it’s standard procedure or did someone (like Plutarch, for example) arrange for Katniss to get the pin back, to keep her connection to this symbol going?

I stare in the mirror as I try to remember who I am and who I am not. - Poor Katniss! She’s been through so much, experienced so many traumatic events in short succession recently (aside from the trauma she already had), already had problems defining her identity beyond sheer survival, and now the Capitol also keeps pushing an identity onto her and a romantic relationship, when she hadn’t even had the chance to figure out how she felt about that yet

“... Haymitch has been coaching me through the last few days. So I didn’t make it worse,” I say. “Coaching you? But not me,” says Peeta. “He knew you were smart enough to get it right,” I say. “I didn’t know there was anything to get right,” says Peeta. - Oh boy. It’s always so painful to see Peeta realize that he’s been completely out of the loop; again, we’ll see how Katniss and Haymitch adopt a similar strategy in the beginning of CF: banking on Peeta’s good social skills and eloquence and keeping him in the dark. In a way, it’s a sort of compliment they pay to Peeta for being good with people, but, by not telling him, they are also using him for their purpose (which is motivated by caring for and wanting to protect Peeta, but still). Peeta is right to be upset about it - he has always been very clear about not wanting to be used as a piece in anyone’s games, really. And, as we will see later in CF, they are way more effective as a team when they are open and honest with each other.

“It was all for the Games,” Peeta says. “How you acted.” “Not all of it,” I say, tightly holding on to my flowers. “Then how much? No, forget that. I guess the real question is what’s going to be left when we get home?” he says. “I don’t know. The closer we get to District Twelve, the more confused I get,” I say. He waits, for further explanation, but none’s forthcoming. “Well, let me know when you work it out,” he says, and the pain in his voice is palpable. - It’s just so goddamn painful😢 They’ve both been done so dirty by that forced star-crossed lovers of Distrct 12 routine. (Sidenote: I appreciate that Peeta actually gives Katniss the chance to explain herself here - still, it’s too much to deal with on the spot so I can understand why Katniss ended up dropping the ball, even though it’s frustrating to read.)

That it’s not good loving me because I’m never going to get married anyway and he’d just end up hating me later instead of sooner. That if I do have feelings for him, it doesn’t matter because I’ll never be able to afford the kind of love that leads to a family, to children. And how can he? How can he after what we’ve just been through? - Oh Katniss, you certainly are skipping a couple of steps here; I’m pretty sure there are some options in between dating and being married with kids you could look into. Also, she’s just assuming that this is what Peeta wants, but she doesn’t know that at all - As someone who also has this stupid habit of imagining how whole conversations could possibly transpire and then resigning myself to the hypothetical outcome of said imagined conversation instead of actually having them: Don’t do that. ‘Never assume - it makes an ASS out of U and ME.’

I see Peeta extend his hand. I look at him, unsure. “One more time? For the audience?” he says. His voice isn’ t angry. It’s hollow, which is worse. Already the boy with the bread is slipping away from me. I take his hand, holding it tightly, preparing for the cameras, and dreading the moment when I will finally have to let go. - Ma babies! They are both so hurt and both just want to be with each other 😭 But they’ll need some time apart, to figure things out before they can do that.

#thgagain #thg #hunger games #everlark #katniss everdeen #peeta mellark #my sketches and drawings #thg meta

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