#jack has defeated art block

[oh-shit-i-spilled-my-genderfluid]

Ink5oul

Love them, hope they appear again:D

#tmagp #the magnus protocol #tmagp spoilers #tmagp fanart #ink5oul #tmagp ink5oul #art #fanart #jack has defeated art block

[yourgildedcage]

In Case of an Overblot

Part I

Synopsis and Notes:

Art featured is by @egophiliac on Tumblr

(This is my side blog from @decemebercircus )

A part of the Twisted Wonderland Multiverse (Au) Collection

This story is set in a universe where overblots happened a bit differently, each defeated overblot drops an additional "trophy" besides the Overblot stone.

Sorry for anyone who is out of character. I tried my best.

This fic was initially made before the release of chapter 7 so Malleus's Unique Magic "Wheel of Fate" is non canon.

Synopsis:

Yuuta has gone home and Malleus has snapped like a glow stick and sent Azul far away. Who will come together and bring back our favorite octopus?

"Wheels! These invaders threaten your existence! Defend yourselves!" Malleus stated suddenly.

In response a dozen of the wheels stopped, launched themselves into the air and flew toward the students.

Likewise, the students or teachers of whose Wheels were 'fighting" slumped to the ground unable to move. Among them being Jack, Riddle, Professor Trein, Coach Vargas, Ruggie, and Vil.

Not wanting them to get hurt Epel began to use his unique magic Sleeping Kiss to put them all in glass coffins. He didn't know what would happen if an attack caused their physical bodies to be crushed or harmed in some way.

Kalim doused out the lime green fire with his unique magic Oasis Maker. Unfazed Malleus simply generated more, ignoring Rook's arrows by gracefully dodging them and Sebeks lightning.

"Hmph what a bore," he yawned, the black ink markings increasing and becoming additional scale markings on his hands. Or maybe it was showing the places where magic normally would have hid them.

'The overblot has changed him so much!' Lilia noted with a shiver. He stepped forward readying his weapon hoping he didn't injure Malleus too seriously.

"Ah ah ah, where do you think you're going, Lilia?" Malleus smiled, it wasn't… it wasn't a kind smile like he was used to.

A few thorns tightly wrapped around Lilia who struggled and Silver hurried to cut him alose.

"I summon thee! Cauldron!" Deuce yelled.

Malleus, clearly on the overblot high, snorted like it was a joke and teleported out the way.

"Come now, 'Deucey' What do you take me for?" He raised his arms in a semi shrug position.

"Trey -kun!" Cater called seemingly genuinely concerned that the mass of thorns were going to impale Trey.

Several shadows from the other students stopped the thorns by holding them in a vice grip.

"Mr. Sam!?" Trey blurted, shocked. " Well little imp, can't have you dying on school grounds," Mr. Sam grinned, his purple eyes reflecting both amusement and awareness of the dangerous situation. 

A few dozen feet away, Floyd pulled Riddle out of the path of a wheel. Based on the decorations and flickering images visible between the bars, it was Vil's.

Deuce and Leona deflected the onslaught of the incoming Wheels. Deuce using his unique magic to block the force of the attack, Leona with a simple wind spell. Especially since using his own unique magic would destroy the wheel.

"Defying fate itself, so it seems you are among the few able to do so," Malleus smiled thinly.

Leona rolled his eyes. "What I did was nothing special anyone can block–"

"I see, you have potential, but you won't act on it." Malleus mock lamented.

Leona stayed quiet.

"Just shut up already!" Leona snapped grabbing Malleus's jaw. The boy didn't look stunned. Just amused.

Leona could bet that if he moved his hand he could see Malleus smirking.

"Are you ready?" Jamil asked.

"Yes I've waited a long time to get to say this." Azul smiled confidently.

With a graceful motion Malleus knocked Leona's hand away. A slight chuckle slipped out of Malleus's throat. His expression reflecting the infamous malevolent nature of his predecessors.

"Off with your Head!" Riddle said some considerable distance away.

Malleus stopped and staggered away from Leona in surprise. His hand flew to his collarbone in shock. Around his neck a familiar black and red heart shaped collar snapped in place. Successfully sealing most of his powers -even if for a few minutes.

Riddle earned Malleus's attention by looking genuinely impressed that his spell worked.

He glared at Riddle in slight confusion. He should not be able to move, his wheel was still attacking Jamil, Azul and Kalim al-Asim… wasn't it?

He narrowed his eyes and regained his stance. He flipped some hair out the way and deadpanned.

Immediately the ground shuddered and trembled, spires wrapped in thorns popped up in random places -but never on the tracks for the Wheels of Fate. Riddle stumbled and lost his balance.

"Why's he still able to use magic?" Jamil asked, holding Kalim and in turn Azul, steady.

"I apologize," Azul sighed "I'm doing the best I can," Kalim looked at Azul as he narrowly ducked a spire that sprang up just then. "you're doing everything you can and that's what matters!"

"Malleus should be weakened somewhat, right?" Ace asked.

Azul nodded quietly. Then ducked a wheel whizzing by.

"Imma be right back," Ace said casually earning a confused look from Kalim.

Ace approached Malleus, surprising half the students still fighting. He inhaled deeply, looked Malleus in the eye and swiftly punched him in the jaw.

Leona took a picture. He got a perfect image of Ace's fist connecting to Malleus's jaw, which he seemed proud of.

"I get you're angry that Yuuta left but so what? We're all angry! Nothing we can do to change that! Don't take out the frustration on us!" He snapped.

Malleus looked surprised, he'd staggered about a foot backwards

"So you all .. feel the same?"

Yeah but we accepted Yuuta's decision. They're tired of the Overblots and if they were here they'd be forced to stop you too!" Ace pointed.

❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃⍟❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃

The Riddle who imitated and lip synced Azul's words vanished. Revealing he was a clone made by Cater's unique magic Split Card. The real Riddle stood next to Trey acting as a guard and setting on fire thorns that got too close. Floyd by his side holding his arm so he didn't fall.

❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃⍟❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃

"I can hold Riddle's Unique magic on Malleus for three minutes" Azul stated. "Any longer than that and I'd be pushing my limit."

"Because of Malleus fighting against you?" Ace asked.

"I was thinking more of how much magic that would consume and the amount of blot I'd accumulate but yes I factored in that valid point as well."Azul pushed up his glasses.

"That's way longer than I would manage against an opponent like Malleus." Riddle acknowledged.

Leona narrowed his eyes. "That's not a large window. But I guess it's better than the thirty seconds I estimated you would last." Riddle scowled at that comment.

❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃⍟❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃

"So it's you," Malleus panted. His hair looked messy and he was using his staff to help him stand a little.

Leona didn't want to admit it but disheveled Malleus looked kinda hot. It was quite a change from his normal self. Seeing Malleus uncomposed and unstable was sending messages -things it shouldn't be.

"That was quite clever, I didn't realize at first that it wasn't Riddle who cast it" he glanced at Riddle who was being helped by Trey to stand up.

'I assume your unique magic has come into play," Malleus smirked.

"It's a Deal, right?" He smirked.

"How about a new Deal? I'll Pretend that little attempt and insult didn't happen –it's quite a generous offer I could kill you for that attempt on my life you see-  And you disappear?" Malleus offered.

A drop of sweat slid down Azul's face.

"I–"

Azul yelped as a ghostly lime green chain connected his ankle to his own Wheel of Fate as it fell through the portal, dragging him along with it. Much to the shock and horror, to the others; especially to Jade and Floyd who were too far away to do anything, Azul fell through.

❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃⍟❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃

Azul landed with an unceremonious thud. Ugh he sprained his ankle in the fall.

Lovely.

He sat up ignoring that his dorm uniform cost which he wore like a cape fell off.

His eyes scanned the vast white and grey desert, the faded blue sky.

Oh no.

No no no.

He heard of this place in stories growing up.

World's End.

Sailors called it Davy Jones locker.

Modern humans call it Twisted Hell.

"No …" Azul whispered, his eyes already straining in the harsh light and vagueness of his surroundings.

Not hard to reach, but impossible to escape.

Azul's heart sank.

No one ever came to World's End.

No one was coming to rescue him.

Even worse, he couldn't even rescue himself.

~To be continued in part II~

To be cross posted on Ao3 and Wattpad

#twisted wonderland #twst wonderland #malleus draconia #azul ashengrotto #disney twisted wonderland #twst mc #twisted wonderland riddle #riddle rosehearts #in case of an Overblot fic

[sboochi]

do you think you would ever write Hijack fic??

I already have!

People who have followed me for a while already know, but english isn't my first language. I wish I was confident enough to write in english but alas all the fics I've ever written are in italian :(

I haven't been able to complete a fic in months and now whenever I get an idea I usually make some art and post a rant here so at least I can get it out there.

I wrote a Twilight AU fanfic in 2020 (can't believe this is a sentence I'm typing) when I was unemployed, got a writer block that winter but I managed to finish the fic in 2021.

(I'm writing a summary under the cut in case you're curious abt the fic in question)

The story roughly follows the first Twilight volume: Hiccup is forced to get back to Forks to live with Stoick (he and Valka divorced, but return to friendly terms in the background as the story goes on) and starts a friendship with Astrid and the rest of the gang. Jack and the Guardians are all vampires and live together (North creates toys, Bunnymund opened a cafe, Toothiana goes to medical school and Sandy is usually away doing Something™). This year Jack decides to go to high school to get used to human contact since he's young and unexperienced. Toothiana joins him to jeep an eye on him.

Hiccup meets Jack, who also works part time at Bunnymund's cafe. Long story short they become friends and fall in love.

Jack's in danger though because the vampire (Pitch) who attacked him before North saved Jack by turning him into a vampire is back for revenge with the help of Eret.

Hiccup ofc wants to reason with them, gets kidnapped by Eret, fails to change Pitch's mind and the Guardians save the day. Hiccup loses a leg but The Evil is Defeated.

If you know italian or are brave enough to use the google translate feature this is the link to the fic I guess?

The idea might be silly and quite random but honestly I remember having a lot of fun writing it and coming up with plot points and character arcs. I scrapped the idea but the httyd gang was supposed to be a pack of werevolves at first! I ended up with a really interesting and natural arc for Snotlout (the scene where Hiccup gives him a privatemath lesson is one of my favourite), Astrid gets to be a badass, and each Guardian has their own human backstory! Every chapter is divided in two POVs, Hiccup's and Jack's, but one chapter is told by Astrid's and Eret's perspective.

When I reread it I notice the mistakes and wonky plot moments but I've become really attached to it! I even have notes for a sequel (starring Dagur and Heather as werevolves this time!)

#i miss writing but ive started so many fics that are sitting incomplete in my docs! #im afraid it would turn out the same if i tried starting the sequel :( #asks #anon #hijack

[kudosmyhero]

Bruce Wayne: The Road Home #3: Outsiders: Inside Interference

Read Date: June 04, 2023 Cover Date: December 2010 ● Writer: Mike W. Barr ● Penciler: Javier Saltares ● Inker: Rebecca Buchman ◦ Walden Wong ● Colorist: Pete Pantazis ● Letterer: Dave Sharpe ● Editor: Mike Marts ◦ Harvey Richards ●

**HERE BE SPOILERS: Skip ahead to the fan art/podcast to avoid spoilers

Reactions As I Read: ● I know nothing of the Outsiders, so this’ll be… interesting ● Gotham Central Park

● 👏👏👏

Synopsis: Markovia has fallen into chaos after the rumours of a planned assasination of prince Brion spread across the land. However, this rumors are untrue and they were started by Bruce Wayne to test the Outsiders after his long absence.

The people of Markovia have begun riots across the streets after the vicious rumors and the military forces of the country try to mantain order. Katana has started interrogating several thugs and low-lifes about the origin of the rumors, but none of they know anything. At that moment, Insider arrives at the country and keeps a close eye on the activities of the Outsiders.

However, one man on the streets realizes that the rumors might be only that and he decides to start acting according to the rumors and arms himself heavily in order to actually kill Brion.

After her daily patrol, Katana arrives at Castle Markov, where she notices that some of the guards are being beaten by someone unknown. Katana gets ready to fight but soon she realizes that the intruder is just Looker, who has arrived to visit them afer a long time. Katana tells the guards to stand down and to take the injured ones to the medical centre. As Katana and Looker walk in the castle, Halo, whose mind is still unstable, thinks that Looker is an enemy and attacks her until Katana tells her to stop and explains that Looker is a friend.

Meanwhile in Gotham City, Vicki Vale finally realizes that Alfred switched the real tracer with a toy and she is discouraged to reveal the truth about Batman. Vicki meets with Jack Ryder and asks his advise given her current situation. Jack simply tells her to don't give up on a good story, but to do it for the sake of learning the truth herself instead of sharing it with others.

Back in Markovia, Katana and Looker leave Halo at the medical ward of Castle Markov when suddenly the alarms go off in the place. Katana and Looker meet with Brion, a.k.a Geo-Force at the entrance of the castle and he tells them that he needs to go out to streets with his fellow Markovians. Katana and Looker decide to tag along since the possibility of someone killing Geo-Force in the riots is much higher. As they all leave, Halo also leaves the place and follows them.

The Outsiders arrive at the scene of the riots and do a great job of reducing levels of violence without harming innocent people, which makes Bruce quite satisfied with their performance. However, the man who actually planned to kill Geo-Force uses a rocket launcher aimed at Brion, but the missile starts going towards the crowd. Geo-Force jumps in front of the missile and takes the impact, saving hundreds of people but falling unconscious instantly. Bruce, on his Insider suit, takes down the assassin, but soon Halo finds him and attacks him, thinking that he is the man who tried to kill Geo-Force. Insider tries to escape from her attacks and when he finds an opening, he stuns the lady with an electric taser. Soon, Katana and Looker find him with the unconscious body of Halo and attack him as well. Looker uses her mind controlling powers, but Insider uses his suit to block their effects on him and hits her hard enough to keep her down. With only Katana left standing, Insider uses his suit's power to beat her in combat and soon he also needs to use the laser beam of his helmet to finally defeat Looker, who managed to recover from the hit.

Finally, Geo-Force awakens and seeks for his killer, finding the Insider and believing he is to blame. Insider has no option but to fight back, but his suit's power is almost depleted. Bruce knows that he best way to win a battle against Geo-Force is to make him angry and after many taunts, Geo-Force starts blasting all his energy against Insider, who in turn uses the energy to charge back his suit and once the whole energy is restored, he uses one last stunner blast to knock out Geo-Force and get away from the place.

A few minutes later, Katana recovers and finds the real killer, taking him to the authorities. Moments later at Castle Markov's medical ward, Brion is being healed for his battle wounds and the other members of the team go to their own rooms. However, when Katana enters her room, she realizes that the Insider is waiting inside for her and she immediately recognizes him as Bruce Wayne. They talk for a while, and Bruce admits that he is disappointed knowing that the Outsiders are working far away from the place where he left them and he decides that they cannot be part of the plan he has prepared for the future. Bruce leaves tha castle and tells Katana to take care of the others, since she is his most trusted member of the team.

(https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/Bruce_Wayne:_The_Road_Home:_Outsiders_Vol_1_1)

Fan Art: Bruce Wayne by jasric

#dc #dc comics #my dc read #comics #comic books #batman #fan art #fanart

[turtlethon]

“Rock Around the Block”

Season 6, Episode 1 First US Airdate: September 12, 1992

Krang plots to use a satellite’s laser beam to free the Technodrome.

“Rock Around the Block” is the first episode of the sixth season of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. David Wise returns as writer, his most recent contribution prior to this being the previous year’s “Leonardo Cuts Loose”.

In the Lair, the Turtles engage in a sparring session, with Michaelangelo battling Raphael. The other two Turtles are also paired off, with a frustrated Donatello repeatedly striking using his bo staff before effortlessly being flung across the room by a disinterested Leonardo. Splinter emerges to explain to Donnie that he was beaten through the principle of “Wu Wei”, using inertia to defeat an attacking enemy. He further elaborates that this is akin to gentle waves eroding enormous rocks over time, an idea that Mikey remarks is “pretty heavy philosophical stuff for a cartoon show”.

Shredder is becoming stir crazy due to the Technodrome being stuck in the Arctic since early last season, and isn’t placated by Rocksteady and Bebop arriving to offer him a snow-cone. Krang encourages Shreds to pay attention as April is appearing on TV, and “we have to develop a story plot”. (Fourth wall breaks are now occurring in one-minute intervals. Not a good sign.) Another rocket launch is taking place in New York, this one to send a defence satellite into space. The satellite, April informs us, has a laser beam mounted to it that is capable of cutting through solid rock. Krang hatches a plan to have Shredder attach a device to the satellite that will allow him to take control of it. The laser can then be used to cut the Technodrome out of the ice. Shreds points out that there’s still the issue of the Turtles arriving to stop them, but Krang has this figured out. Guiding Shredder to the portal room, he summons General Traag from Dimension X, returning for the first time since “Four Turtles and a Baby” back in season four.

The prospect of General Traag defeating the Turtles on his own seems absurd to Shredder, who dismisses him as a “boulder brain”. (That’s a bit rich given that Traag has only appeared in the show six times, and Shredder has about a hundred losses to his name.) Krang insists this won’t be an issue, introducing a weapon called a Rockolizer, which can be used to enliven minerals. He demonstrates this by tipping over a barrel full of gravel and firing the gun at it. A floating wave of stones soon entraps Bebop and Rocksteady.

Shredder is openly resentful of Traag being given the Rockolizer over him, though Krang explains that it’s only fitting for a Rock Soldier to wield the weapon. Later, Shredder reminds Krang that he needs to defeat the Turtles as this is a matter of honour under ninja law. Krang placates him with a secondary mission of affixing a gadget to the defence satellite.

The four villains arrive in New York via transport module. Rocksteady and Bebop are alarmed after being confronted by a dinosaur, before Shredder points out that this is due to them surfacing in the Natural History Museum. Traag splits off from the group, wandering through a park and firing the Rockolizer at his “brother rocks”. Enormous spikes of rocks soon emerge from the ground.

A frustrated April is wandering the offices of Channel 6 in search of a story when she spots Vernon lounging at his desk. He reveals that he’s engaging in the art of “transcendental procrastination”. A self-help video tape guides him through the process, with a Jack Nicholson soundalike explaining how to do nothing. This is interrupted by Burne Thompson, who informs his reporters that they’ve received information about rocks in Central City Park going “wacko”. The station boss demands they investigate.

Donatello is still getting to grips with the concept of Wu Wei, asking Raphael to hit him with everything he’s got. Raph responds by chucking the living room couch at Donnie, which is less than helpful. The training session is interrupted by April via Turtlecom, who relays what she’s learned about the situation in the park, and the Turtles head off to investigate. April travels to the scene in her van, narrowly avoiding a giant boulder that emerges from the ground before the van teeters on the edge of the hole created by the flying rock as act one ends.

Act two opens with the Turtles arriving in their van, winching April’s vehicle to safety. A wave of bouncing boulders then emerges, one of which flattens the news van moments before April and our heroes escape in the Turtle Van. Meanwhile Shredder, Rocksteady and Bebop arrive at the rocket site in a transport module, with Shreds attending to the launch while The Boys handle a pair of security guards. Krang phones in to check on how things are going and re-iterate the Scheme of the Day (largely, I imagine, for the benefit of any viewers just tuning in). Shredder assures the alien brain that everything is under control and urges him to “stay cool”.

The Turtles track down and attack General Traag, only to find their weapons crumble upon striking him. Traag retaliates by using the Rockolizer to bring the entire road beneath their feet to life, then decimates an entire building, the bricks briefly burying the Turtles. (As is so often the case whenever a building gets levelled in this show, it’s hard not to imagine other people getting hurt as a result of this). April arrives on the scene and finds the Turtles unharmed. Having run out of tape, she’s granted the use of the Turtle Van so she can return to Channel 6 and get more.

Traag creates a giant rock monster that begins lumbering down the street, and after seeing the Turtle Van escaping, mistakenly assumes the Turtles are escaping. He has the monster follow the van to Channel 6, where it begins pummelling the station building. The Turtles distract the monster from a nearby rooftop, narrowly escaping as it causes further damage.

At the rocket site, Shredder finds Rocksteady and Bebop pretending to be space adventurers instead of attaching the control device to the satellite’s laser, and assumes control of the mission himself. Meanwhile, the Turtles commandeer a group of construction vehicles to attack the rock monster, leaving it no more than a pile of rubble. This victory turns out to be short-lived, as Traag arrives on the scene and reconstructs the rocks as an army of smaller warriors.

The concluding act opens with the Turtles pinned down by Tragg’s new minions. A large rock crushing machine at the nearby construction site provides the team with an opportunity to fight back, as they lure the monsters inside. Raphael is able to snatch the Rockolizer from Traag and destroy it, forcing the General to retreat via dimensional portal. April points out to the team that there’s still the outstanding issue of the rocket that’s currently being launched, which Krang has assumed control of.

Our heroes arrive at the launch site but find the rocket’s controls unresponsive. Shredder is already back in the Technodrome – which I suppose we don’t even question anymore as it’s happened so many times – and sits with Krang in matching command chairs as the satellite’s laser cuts the rolling fortress out of the ice. The villainous duo is jubilant as the Technodrome begins moving once more.

Watching all this via monitor from back at the launch site are the Turtles, who find themselves unable to stop their enemies. Donatello suggests the team use Wu Wei to fight back, and so our heroes sit cross legged on the floor, eyes closed and grimacing. Bebop and Rocksteady fight over a comic book before accidentally damaging a console which operates the laser controls. This causes a giant hole to be burned through the ice directly in the path of the still-moving Technodrome, which crashes into the ocean.

We end today’s episode in the Lair, where Splinter asks Donatello if he now has a full understanding of Wu Wei. Donnie replies that while he doesn’t entirely get it, after their experiences battling Traag’s warriors it’s an approach that’s better than “beating your head against a stone wall”, a gag that (justifiably) sees him taking a pizza to the face.

We’re now definitively in the post-Turtlemania era, and there’s a sense that while everyone involved accepts the best days of the show are behind it, no-one is willing to do anything to try and arrest the inevitable decline yet, and so instead we find ourselves going through the motions. “Rock Around the Block” is every bit your standard David Wise TMNT outing, by no means bad but there’s nothing going on here we haven’t seen countless times before. Bebop and Rocksteady’s antics and the welcome return of General Traag help, but I expect better from the show’s star writer, especially for a season debut that sets things up for the rest of the year’s adventures.

Of particular note, the concept of Wu Wei in relation to combat is fine, but the way the Turtles utilise it at the climax of this episode is a middle finger to the viewer the likes of which we haven’t seen since The Mothball Incident of 1989. Are we supposed to accept that the Turtles stopped the Technodrome through mystical thinking? If they didn’t and the villains simply screwed up on their own, doesn’t this send the message that the Turtles might as well not bother even showing up and just let things play out? If that’s what this story is going for it becomes the opposite of “With great power comes great responsibility”. Let the chips fall where they may. It doesn’t sit right with me at all.

In keeping with the diminishing profile of the Turtles, CBS would commission only sixteen further episodes of TMNT in 1992, and so the days of Saturday morning double-bill premieres are now a thing of the past. Our journey through the series will continue at its usual twice-weekly pace though, with the next outing under the spotlight being “Krangenstein Lives”.

#Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #TMNT #TMNT 1987 #Rock Around The Block #General Traag #1992 #Turtlethon #Ninja Turtles

[mybeingthere]

Jack Dale c.1922 - 2013

Born: Imanji (Mt House Station), Kimberleys, WA

Language group: Ngarinyin, Community: Derby, WA

"Jack Dale was one of the last remaining Kimberley elders whose life is Kimberley history personified. His life story has been recorded by historians and academics, and for 15 years he used painting as a method to tell his story from his own unique perspective and aesthetic.

Records recently obtained from Births, Deaths and Marriages confirms that Jack was born between 1920 and 1922, placing him in his nineties when he sadly passed away in 2013. He was born in the bush at Mt House Station (Imanji country). His mother was a Ngarinyin woman and his father was a hard-living and brutal Scottish frontiersman. His father once shot Jack in the leg to stop him from 'running away'. Naturally, his mother tried to keep him away from his violent white father. 

When his father passed away, Jack's Aboriginal grandfather took him under his wing, teaching him Narrungunni law and protecting him from the prevailing social attitudes towards 'mixed blood' children. During this time Jack saw many things that would later be the subjects of his paintings; hiding in the bush as police patrols forcibly took Aboriginal children from their families, watching chain gangs of Aboriginal men being marched away to the Prison Tree, and the arrival of the Afghan camel drivers.

Jack went on to live a remarkable life that bridged two cultures. For most of his life, he worked as a stockman and was greatly revered as a skilful, tough and uncompromising man who was never 'thrown from a horse or defeated by a beast'. He was also a respected Aboriginal elder and lawman and was considered one of the last of a generation of old men who possess a complete knowledge of the rituals, law and culture of his people. He was a vital link to the past and still is to this day through his art. 

Jack began to paint in the 1990's with rigour and excitement. In his later years he was forced to retire from painting following a spate of heart attacks which placed him in serious danger and saw him admitted to a home. The resilient man that he was, before he passed away, he did begin to visit the studio again to follow his painting career with a vengeance - and as much enthusiasm as he had in the 90's. His story truly is remarkable.

Jack produced large ceremonial boards used by traditional dancers to re-enact dreaming stories. He also used his extensive cultural knowledge to record aspects of the Wandjina dreaming sites of his people. The Wandjina is an iconic powerful spirit man of the Kimberley, who forms clouds, rain and the landscape, and who, in Jack's paintings, is distinguishable by its large circular eyes, round head and halo formation. The eyes are most arresting eyes and entice the viewer in to the work. Jack managed to capture the power and strength of the Wandjina with the use of strong lines and dots which give the artworks a pulsating energy. 

He used large blocks of colour outlined with dots, which is synonymous with the Kimberley region, and then would add figurative motifs of boab trees, horses, aeroplanes and people to tell his story. Whilst originally painting in natural ochre, Jack's later works were painted with Acrylics which allowed him to use vibrant hues, including blues, reds and yellows.

While the subject matter of his artworks was at times grim, and to the western eye, the Wandjinas may seem confronting, the spirit and energy of his naive style works overcome this initial response. 

Despite all, there is an enchanting and buoyant spirit in his art (as there was in this resilient man). The stories behind each of his works add an extra dimension to Jack's paintings and when understood, add to the fascination of these paintings. They are a unique and often humorous record of a long life lived deep within traditional Aboriginal law and yet also in the dangerous 'whitefella' world at the frontier of Kimberley life. These paintings raise your interest and beg to be talked about and considered. They are indeed a doorway to a greater understanding of Australia's history, a fact that makes his artworks highly collectible and the basis for great dinner party discussions.

Jack Dale was and remains an important and significant man as he is part of the history of the Kimberley region and its Indigenous people. Interest in his work has increased exponentially through his many solo exhibitions. His art can be seen as important historical and cultural documents, which could equally hang in a fine art gallery or a museum, where their anthropological value is outstanding, providing authentic, first-hand information regarding Australia's history."

Copyright Kate Owen Gallery 20 August 2020. Updated 3 September 2020

https://www.kateowengallery.com/artists/Jac724/Jack-Dale.htm

[witchhazelnut]

Heart Bellied Out

(1361 words) Inspired by this post by @skepticalfrog but also all of his art. (ao3)

What does a starving man do when presented with a sudden bounty?

For the first few days following Chuck’s defeat, Dean found this question rolling around his head more often than he’d like. He had been starving, he’d realized, but that hunger ran so deep that it had become part of him, like a barnacle under a whale’s belly.

So, when the wins began to pile up in rapid succession, Dean didn’t know how to deal.

On the first day Chuck was defeated, and the world returned.

On the second Jack gave his god-juice (“Don’t call it that,” Sam grimaced) to Amara for safe keeping until he was ready to assume that power and join her in a balance of light and darkness. This transference resulted in Jack assuming a form that reflected his human age, allowing him to be the child he’d never got the chance to be. It was an opportunity Dean never had, and one he didn’t know how badly he wanted for Jack until he had an armful of toddler pressed into his hip—until the sweet smell of his son’s hair tucked itself under his nose. His son.

That would have been too much for Dean already, but then Amara, more powerful than ever, presented her grandnephew the gift of his father back, just as she had gifted Dean with Mary years ago.

On the third day Cas was human, for good this time. Amara had given him a human soul, which kept him out of the Empty’s reach. He’d stood in the middle of the bunker’s library, flustered and confused, coat and tie disheveled, and Dean had stopped breathing.

“Daddy!” Jack had squealed, reaching for Cas from Dean’s hold.

“Jack.” was all Cas had replied, bewildered as he gathered his son into his arms.

Their son, Dean thought as he stood and watched them embrace.

Sam and Eileen were safe, Jack was safe, Cas was back, and the world was free. Dean didn’t know how to trust it, even though it was all he wanted. If he allowed himself to indulge in hope, he knew he wouldn’t survive having it taken away. If he filled himself up with it all, he’d risk feeling a hunger he couldn’t turn away from.

Dean looked over at where Cas was holding Jack against his side. With one hand Jack held onto Cas’ arm and with the other he was reaching for Dean, little fingers spread wide to grab at him. Dean huddled in and wrapped his arms around the both of them, his left hand splayed over as much of Cas’ back as he could hold, his right wound tight around Jack as he pressed their bodies impossibly close.

What does a starving man do when presented with a sudden bounty?

He shares it.

Two years later Dean found himself washing dishes after dinner. Sam and Eileen had come over to celebrate Jack’s first day of kindergarten. They still lived in the bunker, while Dean, Cas, and Jack moved into a house a few hours away, on the edge of a town with good schools and a zoo (Dean had insisted on the former, Cas on the latter).

Dean took on a few hours here and there at a local garage and Cas occasionally set up a stall at the Saturday farmer’s market when his garden was doing particularly well or when the bees he kept were especially busy, but in all manners that really counted they were retired. Sam and Eileen kept things held down on the hunting front, and Dean surprised himself to find he was more than fine to walk away.

There were still days when he woke up with a phantom pang of hunger, the ghost of a feeling in his stomach like the one he’d come to know growing up after days without so much as stale wonder bread to further stretch stolen meals for Sammy. The muscles in his gut contracted around a hollowness, a pit of fear like a leaky faucet he couldn’t seem to permanently plug.

On those days he’d retreat into himself. He’d be quiet. He’d feel a magnetic tug try and pull him to the bar down the block, even though it had been a long while since he’d picked up so much as a beer.

Before he could self-destruct or leave his body long enough that it could do itself harm, he’d feel Cas at his side or Jack’s weight on his chest. He’d go to bed early and when he’d wake the next morning the pit would be gone.

Dean knew it would never truly go away, but it would always leave just as quick as it came.

Most days though, Dean was good. This particular day especially so.

His family had sat around his table in his house and ate the food that hemade for them. They’d filled up on roast chicken, rosemary potatoes, and laughter.

And pie, of course. Dean made a pie.

He washed the dishes while Sam dried. Or, while Sam was supposed to be drying. Instead he held a dish towel in his hands and leaned against the counter, giving Dean an appraising look.

Dean tried not to snap about the stack of clean, wet dishes piling up, only raised a brow at his brother as he set another plate in front of him.

Sam answered the look with soft grin.

“What?” Dean asked exasperated.

“You’ve gone soft.” Sam replied.

Dean stilled at that. He’d heard those words before from a different mouth. John would bark them out like a slap. But the tone in Sam’s voice made Dean pause.

For the first time in a long time, the word soft didn’t sound like weak.

Soft. Dean thought of his body. What had a few years ago been all hard edges and blunt muscle now gave way easily to the press of fingers. At first Dean was sensitive to the change, worried Cas would no longer find him desirable if his body was not what it had always been.

“I guess the burgers and booze finally caught up to me huh?” Dean disparaged his reflection, holding his belly with both hands in an unforgiving grip.

Cas had come up behind him, threaded his arms through Dean’s and snaked them around his middle so that the ex-angel’s broad hands covered his own. Dean’s grip had loosened as Cas rested his chin in the crook of his neck.

“You think this is a punishment for your past.” Cas had said with his usual unnerving baldness, “But in fact it is a sign of your current blessing.”

Dean had huffed in embarrassed disbelief.

“This is happy weight, Dean.” Cas had pressed on, planting a kiss to his freckled shoulder, “It means you are, perhaps for the first time, truly settled.”

Soft, Dean thought with a plate in his hand, like the sheets on the bed that he shares.

Soft like the still baby-soft skin under Jack’s feet that he presses against Dean’s stomach on those nights he has a bad dream and can only sleep if he’s sandwiched between his dad and daddy.

Soft like Cas’ slightly grown-out hair between Dean’s fingers, like the meat of his thigh that gives way to Dean’s loving hands.

Soft like the mid-morning sun that filters in through their kitchen window and stirs the dust-bunnies into a dance. Those mornings when Dean is cocooned in warmth, a cup of coffee in his hand, Jack pressed up against his back, and Cas flush with his side, holding his face in big hands, leaning down for a soft kiss—

Dean glanced up at Sam, a shy smile on his lips.

You’ve gone soft echoed in his head, “Yeah, I guess so.”

Soft meant that Dean had built a life that was pliant to him for once, something Dean never thought he would get.

Practically born with a gun in his hand, for the longest time Dean was certain he’d die that way, empty and starving and hard as stone.

He had not touched a gun in over a year.

Soft, Dean thought, and let himself feel strength in it.

#spn #dean winchester #supernatural #spn fic #destiel #skepticalfrog #soft dean #chubby dean #tw: eating mention #tw: weight

[duchess-of-mischief]

Paperclips + stakeout

This is a one shot based off of this post. I’ve actually never written a fanfic before, so I hope y’all like it!

“How long have we even been here? I’ve started losing track of the days.”

Jack Dalton didn’t complain often, but when he did, he was like a five year old who had skipped both lunch and nap time. To be fair, everyone was starting to get cranky with their seeming lack of progress, but surveillance ops take time... this one just a little more than usual.

“It’s been twelve days, sixteen hours and...” Mac glanced at his watch and did some quick mental math: “Twenty three minutes.”

“Only twelve days?! It feels like we’ve been in this stinkin’ house for a month!”

“It’s only stinkin’ because you’re smelling up the place”, Riley replied over comms. Mac couldn’t help but chuckle. Riley was always prepared with a witty comeback.

“Hey, I don’t smell that bad, I took a shower two days ago!”

Mac looked out the window again, using his binoculars to observe the compound across the street. Right on schedule, a truck pulls in, and men begin unloading crates from the back.

“I wish I could see what was in those crates”, Mac mumbled, letting his thoughts slip out of his mouth.

“You know Matty said we have to wait until we have confirmation Gutyeres is involved before engaging.”

Mac knew what Riley said was true, but that didn’t make it any less maddening that he couldn’t do anything.

Defeated, Mac passed the binoculars off to Jack, and grabbed a handful of paperclips from his pocket. Making the little metal “Doo-dads” as Jack called them, always helped him take his mind off of things for awhile.

A few minutes later, he set a tiny little sword on the table.

“What kinda doo-dads you got now?” Jack said, mouth full of pork rinds that had somehow materialized while Mac was zoned out.

Mac set his creation on the table for Jack to observe.

“Hey, that’s actually kinda cool! Can you make me one?”

Mac looked up at his partner in surprise. He had thought Jack was annoyed by his habit of stress induced paperclip art, but here he was, asking him to make him something.

“Sure!” He said after a few brief moments of awkward silence, swiftly grabbing another paperclip and setting to work.

~•~•~•~

Several days later, Mac, Jack and Riley were on the plane back home, post op. Mac was giving a report of the mission to Matty over video call. Across the aisle were sitting Jack and Riley, who were laughing about their latest mission mishaps.

“Hey, what’s that you’ve got there?” Riley asked, pointing out the small sword that Jack was fiddling with.

“It’s one of Mac’s paperclip doo-dads.”

Jack tossed the the small trinket to Riley to observe it’s craftsmanship. The sword looked like an exact replica of Robert the Bruce’s claymore. Riley remembered fondly Bozer insisting they go see it in person on one of their ops to Scotland.

“Hey, that’s awesome Mac!”

Riley paused for a moment, then with her best puppy-eyes, she turned to Mac.

“Can I have one too?”

A smile crossed Mac’s face

“I thought you might say that.”

Mac tossed a miniature katana into Riley’s lap.

Her eyes grew wide, then a mischievous smirk crossed her face. Tiny sword in hand, Riley lunged across the aisle at Jack, who had his hand up ready to block the blow.

“Hey, you kids better not break anything, you break it, it comes out of your paycheck.”

Matty’s scolding went unnoticed by the two operatives mid sword fight, Mac only chuckled.

“Well I’ll talk to you once you get back to base, someone has to make sure my jet stays in the air” Matty said, a smile crossing her lips.

Mac closed the laptop sitting on his desk and watched the utter chaos play out in front of him with a smile on his face.

#macgyver 2016 #macgyver fanfiction #angus macgyver #jack dalton #riley davis #matty webber #wilt bozer #paperclips #original story

[zachsgamejournal]

COMPLETED: Breath of Fire 3

It is done. God is dead. Well...a self-proclaimed god. While we cheated, my son and I did beat the game...and, despite this being one of my favorite RPGs, it's uh...my first time "beating" it.

So! We crossed the desert into the futuristic city that now lies in ruins and took the elevator up to the Myria Orbital station. It's, uh, a space station connected to the earth by an elevator shaft...I guess. Concept Art

After all the wandering about, I was pretty ready to meet "God" and get this over with--but it's the finale, so they had to make it count. We wandered about, trying to feel our way around the "space station". Eventually, we found a room I had forgotten about...it had electrified floors. To un-electrify them, there are three consoles. Each console has a pattern of negative and positive signs on a grid. You have to get the three patterns to over-lap so that the postive-negative charges cancel each other out. But with three panels, you run into issues of two positives and one negative occupying the same space: thus it stays electrified.

Clever idea: yes. Fun idea: no.

One console is in the room with the floor, and the other two consoles are in a completely different room, separated by a 30 second walk not counting the one or two random battles you're likely to get. I got really frustrated, and my son went and told my wife: "That game is making daddy nuts!"

Anyway, I figured it out and moved on. This required a boss fight (easy enough cause we're cheating), which got us a keycard and special plant-killing shells for Momo. Going back to the other wing of the station, Momo uses the special shells to blow up plant vines blocking the door (not unlike a puzzle in Resident Evil 2...).

I think beyond this, we find a labyrinth of utility hallways. I had to back track a few times. Eventually we get to an indoor garden.

FLASHBACK: (not in the game, but mine)

Back when I first tried to play this game, I defeated every challenge thrown at me. I think I did have the guide to the game, but it was mostly used to help me through some sticky parts (and look at the cool art!). I made it to the final dungeon (Myria Station) but struggled to beat the final boss.

As a matter of fact. I never beat the final boss.

I needed to be a higher level. To reach that level, I did some grinding in the garden area. Mostly, you fight Plant 42s, which I loved since it was a reference to the mutated Resident Evil plant. But it shocked me to see that the exp was about 800, when there are fights elsewhere in the station that land closer to the 2k range. Surely that would have been more effective leveling?

Either way--I just never got strong enough to win the final boss.

BACK TO PRESENT:

We find Teepo here. Jack and Rei are surprised as hell! My son was excited, cause we all thought Teepo was dead. Turns out, Teepo is also a dragon, just like Jack. But instead of wandering the world with Garr and Nina, he joined the Goddess Myria who convinced him that his powers were dangerous. So he surrendered himself to her and is now her brain-washed lapdog, more or less.

Teepo causes Ryu to go into a weird dream (which we had to play twice due to game-freeze). Here, Ryu is exposed to the thoughts and anxieties of his party members. This is supposed to convince him to surrender his power like Teepo, but it doesn't.

Nina apparently struggles to please her mother by being a good, respectable princess while also trying to be herself and pursue her own sense of justice: such as helping Ryu and saving Rei!

Rei...I guess is concerned about his own power as Weretiger. Mostly, he just seems to want to help his old friend?

Garr wants to reconcile why he was ordered to kill hundreds of dragons, especially then they easily could have defended themselves--but they didn't.

Momo wants to understand all the advanced tech here, and how it could be used to better the world.

Peco is apparently the fucking tree of Yggdrassil in mobile form, and wanders about with thousands of years worth of world-knowledge, but can't communicate it to the team cause he doesn't speak English.

So anyway, Ryu doesn't relent and Teepo must be defeated. He dies and turns into a purple dragon. Rei and Ryu are sad, but yo--dick move.

Next, we have to find our way to Myria. First, there's this confusing 3 level maze of boss rooms that have you fighting past bosses, sometimes several at a time. It was annoying, and my son was done with it. WE JUST WANT TO MEET GOD!

Once through, we find a super sci-fi, futuristic room with holograms explaining Myria's intentions. The advanced world was being consumed by sand. My guess is that pollution made that world self destructive. Myria led her people to a greener, more flourishing land and then built a giant ocean between them to stop the sands. She also made the ocean very dangerous so the humans wouldn't return. Some how, she feared the power of the dragons would bring about another sand-issue, so she had them killed to save humans.

Now, this seems like a Lost scenario where Myria is no God, and likely didn't actually build any oceans. Instead, she helped people escape their self-destructive technology, and then controlled people's knowledge of tech so they wouldn't repeat past mistakes. So basically, she kept building machines and letting them fall in the ocean so they'd wash up on shore (Steel Beach). This allowed people to use machines a little, but not "make" machines.

I think she really feared dragon power as a threat to her own power, and wanted them out of the equation since they didn't submit to her rule. Since she martyred herself as a savior of humans, she felt justified in her genocide.

Ryu chooses whether to help her or fight her. But she warns that fighting her would mean facing the desert without her protection. Warning that holds little merit in my mind, cause she's a liar.

So we fought her. We defeated her.

The space station starts to crumble. Garr decides he's completed his journey and turns to stone like the other guardians. Everyone else escapes. Myria prays to God, asking, "If there is a God..." revealing that she was playing a part and did not actually know shit (like Jacob in Lost).

Afterwards, Ryu is seen joining his friends at a cliff overlooking a desert: fade to black.

Despite the many deviations the story takes for the sake of taking up time, I really enjoy this game. The world is well defined and the characters are good. Even the villains often have empathetic motivations, or perspectives that make you doubt your first conclusions. The game also tackles a variety of concepts that are morally challenging and deals with death and sacrifice in meaningful ways. It led to great conversations between my son and I. The last leg of the game is a bit tedious and shallow. I understand why they felt compelled to make it "bigger", but they used up most of their plot early on.

We cheated. We had infinite health and all that. Basically, we just killed all the grinding and retries. The game has a great story and fun mini games (and the sound track is fucking amazing!) so I don't think much is lost by skipping the tedious random battles and leveling up. If that's something you want as part of your experience, go for it.

It's just, for RPGs like this, the best things about them are story, characters, mini-games, puzzles, and exploring. The fighting is fine, and expected, but it shouldn't take up 70% of your play time when it's really only about 10% of the fun (if that).

So I feel no shame in cheating.

My son wants to play Breath of Fire 4 now. I'm excited to revisit this one (I actually beat it before (no cheating))!

#Zach's Game Journal #PLAYING #Breath of Fire 3 #Breath of Fire III #PlayStation #DuckStation #PS1 #Emulators #God is Dead #JK: she might be fine

[iamatt122]

A Biography Within a Eulogy

I have been kicking around ideas for a blog for a while now. I suddenly had the inspiration to write today from a muse that is no stranger to me but may seem a bit macabre to others.

This morning I heard about the passing of Richard Trumka. Trumka was the president of the AFL-CIO for the last 12 years. He was secretary-Treasurer for the 15 years before that. The 13 years before that he was president of the United Mine Workers. His father was a coal miner with a Union job that put him through college. He worked in the mines as a young man as well. These are the same Mine workers who are in the middle of a 5-month strike in Alabama as I write this.  

I had the honor of hearing him speak multiple times and I met him on one occasion. The day I met him changed my life. Here is where the introduction to me comes in.

My father was a Master-at Arms in the Navy, and my mother was a telephone operator for Pacific Bell. As a child in the 80′s I watched as our nation went through this extravagant decadent period of economic prosperity (for the wealthy). Meanwhile, I was the kid with the Payless buy one get one for a penny shoe, and the chip on my shoulder about being in what should have been a middle class working family that couldn’t quite make ends meet enough for my brother and I to participate in some of the extracurricular activities of our peers. My brother was teased about the pink banana seat bike we inherited from somewhere as the other kids rode new BMX racing bikes.  

I didn’t do well in school despite being tagged as a GATE (Gifted and Talented Education) student. My grades suffered and I was sent to live with my uncle who was a teacher in the L.A. area. It was here that I encountered more diversity than I had ever experienced before. My openly gay uncle and I stayed in Long Beach in an apartment about 2 blocks from Martin Luther King Blvd. (If you know you know). I went to school in a predominately Chicano neighborhood near where he taught in Whittier. 

It was during this time I also learned about racism and police brutality. Even before Rodney King was beaten by four officers over 50 times, I had run-ins with the Whittier Police and LAPD. The most memorable impression was an incident where my friends and I were out skateboarding after curfew. We were pulled over and placed spread eagle on a wall. I was the only white kid in the bunch. An officer walked over to me and said, “It’s late. Go on home.” He was taken aback when I told him I was staying with one of my Latino friends and I couldn’t go without him. They patted everyone down and released us. But I could feel the malice towards my friends.

It was also around this time that I got into alternative, punk, and hip hop. I was raised on Country and Western, R&B, Metal, Big Band, Surf Rock, Pop, and Hard Rock. Music is and was a gateway to all kinds of different worlds for me. I never learned to play an instrument. However, music played a huge role in my career path. More on that later.

The rebel DIY attitude and Gen X grunge nihilism did no favors to my grades or my future as a model citizen for that matter. I made dumb kid mistakes and did dumb kid things that I won’t go into detail about here. Suffice to say, “easy money” for a teenager in LA County in the 90′s came with a lot of strings attached. Despite being a white kid raised in suburban San Diego County, I molded myself to fit my environment. I wouldn’t give any of it back for all the money in the world. In the “hood” I learned about friendship, community, loyalty, and respect. I also unfortunately became a Raiders fan and a Dodgers fan, where I learned more about those values along with disappointment and defeat. 

High School brought me back to North San Diego County. My grandparents didn’t want me attending the school in the neighborhood my parents and I lived because there was “gang problems” there(translation: Hispanic and Pacific Islander students). So, I went to Carlsbad High School, where not only was I not a minority, but I am pretty sure the minority population percentage was in the low 30s. This is where I got to lean into being a weird punk rock, goth kid and enroll in Drama. My grades never recovered, and I dropped out in my Senior Year. 

I had been doing technical production for Drama and found a passion for the arts that didn’t involve me being front and center and allowed me to play a supporting role in a small community of nerds on campus (foreshadowing). This new passion led me to an internship at a theatre and eventually my first real Union job (I don’t count the 3 months I worked at a grocery store).

I became a pre-apprentice with IATSE Local 122. I was a professional stagehand. I experienced live music, theatre, comedy, drama, board meetings, tv shoots, conventions, arena tours, stadium tours, and so much more as I honed my craft. I was literally shining a light on some of the music I grew up listening to. 

I was an apprentice when I met Richard Trumka. We had set up audio at the Convention Center for him to speak at a rally for one of the many labor battles we were fighting in San Diego at the time on behalf of hotel workers, grocery workers, teachers, or other workers in what had been a very conservative bastion of California. 

Now, I have ADHD, so I don’t remember specifics. I do great with ideas though. President Trumka’s words inspired me to become more involved with my union than the transactional experiences I had to that point. I was already beginning to learn the value of the Camaraderie in a union thanks to a few wonderful mentors who frankly took on father figure roles in my life that had been absent or temporary until then. Richard Trumka and the AFL-CIO represented something new in the labor movement for me personally despite the long history behind it. I finally realized how much community matters and how the labor movement is centered on that community. 

Since that day, I became a trustee of IATSE Local 122, and I returned to school at 36 years old to receive two AAs in Political Science, and in Social Science. I am now finishing up my B.A. in Political Science, minoring in Art and Media Technology. During the 2020 election cycle I was Assistant Campaign Manager for the first Asian American La Mesa City Council Member Jack Shu, as well as acting as volunteer coordinator for the first openly bisexual Black and Latino National City Council Member Marcus Bush. I am still a card-carrying Journeyman of IATSE Local 122, and I hope to be attending Law School next Fall. Everything that I have done has been in an effort to create the community that President Trumka painted for me that day. 

Those who walk uprightly enter into peace.

RIP President Trumka.

#labor #aflcio #trumka #iatse #intro #eulogy #community

[oh-shit-i-spilled-my-genderfluid]

The sun is bright, my roots run deep, and the breeze is fresh and clear.

I think I shall stay here for a good long while.

#yeah those are jasmine flowers #rash #tw rash #blood #tmagp #tmagp spoilers #tmagp fanart #the magnus protocol #tmagp 3 #art #fanart #digital art #jack has defeated art block

[groovycatcollector]

The Wonderfully Right, And The Horribly Wrong (Daryl Dixon Love story)

Summery: After losing her brother and his wife, one young woman is left on her own, caring for a new born and trying to survive. After being taken in to a community after years of mistrust, how will she adapt, and what effect will a certain archer have on her. Starts the last episode of season 5

Warnings: slow-burn, angst, eventual fluff, violence, strong language. ptsd, age gap

Pairings: Daryl Dixon x OFC

Chapter 8

“We look like a danm ‘Baby and Me’ group” I joked, sitting across from Carl in the kitchen. Both of us had put our kids on the floor with pillows around them, making it a sort of make-shift baby fort. I poured us both some water before grinning like a mad woman with my chin resting in my hands.

“Who is she?” I sang, knowing I was irritating him. He plonked his big cowboy hat onto the table “If you’re gonna be annoying I can ask someone else” Carl looked as if he was trying to be an adult, and I looked as if I was trying to be a kid, bit of an odd pair.

“Who are you gonna talk to? Eugene? Morgan?” I was poking the bear, suddenly I pretended to be horrified, sitting back in the seat. “Oh no” He looked puzzled “Oh sweet Jesus no” I exclaimed. “You” I jolted forward pointing an accusatory finger at him “You were gonna talk to Abraham weren’t you?”

He looked at me blankly, arms crossed “Nina” I sat back, my outburst over. “I’m just saying he’s shit with the ladies” I missed goofing around with people, Carl reminded me of Beau, the baby’s daddy; Serious, a bit shy but as sweet as sugar on the inside. “Seriously who is she” I said again, a bit more serious. “Or at least what kind of person she is”

He talked, talked a good bit, and even though it obviously was Enid he still wouldn’t confess. I’ve seen her walking around, she was pretty, also the only girl his age. “Well, what does she like?” I was spinning my web was master match making, I missed this. “Find something your both into, make it a thing. Know anything she likes?” He shrugged, oh Jesus save me,teenaged boys

“Okay, what do you like about her?”  Carl paused “Shes smart, and pretty” okay… not much to go on “Have you expressed any interest?” He was rubbing his knees and his face was getting redder by the minute. “Okay well complement her, for a start. Or maybe start off my showering, that’s always a good place to start. Then find something you’re both interested in and go from there”

Carls face lit up like he had an idea “I know what to do” I could barely blink before he had swept up his hate and Judith and nearly ran out the door. Letting out a sigh I sat back

“Okay then”

I needed to get ready anyways, I was going on a run with Spencer Daryl and

 **

“Seriously stop thanking us, we can use the practice” Glenn scolded taking the bag of formula as Maggie bounced the baby on her lap while I shrugged the kami jacked I found in storage over my shoulders. I smiled, grateful to the couple that they consider babysitting “practice” for their oncoming child, still, I needed to go on this run, wanting to find a gift for the two to them as a congratulations present, and a few other things.

Glenn set the bag down on the counter “So feed every two hours, if he cries we check the diaper, feed, and bounce”

I rolled my eyes, he had a look on his face like he was saying this more for me then him. I crossed my arms, knowing what he was doing “Yes, okay you got it” I admitted, throwing my hands up in defeat. He leaned agents the island “He’ll be fine, stop stressing” I looked down and back up at him, I know he will be; especially with Glenn and Maggie. Taking a deep breath I decide to ask them.

I twitched my nose. “Hey Mag, could you come over here?” Her head darted in my direction, before standing, keeping the baby close to her chest. I shuffled my feet, brushing my hair out of my face “So you know how he’s being baptized in a few days?” They looked calm, Sweet Jesus I hope they say yes. “W-W-Well” Oh no, I started stuttering again, I could never shake that habit off “I was wondering” Fuck sake, deep breath “Wouldyouliketobehisgodparents?”

They stared at me blankly, “What” Maggie asked, before a wash of understanding washes over her face, and her shoulders relax. “Just in case anything happens to me, I want to know he’ll be well looked after" I explained desperately, my hand moving way too much for it to look natural.

Glenn glanced at Maggie, who smiled back “Of course we will” Glenn said, reaching out and touching my Bicep. A wave of relief washed over me, relaxing my muscles. “Thank you” I said, genuinely grateful. “When is the christening?” Maggie asked, starting to bounce the Baby I have yet to name in her arms. The other name threw me off and I tried to remember

“In a few days, Gabriel said he needed to refresh his memory of Catholic baptisms” Maggie nodded “Just tell us the morning of and we’ll be there” She smiled, and I hoped that they understood what they were getting into.

  **

  I sat in between Daryl and Spencer in the pick-up truck waiting for the turn off into the small town, where hopefully we’d fine a few shops that still had a few products inside.  I could them some baby clothes, or some wood and make them a crib. Spencer attempted to make small talk over Daryl’s useless stick driving but to no avail; both Daryl and I were focused on other matters. My leg occasionally bumping agents Daryl’s or Spencer’s thighs, causing Daryl to tense his arms agents the wheel and Spencer to move closer to me.

After knocking on the window we strolled into the shop, all armed with only hand knives, Spencer staying close behind as I followed Daryl. The store was dark and silent, expect for a few bangs of a stuck Rotter. Scanning the shelves, seeing a few boxes of incense, I figured it must have been a bit of a Hippie shop. Shoving whatever labelled ‘Natural Remedy’ into my rucksack; only a few bottles of oils and dried herbs.

“I’m gonna check the back” I called out, heading towards that door that said ‘employees only’ where the nagging was coming from.

Daryl shot me a look “Nah, I’ll get the walkers in a sec,”. Rolling my eyes at his dismissal I opened the door to the back. The second my hand pulled the handle back I knew I fucked up. The walker over powering me, and knock me to the floor.

Shit. Shit. His teeth biting and snapping towards my neck getting out a grunt I tried to bring my knife up to his head, but I couldn’t reach.

The only thing blocking his jaws from my neck was my forearm. Shit, I tried to kick my legs, trying to knock him over, but that only made him get closer to my face. I pushed the rotter back a little, just about to get my knife through its temple, but a knife went through his eye, inches away from my chin away from my chin.

Throwing him off of me I gasped for air .My ‘savoir’ spoke “Fuck Nina I told you I’d get it” I looked to Daryl standing over me, with a red face and veins pulsating in his neck. I propped myself up on my elbows “I had him” I huffed in annoyance. “Shit was reckless and you know” Jesus I feel like I’m being scolded for sneaking out on a school night. Spencer had slipped behind me into the store room.

Pushing myself to my feet I stand only a few inches away from him “I said I had him” Daryl stepped back. “Really? It didn’t look like it. Actually it looked like you were about to get bit” My temper was getting the better of me, I would have apologized if he didn’t have his finger in my face. I slapped it away, the dark shop making him seem more threatening, but this only pissed me off more.

Jesus Christ what is wrong with him. “I said I had it Dixon” I spat, turning on my heel and walking into the back. Obviously Daryl didn’t feel like this conversation was over, he grabbed my arm and was about to open his mouth to scold me.

I quickly decided that I wasn’t listening to a lecture before blurting out an “I’m sorry”. He dropped my arm, his eyes were a stern blue trying to read me. I’m a good liar, I know that much, but see saw threw it. He squinted his eyes before walking past me into the back.

“Clothes, shitty CD’s and candles mostly” Spencer announced as we walking in. It was dark due to the lack of windows, turning on my torch so I could get a better look “Take the clothes, they can be used has bandages” I said.

I strained my eyes trying to read the labels on boxes threw the dust. I brushed the curls off my face finding a book. “Natural Births: A Doulas Guide”, perfect, now I’ve a little thank you present for the godparents

Stuffing clothes I thought could be bandages I looked down, and saw a purple scarf and smiled at the genital colour. Hesitating to pick it up, it felt so wrong to even consider something frivolous at the end of the world.

Actually, no it didn’t. Fuck it I want a pretty head head scarf. I put my rucksack down warped it around my head once, just enough to keep the hairs off my face.

I walked over to the boys hearing a few laughs and a few “fuck yeahs” after curiosity got the better of me. They were kneeling down over three or four boxes, and peering over I could just about see glass bottles.

Spencer turned, smiling while handing me one of the mixed matched bottles. “This has been a great day” He beamed before turning back to the boxes. I brought my torch up to the bottle, no label.

I cautiously unscrewed it, taking a whiff. Immediately regretting it as the smell burnt my nose hairs. Regret soon turned into pure joy after registering what I smelt

Moonshine.

Part one Part two Part three Part four Part Five Part six Part seven

 Part nine Part ten Part eleven

Tags: @buckysjuicyplums

#the walking dead daryl #daryl dixon #daryl fic #daryl Dixon fic #daryl dixon fanfiction #norman reedus #the walking dead #the walking dead fic #the walking dead fanfic #Daryl Dixon fanfic #negan #daryl imagine #daryl dixon x ofc #daryl dixon imagine #twd #twd fic #twd fanfic #wtf fanfiction #daryl x oc #Maggie twd

[gibelwho]

Top 5: Movies with Swords

A Top 5 filled with adventure and swashbuckling - this list considers Movies with Swords. A few qualifications, the swords must be made of metal (thus disqualifying laser swords from a certain space opera fantasy) and must be central to the plot. Just because a movie has a scene with a sword fight doesn’t earn its place on the list; rather, the sword must be integral to the story, advance the plot, or play a role in the main character’s journey. Come with me to fantastical times and consider the best films that feature swords.

Gibelwho Productions Presents Movies with Swords:

5. The Mask of Zorro

4. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

3. The Princess Bride

2. Kill Bill: Vol. 1

Hero

The Mask of Zorro (1998): During the first training session with his adopted protege, the original Zorro, played by Anthony Hopkins, asks a scruffy Antonio Banderas who is holding a sword -  “Do you know how to use that thing?” Banderas, who is hoping to become the new Zorro, responds “The pointy end goes into the other man.” Hopkins takes a moment to internalize how far Banderas is from the swashbuckling hero with the famed prowess for fencing; indeed, the young Banderas’ showy swinging of the sword is easily lobbed away by one swift stroke of Hopkins steady and controlled blade. Luckily a few training sequences transforms Banderas into a Zorro reborn, and when Banderas emerges in the full Zorro regalia, fighting his enemies with the true form of a warrior, we are ready to exult in his fencing skills. While the fight between Banderas and Catherine Zeta Jones doesn't hold up through today’s lens of gender dynamics, the overall comedy, drama, and athleticism of the action scenes all featuring sword choreography is pure fun to watch.

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003): The film’s hero Will Turner is an aspiring blacksmith with a talent for making exceptionally crafted swords and the knowledge of how to use them. The opening action sequence features Orlando Bloom’s Turner and Johnny Depp’s Captain Jack Sparrow sparring in the blacksmith’s workspace - a converted barn with streaks of light illuminating the open space. The sequence opens with Sparrow threatening Turner with his trusty sword, only to have the aspiring blacksmith grab one of his completed swords to parry back. They cross blades, the music matching punctuating beats with sword clashes, and Sparrow begins to analyze the form and footwork of his opponent; Turner then displays his true abilities by throwing his sword accurately and with enough strength to lock the poor Captain inside the barn. The rest of the fight features clever stunts and humorous blocking, with each party grabbing from the voluminous store of swords to spar back and forth. The fight culminates when Captain Jack Sparrow pulls out a pistol to match Turner’s sword, leading to the blacksmith’s protest of “you cheated!” to which Sparrow reminds him - “Pirate.”

The Princess Bride (1987): Not including this classic on the list?! Inconceivable! Although this film benefits from a dose of nostalgia, it truly has one of the best sword fight scenes in the history of cinema, the sparring between Mandy Patinkin and Cary Elwes. There is no villain in the scene and the viewer’s loyalties are divided between both parties; to the untrained eye, the actors are doing great work, good form and footwork, and the banter between the two men brings a levity to the fight. Elwes, with his calm and confident form, matches Patinkin’s boyish flair; and they fight with both hands, starting off left-handed and then swapping to their right - just fun and delightful! Elwes’ final sword fight is won via a battle of words, followed by a threatening pose with his sword drawn, just enough strength left before he collapses after the villain has been restrained. Patinkin, however, does finally get his revenge with the fight that made the phrase famous - “Hello. My name is Inego Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.”

Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003): In college I went to a double screening of Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 - shown as Quentin Tarantino intended in one installment. My inclination at the time was a preference for the second film; the first volume focused more on the action and fighting set pieces and less on the narrative, while the second gave more insight into the Bride’s character and motivations. For this list, however, the first film fits the...bill. The Bride travels to Japan to convince a retired master swordsmith to forge one more weapon so she can extract her revenge on Bill and Tarantino spends an entire scene where the master lovingly presents his work of deadly art to the Bride. She then takes his masterpiece to fight an elite group of fighters known as the Crazy 88 in an outrageous and fantastic fight scene. Uma Thurman, clad in her famous yellow tracksuit, methodically takes out various groups of fighters and Tarantino employs different cinematic techniques to highlight the different groups, including in black and white, as silhouette against a blue background, wire work fighting on a bannister, and an epic final battle in the snow. In each segment, Tarantino focuses on the sword as a beloved weapon, having his fighters pose menacingly with swords drawn, closeups framing their face next to a raised hilt. While it would actually be impossible for one woman with a single blade to defeat the overwhelming numbers of the clan, Tarantino puts in enough quick cuts, whip and clang sound effects, wildly spurting blood makeup, and shots of Uma swinging her sword dramatically to give the scene thrills. Tarantino’s reverence for the Japanese sword and Uma’s convincing pose while wielding her Hattori Hanzo ranks this flick so high on the list.

Hero (2002): This tale, fashioned in the style of Rashomon, is framed around an assassin who has infiltrated the king’s palace with intent to kill, but who has a conversation with the man first, almost as a form of psychological warfare. The stories they tell are used as set pieces for the sword fighting that is highlighted in the film and each scene is a creative masterpiece in filmmaking - combining choreography, set design, costumes, editing, and color pallet to achieve striking sequences. There are too many incredible segments to highlight here, (each scene deserves individual analysis), but let us choose just one to discuss. In a flashback sequence, two assassins are shown fighting their way into the guarded palace, their intensity just plowing down the opposing army, swinging their swords with swift and relentless fury; they are clad in green robes that are in stark contrast to the black and white uniforms of the mass guards they are pushing through. When one assassin reaches the interior palace, bedecked with flowing green decorative fabric, and faces the king himself in combat, the intricate choreography begins. Each set piece is unique, but all employ the use of wire work, enabling the actors to soar, spin, and strike while in motion through the air, almost like a deadly dance. The flowing robes also add a lyrical quality to the fighting, yet there is a relentless ferocity that shows the actor’s skill in actual combat, proven by the use of long takes that pause long enough for the view to actually absorb the intense moves. As much as there are dreamlike sequences with fantastical movements, there are also really intentional clashes of blades that convey the weight and intensity of the combatants. In the end, the calligraphy of the character for the word ‘sword’ sparks the king’s final poetic speech that appeals to the assassins true understanding of an ideal warrior - which is the desire to not kill. The assassin makes his final choice and, with a shot of his sword clanging to the floor, paves the way for a united China.

Honorable Mentions:

Hook (1991): An extension of the Peter Pan story, this film tells the tale of a Peter who has grown up and forgotten his past self, who must re-discover his inner child and save his own kids from the nefarious Captain Hook. When a reluctant Peter has returned to Neverland and incites an imaginary food fight, he finally reclaims the mantle of Peter Pan when one of the Lost Boys presents him his old sword - lifting it up into the air in triumph cements his transformation back to his true self. He then takes that sword and rallies the Lost Boys to fight the pirates and rescue his children, going sword to hook with the Captain himself.

Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993): Another Mel Brooks classic starring Cary Elwes, this time as Robin Hood in a parody of the gang in Sherwood Forest. The ultimate fight between the Sheriff of Rottingham and Robin of Loxley is high in a tower in front of the locked up (in more ways than one) Maid Marian - and the fight is a microcosm of this roaring flick - the Sheriff is outrageously evil, Robin engages in cool banter delivered with witty charm, and Marion is over the top with her nasally simpering.  Another highlight of the fight is Robin’s blind companion Blinkin having a daring sword fight with a statue. Also, Patrick Stewart makes an appearance at the end as King John, with the full knight regalia that includes an awesome broad sword that he uses to bestow the Knighthood upon Robin of Loxley!

Mulan (1998): The Disney telling of the Chinese tale of a woman taking the place of her father in the army to fight the Huns was always a favorite of mine. As a child of the Nineties, it reinforced the girl power message, had awesome music, and great action. The sword plays a pivotal role at the beginning of the movie, symbolizing Mulan’s decision to abandon her traditional role in the family, save her father, and begin her journey to discover her true self. In the middle of a stormy night, Mulan draws her father’s sword, a determined face reflected in the steel, and cuts cleanly through her long hair to begin her transformation. It is a powerful moment of sacrifice for her family, as well as slicing off her old identity, one that didn’t quite fit her perfectly, and she leaves in the night to protect her family and China.

The Three Musketeers (1993): Another Disney film on the list, this time a live action adaptation of Alexander Dumas’ famous novel, one that prioritizes campy dialogue, fun action sequences, and power ballads over substance. But dang, when all four (spoiler alert) of those Musketeers are facing a collection of opponents, with their fancy blue cloaks and drawing their swords in unison, it’s just so fun! The swords here are some of most beautifully designed, with elaborate silver hilts that come with the prestige of the position being in the king’s guard. There is plenty of fencing in the film, among the musketeers themselves, between the evil cardinal’s guard, and the villainous Rochefort - and the climax of the film finds just the valiant three Musketeers facing a cadre of red clocked villains, when their fellow Musketeers, who had been disbanded by the evil cardinal, reveal themselves to stand aside them in battle. When in victory, the men hold their swords high, crossed together to show their unity (while the power ballad soars) - All for One and One for All!

Upcoming

Mulan (2020): Disney has been getting around to re-making all of their animated classics, with Mulan next up on the list. This re-make, however, is not solely based on the film from the late Nineties, although one can hear melodies from the score in the new film’s trailer, but the filmmakers have gone back to the original epic poem that inspired the animated tale. While that means an excise of Mushu (most likely for the better), it may also mean more of a focus on Fa Mulan’s journey and her fighting prowess. In the trailer, the Huns are seen galloping toward a town, doublefisting a sword and a curved scythe in their hands, overwhelmingly a dangerous threat. To face the enemy, China puts forth a call for warriors from each family, but Mulan’s family has only daughters to offer; their father takes up his sword, but knows he is incapable of carrying out his duty. Late at night, Mulan takes down the same sword, emblazoned with the characters for loyal, brave and true, and shows some skill with the blade as she makes her choice. It seems that in both the animated film and this live action re-telling, the sword plays a crucial role in Mulan’s decision to fight for her family in her father’s place. The trailer does show some glimpses of action sequences, with the sword as Mulan’s weapon of choice. Although with the release date now delayed by the spreading coronavirus, I am excited to see this film’s modern portrayal of Mulan taking up her true power and identify, with her steel by her side.

#the mask of zorro #pirates of the caribbean: the curse of the black pearl #the princess bride #kill bill: vol. 1 #hero

[howtofightwrite]

Q&A: Size Matters Not, Medieval Shoes, and Knife Fighting

Hello! Recently I heard that there is no way that a 60 kg woman can defeat a man weighs more. Is that true? There is a rumour that woman are also mostly useless as policemen and firefighters because of their lack of strength. Is that so? You’re my most reliable source.

Whoever said this is a moron. The weight argument is the preferred stomping ground of idiots who have no idea what they’re talking about. They don’t regularly make arguments that a man who weighs 140 pounds is completely useless as a police officer compared to a man who weighs 180 or 220, do they? Remember, you heard it from them, all men who weigh 160 pounds need to give up on his sports dreams now and go invest in knitting. And a man who can’t get above 150? Forget it, he’s trash. (Remember, Bruce Lee weighed 60kg, 132 pounds.)

“Someone who is short can’t defeat someone who is tall.”

We take gender out of the argument and the argument itself becomes ridiculous. This is an argument that’s not based in facts or reality, but rather one based in gender bias and societal conditioning. The “science” argument is just there to legitimize their position, but has no real basis in reality. The argument is telling you a woman can’t defeat a man because she’s a woman. Ask, what about a 220 pound woman? And watch them sputter.

This person you were speaking to was fantasizing all violent conflicts as duels, or physical conflicts with no surprises. Violence is not a stats game. Weight will do jack all against a knife, for example. This fantasy man will go down like a wet paper bag from a blow by a tire iron. Let’s not talk about guns. Even with weapons removed from the mix, weight isn’t an issue except in grappling. Here’s the thing: weight is a main consideration to the untrained, the ones with no martial training.

They hyperfocus on size rather than technique because size is the only advantage they have. They think weight is unbeatable because it has always worked for them. Weight does matter on the playground, size is intimidating when you’re six and up against a bullying boy of twelve. Starke likes this comment from a police officer once told him which is, “most people haven’t been in a fight since high school.”

Martial combat places its focus on disruption. You roll your wrist against the thumb when someone grabs you to escape because the thumb is the weakest point in the grip. You block a punch before it extends, because you put your extended arm against a fist with the elbow still bent that fist is going nowhere. Step between someone’s legs and a simple push to the chest or head can destabilize their whole body. The force of a punch comes, not from physical strength, but from the hips and shoulders, from the momentum generated by your body. You can control a tall man by grabbing him by the head and craning it sideways so his whole body is off kilter. Where the head goes, the body follows.

Size has its advantages, and its weaknesses. Exploiting those weaknesses is what martial training is all about.

This person can’t conceive of a world where weight isn’t considered important, where it doesn’t really matter because you’ve already learned to deal with it. There will always be someone who is taller, someone who is physically stronger, who is physically faster, who is more clever, who is smarter, who is more gifted than you are. However, that’s no reason to give up.

There are policewomen and female firefighters, female soldiers, female EMTs, guerrilla fighters, mercenaries, a female soldier just recently qualified for special forces training this November. You can check out Samantha Swords if you want to look at women who practice HEMA. There are women all over the martial arts world. They own their own schools, they compete in tournaments, they are self-defense specialists who run their own seminars teaching other women.

“No way”, especially when used broadly about an entire gender that reflects half of the planet’s human population, is an argument you can ignore.

I’ve been researching, but I don’t know if I’m just really bad at it or what, because I was wondering if it would make sense for my medieval military to wear tall, slightly heeled boots kind of like Wonder Woman’s, and if the boots would inhibit their movement too much or if I should change their footwear

Historically high heels are riding shoes and they’re for your cavalry, so the foot stays in the stirrup. Your standard infantry would not wear them. Generally, the shoes word during the middle ages (depending on period) were completely flat. The high heel didn’t become a fashion item until the 1700s and, in the beginning, were still worn by men.

Here are some middle ages shoes. Here are more shoes. The sabaton is the piece of armor which goes over the top of the shoe and protects the shin. This is the armor, depending on period, your soldiers (who were able to afford the armor) would wear. Wool and leather were also armor worn during the period. You can also watch Lindybeige discussing the reenactment medieval shoes he ordered for his HEMA (Historical European Martial Arts) and why they work well with sabatons.

Some other resources: Medieval Warfare, Scholagladiatoria, and Wikitenaur.

If you don’t mind helping, what type of build would a knife fighter need/develop? And how would they train/be trained? Thanks so much.

An athletic build like the kind you see off of long distance runners. Their muscles will be long, developed by hours of stretching them out versus thick like you get off weight lifting. This build will be more a product of their physical conditioning regimen than their training, and what you’ll get off most martial arts combatants who don’t run around in heavy armor or are bowmen/women. You do a lot of physical conditioning in any sort of martial training to build up your endurance. This means lots of running, lots of wind sprints, lots of development of the lungs, and the body’s core to build up balance. They’ll be doing a lot of sit ups.

How they were trained would depend on the era they exist in, the country where they live, and the kind of blades available. This is part of the problem with general questions like this because martial combat training is very specific to and heavily reliant on the world your character exists in. Combat and martial training are responses to environmental threats, so a character who has to deal with heavily armored opponents on the regular will be trained differently than someone who grew up in South Central.

Knife fighting is butcher’s work. You don’t need to be trained in the use of a knife to wield one effectively in close quarters. They’re a fast weapon that is used to gain significant advantage in hand to hand combat. Bull rush, stab a guy in the stomach six times, and he’s done. The knife itself is a utility tool in most martial arts systems and primarily used to support other weapons, or, again, as a hand to hand tool. You use the knife because you want an advantage in unarmed situations.

Ergo, your knife fighter will also be/should also be a skilled hand to hand combatant because if they have been trained to fight will start with hands first. Hands are safer, and in a structured system provide the building blocks which are necessary for the more deadly techniques.

Marc MacYoung’s “Knife Fighting Lies” is a good breakdown about the difference between knife fighting taught in martial arts versus knife fighting in the real world. Keep in mind when reading that he’s specifically discussing knives in self-defense and rebuking the fantasies of martial arts, but it is a good breakdown if you want to bring a knife fighter into your fiction.

When asking about knife fighting, I assume you mean systems like Indonesian and Filipino martial arts such as Silat and the kerambit. Or, something similar. The graceful, deadly knife fighter of fiction is going to come out of traditional martial arts systems that heavily emphasize hand to hand where the knife is a utility tool accentuating techniques the student has learned. This means the knife fighter’s training won’t really be any different from that of the standard martial artist. Their training will depend on the system used, and what that system prioritizes. Use of the knife will be the last thing they learn rather than the first. They will never train with a live knife, especially never with a practice partner. The practice knife will be made of rubber or wood or blunted metal (like all practice weapons, the only time you will train with a “live” weapon is sticks or staves, and even the ends of those can be padded during sparring.)

Knife fighting is deadly. Knife fighting is about killing other human beings. Knife fighting can easily end in a double homicide with both participants dead if they both have knives. Knives are ambush weapons, so practically its not good to think of them as dueling tools. Knife fights are usually over in a few moves, so we’re talking a fight that lasts (at best) thirty seconds. Most likely, the fight will be shorter than that. Any wound from the knife can kill you, and you won’t escape unscathed.

Sammy Franco has a good discussion of knife fighting you can find on his website.

Kill or Get Killed by Colonel Rex Applegate (1943) is still considered the go-to manual for Western style hand to hand combat. I’d say this is a good starting point for anyone with an interest in knife fighting from a modern combat/warfare perspective.

-Michi

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Q&A: Size Matters Not, Medieval Shoes, and Knife Fighting was originally published on How to Fight Write.

#writing advice #writing reference #writing tips #writing violence

[blackkudos]

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (born Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr.; April 16, 1947) is an American former professional basketball player who played 20 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Milwaukee Bucks and the Los Angeles Lakers. During his career as a center, Abdul-Jabbar was a record six-time NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP), a record 19-time NBA All-Star, a 15-time All-NBA selection, and an 11-time NBA All-Defensive Team member. A member of six NBA championship teams as a player and two more as an assistant coach, Abdul-Jabbar twice was voted NBA Finals MVP. In 1996, he was honored as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History. NBA coach Pat Riley and players Isiah Thomas and Julius Erving have called him the greatest basketball player of all time.

After winning 71 consecutive basketball games on his high school team in New York City, Alcindor was recruited by Jerry Norman, the assistant coach of UCLA, where he played for coach John Wooden on three consecutive national championship teams and was a record three-time MVP of the NCAA Tournament. Drafted with the first overall pick by the one-season-old Bucks franchise in the 1969 NBA draft, Alcindor spent six seasons in Milwaukee. After leading the Bucks to its first NBA championship at age 24 in 1971, he took the Muslim name Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Using his trademark "skyhook" shot, he established himself as one of the league's top scorers. In 1975, he was traded to the Lakers, with whom he played the final 14 seasons of his career and won five additional NBA championships. Abdul-Jabbar's contributions were a key component in the "Showtime" era of Lakers basketball. Over his 20-year NBA career, his teams succeeded in making the playoffs 18 times and got past the first round 14 times; his teams reached the NBA Finals on 10 occasions.

At the time of his retirement at age 42 in 1989, Abdul-Jabbar was the NBA's all-time leader in points scored (38,387), games played (1,560), minutes played (57,446), field goals made (15,837), field goal attempts (28,307), blocked shots (3,189), defensive rebounds (9,394), career wins (1,074), and personal fouls (4,657). He remains the all-time leader in points scored, field goals made, and career wins. He is ranked third all-time in both rebounds and blocked shots. In 2007, ESPN voted him the greatest center of all time, in 2008, they named him the "greatest player in college basketball history", and in 2016, they named him the second best player in NBA history (behind Michael Jordan). Abdul-Jabbar has also been an actor, a basketball coach, and a best-selling author. In 2012, he was selected by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to be a U.S. global cultural ambassador. In 2016, President Barack Obama awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Early life and high school career

Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr. was born in New York City, the only child of Cora Lillian, a department store price checker, and Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Sr., a transit police officer and jazz musician. He grew up in the Dyckman Street projects in the Inwood neighborhood of Upper Manhattan. Alcindor was unusually large and tall from a young age. At birth he weighed 12 lb 11 oz (5.75 kg) and was 22 1⁄2 inches (57 cm) long, and by the age of nine he was already 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) tall. By the eighth grade (age 13–14) he had grown to 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) tall and could already slam dunk a basketball.

Alcindor began his record-breaking basketball accomplishments when he was in high school, where he led coach Jack Donahue's Power Memorial Academy team to three straight New York City Catholic championships, a 71-game winning streak, and a 79–2 overall record. This earned him a nickname—"The tower from Power". His 2,067 total points were a New York City high school record. The team won the national high school boys basketball championship when Alcindor was in 10th and 11th grade and was runner-up his senior year. Alcindor had a strained relationship with his coach. In his 2017 book "Coach Wooden and Me," Abdul-Jabbar relates an incident where Donahue called him a nigger.

UCLA

Alcindor was recruited to the UCLA freshman team in 1965 and only played because the "freshman rule" was in effect, but his prowess was already well known. He received national coverage when he made his varsity debut in 1967: Sports Illustrated described him as "The New Superstar." From 1967 to 1969, he played on the varsity under head coach John Wooden. He was the main contributor to the team's three-year record of 88 wins and only two losses: one to the University of Houston in which Alcindor had an eye injury, and the other to crosstown rival USC who played a "stall game" (i.e., there was no shot clock in those days, so a team could hold the ball as long as it wanted before attempting to score). In his first game, Alcindor scored 56 points, which set a UCLA single-game record.

During his college career, Alcindor was twice named Player of the Year (1967, 1969); was a three-time First Team All-American (1967–1969); played on three NCAA basketball champion teams (1967, 1968 and 1969); was honored as the Most Outstanding Player in the NCAA Tournament three times and became the first-ever Naismith College Player of the Year in 1969.

In 1967 and 1968, he also won USBWA College Player of the Year, which later became the Oscar Robertson Trophy. Alcindor became the only player to win the Helms Foundation Player of the Year award three times. The 1965–66 UCLA Bruin team was the preseason #1. On November 27, 1965, the freshman team, led by Alcindor, defeated the varsity 75–60 in the first game in the new Pauley Pavilion. Alcindor scored 31 points and had 21 rebounds in what was a good indication of things to come. After the game, the UCLA varsity was #1 in the country but #2 on campus. If the "freshman rule" had not been in effect at that time, UCLA would have had a much better chance of winning the 1966 National Championship.

Alcindor had considered transferring to Michigan because of unfulfilled recruiting promises. UCLA player Willie Naulls introduced Alcindor and teammate Lucius Allen to athletic booster Sam Gilbert, who convinced the pair to remain at UCLA.

The dunk was banned in college basketball after the 1967 season, primarily because of Alcindor's dominant use of the shot. The rule was not rescinded until the 1976–77 season, which was shortly after Wooden's retirement.

During his junior year, Alcindor suffered a scratched left cornea on January 12, 1968, in a game against Cal when he was struck by Tom Henderson in a rebound battle. He would miss the next two games against Stanford and Portland. This happened right before the showdown game against Houston. His cornea would again be scratched during his pro career, which subsequently caused him to wear goggles for eye protection.

Conversion to Islam and 1968 Olympic boycott

During the summer of 1968, Alcindor took the shahada twice and converted to Sunni Islam, though he did not begin publicly using his Arabic name until 1971. He boycotted the 1968 Summer Olympics by deciding not to try out for the United States Men's Olympic Basketball team, who went on to easily win the gold medal. Alcindor's decision to stay home during the 1968 Games was in protest of the unequal treatment of African-Americans in the United States.

Alcindor was one of only four players who started on three NCAA championship teams; the others all played for Wooden at UCLA: Henry Bibby, Curtis Rowe and Lynn Shackelford. At the time, the NBA did not allow college underclassmen to declare early for the draft. He completed his studies and earned a Bachelor of Arts with a major in history in 1969. In his free time, he practiced martial arts. He studied Jeet Kune Do under Bruce Lee.

Game of the Century

On January 20, 1968, Alcindor and the UCLA Bruins faced coach Guy Lewis's Houston Cougars in the first-ever nationally televised regular-season college basketball game, with 52,693 in attendance at the Astrodome. Cougar forward Elvin Hayes scored 39 points and had 15 rebounds, while Alcindor, who suffered from a scratch on his left cornea, was held to just 15 points as Houston won 71–69. The Bruins' 47-game winning streak ended in what has been called the "Game of the Century". Hayes and Alcindor had a rematch in the semi-finals of the NCAA Tournament, where UCLA, with a healthy Alcindor, defeated Houston 101–69 en route to the national championship. UCLA limited Hayes, who was averaging 37.7 points per game, to only ten points. Wooden credited his assistant, Jerry Norman, for devising the diamond-and-one defense that contained Hayes. Sports Illustrated ran a cover story on the game and used the headline: "Lew's Revenge: The Rout of Houston."

School records

As of the 2011–12 season, he still holds or shares a number of individual records at UCLA:

Highest career scoring average: 26.4;

Most career field goals: 943 (tied with Don MacLean);

Most points in a season: 870 (1967);

Highest season scoring average: 29.0 (1967);

Most field goals in a season: 346 (1967);

Most free throw attempts in a season: 274 (1967);

Most points in a single game: 61;

Most field goals in a single game: 26 (vs. Washington State, February 25, 1967).

Professional career

Milwaukee Bucks (1969–1975)

The Harlem Globetrotters offered Alcindor $1 million to play for them, but he declined and was picked first in the 1969 NBA draft by the Milwaukee Bucks, who were in only their second season of existence. The Bucks won a coin-toss with the Phoenix Suns for first pick. He was also chosen first overall in the 1969 American Basketball Association draft by the New York Nets. The Nets believed that they had the upper hand in securing Alcindor's services because he was from New York; however, when Alcindor told both the Bucks and the Nets that he would accept only one offer from each team, the Nets bid too low. Sam Gilbert negotiated the contract along with Los Angeles businessman Ralph Shapiro at no charge. After Alcindor chose the Milwaukee Bucks' offer of $1.4 million, the Nets offered a guaranteed $3.25 million. Alcindor declined the offer, saying, "A bidding war degrades the people involved. It would make me feel like a flesh peddler, and I don't want to think like that."

Alcindor's presence enabled the 1969–70 Bucks to claim second place in the NBA's Eastern Division with a 56–26 record (improved from 27–55 the previous year). On February 21, 1970, he scored 51 points in a 140-127 win over the SuperSonics. Alcindor was an instant star, ranking second in the league in scoring (28.8 ppg) and third in rebounding (14.5 rpg), for which he was awarded the title of NBA Rookie of the Year. In the series-clinching game against the 76ers, he recorded 46 points and 25 rebounds. With that, he joins Wilt Chamberlain as the only rookies to record at least 40 points and 25 rebounds in a playoff game in their rookie season. Until Jayson Tatum in 2018, Alcindor would be the only rookie to record 10 or more games of 20+ points scored during the playoffs.

The next season, the Bucks acquired All-Star guard Oscar Robertson. Milwaukee went on to record the best record in the league with 66 victories in the 1970–71 season, including a then-record 20 straight wins. Alcindor was awarded his first of six NBA Most Valuable Player Awards, along with his first scoring title (31.7 ppg). He also led the league in total points, with 2,596. In the playoffs, the Bucks went 12–2 (including a four-game sweep of the Baltimore Bullets in the NBA Finals), and won the championship, while Alcindor was named Finals MVP. He posted 27 points, 12 rebounds and 7 assists in Game 4 of the finals series. On May 1, 1971, the day after the Bucks won the NBA championship, he adopted the Muslim name Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Arabic: كريم عبد ��لجبار‎, Karīm Abd al-Jabbār), its translation roughly "noble one, servant of the Almighty [i.e., servant of Allah]". He had converted to Islam while at UCLA.

Abdul-Jabbar remained a dominant force for the Bucks. The following year, he repeated as scoring champion with (34.8 ppg and 2,822 total points) and was named NBA Most Valuable Player. He helped the Bucks to repeat as division leaders for four straight years. In 1974, Abdul-Jabbar won his third MVP Award in five years and was among the top five NBA players in scoring (27.0 ppg, third), rebounding (14.5 rpg, fourth), blocked shots (283, second), and field goal percentage (.539, second).

Abdul-Jabbar remained relatively injury-free throughout his NBA career, but he twice broke one of his hands. The first incident occurred during a pre-season game in 1974, when he was bumped hard and got his eye scratched; this angered him enough to punch the basket support stanchion. He returned after missing the first 16 games of the season and started to wear protective goggles. In the second incident, he broke his hand during the opening game of the 1977–78 season. Two minutes into the game, Abdul-Jabbar punched Milwaukee's Kent Benson in retaliation for an overly aggressive elbow; the punch broke Benson's jaw. As a result of the injury to his hand, Abdul-Jabbar was out for two months, and it was unnecessary for the NBA to suspend him.

Although Abdul-Jabbar always spoke well of Milwaukee and its fans, he said that being in the Midwest did not fit his cultural needs. In October 1974, he requested a trade to either the New York Knicks or Los Angeles.

Los Angeles Lakers (1975–1989)

In 1975, the Lakers acquired Abdul-Jabbar and reserve center Walt Wesley from the Bucks for center Elmore Smith, guard Brian Winters, and rookie "blue chippers" Dave Meyers and Junior Bridgeman. In the 1975–76 season, his first with the Lakers, he had a dominating season, averaging 27.7 points per game and leading the league in rebounding, blocked shots, and minutes played. His 1,111 defensive rebounds remains the NBA single-season record (defensive rebounds were not recorded prior to the 1973–74 season). He earned his fourth MVP award, but missed the post-season for the second straight year.

Once he joined the Lakers, Abdul-Jabbar began wearing his trademark goggles (he briefly ditched them in the 1979–80 season). Years of battling under NBA backboards, and being hit and scratched in the face in the process, had taken their toll on his eyes and he developed corneal erosion syndrome, where the eyes begin to dry out easily and cease to produce moisture. He missed one game in the 1986–87 season when his eyes dried out and swelled.

In the 1976–77 season, Abdul-Jabbar had another strong performance. He led the league in field goal percentage, finished second in rebounds and blocked shots, and third in points per game. He helped lead the Lakers to the best record in the NBA, and he won his record-tying fifth MVP award. In the playoffs, the Lakers beat the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference semi-finals, setting up a confrontation with the Portland Trail Blazers. The result was a memorable matchup, pitting Abdul-Jabbar against a young, injury-free Bill Walton. Although Abdul-Jabbar dominated the series statistically, Walton and the Trail Blazers (who were experiencing their first-ever run in the playoffs) swept the Lakers, behind Walton's skillful passing and leadership.

Abdul-Jabbar's play remained strong during the next two seasons, being named to the All-NBA Second Team twice, the All-Defense First Team once, and the All-Defense Second Team once. The Lakers, however, continued to be stymied in the playoffs, being eliminated by the Seattle SuperSonics in both 1978 and 1979.

In 1979, the Lakers acquired first overall draft pick Magic Johnson. The trade and draft paved the way for a Laker dynasty as they went on to become the most dominant team of the 1980s, appearing in the finals eight times and winning five NBA championships. Individually, while Abdul-Jabbar was not the dominant center he had been in the 1970s, he experienced a number of highlight moments. Among them were his record sixth MVP award in 1980, four more All-NBA First Team designations, two more All-Defense First Team designations, the 1985 Finals MVP, and on April 5, 1984 breaking Wilt Chamberlain's record for most career points. Later in his career, he bulked up to about 265 pounds (120 kg), to be able to withstand the strain of playing the highly physical center position into his early 40s.

While in Los Angeles, Abdul-Jabbar started doing yoga in 1976 to improve his flexibility, and was notable for his physical fitness regimen. He says, "There is no way I could have played as long as I did without yoga."

In 1983, Abdul-Jabbar's house burned down. Many of his belongings, including his beloved jazz LP collection of about 3,000 albums, were destroyed. Many Lakers fans sent and brought him albums, which he found uplifting.

On June 28, 1989, Abdul-Jabbar was 42 years old when he announced that he would retire at the end of the season after 20 years in the NBA. On his "retirement tour" he received standing ovations at games, home and away and gifts ranging from a yacht that said "Captain Skyhook" to framed jerseys from his basketball career to an Afghan rug. In his biography My Life, Magic Johnson recalls that many Lakers and Celtics legends participated in Abdul-Jabbar's farewell game. Every player wore Abdul-Jabbar's trademark goggles and had to try a skyhook at least once, which led to comic results. The Lakers made the NBA Finals in each of Abdul-Jabbar's final three seasons, defeating Boston in 1987, and Detroit in 1988. The Lakers lost to the Pistons in a four-game sweep in his final season.

At the time of his retirement, Abdul-Jabbar held the record for most games played by a single player in the NBA; this would later be broken by Robert Parish. He also was the all-time record holder for most points (38,387), most field goals made (15,837), and most minutes played (57,446).

Post-NBA career

Since 2005, Abdul-Jabbar has served as a special assistant coach for the Lakers. He had been interested in coaching since his retirement, and given the influence that he exerted on the league during his playing days, he thought that the opportunity would present itself. However, during his playing years, Abdul-Jabbar had developed a reputation for being introverted and sullen. He did not speak to the press, which led to the impression that he disliked journalists. In his biography My Life, Magic Johnson recalls instances when Abdul-Jabbar brushed him off when he was a ball boy and asked him for an autograph. Abdul-Jabbar also froze out reporters who gave him a too-enthusiastic handshake or even hugged him, and he refused to stop reading the newspaper while giving an interview.

Abdul-Jabbar believes that his reticence, whether through disdain for the press or simply because of introversion, contributed to the dearth of coaching opportunities offered to him by the NBA. In his words, he said he had a mindset he could not overcome, and proceeded through his career oblivious to the effect his reticence may have had on his future coaching prospects. Abdul-Jabbar said: "I didn't understand that I also had affected people that way and that's what it was all about. I always saw it like they were trying to pry. I was way too suspicious and I paid a price for it." Since he began lobbying for a coaching position in 1995, he has managed to obtain only low-level assistant and scouting jobs in the NBA, and a head coaching position only in a minor professional league.

Abdul-Jabbar has worked as an assistant for the Los Angeles Clippers and the Seattle SuperSonics, helping mentor, among others, their young centers, Michael Olowokandi and Jerome James. Abdul-Jabbar was the head coach of the Oklahoma Storm of the United States Basketball League in 2002, leading the team to the league's championship that season, but he failed to land the head coaching position at Columbia University a year later. He then worked as a scout for the New York Knicks. Finally, on September 2, 2005, he returned to the Lakers as a special assistant to Phil Jackson to help the Lakers' centers, and in particular their young draftee Andrew Bynum. Abdul-Jabbar's influence has been credited with Bynum's emergence as a more talented NBA center. Abdul-Jabbar also served as a volunteer coach at Alchesay High School on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation in Whiteriver, Arizona in 1998.

In 2016, he performed a tribute to friend Muhammad Ali along with Chance the Rapper. He is also co-author of a comic book published by Titan Comics entitled Mycroft Holmes and the Apocalypse Handbook.

Player profile

On offense, Abdul-Jabbar was a dominant low-post threat. In contrast to other low-post specialists like Wilt Chamberlain, Artis Gilmore or Shaquille O'Neal, Abdul-Jabbar was a relatively slender player, standing 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m) tall but only weighing 225 lb (102 kg) (though in his latter years the Lakers listed Abdul-Jabbar's weight as 265 pounds (120 kg)). However, he made up for his relative lack of bulk by showing textbook finesse, strength and was famous for his ambidextrous skyhook shot, which was impossible for defenders to block. It contributed to his high .559 field goal accuracy, making him the eighth most accurate scorer of all time and a feared clutch shooter. Abdul-Jabbar was also quick enough to run the Showtime fast break led by Magic Johnson and was well-conditioned, standing on the hardwood an average 36.8 minutes. In contrast to other big men, Abdul-Jabbar also could reasonably hit his free throws, finishing with a career 72% average.

Abdul-Jabbar maintained a dominant presence on defense. He was selected to the NBA All-Defensive Team eleven times. He frustrated opponents with his superior shot-blocking ability and denied an average of 2.6 shots a game. After the pounding he endured early in his career, his rebounding average fell to between six or eight a game in his latter years.

As a teammate, Abdul-Jabbar exuded natural leadership and was affectionately called "Cap" or "Captain" by his colleagues. He had an even temperament, which Riley said made him coachable. A strict fitness regime made him one of the most durable players of all time. In the NBA, his 20 seasons and 1,560 games are performances surpassed only by former Celtics center Robert Parish.

Skyhook

Abdul-Jabbar was well known for his trademark "skyhook", a hook shot in which he bent his entire body (rather than just the arm) like a straw in one fluid motion to raise the ball and then release it at the highest point of his arm's arching motion. Combined with his long arms and great height—7 ft 2 in (2.18 m)—the skyhook was difficult for a defender to block without committing a goaltending violation. It was a reliable and feared offensive weapon and contributed to his high lifetime field goal percentage of 0.559. He was adept at shooting the skyhook with either hand, which made him even more difficult to defend against, though as a right-handed player, he was stronger shooting the skyhook with his right hand than he was with his left. According to Abdul-Jabbar, he learned the move in fifth grade after practicing with the Mikan Drill and soon learned to value it, as it was "the only shot I could use that didn't get smashed back in my face".

Legacy

Abdul-Jabbar is the NBA's all-time leading scorer with 38,387 points, and he won a league-record six MVP awards. He earned six championship rings, two Finals MVP awards, 15 NBA First or Second Teams, a record 19 NBA All-Star call-ups and averaging 24.6 points, 11.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 2.6 blocks per game. He is ranked as the NBA's third leading all-time rebounder (17,440). He is also the third all-time in registered blocks (3,189), which is even more impressive because this stat had not been recorded until the fourth year of his career (1974).

Abdul-Jabbar combined dominance during his career peak with the longevity and sustained excellence of his later years. He credited Bruce Lee with teaching him "the discipline and spirituality of martial arts, which was greatly responsible for me being able to play competitively in the NBA for 20 years with very few injuries." After claiming his sixth and final MVP in 1980, Abdul-Jabbar continued to average above 20 points in the following six seasons, including 23 points per game in his 17th season at age 38. He made the NBA's 35th Anniversary Team, and was named one of its 50 greatest players of all time in 1996. Abdul-Jabbar is regarded as one of the best centers ever, and league experts and basketball legends frequently mentioned him when considering the greatest player of all time. Former Lakers coach Pat Riley once said, "Why judge anymore? When a man has broken records, won championships, endured tremendous criticism and responsibility, why judge? Let's toast him as the greatest player ever." Isiah Thomas remarked, "If they say the numbers don't lie, then Kareem is the greatest ever to play the game." Julius Erving in 2013 said, "In terms of players all-time, Kareem is still the number one guy. He's the guy you gotta start your franchise with." In 2015, ESPN named Abdul-Jabbar the best center in NBA history, and ranked him No. 2 behind Michael Jordan among the greatest NBA players ever. While Jordan's shots were enthralling and considered unfathomable, Abdul-Jabbar's skyhook appeared automatic, and he himself called the shot "unsexy".

NBA career statistics

Regular seasonPlayoffs

Athletic honors

Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (May 15, 1995)

College:

National Basketball Association:

November 16, 2012 – A statue of Abdul-Jabbar was unveiled in front of Staples Center on Chick Hearn Court, in Los Angeles.

2× Associated Press College Basketball Player of the Year (1967, 1969)

2× Oscar Robertson Trophy winner (1967, 1968)

2× UPI College Basketball Player of the Year (1967, 1969)

Three-time First Team All-American (1967–1969)

Three-time NCAA champion (1967–1969)

Most Outstanding Player in NCAA Tournament (1967–1969)

Naismith College Player of the Year (1969)

3× First-team All-Pac-8 (1967–1969)

National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame (2007)

Rookie of the Year (1970)

Six-time NBA champion (1971, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988)

NBA MVP (1971, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1980)

Sporting News NBA MVP (1971, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1980)

Finals MVP (1971, 1985)

Sports Illustrated magazine's "Sportsman of the Year" (1985)

One of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History (1996)

First player in NBA history to play 20 seasons

Ranked No.2 in ESPN's 100 greatest NBA players of all time #NBArank

Film and television

Playing in Los Angeles facilitated Abdul-Jabbar's trying his hand at acting.He made his film debut in Bruce Lee's 1972 film Game of Death, in which his character Hakim fights Billy Lo (played by Lee).

In 1980, he played co-pilot Roger Murdock in Airplane!. Abdul-Jabbar has a scene in which a little boy looks at him and remarks that he is in fact Abdul-Jabbar—spoofing the appearance of football star Elroy "Crazylegs" Hirsch as an airplane pilot in the 1957 drama that served as the inspiration for Airplane!, Zero Hour!. Staying in character, Abdul-Jabbar states that he is merely Roger Murdock, an airline co-pilot, but the boy continues to insist that Abdul-Jabbar is "the greatest", but that, according to his father, he doesn't "work hard on defense" and "never really tries, except during the playoffs". This causes Abdul-Jabbar's character to snap, "The hell I don't!", then grab the boy and snarl he has "[heard] that crap ever since ... UCLA", he "busts his buns every night" and the boy should tell his "old man to drag [Bill] Walton and [Bob] Lanier up and down the court for 48 minutes". When Murdock loses consciousness later in the film, he collapses at the controls wearing Abdul-Jabbar's goggles and yellow Lakers' shorts.

Abdul-Jabbar has had numerous other television and film appearances, often playing himself. He has had roles in movies such as Fletch, Troop Beverly Hills and Forget Paris, and television series such as Full House, Living Single, Amen, Everybody Loves Raymond, Martin, Diff'rent Strokes (his height humorously contrasted with that of diminutive child star Gary Coleman), The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Scrubs, 21 Jump Street, Emergency!, Man from Atlantis, and New Girl. Abdul-Jabbar played a genie in a lamp in a 1984 episode of Tales from the Darkside. He also played himself on the February 10, 1994 episode of the sketch comedy television series In Living Color.

He also appeared in the television version of Stephen King's The Stand, played the Archangel of Basketball in Slam Dunk Ernest, and had a brief non-speaking cameo appearance in BASEketball. Abdul-Jabbar was also the co-executive producer of the 1994 TV film Road to Freedom: The Vernon Johns Story. He has also made appearances on The Colbert Report, in a 2006 skit called "HipHopKetball II: The ReJazzebration Remix '06" and in 2008 as a stage manager who is sent out on a mission to find Nazi gold. Abdul-Jabbar also voiced himself in a 2011 episode of The Simpsons titled "Love Is a Many Strangled Thing". He had a recurring role as himself on the NBC series Guys with Kids, which aired from 2012 to 2013. On Al Jazeera English he expressed his desire to be remembered not just as a player, but somebody who had many talents and used them.

Abdul-Jabbar was selected to appear in the 2013 ABC reality series Splash, a celebrity diving competition.

Abdul-Jabbar has also created the 2011 documentary On the Shoulders of Giants, based on the all-black basketball team New York Renaissance.

Abdul-Jabbar has also appeared with Robert Hays (Ted Striker) in a 2014 Airplane! parody commercial promoting Wisconsin tourism. In 2015, he appeared in an HBO documentary on his life, Kareem: Minority of One.

In April 2018, Abdul-Jabbar was announced as one of the celebrities who competed on season 26 of Dancing with the Stars. He was partnered with professional dancer Lindsay Arnold.

In February 2019, he appeared in season 12 episode 16 of The Big Bang Theory, "The D&D Vortex".

In September 2018, Abdul-Jabbar was announced as one of the writers for the July 2019 revival of Veronica Mars.

Abdul-Jabbar is the executive producer of the 2020 History channel's Black Patriots: Heroes of the Revolution.

Writing and activism

Abdul-Jabbar is also a best-selling author and cultural critic. His first book, his autobiography Giant Steps, was written in 1983 with co-author Peter Knobler. (The book's title is an homage to jazz great John Coltrane, referring to his album Giant Steps.) Others include On the Shoulders of Giants: My Journey Through the Harlem Renaissance, co-written with Raymond Obstfeld, and Brothers in Arms: The Epic Story of the 761st Tank Battalion, World War II's Forgotten Heroes, co-written with Anthony Walton, which is a history of an all-black armored unit that served with distinction in Europe.

Abdul-Jabbar has also been a regular contributor to discussions about issues of race and religion, among other topics, in national magazines and on television. He has written a regular column for Time, for example, and he appeared on Meet the Press on Sunday, January 25, 2015, to talk about a recent column, which pointed out that Islam should not be blamed for the actions of violent extremists, just as Christianity has not been blamed for the actions of violent extremists who profess Christianity. When asked about being Muslim, he said: "I don't have any misgiving about my faith. I'm very concerned about the people who claim to be Muslims that are murdering people and creating all this mayhem in the world. That is not what Islam is about, and that should not be what people think of when they think about Muslims. But it's up to all of us to do something about all of it."

In November 2014, Abdul-Jabbar published an essay in Jacobin magazine calling for just compensation for college athletes, writing, "in the name of fairness, we must bring an end to the indentured servitude of college athletes and start paying them what they are worth."

In 2007, Abdul-Jabbar participated in the national UCLA alumni commercial entitled "My Big UCLA Moment". The UCLA commercial is featured on YouTube.

On February 10, 2011, Abdul-Jabbar debuted his film On the Shoulders of Giants, documenting the tumultuous journey of the famed yet often-overlooked Harlem Renaissance professional basketball team, at Science Park High School in Newark, New Jersey. The event was simulcast live throughout the school, city, and state.

Commenting on Donald Trump's 2017 travel ban, he strongly condemned it, saying, "The absence of reason and compassion is the very definition of pure evil because it is a rejection of our sacred values, distilled from millennia of struggle."

Government appointments

Cultural ambassador

In January 2012, United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced that Abdul-Jabbar had accepted a position as a cultural ambassador for the United States. During the announcement press conference, Abdul-Jabbar commented on the historical legacy of African-Americans as representatives of U.S. culture: "I remember when Louis Armstrong first did it back for President Kennedy, one of my heroes. So it's nice to be following in his footsteps." As part of this role, Abdul-Jabbar has traveled to Brazil to promote education for local youths.

President's Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition

Former President Barack Obama announced in his last days of office that he has appointed Abdul-Jabbar along with Gabrielle Douglas & Carli Lloyd to the President's Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition.

Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee

In January 2017, Abdul-Jabbar was appointed to the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee by United States Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin. According to the United States Mint, Abdul-Jabbar is a keen coin collector whose interest in the life of Alexander Hamilton had led him into the hobby. He resigned in 2018 due to what the Mint described as "increasing personal obligations".

Personal life

Abdul-Jabbar met Habiba Abdul-Jabbar (born Janice Brown) at a Lakers game during his senior year at UCLA. They eventually married and together had three children: daughters Habiba and Sultana and son Kareem Jr, who played basketball at Western Kentucky after attending Valparaiso. Abdul-Jabbar and Janice divorced in 1978. He has another son, Amir, with Cheryl Pistono. Another son, Adam, made an appearance on the TV sitcom Full House with him.

Religion and name

At age 24 in 1971, he converted to Islam and became Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, which means "noble one, servant of the Almighty." He was named by Hamaas Abdul Khaalis. Abdul-Jabbar purchased and donated 7700 16th Street NW, a house in Washington, D.C., for Khaalis to use as the Hanafi Madh-Hab Center. Eventually, Kareem "found that [he] disagreed with some of Hamaas' teachings about the Quran, and [they] parted ways." He then studied the Quran on his own, and “emerged from this pilgrimage with my beliefs clarified and my faith renewed.”

Abdul-Jabbar has spoken about the thinking that was behind his name change when he converted to Islam. He stated that he was "latching on to something that was part of my heritage, because many of the slaves who were brought here were Muslims. My family was brought to America by a French planter named Alcindor, who came here from Trinidad in the 18th century. My people were Yoruba, and their culture survived slavery...  My father found out about that when I was a kid, and it gave me all I needed to know that, hey, I was somebody, even if nobody else knew about it. When I was a kid, no one would believe anything positive that you could say about black people. And that's a terrible burden on black people, because they don't have an accurate idea of their history, which has been either suppressed or distorted."

In 1998, Abdul-Jabbar reached a settlement after he sued Miami Dolphins running back Karim Abdul-Jabbar (now Abdul-Karim al-Jabbar, born Sharmon Shah) because he felt Karim was sponging off the name he made famous by having the Abdul-Jabbar moniker and number 33 on his Dolphins jersey. As a result, the younger Abdul-Jabbar had to change his jersey nameplate to simply "Abdul" while playing for the Dolphins. The football player had also been an athlete at UCLA.

Health problems

Abdul-Jabbar suffers from migraines, and his use of cannabis to reduce the symptoms has had legal ramifications.

In November 2009, Abdul-Jabbar announced that he was suffering from a form of leukemia, Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia, a cancer of the blood and bone marrow. The disease was diagnosed in December 2008, but Abdul-Jabbar said his condition could be managed by taking oral medication daily, seeing his specialist every other month and having his blood analyzed regularly. He expressed in a 2009 press conference that he did not believe that the illness would stop him from leading a normal life. Abdul-Jabbar is now a spokesman for Novartis, the company that produces his cancer medication, Gleevec.

In February 2011, Abdul-Jabbar announced via Twitter that his leukemia was gone and he was "100% cancer free". A few days later, he clarified his misstatement. "You're never really cancer-free and I should have known that", Abdul-Jabbar said. "My cancer right now is at an absolute minimum".

In April 2015, Abdul-Jabbar was admitted to hospital when he was diagnosed with cardiovascular disease. Later that week, on his 68th birthday, he underwent quadruple coronary bypass surgery at the UCLA Medical Center.

Non-athletic honors

In 2011, Abdul-Jabbar was awarded the Double Helix Medal for his work in raising awareness for cancer research. Also in 2011, Abdul-Jabbar received an honorary degree from New York Institute of Technology. In late 2016, Abdul-Jabbar was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by outgoing U.S. President Barack Obama.

Works

Books

Abdul-Jabbar, Kareem; Knobler, Peter (1983). Giant Steps. New York: Bantam Books.

Kareem, with Mignon McCarthy (1990) ISBN 0-394-55927-4

Selected from Giant Steps (Writers' Voices) (1999) ISBN 0-7857-9912-5

Black Profiles in Courage: A Legacy of African-American Achievement, with Alan Steinberg (1996) ISBN 0-688-13097-6

A Season on the Reservation: My Sojourn with the White Mountain Apaches, with Stephen Singular (2000) ISBN 0-688-17077-3

Brothers in Arms: The Epic Story of the 761st Tank Battalion, World War II's Forgotten Heroes with Anthony Walton (2004) ISBN 978-0-7679-0913-6

On the Shoulders of Giants: My Journey Through the Harlem Renaissance with Raymond Obstfeld (2007) ISBN 978-1-4165-3488-4

What Color Is My World? The Lost History of African American Inventors with Raymond Obstfeld (2012) ISBN 978-0-7636-4564-9

Streetball Crew Book One Sasquatch in the Paint with Raymond Obstfeld (2013) ISBN 978-1-4231-7870-5

Streetball Crew Book Two Stealing the Game with Raymond Obstfeld (2015) ISBN 978-1423178712

Mycroft Holmes with Anna Waterhouse (September 2015) ISBN 978-1-7832-9153-3

Writings on the Wall: Searching for a New Equality Beyond Black and White with Raymond Obstfeld (2016) ISBN 978-1-6189-3171-9

Coach Wooden and Me: Our 50-Year Friendship On and Off the Court (2017) ISBN 978-1538760468

Becoming Kareem: Growing Up On and Off the Court (2017) ISBN 978-0316555388

Mycroft and Sherlock with Anna Waterhouse (October 9, 2018) ISBN 978-1785659256

Mycroft and Sherlock: The Empty Birdcage with Anna Waterhouse (September 24, 2019) ISBN 978-1785659300

Audio book

On the Shoulders of Giants: An Audio Journey Through the Harlem Renaissance 8-CD Set Vol. 1–4, with Avery Brooks, Jesse L. Martin, Maya Angelou, Herbie Hancock, Billy Crystal, Charles Barkley, James Worthy, Julius Erving, Jerry West, Clyde Drexler, Bill Russell, Coach John Wooden, Stanley Crouch, Quincy Jones and other chart-topping musicians, as well as legendary actors and performers such as Samuel L. Jackson. (2008) ISBN 978-0-615-18301-5

Articles

Abdul-Jabbar, Kareem (April 20, 2015). "Nothing Less Than an Assassination". Ideas • Race. Time. Vol. 185 no. 14 (South Pacific ed.). p. 23.

#04/16

[alexthegamingboy]

Toonami Weekly Recap 03/28/2020

Sword Art Online: Alicization: War of Underworld (Alicization Awakening) EP#35 (11) - Heartless Choice: In the following morning, the decoy force discover that Vecta has ordered the army to traverse the massive ravine by crawling over 10 suspended ropes, and plan a counter-strategy. Meanwhile, in the Ocean Turtle, Critter has successfully disabled the fluctlight acceleration and has deployed a patch program to invite AmuSphere users in America to "beta test" a PvP slaughter VRMMO, tricking them into thinking that it was a game. At the same time, Yui sees their strategy and warns Kirito and Asuna friends, with Leafa and Sinon going to the STL into the Rath's Roppongi base after authorization and Lisbeth going into ALO to try to convince the Japanese players to help the Underworld against the American players. In the end, with 20,000 American players ready to join, Critter deploys them on the other side of the massive ravine.

My Hero Academia U.A. School Festival Arc Season 4 EP#81 (18) - Relief for License Trainees: It's October, and the U.A. students are planning to launch a school festival for the fall. Meanwhile, Izuku and Mirio have been requested to see Eri. But she still hasn't been saved from the inside, and Overhaul's shadow is blocking out the light, meaning she doesn't know how to smile or have fun. So in order for her to smile, Izuku decides to bring Eri to the school festival. Elsewhere, a villain named Gentle Criminal and his subordinate, La Brava, are searching for a scheme that will put his name down in the history of villainy.

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind EP#20 - The Final Mission from the Boss: Bucciarati's crew arrives in Venice and read the final mission from the boss on the data disc. The instructions are for only one person to take Trish to the top of the bell tower of the church on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore. Bucciarati takes Trish ashore, but also wears one of Giorno's ladybug brooches as a tracking device while the others wait in their speedboat. Bucciarati and Trish ascend in the tower's elevator, but when they arrive at the top, Bucciarati discovers that Trish has disappeared and that he is only holding her severed hand. Bucciarati has a flashback to his youth when he first joined Passione and realizes that the boss intends to kill his daughter to protect his own identity. Bucciarati follows the boss and manages to attach Giorno's ladybug tracker to him before he disappears. Bucciarati attacks the boss and reconnects Trish's hand, but the boss uses his Stand King Crimson[x] to erase time and effortlessly avoid Bucciarati's attacks. Having appeared behind Bucciarati, King Crimson pushes his fist all the way through Bucciarati's chest in an attempt to kill him.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Functional Recovery Training Arc EP#22 - Master of the Mansion: Tanjiro comes face-to-face with the nine most powerful Demon Slayers: Giyu (the Water Pillar), Shinobu (the Insect Pillar), Kyojuro Rengoku (the Flame Pillar), Tengen Uzui (the Sound Pillar), Mitsuri Kanroji (the Love Pillar), Muichiro Tokito (the Mist Pillar), Gyomei Himejima (the Stone Pillar), Obanai Iguro (the Snake Pillar), and Sanemi Shinazugawa (the Wind Pillar). They put Tanjiro on trial due to him having violated Demon Slayer Corps rules by traveling with a demon, even if she is his sister. Tanjiro states she won't eat humans and can fight with the Demon Slayers to protect humans. Sanemi comes outside with Nezuko in her box, calling him deluded and stabs through the box and into Nezuko's shoulder. Tanjiro charges him and Giyū calls out that the Master will soon be here and to stop, which startles Sanemi, giving Tanjiro an opening to headbutt him and knock him to the ground, impressing the Hashiras. The Master of the Demon Slayers arrives before Sanemi can strike him back and all the Hashiras kneel, Sanemi forcing Tanjiro's head down. The Master is a blind man with scars across the upper half of his face, accompanied by two white-haired girls. The Master states he has sanctioned the situation with Tanjiro and Nezuko and asks the Hashiras to accept it, but the majority refuse. The Master has one of the girls with him summarize a letter from Urokodaki Sakonji, the former Water Pillar, asking the Master to approve of Tanjiro's situation as Nezuko has neither lost her human emotions nor harmed a human. If Nezuko ever assaults a human, Urokodaki vows that he, Tanjiro, and Giyū will all commit seppuku (ritual suicide), with Tanjiro shocked at their faith. Rengoku replies that seppuku won't bring back the human Nezuko kills, objecting to the request. The Master agrees there is no guarantee Nezuko won't attack humans, but points out that there is no proof that she will attack humans. Even when starved, she has not harmed one in two years, on the basis of which the Master decides to risk it unless the Hashiras can come up with a more convincing argument than she may. He then adds that Tanjiro has met Kibutsuji, shocking them as none of the Hashira have ever seen the reclusive progenitor of the demons. They start demanding he tell them details about Kibutsuji until the Master silences them. Kibutusuji has sent pursuers after Tanjiro, perhaps only to silence him and Nezuko, but it's the first time he's revealed himself and the Master doesn't want to let him escape. Sanemi agrees to spare Tanjiro but refuses to allow Nezuko to live. He cuts open his arm and stabs Nezuko twice more through the box, intending to prove she can't be trusted. After tossing the box inside a house out of the sun, he opens it, telling Nezuko to attack him for the human blood she hungers for. An injured Nezuko emerges from the box and turns to him, salivating through her muzzle.

Food Wars: The Second Plate Stagiaire Arc EP#35 - The Stagiaire: The Stagiaire program requires students to take up residence and leave their mark on various restaurants. Soma is paired with Hisako, who has been feeling inferior since she lost the Autumn Elections, and they are sent to Mitamura Western Restaurant. They discover that the restaurant is struggling to keep up with the barrages of orders from commuting customers, but Soma manages to use his experience to take control and keep everyone organised. Meanwhile, Erina and Megumi are sent to a French restaurant, where Erina instantly takes command of the kitchen and Megumi finds her own way to make improvements. While Hisako becomes more accustomed to her role, Soma believes that the restaurant needs to change, so that it doesn't struggle again once the Stagiaire is over. With the staff unwilling to cut down their large menu, Soma suggests that they become a reservations-only restaurant. After passing the first stage of the Stagiare, Soma tells Hisako to stop feeling ashamed of her defeat, telling her that she should aim to stand beside Erina, instead of behind her.

Black Clover: Elf Tribe Reincarnation Arc EP#111 - The Eyes in the Mirror: Within the dream world Reve confronts the Bulls, explaining that she has full control of the dreams reality. Vanessa is relieved to find Rouge can still use her magic to keep them alive. Sally uses her extensive magical knowledge to combine the Bulls magic into new attacks as well as working out exactly how Reve's magic functions. The Bulls become drowsy and Reve reveals that anyone trapped in her dream world for long periods will eventually fall asleep forever. Sally realises that anything Reve imagines in the dream world will physically appear, even against her will. With this in mind Sally tricks Reve into imagining and accidentally creating exits leading back to the real world. Meanwhile within the Shadow Palace Yami and Jack become lost as they are manipulated by the elf Baval using Dice Magic to warp reality. Droit and Eclat try to kill Asta, but he is saved by Gordon, Grey and Henry. Despite activating his demon form Asta is paralysed by Eclat but is saved again when Henry transforms part of the base's rubble into a flying bull. As he is only alive because of the magic power he took from his friends Henry decides he will sacrifice all his remaining magic and even his life to keep Asta alive long enough to defeat Droit and Eclat.

Slightly Damned Page 956:  https://www.sdamned.com/comic/956

#Toonami #Toonami Weekly Recap #Sword Art Online #Sword Art Online: Alicization #Sword Art Online: Alicization: War of Underworld #Alicization Awakening #My Hero Academia #U.A. School Festival Arc #JoJo's Bizarre Adventure #JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind #Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba #Food Wars: Shokugeki no Soma #Stagiaire Arc #Black Clover #Elf Tribe Reincarnation Arc #Slightly Damned