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#ep: observer effect
random-fandom-whump · 2 years
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Star Trek: Enterprise S04E11 ↳ RFW's Favorite Star Trek Whump Moments (✚)
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giffingthingsss · 2 years
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whomstdvelynt · 2 years
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maybe it wasnt the best idea to draw a bunch of silly cartoony eyes traditionally and then colour the background black
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avrilsboy · 3 months
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i'm only partway through ep five of true detective but god. the escalation of martin's misogyny to where he hits and slut-shames his teenage daughter audrey in the same sentence that he talks about a statutory rape charge against the young men she was found in a car with, and how this is immediately preceded by a scene of him being congratulated for rescuing a child from a child rapist/murderer, who he himself killed assassination-style out of sheer rage. he got away with covering it up as a defensive kill, he received a promotion, he got a second chance with his wife maggie whom he cheated on and got to be with his young daughters again. despite all that he does wrong, all is right in martin's world. audrey, though, now a teenager, is now at the receiving end of her father's hatred of women; she doesn't even realize that she has been at this receiving end since she was a child of nine or so, ever since her parents found her drawings of naked men and women having sex in her school notebook. maggie is properly disturbed by this, wondering if audrey is possibly being sexually abused, knowing very well how early girls learn about sex because of the dangers they face as girls, while martin is only angry at audrey for displaying a knowledge of sex in the first place. he can't cope that his young daughter is a woman to-be. he can't possibly marry his own ideas and treatment of women with the reality that both of his children will soon become those very women. and since he categorically gets what he wants without ever needing to challenge his perceptions or change himself in any capacity, he continues to direct his rage at women, and his daughters suffer for it. even maisie, favored over audrey by martin, starts facing direct whispers of his misogyny as she makes the cheerleading team, something with a clearly sexual connotation in martin's mind.
and on the very same page is rust, who in his previous job had also killed a suspect upon discovery of child abuse. he, however, received no accolades; he instead spent time at a psychiatric hospital, as this was viewed as a mental breakdown in connection with the recent loss of his own daughter, sofia. rust, refusing pension, was instead sent to do undercover work for an extensive seven years as consequence. he loses a lot in the aftermath of his daughter's death; his marriage falls apart, he copes by overworking, he doesn't sleep. he is haunted by sofia's presence. he's often detached and pessimistic, only able to view the world in strict functions: cause and effect. fear and desire. animals playing power-games on what is truly a nothing planet in the scope of the universe. upon becoming martin's partner, he gets to witness martin fucking up a life he himself once had -- he gets to witness him be emotionally unavailable to his daughters, watches him cheat on his wife -- but rust can do only that. observe, and let martin know he observes. and he makes sure martin still maintains his chances, encouraging him to cover up the crime of murdering a suspect, telling him that his relationship with maggie will turn around.
here's the thing, though: rust has something that martin wishes he had, too. martin wishes he could view his daughters as forever-children. he doesn't wish they had died as sofia had as just a toddler, obviously not -- but their unavoidable womanhood is, to him, its own death sentence. he hates that his children are becoming the very women he derides and uses to bolster his own position as a man. he hates that their innate womanhood would dare beg him to change his mindset for the sake of his relationships with them as their father, for the sake of their safety in the world. he could only dream of his daughters being perfectly innocent non-women forever, something only their early graves could ever promise.
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doublel27 · 6 days
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Okay, so fresh Wandee Goodday theory coming through.
I know we all thought Yak was going to be the one who knew he fell first, because he’s in so deep, but after Ep 4, I’m not so sure.
One, Dee has Plakao to be his voice of reason and is already admitting to Kao that he’s jealous of Yak’s crush and Kao is making observations like this.
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Conversely, when confronted by Cher about his feelings for Dee through the evidence of giving away his prized name necklace and effectively claiming Dee, Yak denies it by saying that Cher already knows who Yak has feelings for and when pushed says this:
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Which, the phrasing of “I’m not someone who changes his mind easily.” Is a really interesting denial. Because he’s affirming his commitment to his feelings for Taem. That just because he has Dee and they’re close doesn’t mean he’s going to change his mind or his feelings.
And it got me thinking of some other bits of nuggets we got about the Phadetseuk family.
His mom opened the gym and when asked about his parents Yak makes the saddest faces.
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We now know thanks to the cold shower that was this week’s cold open that their mother died. But that leaves us with the question of where is their dad. Because my sweetest boys were alone at the hospital.
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And their dad wasn’t there. Now maybe something happened to their dad, but there is an actor listed for Yei and Yak’s father and step mother.
Which made me speculate that perhaps there’s a reason that Yak is committed to not changing his feelings for Taem. Perhaps his determination to not be a person who changes his mind easily is tied to their father leaving their mother for their step-mother. And the concept of being like his father, someone whose feelings change easily, and can leave someone they care for, is not something Yak would want.
And I wonder, if this is true (and I could be wrong) how long Yak will hold on to his feelings for Taem even though she does not return them and how committed he will be to becoming a different person so that she might like him when Dee likes him exactly as he is.
Definitely curious if part of his feelings for Taem are tied to her helping him study and how his mom sat and encouraged him. Dee filled a bit of that function this week and it was a beautiful parallel but Taem has been doing it longer.
And don’t get me wrong, Dee is gonna have his own issues. He’s a hopeless romantic who definitely is not always the most reliable narrator, but he’s coming around. Still waiting to learn more about his parents car accident and how that’s left him desperately wanting someone to care for him.
These two are delightful and well fleshed out characters. I cannot wait to watch them continue to stumble through this fake dating disaster they’ve created.
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kazumist · 4 months
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EPISODE 17 ✿ ENDEARING
YOU + ME = LOVE — A DILUC SMAU
masterlist / prev ep / next ep / wc: 794
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it was silly, really. 
it was silly ever since diluc realized his feelings. he suddenly finds everything about you so endearing. he finds it ridiculous how he feels himself get all giddy when you’re not even doing anything. he finds it ridiculously endearing that the simple thought of you is enough to make him feel this way.
with finals approaching, all you and diluc do is technically just review the coverage of your exams. and when you’re lucky enough to finish early, you two would just stay at your spot in the library and kill time. “professor barnes is the literal worst, i swear!” you complained. professor barnes, your teacher for practical research, isn’t really the best. he tends to skip his class (you once thought it was ironic that he was the one cutting class instead of his own students). “let me guess, he didn’t turn up for your class with him again?” diluc asks.
“yeah, and as per usual, we just sat in the classroom like total idiots because we haven’t received any feedback yet about our draft for chapters one and two!” you complained to him again, groaning in annoyance as you felt diluc rub a hand against your back—his personal way of showing comfort.
“if you’d like…” he starts.
“nope! nuh-uh. you are not going to be the one who’s going to review our draft.” you knew immediately what he was going to suggest. and you shut him down as soon as you can. as much as you admire how diluc is so dedicated and hardworking, you don’t really want to be a burden.
“but i don’t have much on my plate right now.”
“liar. kaeya told me that you guys are busy with your capstone project these days.” 
he tilts his head at you, confused. “you’re friends with kaeya?”
“who isn’t friends with kaeya?”
“fair enough.”
“but seriously, diluc. you don’t have to do it. professor barnes will get the consequences of his actions soon enough. thanks for the offer, though; it’s appreciated.” a sigh escapes your lips as you lay your head to rest on the table, using your arms as a pillow. “i’m so tired," you mumble.
“you should rest for now," he says in a softer voice this time.
“don’t you have class after this?” you moved your head to his direction so you could look at him. diluc stares back at you. you had a few strands of hair covering your vision and diluc had to resist himself from brushing them away and tucking them behind your ear. “our prof just left us with an activity since she had an errand to do.” he said a bit late.
“are you done with it?” 
“not yet.”
“huh? why not?” your voice was a bit… muffled? or a bit hard to decipher because of your position. but diluc understood you word for word nonetheless.
“i guess you could say that i’m a bit lazy at the moment.”
“you? lazy? are you really the diluc ragnvindr that everyone loves and adores?”
“oh, shut it.” he playfully rolled his eyes at you with a smile.
not too long after, you dozed off. leaving you and diluc in a comfortable silence. no one was around the floor you guys were in as usual. this time, he finds the courage to brush those strands of hair away from your face.
it’s alright to be selfish every once in a while, right? he thought.
he glances at you and observes your sleeping figure. you looked peaceful as you slept. calm breaths came in and out of you. is it silly of him to think that you look so pretty right now, even though you were just napping? diluc couldn’t formulate the right words to describe you back then. but now he has one.
endearing.
everything that you do or say is just so… endearing to him. diluc didn’t know that one could have such an effect on him. hell, he didn’t even expect to fall in love in the first place. during his years in school, he was only surrounded by people who would fall in love. never did he expect that he would end up being included in its population.
but if he’s going to be honest? he wouldn’t ask for anything more.
time ticked by and diluc sat there by your side during your whole nap. he simply shot a text at one of his classmates, saying that he wasn’t feeling well (he thought of saying that he got diarrhea, but he thought that would be too exaggerated) and that he wouldn’t be able to accompany them on their errand. so maybe skipping is a bit worth it.
after all, he was with you. and that was enough for him.
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randybutternubber · 4 months
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I’ve noticed a distinct lack of love for the kid from the first ep of TSON who helped noone and the workers, so here’s some art with some HCS (Kid on the left, I’ll just call them goo kid, worker on the right)
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Random goo kid HCS
Goo kid fell into a vat of some weird ass shit shadow goop in the factory
They use this to their advantage to basically blend in with the workers
Goo kid is around 6 to 7 years old and was relatively young when they were taken to the nowhere
Because of the factory having a lot of darker areas and the goop messsing with their eyes, they don’t have great vision and they’re nearly blind in one eye. They also have some hearing issues due to basically getting exposed to loud ass factory equipment constantly. Due to this, they’re very tactile and they often try to hold the hands or touch the faces of other children, but it’s often met with rejection due to often getting mistaken as a worker and usually not properly asking to do so. Their sense of smell is also pretty fried
Goo kid is mostly non-verbal and has a very limited vocabulary as a result of being taken so young and spending most of their time around the workers who don’t speak
The workers often try to give them tools like hammers and wrenches, thinking that they’re another worker
Even if a worker realizes they’re not one of them, they tend to not be very aggressive towards them because they’re very used to them being there. They’re mainly aggressive when goo kid is with another child or gets too close to the machinery
Goo kid’s clothes were taken from a worker. Most of them wear workers overalls, but it’s very common for the overalls to be heavily damaged as the shadow goop stuff isn’t that good when on fabric and they’re often torn by machinery
Because of lack of exposure to light, goo kid has pretty pale skin, which is also very sensitive to the sun, along either their eyes
Worker head canons
Workers act smarter when alone/in small groups and show a lot more individual personality as well. When they’re in groups, the hive mind kind of takes over and they become completely engrossed in keeping the factory running. This is why they tend to act quite dull/stupid when together, but the individual workers seemed to stalk/observe Noone and goo kid before striking
Like nomes, workers do hoard items, often in their pockets/pouches or tool belts if they have one, but they also like to hoard items in their own little nooks and crannies
They sometimes accidentally (or purposefully) steal each other’s tools while working, and yes, they will brawl over a wrench, but they often don’t notice/don’t know who took it
Workers can coalesce into far bigger shadow amalgamations, but it can only occur in very low light conditions, and only if the situation is bad
They have great eyesight in the dark and can see a ton of detail when up close, but otherwise, their vision is quite poor. Their hearing, on the other hand, is excellent, and like birds when they call, their ears have a sort of shadow muscle something something like that that closes when near loud machinery. This is another reason why goo kid doesnt talk besides being primarily non verbal and why they stop noone from speaking. Their hearing also helps with noticing if a machine needs fixing
Workers walk on their toes and their feet are rarely flat on the ground. This, coupled with their claws causes them to have a unique sounding footstep
Their toes/feet are very flexible, allowing them to scramble around and climb quite well
Their arms are proportionally longer since they often work with tools that are quite large for them
Workers can scramble around on all fours quite effectively
Some of them have exposed teeth
They often grab goo kid/lead him “back to the group” when they find them far away from where most of the workers are. It makes exploring difficult, but if goo kid gets stuck/lost, it can be very helpful
Goo kid is a bit scared of the workers, but because they tend to just think they’re another worker, they aren’t absolutely terrified
Singular workers are generally more playful and curious. They’re also more likely to notice something is different about goo kid. They poke them and sometimes try to apply some of the shadow goop to their face thinking that there’s something wrong with him
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heliza24 · 19 days
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In which I try to figure out Armand:
My brain has been ticking away thinking about Armand ever since episode 2.1. I have been fascinated and irritated by Armand in the off-season, so to speak, because I love Daniel and relate to him so much, and I know Armand is going to be very important to him. But we were given so little of Armand last season it has just felt impossible to get a grip on what his deal is. I am admittedly not a book reader, but I also feel like these feelings are still justified because the show version of Armand is so different than the book, in circumstance at least. So he’s the character I’m most interested in this season.
We still didn’t get a lot of him in ep 1, but I’ve been thinking about him and synthesizing some of the stuff that people have been saying about him in interviews, especially about his relationship to control. I’m specifically thinking about Hannah describing him as “Louis’s creature” and saying that he’ll do whatever Louis wants, and that this is part of their sexual dynamic as well. I think this makes sense with what we’ve seen in the trailers; it seems like Louis is the more sexually dominant one between them. So Armand is happy to be more of a sub in the bedroom and in their original flirtations. Maybe in their earlier dynamic as a couple too, we’ll have to see. Meanwhile, he’s in the background, arranging scenery, pulling strings, trying to do everything he can to hold onto Louis and keep him at least passingly happy. This, by the way, perfectly meshes with his role as director at the theatre. Never in the limelight, but always in control. (The stage management school of sexuality, if you will.). I think that emphasis on control probably becomes more pronounced as the years go on, and Louis is sitting in his grief for Claudia and more of their initial spark dies. But it also perfectly explains the Rashid act. Armand is comfortable playing a servant role. He’s comfortable observing from just off stage. He’s comfortable doing those things if it means ultimately having a better grasp on the way the scene unfolds.
For his part I think Louis is probably drawn to the way Armand seamlessly irons out the bumps in his life. The penthouse is a cage, but Louis is his own jailer; Armand isn’t the one keeping him there. There’s probably an interesting comparison to be made against Lestat here. Lestat revels in melodrama and high emotions, while Armand is intent on maintaining a facade of calm stability. It makes sense to me that Louis would have leaned into this facade, even if he knew it was partially a falsehood, after losing Claudia. I think this is true even around Claudia’s death. It was easier for Louis to forget and forgive whatever part Armand played in it, and allow Real Rashid to hide those diary pages away, than to really reckon with Claudia’s death.
I think Louis requested the interview as part of his general goal to narrativize and soften his own memories and grief, and Armand acquiesced in order to keep Louis. The original goal of the interview was for Louis to convince himself he really had killed Lestat, literally and maybe emotionally too. I think it’s possible that Lestat is back in the picture somehow and the interview is Louis’s last ditch effort to convince himself not to return to his maker. But then of course the whole thing goes off the rails and Louis ends up facing down his true memories for the first time in years. It makes sense that when put in an uncomfortable situation- watching Louis talk about Lestat- Armand would default to his old role of manipulating things from the wings of the metaphorical penthouse stage. Him stepping into the interview is a big departure from that, and shows how effectively Daniel has rattled him.
So how this plays against Daniel is interesting. Armand is putting on a big show about how he and Louis were able to manipulate Daniel in San Francisco. But I wonder how true that ever really was. I imagine even in San Francisco, Daniel represented a completely opposite dynamic to Armand’s relationship with Louis, which would have hooked Armand’s attention. If Louis appeared in control on the surface, but relied on Armand’s ability to arrange the periphery of his life, Daniel would have appeared to be easily (and perhaps happily) dominated, but resistant to Armand’s larger attempts to control his life. Obviously I don’t know exactly how they’ll play out a 1970s devil’s minion scenario. But I imagine that Daniel’s addiction, and Armand’s misguided attempts to protect him from it, will play a role in whatever kind of break up and memory erasure ensues. Whether it was the addiction or his personality or something else, there was some element of Daniel that was too wild for Armand to tame. He threw him back into the pond, all memories of being snared on the fishing line erased. And it’s entirely possible that Armand feels this loss of control very deeply. As heartbreak and loss, but also as a scary moment when his grip on the love that he needs in his life faltered. It’s possible that the break up with Daniel made him even more determined to control outcomes with Louis. And it’s also possible that the pain that he felt when he originally lost Daniel is causing him to revise and edit his own memories of his relationship with Daniel. If Daniel broke Armand’s heart, it would be a lot easier to remember him as a silly boy Armand manipulated in tandem with Louis than someone Armand actually found fascinating. Admitting otherwise means admitting his own weakness. So memory becomes the monster, again, even if you are the one controlling the vampire amnesia.
For what it’s worth, I currently think that Louis doesn’t know about Armand’s past with Daniel. I don’t think Louis would be as vulnerable with Daniel if he knew. And that would point to Armand once again subtly manipulating and managing Louis, completely hiding his connection to this mortal from him.
Regardless, I don’t doubt that Daniel was less fearsome in San Francisco than he is now in Dubai. (The show’s insistence that an elderly disabled man is just as powerful in his own way as an immortal vampire is perfection, and it makes me want to kiss all the writers on the mouth). He’s even less controllable by Armand than he once was (if he ever was), and he’s intent on finding out Armand’s truth, and the truth of their connection. I was really struck by Assad saying in an interview that the thing that Armand wants most is acceptance. He craves love and acceptance, but is terrified to show his real self and be vulnerable. Thats why he’s continuing to play stage manager to Louis’s love. But Daniel is coming for his true self in Dubai whether Armand wants it or not. And I imagine that is both extremely confronting but also ultimately attractive to Armand.
I deeply hope we get to see Daniel crack Armand’s sense of control. I hope we get to see Armand being vulnerable to Daniel and Daniel being receptive to that. I also hope we get to see Daniel facing down Armand as the source of his trauma (because being stalked, bitten, and then having your memories forcibly repressed is trauma, even if Daniel was attracted to Armand through it). I hope we get to see the way that trauma and fear and desire and love intermingle. And I also hope that when Daniel breaks Armand’s sense of control and sees his true self, he still likes what he sees. Because I would like Armand to get that acceptance from someone, even when his worst tendencies are laid bare.
(Oh, and while I’m making predictions- I’m not worried about 70s Devils Minion not happening, or them interacting in the 70s but it not turning into some form of romance. There is simply no better way to add stakes to the Dubai iterations of the characters than to give them this hidden history, and Rolin has talked extensively about needing to bring Daniel into the story in a personal way and crank up the conflict happening in Dubai. The penthouse is no longer just a framing device, but a site of active conflict and growth, and the only way you do that is exploring past and future DM dynamics. In ep 1 it’s still mainly acting as a frame, but I’m really excited to see its importance grow over the season).
Armand is such an intriguing mystery, but if I’m right about some of this stuff I actually relate quite strongly to him too. (I am reminded of a Brennan Lee Mulligan quote, where he describes characters you love/play as being garages attached to your actual personality of a house, and sometimes some piece of writing or improv shoots a sniper rifle perfectly through the garage door into the house and hits you in the heart)
@bluedalahorse warned me that this is how you really get stuck on a ship, when you see pieces of yourself in both characters, and I do fear that she is right.
So we’re really in it now, is what I’m saying. Send me your Armand thoughts, I want all of them. I will be counting down the days until episode 5 and obsessing until it airs. I’ll check back in on this meta later, I guess, to see how correct or incorrect I was.
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whateverisbeautiful · 4 months
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♥️ Ranking Richonne
#26: We Should Go To Washington (S5E09)
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This moment - Powerful. Pivotal. Romantic. I’ve said before that I believe Rick and Michonne more fully fell in love with each other by the end of season 4. And to me, how they interact with each other throughout season 5 just further confirmed my theory, especially in this stunning episode 'What Happened And What's Going On.' And part of what's going on is Rick and Michonne falling for each other even more as they make a big game-changing decision rooted in the love and trust they've developed. I love that this is where Rick shows he would truly go the distance for Michonne...
(Sidenote: Now this scene ranking might be my most controversially-placed one because I know this is a very beloved classic Richonne scene that would understandably make a lot of ppl's Top 10s and even Top 5s. It’s a super significant moment between Rick and Michonne and I love it, I promise. Richonne's journey is just that abundant with top-10 worthy moments so I had to make some sacrifices on my list because I adore every second of every moment they’re on screen.😅)
So I already just love the way Rick and Michonne are color-coordinated in their brown outfits. So much of season 5 really established how R&M are a pair and each other's match.
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And in this ep, Rick touches her, I believe, for the first time since she told him never to touch her again in s3., showing their growth and the strengthening of those magnets.
Something I appreciate about the Richonne 5B scenes that occur before they arrive at ASZ is that they really did an effective job of confirming the depth of their bond. During this period, we consistently see just how much Rick and Michonne's attraction to each other is more than skin-deep because they've built a genuine love and trust with each other.
They cement their partnership in so many ways during this time of searching for a home, and it's important to see this depicted before they enter ASZ because it lets you know that while there will be situations that could potentially cause a divide between them at Alexandria, it's 5B scenes like this Washington one that tell you Rick and Michonne's bond was too strong, too battle-tested, and too important to them for anything in ASZ to break it.
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It’s also very clear throughout this season 5 mid-season premiere how much Michonne’s well-being is on Rick’s radar and really matters to him, and it becomes extra clear in this #26 scene here. 
Michonne is making her case for why this place could maybe still work as a home, only to find that the community clearly was brutally attacked as severed body parts lay scattered around. Michonne is quietly disappointed as she walks and observes, and Rick’s attention immediately shifts to her as he follows behind her. It’s one of the clearest cases of their damn-near literal magnetic connection. 🧲
She doesn’t leave his sight. Even when Glenn says, "it doesn’t matter," Rick stays staring at Michonne. I love that their “you're okay, I'm okay” interconnectedness is so visible. Michonne isn’t okay, and that so clearly doesn’t sit well with Rick, so she’s top of mind for him in this scene.
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Glenn starts speaking, and Rick peels himself away from looking at Michonne to hear Glenn share a very bleak perspective on how it wouldn’t matter who killed Dawn. Michonne turns around and pitches that they go to Washington. At the end of this season, a very special scene will have Rick admitting the way Michonne can influence his decisions, and this moment in 5.09 is an example of that. 
Michonne turns to Rick and tells him they're close, and it's 100 miles away - and one thing I love about this point in their relationship is that she and Rick have established enough trust with each other that Michonne can be vulnerable enough to really show some raw emotion here and speak her mind. 
Rick listens as Michonne questions what if there are people there and what if it’s a chance to be safe. “It’s a possibility. It’s a chance” This is the season of Michonne really wanting tf to find a home and I know so much of that would be rooted in the fact that she was one of the few who knows what it’s like to extensively wander out in the woods and go a bit mad. She doesn’t want that for her and her new family.
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Michonne gets more emotional but still with such poise as she suggests going to Washington is better than just being out there and just making it since making it looks like all those bodies sprawled on the ground. I love that she’s pouring her heart out to him. And what a great man that Rick is so ready to not take this lightly and to really hear her.
And we get another one of those long lingering looks from Rick as he stares right at her, listening. The arresting effect she always has on him is gold, and I appreciate that he lets her words seep in. Especially when Michonne asks, “Don’t you want one more day with with a chance?” 
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Danai again slays the vulnerable delivery of that line and it’s also deep for Michonne to pose this question hoping Rick also wants to live and not just survive. This is important for her to know too because her last man had given up on trying to have one more day with a chance and so it’s great she gets this confirmation that Rick is different and far more aligned with her.
(Also watching s1 back, in the finale, Dr. Jenner asks what they want, and Rick says, “A chance.” which just further indicates how he and Michonne are cut from the same cloth) 
Then I love the romantic way this next part plays out cuz the walkers draw near, Rick says we should go, and Glenn and Michonne think he means we should leave the area. So Michonne turns away thinking her words fell on deaf ears, but then Rick reveals no I heard you and I will go where you lead, when he repeats her words and says, "It’s 100 miles away...We should go to Washington."
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Hearing this gets both Glenn and Michonne to stop in their tracks and turn to look at Rick  Cuz this isn’t a choice Rick would make this quickly for just anyone. And Michonne’s look of surprise is so touching. I was just looking at this moment thinking - that’s right girl, he’d do anything for you.😊
I’ve always felt like in this scene Glenn is an adorable third wheel to the Richonne bubble because Rick is completely facing and staring at Michonne solely when he says this. It just makes it clear that he is declaring this because of her. Like of course he wants to secure a home for his whole family, but in this moment what's especially evident is Rick wants to give a home to Michonne.
So Rick makes this big decision for the group fully based on what Michonne thinks is best and once again it really was giving romantic when he looked right at her and said, "We should go to Washington."
And then Michonne's subtle smile...that’s an “I love this man” reaction, y’all. Better yet, she's looking at Rick like...
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I appreciate how Rick and Michonne’s love for each other makes them do things differently, because while in the past it was said by Lori that Rick would never just go somewhere on a hunch, here he’s showing that he would go somewhere and bring all of tf with him if Michonne’s instincts say it’s a good move.
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I love that here Rick can’t help but be so focused and in tune with her and Michonne can’t help but look at him with so much love. Again she gets confirmation Rick is different from her past and cut from the same cloth as her. The way Rick looks at her and looks away, I really feel like it’s a brief moment of him knowing that he so swiftly agreed to this for and because of her because he loves her. Whipped in the best healthiest way.
It's also great watching scenes like these back and knowing Rick is looking at the woman who he will go onto happily make his wife, and Michonne is looking at the man she will fully embrace as her husband. 🥰
All of Rick and Michonne's s5 scenes suggest that they had fallen for each other and were becoming more and more aware of how special and influential they were in each other's lives. And this moment was a beautiful illustration of what Richonne means to each other and what they’ll do for each other. Scenes like these - weighty, quiet, but full of love, just solidify that this is a beautiful love story for the ages. 😌
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candlelightreader · 29 days
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I was just listening to the DVD commentary on the Snakes episode and I know Grissom and Sara's scene (the only scene they're present in this Nick-centric ep) is big--obviously shipper nirvana--but the commentary by George Eads and the rest (I think one of the writers and either a director or producer) added so much weight that I'd never considered before!
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So, Eads remarks on how Sara is the only one who ever talks to Grissom that way. This is, as she really dials up the husky, soft voice she adopts with Grissom. Eads also observes that Grissom is always himself with her, i.e. more of a nerd and rather stripped bare in a way he never is with anyone else. They all make comments on how emotional the scene is and how revealing it is of their relationship because, as always, Sara is 'putting it [her attraction and ongoing interest] out there'. She is never shy about wanting him. (I really need to transcribe the commentaries.)
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But Eads keeps coming back to the idea that Grissom is more Grissom or is more himself with her than with any of the others. I'd add that it is not only the fact of their professional position that makes him freeze with her--I think Grissom is talking about himself when he asserts that some men are intimidated by beauty.
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You know what magic, Grissom!
Anyways, something I hadn't thought of is that Grissom almost says something back, such as "Let’s go to dinner." But, of course, Sara overtalks and halts his momentum such as it were. But even more, it made me realize how pivotal this scene is, even compared to the Nesting Dolls reveal of her childhood trauma, because this is the moment when Grissom knows 100% that he isn't too late. The flirting takes on a different dimension after this. The looks become more meaningful.
This is especially significant when you consider that ealier in the season, the writers and producers are talking about the explicit intro of Sofia as a romantic interest for Grissom. She was there to create tension and her chemistry with Grissom was very much not subtext. So the decision to make 'this thing' with Sara more solid in the presence of this new love interest adds to the dynamic more than ever. Because the chemistry with Sofia is too easy and too simple. He's too smooth with her. He knows what to say to her at a given moment, because he has no interest in Sofia romantically and doesn't feel threatened by her. She really is just a colleague he doesn't hate. Ultimately, Sofia doesn't leave him speechless the way Sara does. He is not 'himself' when he is with her. Sara, on the other hand, always renders him vulnerable, which of course is why he distanced himself from her in season three, as he realized in four.
And we can see how Sara's effect on him is unique when looking at his other love interests: he does have speechless moments with Terri but by the end, no so much--perhaps there is a sense that while he is attracted intellectually, and somewhat sexually, there is no sentiment after all. With Heather, he never is at a loss for words, which leaves me to lean towards the notion that he was indeed never involved with her romantically--but, perhaps, it is her who makes him discover that sex without love makes him sad whether through conversation or more... In other words, grissom is typically putting on an air with other people. He's fully insulated against them and can act out the persona of an assured, curated Grissom, the bossman, the tin man, the nerd, the professor, the mentor, the father figure, etc.
But with Sara, he is exposed.
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mp3-max · 9 months
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Rez Dogs Analysis
I want to do a scene analysis of this episode because it was absolutely beautiful!!
BIG TW FOR SPOILERS
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In this scene we see Fixico worried about Chebon, trying to apologize (in his own way) by telling him that their family is there to support him. wich is what he really needs and even admits to Mable earlier by saying that Fixico doesn't acknowledge that he doesn't have parents, and how much different their lives are because of it...
but Notice the LIGHTING!!
it's so very colorful and almost Halo like, Chebon even mentions it "Don't you look at me with your holier than thou aura" while getting mad and telling him to fuck off
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Then we have the star people secen, on the car ride back home from the river Irene and Bucky are going on about how the relationship between Elders and Kids is severed by the school system.
Immediately the lighting in this scene is very different, devoid of color and almost soulless.
Mind you this is just my theory and observations as a veiwer!!
I believe the alien claiming to be Chebon's "ancestor" dosent appear because of the drugs but in fact a direct consequence of having a broken relationship with family. Throughout the episode we see him denying support whether directly (like with Fixico) or indirectly (with the school coach). It's obvious he doesn't want help but the people around him can tell he desperately needs it and want to be there for him as a community
I don't believe it is entirely his fault although he does deny help, to me he has a reason to! he feels ostracized by his community, being picked on by his friends, and (assumingly) growing up in boarding schools he didn't get those same family relationships as his friends, besides Fixico who he's currently mad at.
The star person that shows up to me is a metaphor for losing your way. Based on the first couple of episodes of the season this visit has effected him into late adulthood, believing in the star people and seeking them out. Chebon/Max is simply a lost soul, failed by the system, and it makes sense he found Bear when he did; Bear was also lost not just physically but spiritually, wanting to leave the reservation and shooing off his spirit guide. He returns to the reservation after the Deer Lady finds him, but not before she kills the Boarding school director/principal.
are we seeing the common theme this season? schooling and taking Indigenous peoples out of their community, and how traumatic this can be on Indigenous peoples. all I can hope is that Bear and the rest of the rez dogs can break this generational trauma.
If you read all this you're a champ um but ya that is my analysis. feel free to correct me if I'm in the wrong in any way, or add on and let me know what you think of this ep and show my dms are open!
also can you tell im OBSSESED W THIS SEASON
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random-fandom-whump · 2 years
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Star Trek: Enterprise S04E11 ↳ RFW's Favorite Star Trek Whump Moments (✚)
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accio-victuuri · 5 months
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12/28 ( love bo ) day sweets! 🤍
i thought we can get some rest before tomorrow’s busy content day, but i guess i was wrong cause the cpns won’t let up. lol. we are definitely ending this year with being busy! we will get more once we have the full experience of yibo’s new EP and i’m waiting for XZ’s marie claire magazine interview.
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let’s start with the most obvious thing we all observed from the teaser, the 🦴 necklace being front and center. this just tells me how personal this project is for him. tho his yearly song is as personal as it gets and is his yearly commitment to his fans as well. but he could have easily worn something chanel for promotion sake since he is their ambassador, but he still chose to use something of his own. this necklace that he always wears. i am usually open to interpretations of cpns, but there are very few that i’m stubborn about and this is one of those. this necklace is connected to xz, i accept no other explanations. i’m sure we will notice more clues but this one has made a lot of us happy 😋
some are also pointing out that scene in the train, the people on it are all bundled up and cold. however, wyb’s character has his neck exposed like that so you can see the necklace. he is also wearing a shirt with shoes printed on it xie zi = xz.
this bit is the one making a lot of cpfs scream. the similarity in the question asked from an xzs video to to the untamed. 🤯
so, have you thought of a name?
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we have already takes about everything is lovely that was cued before in xz’s birthday, and now this. it’s like him asking, have you thought of the name for the song? the same way wwx asked lwj about wuji. and this song, everything is lovely is the answer to that. we are very much aware that wwx/lwj is different from xz/wyb but these parallels are hard to ignore. and what if they also think of themselves as somewhat these two soulmates? i think that makes sense too. and oh, if you wanna go more galaxy brained - the date difference between 10/5 to the release of the new song 12/29 is 85 days. are they counting??? we all questioned the new release date and why it’s 12/30. maybe this seemed more like an auspicious date based on that. who knows 🤷🏻‍♀️
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I also forgot to add this when i first discussed the lyric that talks about white hair. this part of the fanmeet where they had to act out seeing each other after a long time. WYB mentioned pulling out XZ’s white hair for him. 🥹🥹🥹
at the time (2019) it seemed like he was being a gremlin and the subject of white hair was for a joke. now, years later (2023) he uses it in a new way. i will love you till your hair turns white. I will love you forever.
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• THEIR EYES 👀
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• In the behind the scenes video shared by shunan laoshi, who worked with WYB last year, we can see the card case. HAHAHAHAHAHA! I can’t believe this simple thing is one of the strongest cpns we have.
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• GQ shared this photo taken by WYB and it reminds us of an effect also used by XZ and XZS. I know this is not some effect that is unique to them and that other people can do it too, but the point is the similarity. you have WYB who has been into photography lately and he is using a trick that XZ and his team have used before.
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• a video has been shared from 10c night in 2019 and it really proved one of the things we’ve been saying before, that their dressing/waiting rooms were right next to each other.
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• WYB is allegedly listening to this song on QQ. I wonder who comes to mind when he listens to it 😏
youtube
-END.
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coseris · 6 days
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been sketching magnus archives bits in coloured pens in my tiny notebook ! i think they came out sufficiently scary and unnerving !
here is an image from ep. 60: observer effect
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below the cut: jane prentiss and her worm-burrowed skin holes :) from ep. 32: Hive
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laylawatermelon · 4 months
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The K-Drama Of It All
Hello! My hyper fixation has (very unhealthily) latched onto this show so I'm gonna be analyzing.
First of all, I am a veteran in these spaces.
Very shy in real life I am an avid observer in all my fandoms but TRUST I know what's up at all times because of it.
This first analysis will be of the phenomenon of how they playing in my face with the classic K-Drama tropes and cinematic choices.
Let us begin.
Now we all agree that The Bear is a cinematic masterpiece right? Right.
I have been consuming media across all mediums since I was a kid.
I quite literally spent most of my life watching behind the scenes, in front of the scenes, and in between the scenes.
I'm also an aspiring filmmaker and screenwriter. As such I analyze stuff I like more.
I try to understand why they are the way they are.
Now that we got all the fluff out of the way let's get down to the nitty gritty.
*stands on soapbox*
Page 1 of 10000 ehem
In this this essay I will -!
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Fr tho. Let's look at this from a K-Drama perspective.
I've spent about 10-12/13 years watching them. And luckily got into it during the golden era.
I literally watched She Was Pretty air (among others). Ex, Strong Woman, Descendants of the Sun (never watched; controversy+ bad attention span), School 2013.
So you know I'm (somewhat) of an og.
I'm those shows it's very formulaic.
This can extend to other Asian dramas but I'm going to try to stick to K-Dramas.
For example, the 10 ep rule. Must have a kiss or kiss in that episode. (Before is fine)
Now they're getting a little willy nilly and getting down in the first EP but I can argue they was down bad back then as well. Just more angsty longing looks.
(which tbf Sydcarm does all the time but it's 99% Carm though)
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In KDramas there's something common in the cinematography that I'd call the halo of light. Almost all the time there are some form of beauty shots with them beautifully lit where they're together, the way they look at each other etc.
Which ironically they do with these two a lot on the show.
I know the show is gorgeous but you can't just explain away some of the choices.
I have watched and read a lot of discussions so this will be influenced by a lot of people. I will mention when I got the help from (if i can find it).
Now I just want to say I think this.
These following trope have been here since the dawn of K-Drama time.
Enjoy my infodump.
Firstly let's discuss this here:
1. The Meet Cute/Halo Effect
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We've all been screaming to the void about the classic meet cute that happens with Carmy's life and him being constantly bombarded with noise and chaos.
Stylistically this wouldn't be a typical formula for K-Dramas as it leans more into Kmovie style (which valid The Bear was originally a movie) I think it's as textbook as it comes.
Now the original script (which I have read) had a story of different tone. Very Chicago and chaotic but still...
In this iteration of the script idk what the actors were on but JAW looked at the script and chemistry test and was like hmm yes.
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A dramatic romcom. I see.
For her she's an ambitious woman who has (maybe a tiny crush) admiration for him cause like he's literally who she wants to be.
Young, talented and successful. He's made a name in their industry so of course she wants to work under him.
But he he's playing the male lead in an early K-Drama with the classic *she enters* and it's like the second coming out Christ being lit from behind her.
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The classic 'I can't believe I never noticed how beautiful she is' in all dramas (and romcoms honestly).
You can also compare it to the corny slightly funny moments in slow motion when they miss each other/do the angsty look.
Like this.
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Good old kdrama tropes.
What's interesting is that in their scene they do the opposite of what a K-Drama would usually do. They cut the music and let it become calm.
You get to breathe and relax and so does he. He feels at peace.
In K-Dramas, osts are a kind of a life line so they would most likely blare it when he has that realization.
And then at every other romantic moment after.
Another way that it could be is by using very like calm music (still the ost but still).
They do use this with having mostly romantic music in their scenes but it's usually quiet and a bit hard to hear or understand (unless you're analyzing like many of the wonderful people on this app).
Now you can argue her warm lighting in each scene from the finale and introduction represents his hope/life/good change being given back to him in the form of her (but if that's not the most romantic thing I ever heard).
Now for the flashback in the panic attack scene you could argue the blue tone he sees her in, as it usually represents some kind of sadness/distance/professionalism in this show, it can also represent his piercing blue eyes remembering her in the only shade they know how.
Good God that color grading is nuts. His eyes *ARE* the color Blue.
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Now I want to talk a bit more about shot composition, color grading and color choices.
In a few interviews I've seen and read the editors, directors and others were quite serious about the shots and music they used were very much on purpose.
I mean come on.
Also Announcement from a novel/screenwriter:
EHEM
WE DON'T EVER INCLUDE NOTHING THAT CAN BE MISINTERPRETED IN SCRIPTS!
AND THE DIRECTOR WOULD DEFINITELY CUT IT IF IT WASN'T HOW HE ENVISIONED IT!
(/hj)
The most telling scenes is the beginning of omlette and the end of the episode before it.
The director had chose to show her tattoo that represents loss in a deep blue lighting which was actually in a similar lighting that Carmy and Claire were bathed in afterwards.
The quora search says it means pain, heartbreak, and emotional turmoil.
It also lines up with the rest of the shots with him preparing dinner with Claire and her being alone.
I believe this kind of represents the emotional cheating (?) going on between them as he practically abandoned her (and their child, The Bear).
(which is a wild choice for platonic coworkers)
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As I've said before blue lighting is usually representative of sadness, coldness etc.
In the scene personally even without connecting it to shipping or everything the message came clear to me.
Suffocation.
He was quite literally being suffocated as in the last scene her body was on his as he stared in the distance blankly.
Honestly that shot was kind of heartbreaking because it feels like coercion in a warped way.
He feels like he should be happy, he should participate in these acts, he should be doing well.
He's fulfilling his family's wish.
So why isn't he happy?
That's my writer kicking in but that's what I got from it.
🥲 (gimme a sec i gotta cry)
But the same blue tone was used in his panic attack as the camera zoomed in.
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Now the ironic part was that they used warm lighting for the scenes with Claire, but it's not that unusual.
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Warm lighting has always been used to also represent a time period in the past in addition to good/warm times.
What's ironic is what's literally colored in what should represent good times isn't working.
He's remembering his family in those same tones. The past isn't helping.
But the future does.
Enter Sydney in blue.
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Now blue usually represents sadness (or calm) but it's also used in futuristic scenes.
*They benefit from the cold clinical look i guess🤷🏾‍♀️*
Then he becomes calm.
I can also say that their kitchen scenes in early season 2 are blue coded but it has a calm feeling not a distant feeling. It ironically feel warm and calming despite the cool tone.
This appears in a couple other scenes in the show when he's showing her the work done in the early season.
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But color wise it's usually warm tones with them as the color kind of transitions in that scene. It's half half.
His view is warm because he thinks she's good with what he did and hers is cold because he ditched her so yeah.
Now shot wise let's discuss because it's a bit obvious.
The staff head mentioned loving close ups to show the characters emotion but also to convey a sense of what's not being said.
An example of his uncertainty with Claire is the car scene. In most of his shots it's extremely close to her and gives off an awkward vibe.
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But when you go to her perspective, she's more open and his shots show background and more of his character, also reflecting their relationship with each other,
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This persists with the kitchen scene as well.
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When I rewatch it it has that same quality. It's a bit more pulled out (obviously as they literally spent the night together so anyone would feel closer) but there's still an awkward/dreamlike feel like when its on her like she's not quite based in reality.
Or in Carmy's self sabotaging view, too good to be true.
In comparison to Sydney, the shots with her are almost always wide and open.
We see it with them as early in season one with the outside scene where he's staring her down and gets her to open up.
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You can argue that almost all of their shots are as equals, or in the same frame with an openness that have/represents when they're communicating with each other. (I'm def writing about their communication)
Sydney's character is ironically what a male lead would be like and Carmy would be more of the female archetype.
Which I really appreciate now that I think about it.
The male lead is usually very successful/good at what they do, hesitant to share but when they do you feel it and know it's sincere. They're usually more bumbly with expressing when they're emotional but when they do its like a huge release. And when they love it's very obvious and excessive at times.
In comparison, Carmy is very expressive, sensitive and aware. He's devoted (Claire sorry but you don't quite count) to things he's passionate about, willing to communicate and has traits of sensitivity.
His eyes and body tells what he's feeling almost immediately. (Also JAW is just an incredible actor)
In Kdrama land their roles would be switched. Hell I can argue some American dramas as well.
Back on topic though.
The Halo Effect is there. Like all the time.
To my next point-
2. The She Looks Away, I Look At Her
Now you may argue this is very Disney Rapunzel, all that coded.
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You will also be correct.
I am a Disney (more Nick honestly) kid.
This too applies to the K-Drama world nay I would say it originated there (it did not).
Do you know how many shows I can name where the male lead is just hopelessly in awe as he stared at the female lead because she just insulted him and he wants to tell her he loves her in every way.
Ring ring.
I heard The Bear calling. Yeah imma need you to clock out on this gaslighting.
time to fangirl
Look at the gif sets!
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But honestly, it's a common way to show that the character cares and wants a person without outright saying it.
You understand the vibes almost instantly.
He likes her. He wants more.
She likes him. She wants more.
3. Matching Clothes
This one is a simple one but we all know how common it is in K-Dramas to have a matching something.
A good example of a recent show is Extraordinary Attorney Woo, and how they almost always matched even if he was in casual clothing and she was in office clothes.
You're supposed to get a telepathy feel from them. Like they're on the same wavelength.
In ships/shows they usually subconsciously brainwash you into details of a relationship by having them wear or have something that reminds you of them.
In wardrobe, clothing is meticulously planned to match characters financial situation and express their personality. The clothes tell the story.
And the story usually is we go together. Real bad.
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So yeah, sure in this scene/episode they were more in tune and tandem and as time went on they became more disjointed.
Granted they do work in a place with uniforms but I digress.
And lastly my third point part II-
Same But Different
If this were a kdrama there'd be like 0.00% chance that they WOULDN'T happen.
First they're the main leads so duh, and second the way that they parallel each other is insane.
There are many edits and examples of them directly mirroring each other in certain situations.
Scrubbing the floors when feeling lonely seemingly in the exact same spot, stressing in the freezer, saying stuff at the same time and their weird telepathy and answering each other's - sandwiches (that's what I was gonna say).
(sorry)
And if any of you say work wife I will rage cause let me catch my man laying under a table like that!!!
Sparta!
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But for real, yes there's intimacy and friendship and all that but I ain't everr look at my friends of either gender like that.
If did I probably had feelings and just kept em in. And did the Carmy puppy eyes (TM).
And yes we are aware Carmy is emotionally constipated like a coke bottle filled with mentos with a tight cap on and his lack of a social life coupled with his (many) different mental illnesses/difficulties.
So he probably doesn't even recognize or even want to recognize them as such and honestly as a 4 lifer
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I'm really sad but I don't think he'll confess in the next season.
I'm making a post about it but I'm also uncertain about it lasting more than three seasons as thematically and the way it was intended to be a movie I feel kind of uncertain.
It can extend to 4 but it was intended and the way it's narratively been flowing its exactly like a 3 act structure just spread out (like butter).
The next season is after the dark of night aka main character loses everything.
This season was fun and games - quite literally him having amusement and such. (Training Arc!!) It ended with his demise I'd say.
Now there's no where to go but up.
I'm not saying that it's impossible, but a 4th season would likely be more aimed toward getting a star or maintaining a star etc and family ties and such.
That'd be most likely when, if any, outwardly romantic contact should happen.
But they might surprise me.
Butt honestly in KDrama land there's no way the set up isn't romantic even if it was just a chef or professional focused show.
I'd say it'd be standard honestly for ones focused on career with a dash of romance.
Ex. Miss Hammurabi (best example)
The Good Doctor (Japanese Version)
There's probably more but I exclusively watch romance so 🤷🏾‍♀️.
In Conclusion,
Yes. They are end game.
I also wanna say how odd it is that this ship is attacked by fans of the show and non fans alike because I've literally grew up in the age of Rise of The Brave Tangled Guardians.
There's nothing more random than that time period.
They all dated each other!
Like my guy there's a Tony the Tiger x Grinch fic and don't even get me started on the Onceler selfcest as different flavors of himself (/j i love stuff like this)!
My point is it's not that unusual for the two leads to be shipped. Same gender or not.
I also have years of teenage brain rot developed from eating movies for breakfast so I know more than you! (/hj) I'm obviously right!
I will be discussing some more of this in length at a later date.
But I rest my case.
I will retreat into my cave until next time.
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transgendersquiddo · 11 months
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ok maybe this is just me but like, i Feel like people. underhighlight how a Lot of pvpers are just really really good strategists
(more rambling about this under the cut) but like. speaking from someone who's familiar with lifesteal and ivorycello's content, someone like clown isn't just someone who's 1) very skilled at the game, but he's also very good at picking up exactly what he lacks in and how to make up his skills effectively And efficiently
an example would be how clown grinded for 64 god apples because he knew how much the lifesteal server has improved at pvp in general (fun fact on his testrun ep he talks about how everyone has massively improved) (and on top of that him touching grass and not practicing /lh) but, since he knows he cannot rely on pure skill alone (and can't train that much in time) he makes up for those disadvantages by grinding materials to ensure he'll be able to get by, even if it's just barely (he also! observes other people's moves too! ex: during a s3 fight vi and some other people were chasing him down and were supply chaining until they finally wore clown down enough to kill him--and clown was a really good sport about it! and started talking to them about the supply chain strategy and complimented how it worked so well!!! he's good at analyzing stuff, with the whole thing about being able to reconize the other lifestealers have gotten so good that they'd probably kick his ass back in s2 now! the fact hes able to anaylize his own and others pvp is...really cool i think)
and ivory falls under this category as well, you can most clearly see it on her doly 1v1 video, but she's able to figure out exactly what aspects doly uses to his advantage (even to figuring out his ping and how they affect his pcrits) and from that she's able to figure out how to turn those exact methods on top of their heads and build up her own strategies to directly combat what doly was, probably, doing subconsciously. holy hell that's such a cool concept??? like ivory herself admits in her own video that she is a relatively new pvper and the fact she was able to synthesize that much information into a strategy that beat out someone who has so much more experince than her? that's so fucking badass
maybe this is just me not looking in the right places but. i Really do think people like clown's and ivory's skills as strategists should be highlighted more. like, i feel like it humanzies them a lot more. makes them feel like people that just so happen to be very skilled instead of undefeatable figureheads who are powerful beyond comprehension. even though that's their reputation, they're still just people at the end of the day and i think that's an interesting dichotomy to explore <3
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