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rach-amber · 2 months

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Hi, it’s me again (:

What was your favorite character traits about Rachel Amber?

Hey! Happy to see you and boy what a great question, thank you! Loaded answer ahead; TLDR, see the good in Rachel Amber.

Rachel's many things. Pretty, hot, charming, stylish, not to mention her lovely voice, these physical traits are already a great start for many. Then you have functional traits-- ambidextrous (can I just say that's hella cool, omg I want that too), social genius/people skills, straight As student, drama queen, masked with a layer of mystery, many people would've already fallen for her, in-game and out, me being one of them when I first got to know her as a character (so pretty much those were my fav traits of her).

But if we strip her physical beauty down and shove aside her fascinating skillset, who is she really? We may never know 100%, but some character traits can still be found.

Here are some of my favourite (&underrated) Yangs to Rachel Amber's sides. aka why Rachel Amber should get more love & less hate from the fandom

Ofc there are exceptions, but those are not relevant in this post; assumptions & headcannons are added

1. A good heart

Kindness to me will always be one of the most important character traits to have for anyone. With all that powerhouse of a Rachel Amber can accomplish, she chooses to use them with kindness.

With her social skills she chooses to lift people up, saving Hayden from a quickly-escalating scolding from Mr Keaton in ep 1, asking Chloe in a nuanced way if she's "taking (getting kicked outta Blackwell) this a little too well", kinda guiding her independent thinking rather than directly telling her what's right or wrong. (There'd be constructive criticism between Chloe & Rachel, which I stan in a relationship/friendship.)

With her intelligence she tutors Justin & helped him improve his algebra from an F to a C I believe? That's pretty impressive, ngl

with her ambidexterity.. idk, she makes Chloe happy :> (yes i'm totally referring to doing graffiti with her left hand on Chloe's insistence *cough*)

This is why I'm inclined to believe that tornado was not Rachel's revenge. She'd never choose to put Chloe, her parents, her friends, at risk; if she wanted revenge she could've killed the men w her powers. Sure you can say some of these might be her trying to live up to her DA father / principal assistant's duties, but at least she chose to do them. She could very well be a kid who doesn't give a damn or fluff through some of these things that requires time & effort.

2. Sees the good in others!

One of the most underrated Rachel Amber traits imo. This girl literally has a reputation of "her friends are her friends", and does not discriminate in terms of friendship/who she hangs out with. She picked Chloe up from her lowest (saw her & praised her for backtalking the biker, defending Nathan, & "you're more of a hero than you think you realise", when Chloe didn't take Drew's money). Rachel stuck with Chloe when no one else did (puts up with her sh*t, which ofc Chloe does the same), literally chose Chloe to share her uncertain future outside Arcadia, did not take her chance to leave when she could in those 3 years, most likely cuz she wanted to leave with Chlo. She also hung out with Nathan (& Chloe when so many wouldn't), saw the good in Frank (yes. same as Nathan & Chloe his reputation is far from great and despite the unhealthiness of this relationship, she at the very least cared for the guy, & saw the humanity inside him), & very sadly fell for the portrayed "gone through some serious shit" act by Jeffers*n, all these showing her being an empathetic & sympathetic person.

I'll add non-judgemental as well, cuz it's why she's able to get along with so many people so well. Like what her VA Kylie Brown says in an interview, whoever you are, Rachel'd be like "hey you're a pretty cool person, let's talk!" It's inspiring. I love that about her. Gotta have more Rachels in the world.

3. Ambitious. Puts in the hard work. Persistent.

"One day, I'm gonna climb Mt Everst." says a 15 year old Rachel in Bts, who has posters of travelling in Asia (the green poster has Chinese words saying "go travel in China", amongst others), already speaks about her courage & ambition. And of course, leaving Arcadia with no one but Chloe for a better life. Yes you can say it's reckless, because it's a big idea for a teenager, but she didn't just give up on it. It stuck with her, and she worked hard for it. Doing photoshoots to get modelling jobs, maintaining her 4.0 GPA, finding opportunities to leave... she did those for 5 years. And in the comics universe, they made it out! Now they're over 22yos with an LA apartment, Rachel's in modelling gigs with her acting career kicking off... what could've been for game Rachel. (oh the things I'd do for Bts' ending to be Max appearing in the nick of time instead of that damn vibrating phone!) Also I wonder if in some universes, like the wheelchair Chloe one, a missing Rachel could mean she actually made it out without others knowing, instead of the darker end.

4. Caring & thoughtful & protective & passionate partner/friend/lover!

She listens to Chloe's problems (therapy session), she gives Chloe nice clothes to wear within the few days they'd met (what financially challenged Chloe needed, & in a way that wasn't awkward for Chloe), she sends post cards to Chloe while she's away (she thinks about her often), & "don't f****ing touch her". Passionate lover, I mean.. the way she kissed Chloe under that lamp (with high intimacy of course) is good enough an example. Chloe's the romantic one in my head. Rachel, the passionate.

*the way she puts her hand on C's shoulder after wiping her tears, OmO*

So far these are the character traits I can think of, and your question helped draw out Rachel's positive sides that are too under-recognised. Thanks again! :)

These links helped me understand Rachel & Amberprice better, here for people's reference:

youtube

Because I choose to see the good in Rachel, I'm her defender through and through. Join me, if you can.

Edit: damn I literally wrote an essay, maybe 1 day there'd be a video!

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thestupidhelmet · 5 months

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How Hyde Is a Good Friend to Eric

Season 1:

Hyde tries to help writing Eric's term paper while Eric is busy with his grandmother's visit. ("Sunday, Bloody Sunday" [1x10])

Hyde chooses to stay in Point Place in large part because Eric doesn't want him to leave. ("Punk Chick" [1x22])

After a drunk Eric is knocked unconscious by one punch at a bar, Hyde initiates defending his honor by getting into a bar fight with Eric's assailant and his buddies. ("Grandma's Dead" [1x23])

When Eric wants to bounce a bowling ball on the living room floor, Hyde tries to dissuade him. ("The Good Son" [1x25])

Hyde takes responsibility for the television Eric breaks, risking homelessness by doing so because Red might kick him out of the house while Eric's potential punishment would be far less severe. ("The Good Son")

Season 2:

Hyde helps Eric wrangle a high Red and get Eric's car back, which Red sold. ("Garage Sale" [2x01])

To open Red's eyes about who Laurie truly is and to get Eric vengeance on the years of Laurie getting away with bullying him, Hyde supports and encourages Eric to reveal the truth about Laurie sleeping with her college professor. ("Laurie and the Professor" [2x04])

Hyde defuses Donna's anger at Eric and feelings of betrayal by talking with her and giving her a different perspective. ("Van Stock" [2x06])

Throughout the season, Hyde doesn't burn Eric about Kelso sleeping with Laurie and tries to convince Kelso to end his affair with her. (Note: Eric's claim in season 7 that Hyde relentlessly burned him about Kelso and Laurie is a retcon that has no evidence whatsoever on the show. The retcon was written for that episode's punchline and contradicts all the episodes and seasons before it.)

Season 3:

To protect Eric from Red's wrath, Hyde tells Eric not to confess to smoking pot, too, despite that Hyde is now homeless because Red kicked him out of the house. ("Reefer Madness" [3x01])

Hyde holds Eric's hand while Leo tattoos Eric's butt. ("Eric's Drunken Tattoo" [3x22])

Season 4

Hyde takes the lead on trying to lift Eric's spirits and doesn't let Kelso or Fez abandon Eric when Eric first rejects their help. Hyde gives up only when Eric becomes a little hostile and makes clear his grief has too strong a hold on him that day. ("Eric's Depression" [4x02])

Hyde breaks up with his girlfriend, Jill, to be more available to Eric. He also lies that she broke up with him so that Eric won't feel pitied. ("The Third Wheel" [4x11])

Hyde supports Eric when Eric learns Donna's going on a date with Casey Kelso. ("Donna Dates a Kelso" [4x16])

Origin Story: In first grade, Hyde becomes Eric's protector from bullies, starting with Donna. ("Class Picture" [4x20]) (Yes, it's a total retcon that Donna bullied Eric when they were young, and I don't accept it as canon. But Hyde absolutely would become Eric's protector. He still is during the time of the show.)

Hyde stays up all night pulling the fire alarm at the Le Motel to stop Donna from having sex with Casey. He does this for Eric and Donna, out of his friendship with and protectiveness of both of them. ("Eric's False Alarm" [4x25])

Season 5

Hyde buys Eric a plane ticket to California (albeit with Eric's money) so he can reconcile with Donna and covers for him to Red and Kitty the whole time Eric's gone. ("Going to California" [5x01])

Hyde advises Eric against making the same mistake that broke up Eric and Donna in season 3. Although Hyde fortunately turns out to be wrong about the outcome, his heart is in the right place: friendship. ("Hot Dog" [5x07])

After season 5, Hyde and Eric's storylines don't focus on their friendship, but their friendship is ever-present. They both demonstrate their love for and support of each other in short scenes and a few lines of dialogue.

#that 70s show #steven hyde #eric forman #donna pinciotti #that '70s show #my meta #my essay #meta #essay

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cosmos-daughter · 11 months

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A detailed psychological analysis of Leon Kennedy and Aeon: explaining the agent's endless struggle with guilt and dysfunctional romance with Ada Wong.

The reason why I decided to write this is because I have seen some complaints about Leon apparently "flirting" with someone in the DI movie (not sure who or if he even does, since it's not out yet as I write this) and accusing him of being out of character because of that. I was confused of why were people suddenly acting as if Leon being flirty with women was something new, surprising or unexpected, since that's a character trait of his ever since 2004.

Then, I finally got the ✨context✨ and apparently, the reason why they are upset over this is actually because of the beautiful spy in red, Ada Wong.

It seems the cause of people's frustration is that they expected Leon's flirty behaviour with other women to be gone on the events that are set after Resident Evil 6 in the timeline, since his feelings for Ada were finally adressed in that game. And naturally, many assumed they'd be in a relationship in a recent timeline, and therefore are treating this as a case of infidelity.

Seeing that made me realize that some people, usually fans that are rather new to the franchise and joined the fandom after the remakes, don't quite understand what Leon and Ada actually have going on or what they mean to each other. It is much, much more complicated and deep than it actually seems, and I want to talk about it in detail here while also providing some canon information to prove the points I make.

CW: mentions of alcoholism, depression and suicidal ideation.

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Leon and Ada’s dynamic is a funny little thing. Talk about an dysfunctional, unstable relationship. It is definitely not the healthiest. What they have going on is messy and complicated, sure, but that's what makes it entertaining for us, viewers, and what makes Aeon a appealing ship that many love, even if watching them can also be quite frustrating at times. They are the true meaning of star-crossed lovers -- two people who love each other but aren’t able to be together, a love that’s doomed from the start -- and that's why their relationship has always been presented and described as complicated.

Take a look at this file from Resident Evil 6:

Following their escape, their paths would cross from time to time, Leon as a U.S. government operative and Ada as a spy. Ada makes no qualms about using Leon when it suits her needs, but Leon is loath to bring himself to be done with her. They don't consider each other enemies, but it's hard to tell how they feel for each other. Complicated is the word that aptly summarizes their relationship. (Leon and Ada)

That makes two things clear: Leon has feelings for Ada, and he’s also a hopeless romantic. He knows when she’s using him, he’s not stupid, but he can’t and doesn’t want to let go of her. Anyone can see that, each time they interact you can sense Leon’s hesitancy through the screen, he always seems conflicted, wary, as if going through a dilemma of “which one is more important: love or duty?", because even if she’s the woman he loves, that doesn’t change the fact that she’s shady and has worked for the opposite side before -- for the people that produce bioweapons -- and Leon's determination to keep fighting despite of how exhausted he is comes precisely from his hatred of people who make use of bioweapons and his desire to end this for good. Loving her or not, as long as he's not sure of what her true intentions are, he can't fully trust her. He won’t risk getting innocent people hurt, after all, that’s what he fights for: to protect them. He'd do anything to stop something like Raccoon City from ever happening again. It's the only thing he has. The only part of his old self -- of the Leon that was lost after the outbreak -- that still lives is his urge to protect. Serve and protect.

Krauser: What is it that you fight for, comrade? Leon: My past, I suppose. (Optional dialogue from original RE4)

In RE6, he protects Ada from Chris and Helena when they try to kill her, but he’s not sure himself if she’s innocent or not. His uncertainty becomes even clearer during the final scene before they part ways again, when he asks her: “What are you? Why are you helping us?”. Again, he’s not sure of what she wants, whose side she’s on, why she's doing what she does, what he means to her, or anything at all. But even if confused and probably curious, he doesn’t go after her for answers when Helena tells him to. And since RE6 takes place after Damnation (both are in 2012, but the events of RE6 starts in december), I’d say that’s enough evidence that they are not in a relationship at that time, even if they got intimate at some point (also the fact that he shamelessly flirts with Helena at the beginning of the game and he would never if he was in a relationship, since loyalty is a big thing of Leon's character too).

What I make up of their relationship from the content they give us and what they’ve been hinting since their first appearance in 1998 is that they’re less than lovers, but definitely more than friends, if you could even call them that. I imagine they have that kind of relationship that sometimes, Ada shows up at Leon’s doorsteps at night after a long time of not hearing from each other and they both missed each other a lot and are also undeniably attracted to each other, so maybe they do sleep together and might even share a very romantic, vulnerable moment (that they never really speak of later) and when Leon wakes up in the morning, her side of the bed is already empty. I think they have the physical, but not emotional intimacy, and if they both know how they feel about that deep down, it doesn't matter -- neither of them have the luxury of doing feelings. They don’t belong to each other and are free to do as they please, but none of them plan on moving on from each other. It’s just two screwed up humans afraid of commitment loving each other messily.

Poetically tragic, quite Shakespeare-esque.

It's also important to mention the reason why I believe Leon accepts to be in a "relationship" like this one even if he knows it's not good for him and yearns for more (even if he doesn't admit it -- he's a big softie: emotional, romantic, loves people and company, of course he wants more than that). I'd say the reason it’s not only because he loves her -- even if that's great part of it -- but also because he doesn't think himself worthy of having a loving, stable relationship. Leon is an alcoholic who suffers from depression, traumatized, barely has any free time to rest and also happens to work in the most dangerous job in the world that could get him killed anytime. So... he's not very boyfriend material. He would most likely spent the entire time thinking the other person deserves better, deserves someone present in their life and who can give them the love and attention they deserve. And with Ada, he’s able to fulfill his emotional and physical needs without having the responsibility of having an actual relationship, and without hurting anyone's feelings, because Ada doesn’t expect more from him too. They both know they can't go there. A romantic relationship is probably something he no longer knows how to deal with, ever since his life has changed so drastically. Hell, he can barely take care of himself. So he's fine with the little that Ada gives him (or at least he pretends), he'll accept whichever parts of her she'll allows him to have. He knows that she’ll never be his, so he has to be fine with having her only for a night. It's no news that Leon Scott Kennedy is the master of self-sabotage, no one is more cruel to him than himself. After all, everything in his life is a mess, his love life would hardly be any different.

Now here comes my favorite part to talk about and the main point: Leon's insecurity regarding of being unworthy of love and peace, originates from his survivor's guilt issues -- his trauma. I always talk about how cruel and visceral Leon’s case of survivor's guilt is, because it's part the character's essence, you can't have Leon without it. That thing is tied to him. It's a stain on his soul. It will always be with him, even if he manages to heal himself one day. Since that night in Raccoon City happened, he lives with an immeasurable amount of guilt regarding every single person that he "failed" to save and protect, knowing they're gone while he’s still alive and breathing is too much for him and that results in a worrisome self-destructive behaviour where he thinks he doesn’t deserve to be happy or a normal life, a break from the horrors. No, he needs to live the rest of his life miserably, fighting incessantly against bioweapons until his last breath, because this is the very least he can do to ‘make amends’ to everyone he ‘failed’ to save. He holds into his failure like it's a hand. A workaholic fueled by guilt and grief.

(EDIT: Leon's voice actor, Matthew Mercer, pretty much confirmed this by saying that Leon holds himself accountable for every death that happens on his watch even if it's out of his control in a interview for the Death Island movie. I'm aware he's the voice actor and not the writer, but he understands his character perfectly, so I find that worthy of mentioning).

Then we have Resident Evil: Damnation only further proving his crystal clear guilt issues. When Leon stops Alexander from shooting himself, these are his words to the man:

“The option of taking our own lives no longer belongs to us. Once we start using these, we owe it to the people who died alongside us, we have to continue living.”

This whole interaction, Leon stopping a man from killing himself and his words hits different when you remember that in the original RE2 Leon actually considered doing the same, and the only reason he didn’t was because to protect Sherry and make sure she was safe (this part doesn’t make too much sense in the remake since Leon doesn’t meet her until the last minutes of the game, but we’re referring to the original events here). The reason why Leon accepted to work for the government was also to ensure they would keep Sherry safe, allow her to live a normal life and not experiment on her (a promise they clearly did not keep but anyway...), even if we all know he didn't have a choice. He still did it all of that for a girl he barely knew. Self sacrifice is a vice of his just as much as alcohol.

"To tell you the truth, I even thought about ending it -- several times, actually -- with just a quick bullet to the head. But I didn't give up. Sherry needed me. She was a 10-year-old girl thrown into a hellish environment with monsters after her, so I had to pull myself together for her sake. She was our reason for not giving up - especially for Claire.” (Leon and the Raccon City Incident)

He feels obligated to continue this loop of constantly sacrificing his own mental health and safety in this miserable and dangerous life of fighting against bioweapons for that is what he owes to his fallen comrades and innocent victims of bioterrorism. Consequently, he also gives away his chances of having a normal relationship, living like a normal person and also the possibility of having a family in the future. He’s seen drinking a lot in Damnation -- including during the day, alone in his room, I think that’s pretty self explanatory.

Then we have Vendetta -- the peak of Leon's depression -- where we watch as he drowns himself in alcohol even more during a mental breakdown after losing his whole team being the only survivor, again. More people dead at his commands, following his words, more people dead because he can't be the super-hero he wishes he was, all that while he still breathes and gets to see another day. Leon doesn't have a lot of stability in his life, he's loses people important to him all the time, yet he does not get any used to it.

He questions if living is really worth it in the movie:

“I keep fighting... and fighting and fighting, and instead of seeing an end to this shit, it just keep getting worse. Is this what my life is supposed to be? Fighting the living dead and bastards that make them? What's the point of it all?”

He’s clearly reached his limit and is beyond exhausted, he knows it’s not fair to him and he shouldn’t have to live like this, he’s desperate for a little bit of normalcy, yet he still goes back to fight. He can't run away from duty, and he sure as hell can’t turn a blind eye to bioterrorism, no matter how tired he is. Vendetta is set after RE6, so it’s clear that his relationship hasn’t evolved since then, and it seems that it's been a while since they last saw each other, maybe even years, and maybe that also adds on the reasons why Leon snapped, since Ada is the closest to a constant he's had in his life, the only thing he can always count to come back to him, even if he doesn't knows when.

It’s not hard to believe a man like that would avoid a serious relationship at any costs. But doing that is not easy for him, after all, Leon is very emotional and so fucking lonely and touch-starved, he wants the love, even if he doesn’t think he deserves it. While I have no canon evidence about this, I can see him being the type who gets one-night stands once in a while when he’s feeling too alone and in need for a distraction and relief, I imagine that he feels a little needed and loved when he’s touching and being touched by another person, even if it’s only for the night. But he refuses to emotionally connect with the person, because his heart belongs to another and because he doesn't want to risk anyone falling for him; because something else we know about him is that he has emotional responsability and maturity, he thinks of people's feelings, considers them, and takes it very seriously.

I see Leon’s womanizer behaviour as a coping mechanism for his loneliness and his own way to lighten the mood and make those women not panic during the situation of absolute chaos and danger they're usually in with him. It's also simply because he likes women, of course, I'm not denying that, but his flirting never bothered me because of how respectful he is -- he never takes it too far or make them uncomfortable by being innapropriate (I mean, there's a reason why all the women he flirts with like Helena and Hunnigan adore him, even if not in that way, they all like him a lot as a friend). And we can tell he's not planning on making them fall in love with him by the way he only flirts hardcore with the strong-type of women whom he knows won't fall for him easily like that, and with the softer-type who might actually have a crush on him (like Ashley or Manuela) he's much more careful, mostly friendly -- ocasionally teasing and a little light flirting too, of course, but that's just his way of being playful and nice. Leon is a very charismatic and charmful man by nature, what can he do about it?

So, considering all of this, we can see why having a relationship is not on Leon's to-do-list. No person in their right mind would subject themselves to be in a relationship in which your partner is completely secretive about their work life and having to live with the anxiety of going to sleep at night not knowing if he’s still alive when he leaves for his missions; people want a relationship for security, stability, reassurance, comfort and peace, not to be tormented. And with Ada, he doesn’t need to worry about any of that. She isn’t going to ask him questions about his work nor is she going to stay up at night worrying if he’s going to come back home, because they don’t have that kind of relationship. And it's not that Leon would hate having that kind of relationship -- especially with her -- it's the opposite. He secretly craves it. I think there's nothing he'd love more than laying with the person he loves on his arms at the end of a long day, and seeing their face lit by the sunlight in the morning, or simply doing the typical clingy couple things, the casual affection; but he has a job to do and he knows he can't have both.

I don’t agree with the usage of the word ‘toxic’ to define his relationship with Ada, because that makes her seem like a horrible person when it’s not the case; none of them is forcing the other into this relationship, they both just fall in with it because they know that this is the closest to a romantic relationship that people like them can afford to have. And because this relationship isn't entirely bad for them, we don't know much about Ada, unfortunately, but we know enough about Leon to have a guess that what he has with her is enough to provide him at least a little bit of comfort, and God knows he needs it.

Even if we don't have enough content of her, her feelings, traumas and motivations to write a fully detailed essay, we know that even if she doesn't show it like he does, she loves Leon too. The difference is that she doesn't wear her heart on her sleeve like he does. And yes -- she uses him to reach her own goals during her missions, always plays little games with him, but I believe the latter is part of a façade (I'll get into this later), and she never did anything to hurt him or put him in danger. She’s a focused, calculative woman who will play dirty to get what she wants, yet she often goes out of her way to help Leon every time he’s in trouble instead of considering it a nuisance. Coming from someone like her, that means a lot. She’s the one who throws him the rocket launcher in RE2 during the fight against Nemesis, she’s the one who stops Krauser from killing him in RE4 (original, in the remake it is Luis' doing), she also goes against Wesker’s orders to keep him safe, and helps him many times in RE6 and Damnation too. Ada is always watching him from the shadows and would never let anyone harm him, no matter what. Not to mention, the way she trusts Leon becomes evident with how she always lowers her guard around him in a way you never see her doing with anyone else -- like in that choking scene from the original RE4, no other person would be able to catch her off guard like that. She's completely at ease around him.

Something else I noticed is how Ada only acts cool when in front of him. In the original RE4 you can see how she puts that unbothered, cool and mysterious woman show on when face-to-face with him, but as soon as he isn't watching her, the façade drops and she looks at him as if he's the most amazing person in the world, she has the biggest heart eyes for him, even if she doesn't let him see it. I believe the only scene she showed it to him is when he saves her from Saddler and asks her if she's okay, to which she replies with a weak "I've been better", and gives him the softest smile ever. There is so much tenderness in that look she gave him. Also, the way she talks about him: in the original Separate Ways she compliments his skills and intelligence and refers to him as "practically a genius"; she admires and respects him immensely, even if she'd never say that to his face.

My point with this is that the reason why she does that, the reason why Ada doesn’t give too much for Leon, is because she knows it’s just going to make things more difficult for both of them. After all, leaving would be much harder after hearing a “I love you”, after making promises. They both know how they feel, too, so there is no need for words. As I said before, their love isn’t exactly the healthiest and probably is something that hurts them both, but as long as they can see each other again, they can endure the pain that comes with the separation -- because like Leon said himself in RE4, “she’s like a part of me that I can’t let go”

But no matter how much they love each other, in the end, Leon and Ada are always meant to go to their separate ways.

#leon kennedy #ada wong #resident evil #aeon #leon kennedy x ada wong #my essay #character analysis #this is original! Leon centered #( re4 / re6 / the movies)#because his personality changed quite a lot in the remakes #so did Ada's #so naturally their dynamic changed #essay #post

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thehazeldruid · 1 year

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Genius Loci

What is it? What does it mean? It can be translated as “spirit of place” and throughout history different cultures have perceived and connected to it in differing ways.

Every place, be it a park,a forest, a busy city street or your home has it’s own Genius Loci. But what really is it? It is the depth of that place, it’s personality, it’s history, the feel, smell, look, taste, and sound of the place. All of these things together create it’s spirit. It is the sense of calm you feel when you look over a lake at sunrise, the sense of mystery in the foggy woods you wander through, the sense of connection, sadness and respect you feel walking through a graveyard, the feeling of peace within your home. There are many ways to view it, to feel it, to connect to it, to let it fill you and so on.

How to connect to it?

There are many different ways to connect to the spirit of a place. But first you have to be aware of your own spirit and how it fits into the spirit of the place. When you look at a sunset and feel your soul stir, you are passively connecting to the spirit of it. The way I most often use to connect with the spirit of a place is to meditate.

Like any meditation, sit, get comfortable, and start by focusing on your breathing. Then, use your other senses to get a better ‘feel’ for the spirit of place.Listen to the place, breathe in rhythm with how the place sounds. With the breeze, with the animals, with the sound of the water moving (if there is any near). Let your own sounds, your heartbeat, your breathing, your own soul sync up with those sounds. (this can be difficult with people around, though a busy street or park has as much spirit and personality as an ant hill!) Feel the grass or the dirt, the trees or the water, the sand or the couch, the sidewalk… wherever you are. What does the place physically feel like? Is it rough or smooth? Soft or jagged? What do you feel like compared to the place? Do you leave footprints? Indentations? How does your physically being there change it, if at all? Smell the world around you, what scents do you smell? Is there a fresh garden nearby? Do you smell food? Trash? Salty air? Fresh water? Damp earth? Does your own scent stick out or does it match/ belong in the place as a part of it. Look around you! This might seem obvious, but it is probably the easiest way to get a general feel for the spirit of a place. Is it busy and bustling? Is it calm and serene? Are there old buildings or new? What is the history of the place that you can see outright? Is it run down or well kept? What do the things you see about the place make you feel? Taste (perhaps not literally, and definitely only if safe) this is not to say stick dirt or grass in your mouth and eat it…. that’s just silly. But smell and taste are linked, so simply opening your mouth wide and taking a deep breath can allow you to ‘taste’ the air. Is the breath you took clean? Or is it dirty? Was it refreshing, or not? This is the sense that can be most difficult if not impossible to use to get a sense of spirit of place.

Those senses simply give an idea of what the spirit of place is. For simply going out for a quick meditation and finding your place within that space, it can be a great exercise to do all of these and then journal about them. Continuously doing so in the same place can help you get a real sense of the spirit of the place.

Another way to get to know the spirit of a place is to research its history. What has happened in that place? Who lived there? Who died there? If it is a forest, was it always? Was it always a swamp or lake? Were battles fought there? Was it once farmland? Knowing these things about a place before you go out and explore or meditate there can help you protect yourself from lingering negative energies and emotions that still persist in a place.

On top of that even, would be learning weather patterns in the area. What seasons does it experience? What direction does the water flow (and what could that represent?)

Genius Loci In History

The Romans viewed genius loci as a protective spirit of a place, often giving the spirit of a place a physical embodiment. Spirits that walked the world in physical form to protect forests, rivers, mountains, swamps and so on. Fairys, elves, dryads, satyrs, unicorns and all manner of mythical creatures are representations of the spirit of a place. Other times, the spirit of a place (on a larger scale than a single spot next to a river) can be seen in the art style, furniture style, food and home style of an area and the people who live there. Animals, too, are often symbols of the spirit of a place.

Different native cultures around the world have all been highly concerned with the spirit of place. They held sacred rituals in the same locations, and gave offerings to spirits, ancestors and the land itself to bring about manifestations of good harvest, good fortune and the like.

Through myth and tale, the stories of the spirits of these sacred places have been preserved and passed down. Even though times have changed and humanity as a whole continues to change the phsyical face of the world we live in, the spirit of the place persists and often changes with us. Those old spirits still feel, and their pain at the changes we have made can be strongly felt at times. Other times, in gardens or wild places, we can feel their happiness and joy or even rage that we are trespassing in sacred places.

Spirit of Place in the home

In your own home and at work there is a spirit of place. And at home it is especially prudent to keep the spirit of that place ‘appeased’ and protective. It does your spirit no good to be at home and not feel safe or at peace. The general feel of your home is the spirit of place. Do you enjoy a cozy and cluttered atmosphere? Or a minimalist and clean or organized space? Is your home warm and welcoming to others? Or do you more prefer to keep to yourself?

Within your home, the spirit of place (at least I believe) is a very good reflection of your own personal spirit. It is the place your spirit should feel as if it belongs and where it should be able to go to recharge. If your spirit feels out of place there, like a puzzle piece in the wrong spot, then you should try and arrange that space to better refelct you.

For me, my home is warm, welcoming, and my door is always open to friends and family. I’ve always got a teapot on the stove, ready to make a cup for anyone who comes over, candles lit to give light and warmth, a puppy who fills my home and my own spirit with joy and boundless energy, a bookshelf, organized and never covered in dust, my altar where i go to do my spiritual recharging, and a general sense of peace and calm (I feel) permeates my apartment. My table is always set for more than myself, though I most often eat alone, and my spare bed is always open to any friend who needs a place to sleep.

I’d like to think that what I feel in the spirit of place of my home is the same welcoming and warm feeling others get when they arrive. It all boils down to you, here, and what kind of spirit of place you bring to your home.

~If you’re still reading at this point, I thank you, and if you’d like me to ever add to this post, please feel free to message me with info, links, or ideas~

/l\

M.G.

TheBasilDruid

#witchcraft #pagan #paganism #witch #my content #my original content #essay #genius loci #spirit of place #animism #animistic #animist #my essay #spiritual essay #spirituality #spiritual

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nakanotamu · 8 months

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So I'm watching Stardom's August 8th show and after the 3-way tag match Yunamon pulls one of her pineapple candies out of her top and then Tam very slyly pulls one out of hers as well and it's like lol cute silly moment okay. My guard is down

But then Tam takes hers. And she walks over to give it to Momo.

She says a few words to her and for just a moment, Momo looks so touched.

But then she looks over at Yuna and gets so angry, she throws the candy at Yuna and looks back at Tam like she's been grievously betrayed.

Yuna is Momo's senpai from back before either of them were in Stardom, and while I'm pretty sure they're friends irl, in kayfabe the story is that Yuna bullied Momo incessantly, and Momo could never, ever beat Yuna to get even. A few weeks before this show she finally managed to pin her for the first time, in a 3-way match, but it would seem that's not enough for her to forget how she feels, and apparently she's not a big fan of Yuna (more or less) being in Cosmic Angels.

But Tam doesn't mind. She reaches out to her again, offers her her hand, and says a bit more to her that the mic can't pick up.

Tam and Momo have interacted a few times this year, and the vibe to me has sort of been like Tam's saying "Hey, I know you're struggling, don't give up." This time, especially with Tam reaching out her hand a second time after Momo rejected her at first, felt really, really different. The mood to me felt a lot more like "Look, I know you're angry, but I really am watching you. You can do this."

And now, knowing this happened about a month ago and after Momo's comments last week, I am absolutely DYING to know what she feels she has to think about. I want this story so, so badly.

#also like. Tam running her hands through Momo's hair TWICE. First of all excessive. Second it hurts to see someone else live your dreams #Stardom #Tam Nakano #Momo Kohgo #long post #my essay #gonna try and start using that for an organization tag lol

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gritsandbrits · 1 year

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One of the biggest pet peeves I have in the XS fandom is downplaying Jack's genius level intellect and badass moments to make him out to be the world's biggest idiot. It's like he can't be both silly and badass he has to sacrifice one of those traits in order to be likable. I also don't like how fans ignore Jack can be a MASSIVE asshole. Yes he has sympathetic qualities but he expressed clear loyalty to the Heylin side. I don't know shaving off the darker aspects of his personality makes him dull; let the boy have sharp edges! Not everything needs to be soft!

The other issue thinking Jack is useless. I find it impressive how Jack is able to go toe to to with elemental and supernatural beings with just his resources and skills. He doesn't need to be a mage or a Dragon of Metal to be special. Personally find it limiting too, like in a world of dragons and talking beans, Jack brings something unique to the table being the mad scientist & foil for the monks. Did I mention in one future he successfully took over the world and mastered Heylin?

I dunno, after seeing the way Eggman gets treated, it brings a painful reminder of how much flanderization I see with Jack. Jack is interesting and beloved because he has so MUCH personality that shouldn't be boxed into plain categories. He's dorky and menacing and silly and intelligent and vain and pathetic. The boy has range and it's time to put some respect on his name!

#jack spicer #xiaolin showdown #kids wb #cartoons #animation #my essay #ymmv #meta

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hogo-toko-blue · 3 months

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What if Pecharunt's untold story was a lie?

There was new Pokemon Video related to Pecharunt on Youtube. Its about Pecharunt's untold story. It showed Pecharunt to be more symphatetitc. We saw that it does have a good intention, it want to take teal mask because its adopted old parents want to. It want the old couple happy. People sceptical for this after they know Pecharunt's true nature. Why did i belived that pecharunt's story is a lie? There is canon sources said Pecharunt pretend to be innocent to gain symphaty or followers.

Is it worked? Depending what you belived. Some belived Pecharunt was and always be narcisstic and manipulative jerk. I mean, that's what the pokemon truly is in a canon. Other said that Pecharunt was had good intention, but it's method was wrong and bad. So its's really mixed. So, does that mean that Pecharunt's whole secret story was wrong. Almost.... why? Even though it could be that whole story about pecharunt "did nothing wrong" is part of its propaganda and manipulation, there is something that hypotetichally or maybe TRUE, just too weak.

Okay let's go into a hint that which part that Pecharunt's considerably and hypothetically.... true. You can red it with a grain of salt in first section. 1. Ogerpon's masters In Ogerpon's true story, we only saw the man's sillouette in black. But we do know a bit that he wore a shirt and pants. It already confirmed tgat ogerpon and her master are outside of kitakami. We just didn't know which place. Some said they're from Paldea or unova. However we ginally got a hint what does the man's look like on Pecharunt's untold story. We saw him wearing yellow shirt and blue trousers. Altough we still didn't see his face again because his face was covered with mask or sillouette when he didn't wore the mask. Another thing i want to add is how he died. There was a post on teitter said that in the cave, there was a black spots in the ground. It's kinda same location with Ogerpon's master died. I speculated that he was not buried properly by Ogerpon or got creamated. But everything i said shoukd be grain of slat, but we do agree that his death is grusome and mysterious. 2. How the fight look like. We know that in ogerpon's story that the loyal three stolen the mask and implied killed Ogerpon's master. Though its just a black and white drawing there so we didn't know how the fight look like. But in Pecharunt secret story, we finally saw obviously how loyal trio stole the mask and how the full of bloodhsed fight truly looks like. Also when you saw Ogerpon and Pecharunt's interraction, not matter did she wear the teal mask or not, Ogerpon's language said that she want to kill that tiny peach for killing her master. And we saw again on youtube that Pecharunt does showed its true ugly cute face to Ogerpon in that fight before they met again. Okay, we finally go to next session. What was Pecharunt's true purpose to steal the mask. In untold stroy we telled that it want to make its old parents happy. But if we belived that was a whole lie, then what it's true purpose then? Pecharunt's whole purpose to steal the mask was.... nothing! Its just for fun. Maybe it though that the teal mask is pretty. Why did i said that. There's two hint for this theory:

1. In Mochi Mayhem, we saw Pecharunt's face was smiling and dacing a bit. It seems it ws in ahappy mood. It want to play and want to see player try to defeat nemona or found out that there were many possessed mossui people watch the tournament.

2. I told again in Ogerpon's tiny interraction. No matter she wear teal mask or not, Pecharunt's just barking and not biting. However there could be implied that Pecharunt want to rule mossui or maybe the world. I mean its categories said as Subjugation Pokemon. Long ago before its true face shown, many theory spread and intrepered Pecharunt is a scary looking pokemon. Until its kinda debunked that Pecharunt was just a trolling child who didn't thinking about the concenquences. Of course it still manipulative jerk, but its whole thing is that its almost short-willing purpose rather than long-willing. Not to mention that its english name is also came from word "Petulant", aka childish angry. I like this idea. Like its subvert about the mastermind trope we often seen in anime or serious cartoon. Also he kinda reminds me with Plankton from Spongebob Squarepants Franchises. Bonus, it seems Pecharunt's untold story is a more of unreliable narrator. I mean its not a new thing in fiction. Because in real life, everyone naturally tell something what happened to them in a diffrent angle and situation of them dispite being in same event, or if that narrator is a forgetful people or worse, an episodic liar. People thought that adding untold story of Pecharunt is just made to be sympahtized (maybe Game Freak want to made for that purpose), we already saw many villain got angsty backstory to make us symphatized with them. Its a trend now. But in my intrepetation.... it's a paradox. Paradox always meant to be there will never be right answer and its absurds. Villain's symphatetic backstory and how our reaction to it is also technically paradox. Someone's morality always to be debated if they're morally grey or misunderstood thanks to their angsty backstory and their whole questionable method to find what they want that are good reason. Pecharunt is a mythical that introduced in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, and one of the main theme about it is Paradox. That's my whole thing about the Pecharunt's untold story's essays. I know there was something i can think and talk about but this is what i got now. It dosen't matter if you symphatized or still unsymphatized with Pecharunt, i do still like pecharunt. Its a cute gremlin. BYE!

#pokemon #pokemon scarvi #Scarlet snd violet #My essay #Pecharunt #Ogerpon #Loyal three #Pokemon Theory

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those70scomics · 1 year

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Jay Kelso could’ve easily been Kelso and Brooke’s child, especially with how Kelso describes him in “That ‘90s Pilot”. Nothing about Jay’s characterization suggests Jackie as his mother. He’s all Michael Kelso but with, say, Brooke’s sense of responsibility buried deep inside (that his feelings for Leia bring to the surface) and a love for nature (Jackie hated nature, and Kelso was indifferent to it -- except to blow it up with fireworks).

I’m not going to write a That ‘90s Show fanfic that makes it fit with That ‘70s Show canon, but I did think about how I might write one. Jay is Brooke’s son, not Jackie’s, and Red/Kitty know who he is.

Jackie and Hyde arrive from Milwaukee with their own kid -- just as Eric and Donna are leaving Leia with the Formans. So Hyde and Jackie see Eric and Donna about to get into their car.

Jackie and Hyde enter the Formans’ home with their kid, who is gay and out to their parents ... but no one else, despite Jackie and Hyde’s encouragement and putting them in a progressive private high school with a gay-straight alliance, multicultural club, openly gay teachers, etc. (Yes, this kind of school existed in the ‘90s.)

Kitty’s reaction to Hyde is similar to her reaction to Eric. Red actually hugs Hyde, which Leia witnesses (this will be important later).

Jackie and Hyde need to drop their kid off at the Formans’ for the summer because their careers are making them go from state-to-state (an unfortunate coincidence; usually if they have to travel for work, they make sure one parent is home for their kid). Not a good situation for their kid, whom they want stability for the next two months.

Leia and Jackie/Hyde’s kids are like cousins -- because she grew up knowing Hyde and Jackie as their aunt and uncle.

Hyde and Jackie, thanks to Eric and Donna, know the basics of why Leia’s staying with Red and Kitty. Hyde and Jackie, separately ask her why her life in Chicago isn’t awesome. We actually get into the depth of her feelings. Real emotional connection. She shares different things with Hyde and with Jackie, who compare notes afterward.

Jackie and Hyde think Leia might not be straight, which might contribute to her feelings of alienation in her school at home. They recognize the signs because of their own kid.

Jackie and Hyde decide to stick around for a few days while their kid settles in, which allows them to interact with Leia’s new friends, Red and Kitty, and Fez.

Since I’m sticking to the details of T9S, Fez would remain a salon owner, but he would be written as the best version of himself (a combo of T7S seasons 1 and 4, not the season 7-8 combo we get in T9S).

Jackie and Hyde connect with each of the other kids. Hyde and Gwen, in particular, bond (after some tension) on a lot of levels. There’s one aspect, though, where he thinks his sister can be of more help. He calls Angie (in between scenes), and she shows up (and has her moments with Leia, Red and Kitty, but her main scene is with Gwen).

Jackie and Nikki have a lot to talk about, and we’d learn of Nikki’s ambitions earlier than we do on T9S and the trouble that might cause for her and Nate moving forward. Jackie gives some sage advice, using Donna and Eric as the example (this would be a conversation laced with wisdom and humor because Jackie is Jackie).

Hyde asks Red how he’s going to handle having two Kelsos hanging around his house.

Red: Betsy’s more Rockwell than Kelso. She’s the only one allowed around here. Hyde: No, man. I mean Nate. Red: Nate? Hyde: He might not technically be a Kelso, but he’s a freakin’ Kelso. Good luck with that. Red: Son of a -- Kitty: Not Kelso. HAHAHAHAH!

Leia isn’t straight. I don’t want to erase her attraction to Jay, Nate, or guys. So I would write her as bisexual. Gwen is also not straight, but like a lot of kids in the ‘90s, she and Leia are unsure of what their attractions to different people mean. (Hell, like a lot of kids now, but at least there’s a lot more information -- easily accessible -- out there).

Hyde’s interactions with Oz add complexity to Oz’s character. Hyde sees in Oz the same kind of sarcastic deflection Hyde himself used as a teenager. He also can tell Oz is gay, but he doesn’t say anything about that since it’s Oz’s right to share that info himself. But Hyde tells Oz that if he continually shuts people out to protect himself, he won’t truly connect to anyone--”and those connections, man, are what life’s about.”

Oz gives Hyde a sarcastic, deflecting response, but he also takes in what Hyde said. It works through him during the season and in his interactions with Jackie and Hyde’s kid, whom Oz recognizes as gay.

Oz, who’s comfortable with his sexuality (as portrayed on T9S), approaches the subject with Jackie/Hyde’s kid They bond. They also spot the romantic attraction between Leia and Gwen but don’t say a word about it to anyone but each other (at least for season 1).

Yeah, heteronormativity is out the window in this fic. While Nikki, Nate, and Jay are all straight, Leia, Gwen, Oz, and J/H’s kid aren’t. But the story would not be an afterschool special. The kids’ sexualities are part of who they are, not who they are. This aspect of them would add to the storylines and dictate a major thread but not all the threads.

Leia, in a conversation with Hyde, says to him, “Grandpa Red hugged you when you first got here.”

Hyde: Yeah. So? Leia: He didn’t hug my dad. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever seen them hug. Hyde: Your dad and gramps have a few things to work out that they haven’t. Leia: Like what? Dad’s never said anything to me about it, and he tells me everything. ... Well, I guess not everything. Huh. Hyde: It’s complicated, kid. Leia: Grandpa Red doesn’t even seem to like my dad, and I don’t get that since he’s the best dad in the world -- not that you’re not a great dad, but you’re not my dad. You’re my uncle -- Hyde: Leia, it’s cool. I got it. Leia: So ... can you tell me what their problem is? Hyde: I could, but I won’t. Leia: Why not? Hyde: It’s somethin’ you should ask Red about. Maybe it’ll knock some sense into him. Leia: Talk to Grandpa Red? I mean, I talk to him all the time -- but about my dad? Oh, no, no, no, no, no. I can’t do that. Hyde: You might be the only one who can.

This conversation leaves Leia more confused and a little scared, but it creates a significant subplot in the story.

Jackie and Hyde talk with Red and Kitty before they leave for their state-hopping summer, giving them intel they otherwise wouldn’t have. Not all the intel but some important info.

Jackie and Hyde leave Point Place, but their influence stays behind. It allows the kids to think more deeply about themselves and one another (and Leia about Red), and their arcs have a lot more depth because of it.

#That 70s Show #That '70s Show #That '90s Show #Jackie x Hyde #Red x Kitty #Spoilers #Ficlet #My Meta #My Essay #Meta #Essay #Fanfic Idea

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al1v3-p03ts-s0ci3ty · 5 months

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Dead Poets Society: An Essay I Wrote Immediately After I Was Done With The Film Because It Changed My Life.

Letterboxd: https://boxd.it/5gEE0p

Where do I even begin. This movie changed my brain chemistry.

(I wrote this immediately after watching the film and it's taken me a couple hours to write, it's 3am now for reference and I finished this film roughly around 10pm)

MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD!!! TW. SUICIDE, HOMOPHOBIA, ABUSE

I will be covering the plot, the themes, relationships, and obviously I can't really talk about Dead Poets Society without talking about the ending.

The first half of the film was a cute coming if age story of a group of boys who enjoy literature, poetry and the theatre. It's such a cute watch. They develop crushes, they write, they learn, it captures the school experience. We learn about their friend group, but more specifically the characters Todd, Neil and Knox.

The second half of the movie, or more specifically, the last 30 minutes, had me in tears. Bawling. It's devastating. It's so so much more devastating than I thought it would be having known the ending before watching the film. It's dragged out, making it a lot more realistic than it would've been if the last couple scenes weren't included.The performances are incredible, and the way the characters deal with loss is outstanding.

Overall, this has become one of my favourite films. The story, the acting, the writing and the atmosphere is just amazing. The only other film or piece of media that I can recommend to you if you enjoyed this film is The Perks Of Being A Wallflower. Trust me, you'll see the resemblances.

Their english teacher, Mr. Keating, helps then to develop their writing skills in peculiar ways. Ripping out pages of their poetry books to show them how poetry can't be defined by a single scale, playing sports and walking laps to teach them about how difficult it is to maintain a singular form when it comes to writing. Robin Williams performance was spectacular. His character is incredibly memorable as Mr. Keating.

This movie teaches many things throughout it's run, love, ambition, passion and more specific things too, such as the limits that one can express themselves in a toxic family, the positives that come with having a support group and (in my opinion, the most important one) what life could look like without toxic masculinity and the importance of freedom of self expression. I won't beat around the bush, there are homophobic elements in the film too, especially revolving around not only the relationship between Neil and Todd but also the character or Mr. Keating.

We see multiple relationships within the film, the one between (as stated previously) Neil and Todd, Mr. Keating and his students, Neil and his parents, the principle aka. Mr. Nolan and Mr. Keating's students. All of these relationships are important. I'll write about them in small sections, starting with Neil and Todd and continuing in order.

Neil (Robert Sean Leonard) and Todd (Ethan Hawke). Where do I even begin. Their relationship is so pure and bright, they're so close and they're just so so sweet and kind to eachother. They're roommates throughout the movie and their close friends, and they have so many sweet moments together. My personal favourite scene of them (but also of the entire movie) is when Neil finds Todd sitting alone with a new desk set that's still in its case, he's alone on this sort of arch/tunnel in the dark at night. He tells Neil that it's his birthday and that his parents got him a desk set, in fact, it's the same desk set that they got him the year before. In his attempt to comfort Todd, Neil compliments his desk set, he even compliments how aerodynamic it is before mimicking throwing it off this balcony area. Todd finds this amusing and so he throws it. The flying desk set. It's a really cute scene that they have with eachother and it really shows how close they're becoming throughout their time together. This kind of relationship is so so important in a movie about young men. To show that they can be close with eachother without being picked on or harassed. There are gay hints in their relationship, and for a film that came out in the late 80s I can imagine that they wouldn't want to have a gay main character in their movie. However, for the time it is quite a progressive film. The way their loving and caring relationship contrasts with the relationship that Neil has with his parents is great storytelling on it's own.

Mr. Keating is such an important character. When the students have their first class with him, they're expecting to have a strict teacher, much like the other ones in the film. But they don't. Mr. Keating teaches the boys not only about poetry, but about love and passion and most importantly, self expression. He's such a supportive character. He supports Neil when he wants to persue his passions and become and actor and join the play. He's supportive of the boys' poetry. He supports them all throughout the film, he's a role model, he treats them as equals, he's an adult that these boys trust. That's exactly what they need to thrive as students, a teacher figure that they can trust and that respects them and treats them like equals. You'd be surprised at how rare those kinds of adults are.

Neil and his parents. This relationship can be seen in other places in the movie, as well as with the principle and the students of Mr. Keating's class. They are controlling and they hold Neil back from pursuing his dreams. They want him to become a doctor and go to Harvard, whereas Neil wants to become an actor and perform. They are the season for his suicide. The night he died, Neil's father tells him that he's going to taken out of Welton Academy and sent to military school. A quote from the Neil, "But that's ten more years. Father, that's a lifetime!" His parents are willing to waste their sons life just so that they can sleep at night knowing that he's financially stable even though he's unhappy. A much deeper reason for this could be trailed back to what I mentioned earlier about the importance of self expression. His parents, or more specifically, his father, is holding him back from expressing himself. No wonder why he acts so different in class than he does with his parents. They don't approve of his choice to follow his dreams. This is the decision they force on Neil that will end up killing him.

The ending of the movie really got to me.

Neil's suicide is dragged out painfully throughout the ending. It hurts to watch, not because it's bad, because it's amazing, but because of how realistic they portray the suicide. I was honestly expecting the film to ending of the movie to be quick. Neil's parents would find his body and the credits would roll. I was so so wrong. We hear the screams of Neil's mother after finding her sons corpse on the floor of their home, we hear her cry, scream. It's so horrible to listen to let alone watch. We see the reaction of his friends finding out about his passing. Charlie wakes Todd up to the news, tears rolling down his face. Two straightforward words "Neil's dead." Todd's reaction is one that I don't think I'll ever be able to forget.

Warning for (emetophobia//fear of vomit)

The boys are in the snow, walking, admiring their surroundings. Maybe they're trying to distract themselves. "It's so beautiful." Todd says, before he starts to gag and vomit in the snow. It's horrible to watch. It's so so horrible. (To note, at this point in the movie I'm violently sobbing.) The rest of the boys try their hardest to comfort him, they really do, but that doesn't stop Todd from accusing Neil's dad of killing him. Todd truly believes that had Neil's father not picked him up that night after the play, Neil wouldn't have done it. It's devastating to watch. They were so close and they loved eachother dearly, and now Todd has to deal with that loss. The boys try to calm him down, Todd retaliates by running down the snowy hill, stumbling, falling and making his way to the dock.

Mr. Keating loses his job. He's accused of being at fault for Neil's suicide. Had he not given Neil the idea to stay in the play, Neil wouldn't have been so torn up about having to leave, therefore Neil would still be alive. This is obviously wrong, but it also shows the lengths that the school is willing to go through to explain the sudden death of one of their students. Why investigate the neglectful parents when we can fire the likely gay teacher that we didn't like (because he's likely gay and complicates out entire way of education) and just be done with it and get the press out of our face? I guess it's just easier to blame the only supporting adult in the entire film rather than simply progress as people and change. Some students are being expelled for being "involved" with what happened to Neil, and by "involved" I mean simply being supportive.

The last scene broke my heart, yet, made me feel united with the Dead Poets Society. Their new teacher demands that someone reads the beginning of their poetry book, however, earlier in the movie Mr. Keating tells everyone to rip out the entire first chapter of their book. Mr.Keating walks in on his while on his way to collect his things so that he can leave. It's a cute scene, unspoken phrases between the class and their past teacher. Everyone in the room knows, except for the only other authority figure. As Keating's leaving the class, Todd announces that "They made everybody sign it!" Implying that the kids in his class had something to do with his firing, but they werw made ti and they didn't have a choice. Just when Keating is about to leave and their principle is trying to discipline him, Todd stands on his desk and yells "O Captain! My Captain!" Referencing an earlier scene in the film when Mr. Keating tells the class to either refer to him as "Mr. Keating" or "O Captain! My Captain!" But also the scene where Mr. Keating insists that they all stand on their desks to gain some perspective on what they were reading. It's a cute reference. It made me smile. Some other students follow Todd and stand on their desks too. This is when my smile turned into an ugly sob because I realised that this gesture, as beautiful as it is, isn't enough for Mr. Keating to get his job back, it's not enough to bring Neil back and it's not enough to heal these boys of the pain they suffered from after their closest friend passed away.

Overall. It's an amazing watch. I highly highly recommend this film, but I wouldn't recommend watching it if your in a low place mentally, it's just not a good mix.

Here's a video I recommend watching about this film:

youtube

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merindab · 1 year

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I wrote a little essay using my film and media studies degree

#critical role #the legend of vox machina #adaptation #my essay

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thestupidhelmet · 3 months

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AU T7S where Jackie Doesn't Exist on the Show

Season 1

Donna and Eric's transition from friendship to romance takes longer, giving Hyde more opportunities to interfere with the process. Eric grows more insecure that Donna might have romantic feelings for Hyde, not him, so he starts to back off. Donna takes this behavior as a sign that Eric wants to stay just friends.

Donna, however, makes clear to Hyde she only wants to be friends with him, and he finally gets the message when she dates David Milbank.

Hyde and Eric bond over their unrequited feelings for the same girl.

Kelso "dates" Pam Macy, who isn't at all monogamous. Still, Kelso loses his virginity to her at Prom. His Apollo Rocket of Love explodes on the launch pad, and Pam Macy tells everyone at school. Kelso can't get a date at Point Place high afterward. He's ridiculed by boys and girls alike, and he considers changing schools.

Fez is largely unaffected. He finds a different girl to fixate on, one who isn't in a relationship.

Season 2

David Milbank reveals his true interest in Donna is sex, not her thoughts or writing. She dumps him before they've gotten past first base.

Upset, Donna seeks comfort in Eric, who confesses that he's always liked Donna's thoughts. "In fact, I've always liked ... you."

Donna is shocked, happy, and pissed she didn't know this fact earlier. She asks Eric why he acted like he wasn't into her romantically. He says he thought she liked Hyde that way. "Hyde?" she says. "No, Hyde liked me. I liked you."

"You did?" Eric says. "I still do," Donna says, and they begin their romantic relationship.

Laurie, bored, has sex with Kelso in his van. But since he's not in a relationship, it's a one-time occurrence. Unfortunately, it adds fuel to Kelso's obsession with her. With his reputation at school in the toilet, he pursues Laurie to the point of stalking.

Laurie seeks help from Red, who not only threatens Kelso in the garage but also bans him from the house.

With all that's gone wrong in Kelso's life, he grows increasingly depressed. All his friends try to help, and the truth of Kelso's age comes out. He's eighteen.

Hyde suggests Kelso drop out of school, like most of Hyde's cousins did, and get a job. Donna says Kelso should get his G.E.D. at least. She, Eric, and Fez help him study for it and ultimately get his high school degree.

Living at the Formans' house has helped Hyde emotionally, but his nurturing instinct isn't being nurtured. He becomes more closed off and distant, despite giving support to Donna, Eric, and Fez when they need it.

Season 3

Donna and Eric have trouble navigating their misunderstandings without Jackie's advice and perspective. Hyde is helpful but not enough to make up for Jackie's absence. The resentments build up on both sides, and Donna and Eric break up under different circumstances than they do in "Promise Ring". Instead, they believe they're incompatible as a romantic couple.

Kelso enlists at the police academy after being pulled over for speeding. He believes becoming a cop because will negate his reputation for being a bad lover.

Fez's life is less stressful without chasing after someone (Jackie) who isn't interested in him romantically.

Hyde grows increasingly cynical after his dad (Bud) uses him to pay rent.

Season 4

Donna never dates Casey Kelso because Jackie isn't there to set them up. Donna and Eric date a string of people who they don't truly connect with.

Donna, though, grieving her mother's absence, leans on Hyde far more than she did on the show. Secretly, they start a sexual relationship. For Donna, it's a coping mechanism. For Hyde, it's much more. But Donna eventually connects to the emptiness she feels, and what follows is the grief she's been avoiding.

Hyde, without the insight of Jackie, resents Donna for using him and breaking his heart -- even though deep down he believed Donna hadn't suddenly fallen in love with him. He pushes past his own pain, however, and helps Donna and Eric reconcile.

Fez and Rhonda's relationship thrives without Casey's influence and Donna-influenced-by-Casey's confirmation of Casey's perspective.

Kelso sets fire to the Point Place Police Academy on Flare Day and is transferred to Kenosha.

Season 5

Eric and Donna work on their communication issues, among other difficulties.

Hyde moves out of the Formans' house once he turns eighteen, despite Red's reassurance and reasoning. After what went down with Donna, Hyde wants to run get away from the reminders of what he never really had. He leaves Point Place, and everyone is upset about it -- especially Kitty.

Fez and Rhonda consummate their relationship.

To honor Hyde, Eric, Donna, Kelso, and Fez spray paint his name on the water tower. But Eric, through Fez, learns Donna and Hyde were sleeping together last year. Fez says, "I'm happy you can put aside your anger at Hyde and do this for him." Eric says, "Anger? What anger?" Fez says, "Wow, you are even more secure than I thought! If Hyde had slept with my Rhonda, I would kill him."

This revelation tarts a fight between Eric and Donna. Fez and Kelso try to intervene, but Fez gets shoved off the water tower.

At the hospital, Fez's immigration status is discovered. Rhonda marries him so that he can stay in the U.S. and because she loves him.

Eric breaks up with Donna, feeling betrayed by both the fact she slept with Hyde and kept it a secret. He leaves Point Place after graduation to search for Hyde.

Season 6

Kelso and Brooke have sex at the Molly Hatchet concert, and Brooke becomes pregnant as a result.

Eric finds Hyde in Milwaukee. Hyde had gotten seriously hurt at his car mechanic job and needed a kidney transplant. Through this, his true paternity is discovered. W.B. is a match and gives Hyde a kidney.

Hyde's built a new life for himself with his newly discovered family. Eric confronts him about Donna, and Hyde explains the depression and terror and grief Donna was in after her mother left and she and Eric had broken up. "Think about it, man," Hyde says. "Under what other freakin' circumstances would Donna have sex with me? She was miserable."

With his new understanding and empathy, Eric forgives Hyde. Hyde both kept Donna from hurting herself with risk-taking behavior and helped her and Eric reconcile. Eric also lets go of any sense of betrayal he feels toward Hyde and Donna both.

Eric returns to Point Place and apologizes sincerely to Donna (and tells her he found Hyde, etc.) Donna apologizes, too. Not for sleeping with Hyde because better him than a stranger who could have hurt her, although she understands why her being with Eric's best friend hurt Eric. She's sorry for not being truthful with Eric and depriving him of the chance to make choices about their relationship based on the whole truth.

Eric and Donna reconcile, again, before going to college together.

Only Fez, Rhonda, and the Formans are left to help Kelso handle the fact he impregnated Brooke. Kelso, having learned of Hyde's whereabouts, drives to him in Milwaukee -- taking a leave of absence from the police academy.

Hyde sets Kelso to rights. W.B. also steps in, sharing how he wished he'd known he had a son, his grief at missing out on Hyde's upbringing, and sorrow for the trauma Hyde experienced at Bud and Edna's awful parenting.

This week with Hyde and his family convinced Kelso to be in his kid's life and prove to Brooke he's worth of it.

In the series finale, Betsy is born. Kelso holds her in the hospital room while Brooke looks on, tired but happy. Red and Kitty reunite with Hyde in Milwaukee. Fez and Rhonda decide to go to culinary school together so they can one day own a bakery. Eric proposes to Donna while they sit on the Vista Cruiser's hood.

Jukebox Ask Game

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