#nothing against it I actually love how it's made along with the soundtrack and references to polish paintings

[cloud-ya]

outcast of the village

#werewolf #folklore #slavic #poland #folk clothing #folk costume #wolf #me when The Peasants (2023) i hate that movie #nothing against it I actually love how it's made along with the soundtrack and references to polish paintings #but having watched it in cinema it triggered so many traumas that i wanted to immediately leave the screening room #kto się wychował na polskiej wsi ten się w cyrku nie śmieje #art #pl #polblr #how much more tags can i fit to get people to notice this? let's see!

[obsessedwvampbois]

𝐑𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐋 𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐬

Oh boy so this is gonna make people really mad. I have listened to a total of 52 songs from the Diabolik Lovers franchise (that I could find) and ranked them for the hell of it. For this ranking I will be including all character songs, openings (both anime and game) along with the remixes. I will not be counting solo versions of songs (eg. Gin no bara), soundtrack bgm or the endings themes.

My ranking is based on these things:

how well does the song fit the character/s or game, both in lyrics and aesthetic

the overall production and performance of the song

is the song a bop? would I willingly listen to it again?

Couple of disclaimers: I do not speak Japanese so I will be crediting the translations of each song as I go through them along with any think pieces / essays that I come across. If there is any song I missed, please let me know and I’ll slot it into the rankings, its hard to find one source that has all the songs recorded. Finally, just a reminder because I know I'm gonna make someone mad, this is my list! If you don't like it make your own or ignore mine, I'm only one person and my opinion is not final!

With that in mind, my rankings are below the cut

*Least Best*

These are the songs I will probably never listen to again. I have a few gripes with them that I'll talk about in my explanation.

52. 誓いのカンパネラ (Chikai no Campanella)

Shu, Ayato & Subaru

~translation~

This song is just super underwhelming overall. The guitar is my favourite thing about the song but that's it. There is so much build up for a boring chorus. The lyrics don't have much for me either.

51. 血戦のDies irae (Kessen no Dies irae)

Tsukinami Brothers

~translation~

On the opposite end, this song is so overwhelming. There are so many elements to follow and its hard to keep up. This is the first time I'll bring it up but the volume of the voices is so quiet compared to the backing track, its frustrating. The lyrics is what brings it up a notch as it talks about the day of wrath (dies irae) as the day the founders take over. I was also low key hoping to hear some version of the dies irae song hidden in the background but I couldn't hear any.

50. S.O.S-ΑtoΩ-

Tsukinami Brothers

~translation~

This song just feels so forgettable, I just feel like there isn't much to comment on. There are some interesting lyrics sprinkled out like comparing literal self mutilation to abstinence. Also the actual delivery of 'S ah O ah S ah', I can't take it seriously.

49. Dystopia

Kino

~translation~

This had an interesting start because I hadn't heard anything similar for DL but then after a few lines the tone change was just a nope for me. Again, Kino's voice is super quiet and the constant barrage of all these instruments that don't really gel together its confusing. Overall, it didn't leave much of an impression and I couldn't really visualised DL in the song.

48. 吸愛ラビリンス (Kyūai Labyrinth)

Shu, Ayato & Subaru

~translation~

Praise for the saxophone! Props to that because it shines here and is really the only memorable thing besides that final line of the chorus. The song does give the vibe of the Vandead Carnival with its more playful energy though. The lyrics feel really typical, like there are so many times I read lyrics about drinking blood before I get bored.

47. 極限(UNLIMITED) BLOOD -Remix ver.-

Shu, Ayato & Subaru

~translation w/ original ver.~

I don't think I really need to hear EDM/dubstep and Diabolik Lovers again thanks. It feels super dated and the vocoded singing is a little much for my taste. Good source material and the stripped back vocals at some points is quite nice.

46. 愛しきPain (Itoshiki Pein)

Subaru

~translation~

First off please never let me see Subaru near a fedora again thanks. Overall I felt bored with this song, like its nice, but that it. There are similar sounding songs that just hit home similar themes a lot stronger later on. The best part of this song is the spoken word but it feels weird for Subaru to be singing such a slow song.

45. Luv Apple Juice

Ruki & Azusa

~translation~

Yes, I am counting Ruki's spoken word, its my list. Lyrics are a must read with references to Adam, Eve and Eden throughout. Again, the voices are super quiet and with how fast paced the instrumentals are its annoying. The tempo also backfires because these are two of the more 'chill' characters. The last complaint is that the speed of Ruki's speaking compared to Azusa's singing just isn't right.

44. DIE IS CAST

Kou & Yuma

~translation~

This has to be my least favourite opening to a song, the staccato is just really grating to me. The way I'd describe the chorus is loud, the same note over and over again isn't appealing. The lyrics are an interesting read but nothing feels super important. The highlight of the song is the pre-chorus, thanks production!

43. カレイドナイト (Kaleido Night)

Kanato & Subaru

~translation~

This song is just generic, like overall. The sound, the lyrics, the production. There just wasn't must for me to listen to without zoning out.

*Average*

These songs don't leave too much of a lasting impression on me, but I still enjoy them.

42. 苺の罪 (Ichigo no Tsumi) (strawberry sin)

Reiji

~translation~

First of the generic rock songs! I couldn't really find much in the lyrics of note I think the actual performance of the song is my favourite element here.

41. 真夜中の饗宴( MIDNIGHT PLEASURE) -Remix ver.

Shu, Ayato & Subaru

~translation w/ original~

One the best part of the original is that opening section with the steps, it creates some nice anticipation for the coming song. The chorus this time round feels a little low energy after the hype of the pre-chorus. After watching the actual opening with the remix, I kind of wish they had the voice over, the song is so chill the last chorus could have it to make it feel more grandiose.

40. ZERO

Subaru

~translation~

Second generic rock song, this time it actually suits Subaru's brand! The lyrics do have some hints to Subaru as a character which is better. My sustaining thought is that this sounds like an off brand Arcadia.

39. Bloody★Mayim★Mayim

Sakamaki Brothers

~translation~

This has to have one of the strongest hooks for DL. For how many people sing in the song, it's easy to keep track of and the chemistry between them all is in sync. The main issue is that it feels like its missing some element to make it shine, the lyrics aren't in-depth too which brings it down another peg. The bridge/interlude is the best part though as I can visualise some mini story within the song here.

38. ADDICTED (2) PHANTOM

Ayato

~translation~

This song would be so much higher if I felt like it was more memorable cuz the lyrics here really shine. My interpretation is that this is Ayato questioning where his love stops and his sadistic nature to satiate his desires begin, can he separate the two? He both loves and despises the idea of draining his s/o dry. Another gripe with the song is that its not quite Ayato's aesthetic sonically.

37. Kindan no 666 (Three Six)

Kou & Azusa

~translation~

What puts this song so low is the majority of the instrumental, it takes a backseat here when I feel there could be more added. Props to percussion, drums are great though. After watching the MB opening so many times its hard to not see DL. Lyrics match with this one line here describing Kou in a nutshell:

"Sin spread from mouth to mouth, saying 'I’ll be gentle' pulls the trigger on a casual disaster!"

36. Iolite (アイオライト )

Shu

~translation~

I don't know why the producers associate electro-pop with Shu, I can't really see it much. I think they should have gone full glitch-pop instead considering how the song does a deep dive into his mind and thought process. Again, I think the voice is also quiet here but the instrumentals have some great moments, especially the strings.

35. 常夜KNOW UNDERSKIN

Sakamaki

~translation~

Well this gives Sakamaki vibes, nice guitar! Again, I like how it isn't overwhelming despite the amount of people involved. Lyrics aren't super impactful but super catchy.

34. 冷たい血 (Tsumetai Chi)

Ruki

~translation~

You have to read the lyrics while reading this, please! Its surprisingly wholesome and emotional overall. Again, there is the issue of the voice being way to quiet as the instrumentals swallow him whole after the second clock tick. The delivery is really well timed and production does a great job adding elements that works with the lyrics. There is a subtle echo to the voice that feels super enchanting as he comes to terms with the fact that he has fallen in love. Biggest drawback obviously is that this is just spoken word.

33. KISS♥MARK

Shu

~translation~

This song delves into the more perverse side of Shu, but we haven't really reached the level of Laito (we'll get there). The phone feels a little out of character but it suits that narrative. The straight cut out of music for the intermission was a bit abrasive but the transition back to music makes me forget about that with how slick it is. At least its better than a generic rock song.

32. カモフラージュ (Camouflage)

Shu & Laito

~translation~

What a great match up for subject matter, my interpretation is a denial and inability to accept oneself, ultimately using a mask to hide. So please look up the lyrics for some gems. However, after the 'against the blood' nothing really hit that same point sonically, furthermore its not the most aesthetically fitting for the two characters.

*Great*

These songs I actively enjoy, think about and do listen to occasionally and would recommend you check it out too.

31. >REDRUM<-

Ayato & Subaru

~translation~

This song is full of anagrams in the lyrics, I mean look at the song title. Its super catchy and is hard to forget about. The bridge is the weakest part of this song but it is made up by the distortion of vocals after the final chorus.

30. Fanatic of Night

Sakamaki Brothers

~translation~

Well time to party, talk about a bop and a half! Its just so fun, even though its to exactly DL to me, but that's Lunatic Parade for you. Shout out to the guitarist and percussion once again.

29. Bad Howling

Shu, Ayato & Kou

~translation~

This is super catchy, its nice to hear Kou in the opening song this time round, it spices things up. Theres some really nice elements played with the vocals as they sing over one another that is really well balanced. The biggest peg down is that I don't get super DL vibes and the lyrics aren't the deepest.

28. I.M.I.T.A.T.I.O.N. G.A.M.E

Kino

~translation~

Overall this song is a little generic and doesn't sound like DL but! There is a lot to love here too. Starting off with the performance, I really like the vibrato in his voice and the decent of notes at the end of the chorus is just, yes. It a nice hook and the lyrics are pretty good too. My only other complaint is that the drums mask some smaller elements in the background of the song which would have been nice to hear more in the forefront.

27. 極限(UNLIMITED) BLOOD

Shu, Ayato & Subaru

~translation~

This is where the rankings get pretty hard cuz I wish this was higher but oh well. the dramatic shift from the opening piano to the song is so abrupt but it gets you pumped. The intermission does a good job of changing things up without cutting tension. The lyrics themselves seem to be from the view of the Adam project during more blood and the unquenchable thirst they get in the story.

26. アルカディア (Arcadia)

Ayato

~translation~

Immediately I get Ayato vibes from this song and the rapping does help too with a nice flow that isn't too jarring from the rest of the song. These lyrics are basically Addicted2Phantom on steroids, I can't see anyone else other than Ayato in them.

25. Kekkyoku Night

Ayato

~translation~

Don't know why but the guitar melody just seems like I had heard it before but I can't put my finger on it. The bass is super slick here and I really enjoy it. The vocal distortion at the start of the verse sets a scene for him to hunt down this person and its a narrative choice. The main issue is that I wish there was a little more pizzaz to the chorus.

24. Kaikan DEATH-TRUCTION

Kanato

~translation~

Spoilers but I have placed both a Kanato's songs pretty high up so this was a little bit of a let down after the other two. The main issues here is that I don't really get too much of Kanato in the song and the yelling before the chorus is a little much. This, to me, is a self reflection from Kanato which is a good switch up from his last two songs. Overall, the song is abrasive in a good way that isn't overwhelming and the 8-bit section is my fave.

23. 血濡れた密会 (BLOODY SABBATH)

Laito

~translation~

Oh boy, look these lyrics up for a good time. This song is about his hook up with a women with the song getting progressively darker as it goes on. Nice psycho reference but I don't know if it does much in the end. Really catchy hook and the escalation of the final chorus is just so good. Also I'm just going to leave this line from the song here:

“You wend all out with the rodeo girl play? So then, let’s grind!!!”

22. 幻日理論-Parhelion Logic

Ayato

~translation~

This song is meant to be kind of an open letter to Cordelia and my word these lyrics are haunting. It fits the vibe of Haunted Dark Bridal so well, super strong overall. I just wish there was a stronger performance vocally.

21. 暴言シンドローム (Seiron Syndrome)

Yuma

~translation~

Yuma, to me has some pretty good observation skills and its really highlighted here. The first line just hits the nail on the head in terms of how rough he is both in and out of the bedroom. This song is the best of the 'generic rock' with production being really smooth despite the high energy, it matches him really well. First line:

The pain of your sprained neck won’t subside

20. 蠱惑のParade (Kowaku no Parade)

Reiji & Kanato

~translation~

We got another catchy banger here! This song just screams 'the two of us are here to hunt you down and we won't stop till we get a taste.' I mean this song is super pleasing aesthetically and great lyrics to boot!

19. KILLYOU,AGAIN

Azusa

~translation~

The strings are an immediate attention grabber and its hold it throughout the whole song. Super catchy, and these lyrics are Azusa, especially this chorus. Id be interested to hear what people think about the second verse in particular cuz there's a lot to read into:

"In a worn out state of mind, no matter how many nights we question it... We’ve idealised too much."

18. SQueeze…

Subaru

~translation~

Okay before anything else, the squeeze at the start is goofy, I can't take it seriously. Anyway, I can't help but tap my foot to this song. Third times the charm, finally hitting Subaru's aesthetic to a T. The voice is a little quiet on the track but what takes over just sounds so good. The contrast of the bell and the guitar is just, yes thank you. The pre-chorus is a nice mix up to the status quo and these lyrics are great too.

17. 愛の檻 (Ai no Ori)

Ayato & Laito

~translation~

The opening is a nice tone setter for a haunting head bopper. These voices work together so well, just like how the sirens work with the strings. The singular violin during the bridge is great, praise to anyone who can do that my god. The string motif climaxes at the final chorus and it creates an awesome song!

16. 月蝕(Eclipse)

Kou, Yuma & Azusa

~translation~

Well we have a nice build up ballad here. The opening is a little out of place but I forget about it as it builds to this final chorus with the tempo getting faster and faster. The stripped back production also ends up aiding the song in the end with its punches and message. Speaking of which; I get the idea this is about watching some either currently or in retrospective how their personality changes after turning into a vampire; a loss of innocence. How fitting for the Mukami's.

“Despising the sunlight that filters through the blinds is only inevitable, I suppose”

*Faves*

This is what I think the best of the best is. It reflects the themes, ideas and characters of Diabolik Lovers in the best way possible. When people ask me what music from the franchise to listen to, I point to these songs.

15. Count off

Kino

~translation~

There is so much to talk about here, this is a mix of singing and spoken piece and it works so well for me. The delivery over this contagious beat I can't help but get hints of a k-pop vibe here. The movement to singing then vocoded voice are interesting and fun. The bridge switch up too is great, my only wish is that the choir hand a little more presence in the final chorus cuz its fun the first times round, it would be a nice call back.

14. A Certain Prophet's Fate [とある預言者の、運命 Toaru Yogensha no Unmei]

Reiji

~translation~

I can visualise a Nutella Kookie moodboard with this opening alone. To me, this is Reiji explain his views on women with allusions to Faust too, not the Ikemen version relax. there are some cool allusions to his mother in the lyrics too. The bass is so cool to listen out for and the guitar nodding to the chorus at the end is a nice way to end. I was just hoping for a little continuation to the opening like Reiji finding this person escaping on horseback.

13. CHAOS☆PARTY

Laito

~translation~

Aaaaaand another innuendo song from Laito, what a surprise! The jazzy, circus-pop vibes are super fun and catchy, I love it. It's like an upgraded version of Bloody Sabbath to me. The distortion on the guitar is also great to listen out for.

"Don’t decide where’s the critical point, grind as you feel it,

Till the moon oh, mockingly"

12. Mr.ButterflyMask

Reiji

~translation~

The opening may be cliche but it works so well, this is such a deep dive into Reiji's psyche; his mother, inferiority complex and village burning to name a few. The actual song is easy to remember which makes it even better here, the descending notes at the end of the chorus is a highlight.

"Burnt black, that awful land mark"

11. 真夜中の饗宴 (MIDNIGHT PLEASURE)

Shu, Ayato & Subaru

~translation~

The song to start it all, thank god it's such a highlight. I get so hyped from hearing the opening footsteps; mirroring the prologue with You stepping into the mansion for the first time. I feel so nostalgic for this and I'm hyped to play the game every time I hear this. The spoken section is the high point in terms of the HDB aesthetic but these lyrics maaaannn:

"With a scream that shatters the moon itself I’ll give you this extraordinary pain called “love”!"

10. Guilty×Guilty!!!

Shu, Ayato & Subaru

~translation~

I'm gonna get crucified for putting this above midnight pleasure but my list and this is my fave game op. The only peg down is the lyrics but it makes up so much for the actual sound variation. The unnerving energy from this scifi-y noise, it screams danger with the Tsunami arrival. The variation between the two verses in robs what places it high and the bridge is excellent to boot.

9. Farewell Song

Shu

~translation~

If I had to make one song recommendation outside of DL with this list it is this song here. The lyrics and melody match up the same way and both are strong in their own right. Onto the song, these lyrics really shine wrangling with ideas and the thought process of depression; something that hits close to home for me. With the inclusion of the destructive nature vampires its truely impactful. The sound of the song aids these lyrics too while all sounding like Shu.

Without pause, the drops of a drizzle had begun to weep...

...Comforting the screams of the things you’ve touched"

8. Mr.SADISTIC NIGHT

Shu, Ayato & Subaru

~translation~

This is my favourite opening of all the games and anime and it is the most on theme with the DL franchise, not just the one game. The guitar rifts at the start are just sooooo iconic. The actual line "Mr Sadistic Night" is delivered so well too. I mean the song speaks for itself. I will make the observation though that this song is the epitome of kids unknowingly singing a song with dirty lyrics.

"If I’m so aroused by the snare of your enticing blood

Tonight, as I thrust deep into you, a lust for death awakens from within you!"

7. 悪魔的（Devil's）Spire!!!!

Kou

~translation~

This song is just Kou at his best, I can imagine him singing this at a concert as a debut single. It has all the elements of a catchy pop song with some sinister elements that just reflects his personality. Production has my praise here too. The song seems to be a friends with benefits situation Kou has as he recounts the tale. Also, more innuendos:

"In the deep red velvet sheets, Do you want to taste my forbidden syrup?"

6. Operation X

Tsukinami Brothers

~translation~

Haven't seen these guys in a while! You can tell production had fun adding all these medical sounds in the back like the sirens and heart monitor. The song itself is super catchy too, that bass just hits you at the core! The lyrics look like the Tsukinami's observation of You as she has become entangled with all these vampires and the situation just seems to spiral even more out of control.

"The risk spreads further the deeper you get involved...

...The more you give up, the more that guy mocks you"

5. GRATEFUL★DEAD★MARCH

Kanato

~translation~

Production had fun again, you can tell. It's more upbeat there is still a sinister vibe here. The constant switch ups within the song all flow so well. I feel genuine despair listening to this chorus, like Kanato is mocking or toying with me before going in for the kill. My only complaint is that the slowing down at the end is a bit of a mood killer.

4. 切断★舞踏会 (KIRISAKI CARNIVAL)

Kanato

~translation~

In terms of character aesthetic, this is sheer perfection. There is a narrative within this song that you need to look at the lyrics for the best experience. The sound effects act as a good way to heighten the story as they match the lyrics. One moment to note it both the chorus and pre-chorus as they act as the extreme ends on Kanato's personality and it creates a great dichotomy when placed together.

3. Q.E.D.

laito

~translation~

My favourite solo song, and the one I constantly visit the most. Laito is a complex character and this song does a self reflection in the best way possible.I would also recommend reading this great analysis by everything laito because I can't do a proper analysis justice. For the song itself, the piano is a great mood setter as it acts as if we are approaching Laito as he plays the piano about to go into one of his many monologues to himself. The intercut from the piano to the guitar is abrupt but it works so well as if there are crack in his facade showing through. The change back to the piano is great too and isn't distracting in any way. I also think this is such an emotional performance, like I can feel the sadness and despair along with almost a self deprecating humour to the delivery. Top notch stuff

2. 罠-If You’re Diablo- (Wana -If You’re Diablo-)

Mukami Brothers

~translation~

I want mention first off that the spoken word from Ruki is such an aid here, the pace is slower, more haunting and despair-inducing in tone. The speaking adds a nice break to the vocals. The chorus in particular packs such a punch its kind of nice to lie on the ground and just let the song envelop you. The lyrics give the impression that there is a mutually destructive relationship here with the Mukami's mentioning of betrayal yet they suck the blood of this person. There is also a feeling of hopelessness that the Mukami's know they can never achieve their goal of becoming Adam.

"I'd been resigned to become Adam since who-knows-when...

I continue to hate this fate, my prayers in zero"

1. Gin no Bara

Sakamaki Brothers

~translation~

And we're finally at the end! This song encapsulates everything that Diabolik Lovers is. Vocally, it's really catchy with such a somber vibe, because that's what DL is. It's a dark series but you can see that darkness with each backstory, the actions these characters take and just the overall hopelessness in this one song. The Sakamaki's all singing together packs such a punch too. There are so many gems in these lyrics, to literally acknowledging the pain and suffering their mothers' caused and coming to terms with the actions they have committed as they fall in love.

"The proof remains on your neck while you sleep quietly Even if an eternal curse awaits me beyond those overflowing tears

I now hold this love and pain in my chest"

*SHOUTOUTS*

I want to give a huge shout out to the following people. They have helped immensely with translation and just overall accessibility to the songs because they would be 1000 times more harder to find without them.

Silvermoon249 (Live Journal)

Asyqin98 Creator (YouTube)

S I s o v o l i (Youtube)

DIABOLIK LOVERS (YouTube)

Dialovers otaka (Tumblr)

Starlight voices (Tumblr)

Cannonette (Tumblr) @canonette

The Precious Sugar Chan (Tumblr)

One final note, I would recommend listening to these with headphones because the audio sometimes does that thing where it jumps from ear to ear and it creates the best effect to be more involved in the atmosphere.

#diabolik lovers #dialovers #sakamaki #mukami #ayato sakamaki #sakamaki shu #reiji sakamaki #laito sakamaki #kanato sakamaki #sakamaki subaru #ruki mukami #mukami kou #mukami yuma #mukami azusa #tsukinami shin #carla tsukimami #kino sakamaki

[taste-in-music]

taste-in-music’s top 30 songs of 2020

Hey everyone! If you missed it, you can check out my year end wrap-up post going over my favorite albums and EPs of the year. This list will go over my favorite songs of 2020, whether they happen to be on those projects or not. My only limit is one song per project, and thirty songs total. Now then, let’s get started! 

First Aid by Gus Dapperton: There is one easy way to get me to love a song, and that’s if an artist adds in another person’s vocals for the bridge and final chorus, hence infusing them with more dimension and meaning. “First Aid” is the best usage of that device all year. The song tackles Dapperton’s struggles with mental health, citing his sister as a large help in the midst of it all. Who best to come in for the bridge and final chorus, then, but his sister (who goes by the stage name Amadelle)? It all comes together to make the final act of the song hit like a gut punch. 

Josslyn by Olivia O’Brien: Every year I have to have my helping of big, sugary, bombastic pop tunes on this list, and “Josslyn” was the first of that type of song I fell in love with this year. This song is full of snark and blunt lines, (maybe don’t listen with mom in the room,) but god help me if it didn’t have one of the catchiest chorus melodies of the year. I’ll shout along to the entire song every time I hear it. 

Frustrated by Lauren Sanderson: Okay, I only found this song by chance, like, last week, (another good reason for postponing these lists until the year is actually over,) and I have to include it. If you love the hooky guitars lines of The 1975, vocalists with a gritty edge to their delivery, and a free-spirited feel that captures the euphoria of youth, then this is the song for you. I may have just discovered it, but I’ve already played it countless times. 

To Me by Alina Baraz: Everything about “To Me” communicates blissful tranquility, from the watery production to the subtle confidence in Baraz’s delivery. Every time I was feeling overwhelmed or stressed this year, (and lord help me, that was a lot,) this was the song I’d always return to to center myself. Baraz demanding respect out of her relationships and the best things out of life was downright inspiring.

Do It by Chloe X Halle: If there is one word I would use to describe this it would be effervescent, this song is so fresh, bouncy, and bubbly, like orange soda in musical form. With its tropical production and effortless vocals, this song made me want to hit a dancefloor like nothing else this year. It was the perfect pop Summer smash that deserved a better Summer.

ringtone (Remix) by 100 gecs ft. Charli XCX, Kero Kero Bonito, and Rico Nasty: This is probably the best remix of the year? The original “ringtone” was a cute, hooky fragment, but this turned it into a fleshed out, full-on posse-cut where each guest gets a moment to shine. Charli XCX turns the hook into an earworm, Kero Kero Bonito contribute their signature chirpy vocals, and Rico Nasty jumps in for an awesome bridge that provides a nice change of pace. And, of, course, 100 gecs are the glue that holds everything together. If you’re new to the gec train, this is a great place to start. 

By Myself by Maya Hawke: “By Myself” was the song that proved that Maya Hawke was way more than the usual actor trying to cash in a quick buck. She was a bona-fide craftswoman with the potential to being tears to my eyes with blissfully simple yet artfully constructed folk ballads. This song feels like a long-forgotten lullaby, gentle and beautiful with just enough woeful melancholy to remain emotionally resonant the whole year. 

killing boys by Halsey: “killing boys” is the epitome of short but sweet. This song is a fifteen second long dialogue bite Jennifer’s Body followed by some of the most focused, atmospheric pop of the year that only lasts two and a half minutes. The way the thudding heartbeat, low plucked strings, and Halsey’s hushed delivery all build to the distorted end is a pure adrenaline rush every time. It always had me coming back for more, and by the end of the year it had climbed its way up into my top 5 most listened to songs of the year. 

Bloom by Donna Missal: It’s not a list of mine without a Donna Missal song, is it? As soon as I saw the name of this song on the Lighter track list, I just had a feeling I was going to love it. “Bloom” is the most stripped-back moment on the album, with just a guitar accompanying Missal, and yet it is also one of the most memorable and evocative songs it has to offer. What the stripped-back production allows is for Missal’s sheer, raw talent as a vocalist to blossom, especially in how she displays so much power not by belting, but by holding back. Accompanied with lyrics that detail the fear of holding someone back in a relationship, “Bloom” is awe-inspiring every time. 

fever dream by mxmtoon: mxmtoon’s double album from this year didn’t leave much of an impression of me, but lead single “fever dream” got countless spins. This song feels like a warm hug, with mxmtoon’s amiable vocals, pillowy indie pop production (the chirps! the chimes! the gentle woodwinds!) and comforting lyrics that seemed to synthesize everything I was feeling while giving me a comforting pat on the shoulder at the same time. Take the line: “I want something more than / More than restless mornings / Getting by is so boring.” Gee, I wonder why I would’ve hit a nerve in a year like 2020?

Shoulda Known Better by Nasty Cherry: From the first chord of the intro’s ringing guitars, this feels dug up from a mid-2000s coming of age soundtrack. In fact, there is an inexplicable nostalgic feel to this whole song, from the frankness the lyrics, to the filmy vocal processing, all of it. And the way the song kicks into a faster groove on the chorus is so fun, it makes me want to speed down a highway every time I hear it, and I hate driving! I guess that’s just the power of a great pop rock song. 

Heart of Glass by Miley Cyrus: Do you ever hear a song that stops you clean in your tracks and makes you sit in stunned silence until it’s over? Hearing this cover for the first time did that to me. I had been wanting Miley Cyrus to take the rock route for a while, but this cemented that my intuition was 100% correct. It’s not necessarily better than the Blondie version, (Debbie Harry’s original delivery is very smooth and nonchalant, Miley’s is more gritty and rough around the edges,) but it fills an entirely different purpose. And that purpose is to be listened to on a never ending loop, in absolute awe. 

WIGS by BLACKSTARKIDS: SURF traverses a slew of sounds, from boisterous rock to hip hop to indie pop. One of the albums best moments, however, comes when all those sounds meet in the middle “WIGS” is a blissed-out in the best way, still providing a memorable hook, (one of the best the album has to offer,) while also letting you relax and hang on for the ride.

Dead Horse by Hayley Williams: This was the most unexpected bop of the year. The lyrics may be all about betrayal in the lead-up to divorce, but the delivery is so upbeat and bouncy that I can often forget just how soul-crushing the content is at times. The production on this is so catchy, with the chirpy, tropical synths, the “ya-ya-yas,” and Williams’s stellar vocals.

this is me trying by Taylor Swift: My favorite songs on folklore came to me in waves. First, “epiphany” was my favorite, with its timely lyrics and orchestral arrangements. Then, it was “the lakes,” with its nostalgic, poetic feel, (consider it a very close runner-up.) But in the end, it was the slow burning ache of “this is me trying” that didn’t just become my favorite on folklore, but one of my favorite Taylor Swift songs ever. Looking back, “this is me trying” synthesizes what I like about those other two songs. It has a grand, atmospheric instrumental and pointed, detailed lyrics, combining the two into a single, perfect, emotional wrecking ball. 

Susie Save Your Love by Allie X ft. Mitski: This was my most anticipated duet of the year, and it didn’t disappoint! This song goes by like a long sigh on a humid Summer night, filled with breathy vocals set against a churning groove. The lyrics detail parties gone wrong and unrequited love with a best friend with just enough ambiguity to allude to something darker hovering under the surface. Mitski’s vocals work great in an alt-pop context, I love what she does with her solo work but I certainly wouldn’t be mad if she hopped onto more tracks like this. Also, that guitar solo makes me levitate every time. 

Fetch The Bolt Cutters by Fiona Apple: Okay, who had “Fiona Apple meows on a song” on their 2020 bingo card? But it works, it works so well! From its opening clatter of percussion, “Fetch The Bolt Cutters” establishes a locomotive groove that never stops moving forward. In fact, the entire song seems to be dedicated to that sentiment, each lyric linking lines about middle school bullies, media critics, and Kate Bush references into their perfect place. It’s a narrative that may span a lifetime, but it still feels as timely as ever. 

forever by Charli XCX: I’ll admit I haven’t returned to How I’m Feeling Now all that much throughout 2020, but I have returned to “forever,” again and again and again. The sugar-sweet hook at the heart of all the blown-out bass is just irresistible. The way it manages to fight to the forefront, cutting through the clouds of distortion like a shimmering pink diamond, is nothing short of hopeful. 

Fit N Full by Samia: This was my instant favorite off The Baby. The glistening guitars make for a sweltering summery jam that you can’t help but move to every time you hear it. The way Samia weaves lyrics about the agonizing pressures of womanhood, diet culture, and body image into a catchy pop hook is pretty genius. She wraps them all up into a pretty package for consumption, just like women are forced to do with their pain. 

Heartbreak Weather by Niall Horan: Niall Horan has made folksy balladry his mainstay, which is all fine and good, but god help me if his turn towards stadium-rocking power pop didn’t result in one of the most anthemic songs of the year. “Heartbreak Weather” is sharply written, lushly produced, and performed with so much spirit and heart that I can’t help but think that this is the genre Horan has been meant to fall into all along. It’s certainly deserving of its title track status. 

Pretty Please by Dua Lipa: Future Nostalgia was an excellent showcase of Dua Lipa’s mastery over nonstop pop bangers, (”Physical” is the very close runner up for this list.) But surprisingly, it was the breather moment on the album, the song where everything slowed down, that really hooked me. I’m gonna say it, “Pretty Please” is so fucking sexy. The whole song screams sensuality, from the lyrics, to the bass line, to the funky synths, to Lipa’s delivery. It may not be as in-your-face as its peers, but it deserves just as much hype. 

Woo! by Remi Wolf: I had such a hard time picking a Remi Wolf song for this list that I had to resort to the raw data. “Woo!” ended up on my Spotify Wrapped, so “Woo!” gets this spot. This song just works in some ramshackle way I can’t describe, all the disparate pieces come together with so much charm. The way Wolf’s performance effortlessly flip-flops between jaunty half-rapping modulated with distortion to full-blown, raw belting on the bridge is a wild ride of the best kind every time. 

gold rush by Taylor Swift: We have another entry for the highly esteemed category of songs that capture the feeling of butterflies in your stomach. This latest Antonoff-Swift collaboration is a wistful, glittery whirlwind that captures the simultaneous excitement and soul crushing realization of a blooming crush. The way the dreamy intro snaps into the steady thrum of the rest of the song, before the song fades out in the same way, as if to illustrate how your mind can race to dozens of different places all within in the moment of meeting someone? Damn, I’m getting butterflies just thinking about it. 

Eugene by Arlo Parks: “Eugene” is a testament to soft-spoken heartache, as Arlo Parks details watching her straight crush in a relationship with a man. The song is incredibly intimate, both with Park’s hushed vocals and the specific details she utilizes in her writing, (Sylvia Plath poetry, a cigarette hanging between purple lips.) It all comes together to make the song all the more personal and heart-aching. 

People, I’ve been sad by Christine and the Queens: Christine and the Queens have perfected setting emotionally resonant sentiments against wire-tight grooves, and “People I’ve been sad” may just be their most elegant effort yet. The echoing, stuttering drums, fluttering backing vocals, and reverb give the track a wide sense of space, which perfectly illustrates the loneliness Chris describes. But there’s also this intangible warmth to the song too, harking from the strings and Chris’s introspective performance. Just gorgeous. 

XS by Rina Sawayama: Picking a song of SAWAYAMA for this list was damn near impossible. My first favorite off the album was the nu metal rager “STFU!,” then the slinky intrigue of “Akasaka Sad,” then the glitter-flinging “Tokyo Love Hotel.” But did those songs end Karl Marx’s career with their razor-sharp critique of capitalism? No. Hence, “XS” gets this spot. The craftmanship of this song is so impressive, with the rock guitar hits contrasted against the glossy pop production, Rina’s pitch-perfect performance, the witty lyricism, everything. This will go down as a classic in Ms. Sawayama’s discography, no doubt!

Guilty Conscience by 070 Shake: I didn’t even realize this was one of my favorite songs of the year until I was writing this list and felt like something was missing. This feels like a song that plays for the last stragglers on a prom dance floor. It’s melancholic yet just upbeat enough, sprawling yet buoyant, and hooks you in with the perfect balance monstrous, shimmering 80s synths undercut with rattling modern trap percussion. It’s just irresistible. If HBO doesn’t put this on the next season of Euphoria then they’re fools. 

I Know The End by Phoebe Bridgers: I don’t even know if I can describe the full impact of this song, so I’ll keep to short. One word: catharsis. The way this sound builds up from signature Phoebe Bridgers Ballad™ to forceful rollick to gut-wrenching climax gives me chills every time. I don’t want to spoil it. If you haven’t heard it before, go listen to it, (preferably with the rest of the album, too.) If you know, you know. 

Delete Forever by Grimes: Okay, now who had “Grimes makes the best country song of the year” on their 2020 bingo card? I certainly didn’t. I’ve loved Grimes’s work in the past for its ability to transport me to another place. “Delete Forever” does the exact opposite in its discussion of loss, exhaustion, and hopelessness, rooting me right to where I am. But you know what? I think I like that a lot more, especially when the song incorporates a lush acoustic guitar and strings, sunny synths, and just enough optimism to remind me that there is always hope to keep the darkness from fully taking over.

circle the drain by Soccer Mommy: This song was in the running for my favorite song of the year since even before the pandemic began, for its classic 90s-alternative sound, for its clever production choices, and for its anthemic feel. But as the year went on, it just kept getting more and more emotionally potent. I’ve been wanting to look at the songs and albums I’ve discussed on these lists without putting on pandemic-tinted glasses, but the truth is, that experience drastically shaped my year, and how I consume music. The lyrics in this song were so goddamn relatable as this year kept spiraling and it felt like I was along with it. “circle the drain” showed me that it’s okay to be feel like I was “falling apart these days.” Because those feelings are not new, I’m not alone in feeling them, and I may keep feeling them, but you know what? I’ll still have this song, in fact, many of the songs on this list, to return to when I do. 

Here are some songs I loved this year that didn’t come out in 2020: “Nikes” by Frank Ocean, “Prom” by SZA, “Rhinestone Eyes” by Gorillaz, “Anyone Else But You” by The Moldy Peaches, “Cold War” by Cautious Clay, “Plans” by Maude Latour, “Sleepyhead” by Passion Pit, and “Narcissist” by No Rome ft. The 1975.

Whether you liked, reblogged, or commented on a post, sent me an ask, or interacted with this blog in any way, thank you so much for all the support throughout the year! I can’t express how much I appreciate it.

What were your favorite songs from this year? Did I miss anything? Send me an ask and let me know. I’ll tell you my thoughts, or put it on my to-listen-to list if I haven’t heard them.

Here’s to 2021! May it clear the extremely low bar set by this year.

#songs #song recommendation #taste in music 2020 faves #taste in music

[kiarcheo]

It’s All Coming Back to Me Now    3/?

On tumblr : Part 1 here  and Part 2 here

This chapter is more than 3000 words so if you want to read it on Ao3 click here.

The changed relationship between Catalina and Katherine remains pretty much a secret, even if not on purpose. It's just that nothing really changes for them. They are already living together (they will realise later on that nobody mentions it because they don’t know). Katherine calls Catalina mum or mamá only occasionally, and only when they are alone. She is working on the irrational fear that by showing how close they are, how much she loves Catalina, she will somehow lose her, but habits are hard to break. And while it always gives them a thrill to refer to the other as their mother/daughter, it’s something rarely needed as they don’t meet that many new people. Their now legal bond is as cherished as much as it is not talked about.

If you were to ask them why they never said anything to the other queens, they would just reply that it simply never came up. And it’s not like they don’t talk to the others. Things are much more relaxed since moving out. Distance and space definitely made for better relationships in their case. Of course, some grow closer more than others. Katherine, in particular, made an effort to stay in touch with all the others and build a relationship with every single one, but she quickly made it an unofficial rule not to talk about the other queens. Tired to spend half of their meetups providing updates about the others, she had finally sent a message to the group chat very politely saying that if they wanted to know how someone was doing they should ask the person in question and not her.

And it’s on that very group chat that Cathy requests a meeting, the first time they would get all together since they moved out of their shared house.

They are catching up when Catalina speaks up. ‘Not that this isn’t nice-’

‘Try not to sound so surprised. I’m a freaking delight to be around.’  

Catalina’s glare at Anne lacks any heat. Just because she made Katherine laugh. You are supposed to be merciful towards the court buffoon, after all. It’s not like she suddenly likes her.

‘But is there a specific reason we are all here or....?’ all remaining chatter peters out  and attention turns to Cathy.

‘Have you looked...read what they say about us? Yourself,’ she corrects herself. They have a sort of implicit agreement not to look into each other’s lives. As much as possible, at least, considering how interconnected some of their stories are.

Everyone nods, mood getting sombre.

‘From your faces I guess you don’t necessarily like what you found?’

‘It’s not about liking. Some things are just plain wrong.’ Jane’s comment gets another round of nods.

‘I agree. And that’s what I wanted to talk to you...Since we got a second chance, why don’t we make things right. Tell people what really went down. Like, I was not a glorified, old nursemaid.’

‘I was not ugly.’

‘You have always been stunning.’

Anna’s scowl turns into a soft smile towards Katherine.

‘I was not a witch. And I had a normal amount of fingers. And I definitely never did anything weird with my brother and-’

‘We get it, babe.’

Everyone – Catalina included – stops, surprised by the term of endearment. Maybe absence does make the heart grow fonder.

‘What if we could change that?’ Cathy jumps in, recovering. ‘If history remembers us wrong, we have the chance to make it right. Give our own version of the facts.’

‘I thought we were not supposed to talk about it? Like, tell people who we are?’ Jane points out. ‘We made a deal.’

‘A limited-time deal.’ It’s Anna who seems to catch on what Cathy is saying. There is still quite some time before it expires, but still...

‘Exactly. And when the gag order is done...I think it’s time we speak up.’

‘How?’

Everyone nods. They are not against it in principle, not at all, but they haven’t actually thought about the possibility before, so it’s a brand-new concept for them.

‘At first I thought about writing a book.’

‘Of course, you did.’

It might actually work, Cathy thinks looking at the queens, who all said it at the same time and are now sharing amused glances. And she’ll happily takes the teasing if that is what is needed.

‘But then I thought...how many people are actually going to read it? And what kind of people?’ Cathy continues. ‘I would like to think that nobody already interested in...history? The period? Us?...well, actually believes that Anne was a witch, for example. What we need is to change popular misconceptions and as much as it pains me to say it, I don’t think books would do the job. Then I thought...interviews. They surely would have more reach. But how would we choose? How many? Would we have control over the questions? And then Kat gave me the perfect idea. A fun, engaging one to take control of our narratives.’

‘Me?’ the youngest queen asks surprised.

‘Hamilton.’ It’s all Cathy says.

Catalina groans. ‘She got you too?’

Cathy has to guess that she has been subjected to the topic one too many times (Cathy doesn’t know that in the Trastámara house there is a limit of once a day per soundtrack...because Catalina appreciates music as any normal person does or even more, but Katherine gets obsessed. For weeks she had listened to those 46 songs – yes, she counted them – on repeat, and she had to put a stop to it. Once a day is enough, thank you very much). The other queens are nodding, so it seems that everyone has at least heard Kat talking about it.

‘You want to write a musical about ourselves?’ Anne asks, sounding intrigued.

‘I want us to write it. But yes. If we do it well, it would have a bigger audience than an interview or a book could ever reach.’

‘Except that not anyone can write a musical.’ Anna points out, sceptical.

‘I seem to remember some people having quite the musical skills.’ Cathy didn’t read up on the others, but being the last queen means that she had heard stuff about her predecessors. And while she knows to take with a pinch of salt (or a whole handful of it) what people were saying, even at the time, she doesn’t think that would be something worth lying about. What’s the point of spreading false rumours about Catherine of Aragon or Anne Boleyn being accomplished musicians and talented singers? Cathy herself had vocal and instrumental music training, just like them and Kat too.

Cathy chances a glance at the youngest queen. Hopefully the others will think that it’s knowledge from the past – which mainly is – and not related to anything Kat had shared with her. Like the fact that despite some hang-ups, she had decided to take up music again, not wanting bad memories to ruin forever something she loved. She had started with the ukulele figuring it was the most similar she could get to a lute, before moving to guitar. Then on keyboard…money and space wise a piano was just not feasible for where she lived, Kat had explained. Similar issues, along with the noise, are the ones keeping her away from drums (Catalina has been extremely supportive but putting up with her learning how to play drums might be a bit too much even for her). So she had settled on a woodwind instrument as the next one to pick up. Kat credits her past life’s experiences with flute, lute and virginal, and the wonders of internet for her ability to teach herself. She is even considering whether going for it more seriously. Well, not that she isn’t taking it seriously now, she spends long hours practicing, but more like...academically or professionally. They had various conversations about it, about her maybe joining a school or getting a degree or if she should just try to get a jig or something like that. Cathy won’t lie and say that their chats didn’t play a part in her proposing the musical idea, knowing that at least one of them had enough music knowledge and talent in this new life of theirs to pull it off, but she isn’t sure how much Kat had told the others so she doesn’t want to bring it up if Kat doesn’t.

While Catalina and Kat are looking thoughtful, and Anne interested, Jane and Anna still look unconvinced.

‘We can always ask for professional help.’ Cathy concedes. ‘But we should be the one deciding what to say. That’s the whole point. Let’s just try writing something. Ideas. What we want people to know. Type of music. Inspirations. Then we can see what we have and go from there.’

‘What are you proposing exactly?’

‘Let’s try to write a song each.’

.

They all agreed on going in order but now Catalina is deeply regretting it. Because she has to stand up in front of the others and tell them that she doesn’t have her song ready. She has been dreading the meeting. She knows she doesn’t have to be perfect all the time in this life lest something terrible happens. She knows she can’t be perfect all the time. But she still feels uncomfortable showing any kind of weakness. Especially in front of her fellow queens. And the only one whom she allowed herself to be vulnerable with is not currently there. Katherine had texted the group chat saying that she was on her way but was going to be late. Indeed, the catching up part is now over and all the attention shifts to Catalina.

‘So...’ Queens do not fidget. That has been drilled into her and any instinct to do it eradicated centuries ago, which is the only reason she is not fidgeting as everyone looks at her. ‘I have some words,’ she doesn’t dare to call them lyrics, ‘but I don’t really have anything music-wise.’

‘I do!’ Kat bursts into the room, panting. ‘Sorry I’m late, I lost track of time.’

‘You do?’

Kat smiles at Catalina sheepishly. ‘I had some ideas when you showed me what you wrote and thought I’d try them out. I wanted it to be a surprise, but not like this. I was planning to let you listen to it first, but I sort of just finished it? That’s why I was late. Of course, you don’t have to like it. Or listen to it at all. You know what? Let’s forget about it. I’m sure you’ll come up with something much better yourself and you don’t need-’

‘Breathe.’ Catalina waits until she sees the girl taking a couple of deep breaths, short-winded both from running there and then her ramblings. ‘Let’s hear my song.’

‘Are you sure? Because-’

‘I trust you.’ She does. Katherine has talent, she knows it better than anyone else. She is the one witnessing the ease with which she picks up new instruments or how she can play music by ear after listening to it a handful of times. The one who has the privilege to listen to her playing and singing around the house (and now she knows why lately it had happened less, if Katherine had been working on the song for her). But most importantly she trusts her because Katherine knows her. Better than anyone else. She knows her tastes, musical ones included. And she knows her story. Her side of the story.

Katherine takes out her laptop. ‘It’s quite rough, obviously. And the key is-’

‘Just let us hear it.’

Kat nods. She looks down at the papers full of scribbles in front of her. Takes a breath. Then starts the music.

You must agree that, baby, in all the time I’ve been by your side I've never lost control, no matter how many times I knew you lied Have my golden rule Got to keep my cool, yeah, baby

And even though you've had your fun Running around with some pretty young thing And even though you've had one son With someone who don't own a wedding ring No matter what I heard, I didn't say a word No, baby

Katherine looks at Catalina to gauge her reaction at the first part of the song. She has a small smile and she is nodding to the rhythm. Encouraging.

I've put up with your sh- like every single day But now it's time to shh, and listen when I say

It’s Katherine’s spin on Catalina’s words. She isn’t sure she will want to leave the ‘swear’ in, but she just had to do it and try. She knows it’s not something people would expect from the first queen, but she had in mind the Catalina she knows rather than the one people think they know. And her Catalina is not shy about swearing as long as they are alone.

You must think that I'm crazy You wanna replace me, baby there's N-n-n-n-n-n-no way If you think for a moment I'd grant you annulment, just hold up, there's N-n-n-n-n-n-no way

She had needed something to make the tempo works, and then she had remembered Catalina calling Anne babe during the last meeting, and she decided to try it out. Also it makes for a slightly condescending tone towards Henry, calling him baby, which Katherine likes and thinks Catalina will do too.

So you read a bible verse that I'm cursed 'Cause I was your brother's wife You say it's a pity 'cause quoting Leviticus "I'll end up kiddy-less all my life" Well, daddy, weren't you there, when I gave birth to Mary?

That had been a struggle to work out, but Katherine had really wanted to include it because it was so important. The reason Henry adduced seeking the annulment was completely unfounded and people had to know it.

You're just so full of sh-, must think that I'm naive I won't back down won't shh, and no, I'll never leave

You must think that I'm crazy You wanna replace me, baby, there's N-n-n-n-n-n-no way If you thought it'd be funny, to send me to a nunnery, honey, there's No way

Catalina doesn’t seem to hate it and the others are nodding along to the beat, Katherine notices as she looks up from her notes.  There will be work to be done for sure, but maybe they have a good starting point.

‘Dance break?’ Katherine speaks up as the music continues.

‘You always loved a good dance.’ Anne points out, remembering her time at court with her, Jane nodding along.

It’s true. What they don’t know is that she had taken it up again. Encouraged by Katherine pursuing her love for music, she had decided to do the same with her passion for dancing. It’s not something she could see herself doing seriously as Katherine does with playing instruments, but she is loving attending classes and practicing on her own in the privacy of their living room, sometimes making up new routines, sometimes involving Katherine when she needs a partner.

You got me down on my knees Please tell me what you think I've done wrong Been humble, been loyal, I've tried to swallow my pride all along If you can just explain a single thing I've done to cause you pain, I'll go No? You've got nothing to say? I'm not going away

You made me a wife, so I'll be queen 'til the end of my life

Catalina had considered herself married and the legitimate queen until her last days…and Katherine with her. It’s only recently that she had considered how her life would have been different – if at all – had she joined Anne’s household like her step-grandmother had been planning. She is quite sure that at the time she would have been less than happy to be around the ‘usurper’ of what she still thought of as her queen, even months after her death.

There's no way

‘Not sure about the end. Maybe another chorus? Or...I don’t know. Like I said, it’s quite rough, I rushed it a bit, especially the last part, I can think about it more and see-’

‘This is rough?!?’

‘Well...yeah? I just took what she wrote and tried to put it in music, but it could be so much better. Like harmonies! Or, you know, add stuff, take it out...change it completely if you don’t like it.’ She is now talking to Catalina.

‘Some bits and bobs, but honestly? I loved it.’

‘Really?’

‘Do I make a habit to say things I don’t mean?’ Catalina looks at her with a raised eyebrow. She shakes her head with a smile at the mumbled sorry she gets.

‘How did you do it?’ Anne interrupts the exchange. ‘Like, the backing track?’

‘Oh. Well, I recorded each instrument separately. Then overlapped the individual tracks. Which was honestly the hardest part. Learning how to use the software.’

‘Would you mind giving me a hand?’ Anne asks her cousin. ‘Once I have the lyrics down, I mean. I’ve been messing around with a keyboard and got myself a guitar, but it was going to be a stripped-down version, like, acoustic, with whatever it worked better for the song. But if you can do the other instruments and put everything together...’

‘Of course! Just let me know what you need and when!’  

‘I might look into some practice rooms. Possibly with instruments. I’ve been dying to get my hands on some drums!’

‘Me too!’

‘Really?’ Catalina hopes her dread isn’t too obvious. She isn’t going to stop her, but she isn’t looking forward to it, if she has to be honest.

‘It’s not going to happen, don’t have the space. Or soundproofing.’ Kat reassures her.

‘We can learn together!’

‘I have been thinking...about a possible structure.’ Cathy says, encouraged by the enthusiasm of the cousins. ‘We said one song each, then I’m thinking maybe one for introduction and one as conclusion? An introductory song to explain what we’re doing? And one last song so that we don’t end with my song. Kind of a final message? About us reclaiming our stories or something?’

‘We could sing them all together!’

‘Oh!’ Kat perks up at Anna’s words. ‘We could add some chorus and stuff in Catalina’s song, like backup singers?, so that it’s not just her singing and us waiting around-’

‘Wait. Her. US? Are we supposed to sing ourselves?’ Jane stops her.

‘I thought so?’ Kat looks around. Jane does the same. It does seem like that’s what the others thought too.

‘Let’s worry about that later.’ Cathy can see that Jane is not particularly convinced about that, but she doesn’t want her to worry about it now. ‘We can get professional singers just like we can get professional writers, if needed.’

‘Another thing…not sure if it’s relevant now, because Kat sort of already did it. But I was going to say that we should make it modern?’ Anna suggests. ‘If it’s just a history lesson, it’s gonna be boring. Not saying that Catalina’s song was boring. At all. But. I don’t know. It’s something I wanted to bring up before hearing it, so...’ she shrugs.

Upon Catalina’s suggestion, they agree on not having set deadlines for when a queen is supposed to deliver her song. It had stressed her out quite a lot having to come up with something by a fixed date, especially when she couldn’t. And without a delivery deadline, Kat would have had the time to show her what she was doing, and they could have worked on it together. They are going to do it now, so it’s not that much a problem, but there is no reason they have to do things in a hurry.

 ________________________

As usual, started as something turned out so much more…included a take on how the musical was born. I always love reading fics about it…guess it was inevitable I’d take my shot at it too. I don’t know much about music and I’m aware that’s probably not how writing a musical works…but this is fiction so please bear with me.

#six the musical #six the musical fanfiction #six fanfiction #catherine and katherine #six fic #six the musical fic #my six posts #six writing #mywork #my ideas #fic: It’s All Coming Back to Me Now #my posts #six the musical fanfic #six fanfic

[artificialqueens]

Adore (Jaida x Nicky) - Moonshot

A/N: 1.1k word of pure fluff, lovely bickering and soft feelings. Catch all the references to Nicky and Jaida’s IG lives for extra brownie points.

Summary: Jaida, Nicky and a long-awaited eyeshadow palette. What could go wrong?

–

“Enfin, putain!”

Jaida furrowed her brows upon hearing her girlfriend curse in her native language. Not that she wasn’t used to it by now, but still surprised her.

“What are you babbling about, Frenchie?” She dared to ask upon seeing the blonde girl’s face basically beaming as she tore open a small cardboard box.

“It’s finally here, baby! I can’t believe I was literally the last one to get it and I’m the professional makeup artist in our friend group!” 

Despite still being slightly confused, the older girl couldn’t help the smile forming on her lips at just the sheer excitement of Nicky as she unboxed the long-awaited eye shadow palette.

“You’re acting as if you don’t receive PR for like 99% of the make up you own, Ni,” Jaida rolled her eyes playfully, bringing her attention back to the phone in her hands.

“Ugh, chéri! Not when it’s a PR from THE Lady Gaga’s brand! The queen! The legend! I’ve been waiting for a palette like this for ages!” Nicky pouted at her girlfriend’s seemingly disinterest in the new makeup. 

Then, as if a metaphorical lightbulb had lit up over her head, the French girl bolted out of the room with the freshly unboxed palette. She came back a few minutes later, armed with a couple of her favorite eye-makeup brushes in hand.

Jaida barely had time to react when her phone was taken away from her hands and the familiar weight of her girlfriend pressed on top of her legs.

“What-” 

“I gotta test it out right now, and you and your beautiful face,” she booped the older girl’s nose playfully, “are going to be my canvas. Now close your eyes so that I can prime them!”

The brunette couldn’t help but chuckle at how serious the French girl sounded, “Well, chile then, boss,” she commented, following the instructions and relaxing face. 

“Alexa! Play Tycho!” she shouted to the electronic companion.

Jaida shook her head in disapproval jokingly, “You and your weird instrumental music”.

The blonde pointed a finger at her face, however, failing quite a bit to look anywhere near threatening, “Quiet or I’m putting the whole Kingdom Hearts soundtrack!”

She brought her hands up in defeat before bringing them over to Nicky’s lower back to help her steady up as the blonde started working her make up magic on her.

Jaida heard the younger girl quietly hum, assuming she was contemplating what look she was going to go for.

“So, what’s the inspiration today, Frenchie?”

“All these blues are begging to be turned into a Squirtle fantasy!” Nicky replied excitedly, her mind already visualizing the final product on her girlfriend.

The dark-skinned beauty opened her eyes, frowning, “Don’t you have some orange or red for the actual true superior Pokémon starter, babe?”

“Salamèche? Superior? No, ma’am. The smart ones choose Squirtle, the ones who choose Charmander just want to flex their strength”.

“Whaaat? Nah, he’s a strong little dude, give him some respect! Squirtle is for boring bitches”.

There was a moment of pause, both girls firmly convinced in their ideas.

Nicky was the one who broke the silence, “… at least we can agree that you are a loser if you choose Bulbasaur”.

That made Jaida wheeze out loud, playfully smacking the tanned foreigner’s legs, “Can’t argue with that!”

The short-haired blonde leaned in to peck on Jaida’s inviting lips, “We will continue this discussion later, now close your goddamn eyes, dumbass”.

“Aye, aye, Captain Doll!” the brunette replied, closing her eyes once again with her hands now resting on Nicky’s exposed waist.

She let the younger girl’s expert yet delicate digit do all the work as the French girl softly sang a lullaby in her native language, slowly drifting asleep.

Your beauty I’ll still see Love is too weak to define Just what you mean to me

Jaida lost track of time when she woke back up. She guessed it must have been quite a while as Nicky was still humming to herself but the music had changed to one of her favorite Prince’s songs, Adore.

Then, suddenly, her girlfriend’s singing stopped while the music carried on.

With her eyes still closed, the older girl wasn’t sure what caused the interruption. She opened her left eye ever so slightly to peek through, finding her girlfriend staring at her with an expression she couldn’t really put a name to.

The brunette fully opened her eyes before talking, “Got something on my face?” she tried to poke fun at the situation, feeling the silence under the gaze of those icy blue eyes she had fallen in love with getting somewhat uncomfortable.

That seemingly brought Nicky’s mind back, her usual smirk plastered on her face as she rolled her eyes, “Your beauty, dumbass”.

The younger girl leaned in for a peck on the lips, which quickly turned into a proper kiss as Jaida’s arms held her body closer.

The two continued their impromptu make-out session until they had to separate to be able to breathe properly. Jaida smiles at the sight of the adorable flush Nicky would get every time they kissed for more than a couple of minutes.

“I mean it, you know, babe”, the French continued, tucking a loose strand of the dark hair behind her girlfriend’s ear, her hand then gently going on to hold the back of Jaida’s neck.

The brunette cocked her head in slight confusion, “Uh?”

“When I say you’re the most beautiful to me. I may work to paint celebrities’ faces for a living now but no one has still got nothing on you, ma belle ”.

The older girl tried to fight a grin from forming on her face, “Miss Nicky Doll?Getting soft, aren’t we, girl?”

Nicky scoffed, faking being annoyed at the response, “Fuck off! Much for ruining the moment, bitch”, she replied jokingly. 

Jaida couldn’t help but chuckle as she brought the blonde’s body even closer to her, the makeup palette along with the brushes long forgotten by their sides.

“Chile, girl! I’m just kidding,” she said, bringing one of her hands under Nicky’s chin, staring lovingly into her eyes.

“I love you,” the American girl simply said as she dived in to kiss her girlfriend. She felt the younger girl smile into the kiss, a muffled “je t’aime aussi, mon coeur” in reply against her lips.

The two lovers stood like that as they enjoyed each other’s embrace until Nicky’s phone started ringing, causing the latter to reluctantly separate from her girlfriend’s lips.

Jaida breathed out, collecting her thoughts as she heard the blonde answer the call.

“Hello? Oh, hi Rock! What’s up?” 

The brunette tuned out from the conversation as Nicky exited the living room going into the kitchen, already engrossed in whatever crazy story the young girl was telling her over the phone.

She couldn’t help but smile to herself as she thought about her relationship with the tanned French girl. 

Who would have thought that, after getting together during their senior year of high school, they would still be going strong, five years and a move across the country to the Big Apple later? Certainly not Jaida, but she couldn’t be happier to have found someone like Nicky.

The older girl got up from the couch, making her way to the shared bedroom she had with her girlfriend. She opened one of the drawers and fished in, finding what she was looking for mere seconds later.

A small dark red velvet box.

Jaida was sure now more than ever.

Be with me darlin’ till the end of all time I’ll give you my heart I’ll give you my mind I’ll give you my body I’ll give you my time For all time I am with you

She was going to marry that French bitch.

#rpdr fanfiction #jaida essence hall #nicky doll #jaida x nicky #lesbian au #fluff #fic challenge #black girl magic fic #moonshot #submission #diversity fic #s12

[ravinewreyn]

HELSAWEEK 2020 DAY 2: MODERN

Fandom: Frozen - Actor/Actress Verse Pairing: Hans/Elsa Rating: T Word Count: 2.9K Note: No angst, just darlings loving each other

It had never occurred to her that starring at one movie could change her life so much.

And while, yes, the movie was a complete blockbuster, one would even say that it had become some sort of a new culture where most of people in the world had known and grown to love the movie, not a day was passed without children singing what people had called ‘the biggest hit song for a movie’ -that coincidentally was sung by her, it was not exactly what she had been referring to. Yes, the movie had made her name known throughout the world, everyone who heard of her name would instantly connected her to the movie and the song, and for her it had meant for more cast offers and working with various amazing directors, but it was all career-wise.

No, what she had meant was her private life.

Working for months with her co-stars had certainly made them all grew closer together, with a bond that was close to being a family even. Often they would spend their time after filming to get something to eat at some fast-food restaurant, laughing and joking as they lightly discussed what had occurred during the day before each one of them had gone off their separated ways to get the rest they needed before their next shoot.

For Elsa, who had lived all by herself ever since she moved to the big city to pursue her career in acting, it was truly a moment that she cherished most during filming. Even for someone who liked the peace and quiet compared to parties and all, it was rather lonely to go back to her apartment right after she had wrapped the day’s shoot. So, she was grateful to have her co-stars.

It had been years since the movie was released to the theaters all across the globe, the hard work that the cast and crew had done, the beautiful Norway scenery and the music that was created for the soundtrack, all had finally been able to be shared to the world. People moved on, and even when they no longer had to work together, the five co-stars still kept themselves in touch.

So, it was not all that surprising when the familiar name had popped up as the caller’s ID as her phone rung, the picture of the two of them that they had taken during coffee break filling the phone’s screen as she slid the green button up to accept it.

“Hi Anna,” her on-screen younger sister lived at the other side of the city, and sometimes when they both had a free time among their schedule, they would make an appointment for coffee, just to catch up with each other’s lives.

“Hi Elsa,” the strawberry-blonde haired woman’s voice could be heard from the other end of the phone call, and she could faintly hear the blaring speakers in the background. So, she was probably at home, listening to music as she went about her day. “Are you busy?”

Tugging against the doorknob as quietly as she could, she listened to the ‘click’ of it before she moved to walk down the short hallway of her house. “No, not really. What’s up?”

“Nothing, actually. It’s just… after the news, I have the urge to call you, for some reason.”

The corners of her lips tugged into a smile. Of course, she had received the phone call as well, bearing the news that, at first, she could not believe was true. “Yeah, five years and it’s actually happening, huh?”

Anna hummed in agreement. “I remembered when we joked about it, years ago.”

A possible sequel to the movie that had brought them together. Fans had tirelessly questioned them about it, being the two leading ladies that always appeared during interviews and tours, even when the movie had just been released. And the questions had not been limited to press conferences either, the internet was basically flooding with it, along with articles, fan theories, videos, anything and everything really. It was crazy.

And now it was actually happening.

“How’s Hans, by the way?”

That one male co-star of hers. On-screen, their characters were not exactly on good terms, he was the surprise villain after all -even she did not see it coming until she had read the script, but off-screen he was such a sweetheart. He lived closer to her, so she had hung out with him the most compared to the other casts, and to top it all he often drove her home from set during their work together.

They had hit it off rather nicely, in fact.

“Oh, he’s fine, he’s taking it quite well, better than I was, actually.” They were making a sequel, yes, but despite the fact that he was one of the main casts of the previous movie, his character was not included in the next one. She had been rather vocal about it, considering the fact that they did once had discussed of one of the possible plots being his character’s redemption, but apparently the writers had scratched the idea out.

Hans had shrugged it off.

There was a faint beeping sound coming from Anna’s line, and she almost thought she had imagined it, but the strawberry-blonde haired woman’s groan that soon come had proven her that it was truly her alarm. “I have to go.” She grumbled, as the music in the background was turned off. “See you when I see you next?”

Chuckling, as Anna’s method of goodbye was always somewhat amusing -the young woman was well aware of that and had actually did it on purpose just to make her laugh, Elsa had smiled once more. “See you when I see you. Miss you already, sis.”

She couldn’t see it, but she just knew that Anna had grinned before the line had been cut off. A phone call from her dear friend was able to make her heart full with warmth as she slipped her phone into the pocket of her pants, continuing her way toward the master bedroom at the end of the hall.

“Let me guess, it was Anna, wasn’t it?”

The auburn-haired man was already sitting on the bed, clad in his night clothing of grey shirt and cotton pants, reading from a book that he had taken from the bookshelf downstairs, and had only looked up when she had entered the room, green eyes following her as she made her way to the bathroom.

“Of course, it was.” She confirmed, unbuttoning her blouse in front of the mirror, taking a note of the small stain that had somehow managed to find way onto the fabric with a scowl. She would have to make sure she got it off when she did laundry later. “She’s calling me about the sequel project.” Hearing his hum from the other room, she had plopped her head out from the doorway, looking at him. “You know, I’m still a little pissed about them not including you.”

The man had returned to his book when she moved to undress, and had not bothered to look up when she had spoken. “And I’ve told you, darling, it’s fine. Even in the first movie, my character was just kind of there. Besides, maybe the final story would suit the market better.”

“I still strongly believe that your character deserves his redemption.” It was interesting to be put in the movie, not many studios had been able to pull it off, and she had once thought this one can but—

“I’m pleased to see the Snow Queen is thinking about the neighboring traitorous Prince.” Hans grinned, setting his book down when he had finally noticed the state of the clothes she was in; unbuttoned blouse revealing her simple black bra and her toned fair stomach, paired with her ripped jeans and unruly platinum blonde hair.

“Don’t start.” Her roll of eyes had been nothing but out of amusement as she sauntered toward the bed, suddenly her mean of changing into her own night clothes were temporarily abandoned as she sat at the edge of the bed close to him.

“It’s just quite funny,” Hans’ hand had found it’s way on her cheek, thumb running over the high of her cheek. “That people paired our characters together without knowing-”

“-that we’re actually together in real life?” Both she and Hans much preferred it to keep their own private lives as it was, private. When people found them together on the street, they had passed it off as two friends hanging together -and in her defense when they had started to suspect they were still just friends, and slowly the media had grown bored of trying to ‘dig out the truth’ from them and had left them alone when they had actually started dating. It never failed to amuse her to this day.

And despite the fame that had come from starring in the first movie, she had been laying low from the media for some time. This next movie would be her debut back in her acting career.

“You’re still coming with me to Norway, right?”

Hans nodded, hand had left her face to hold against her own, bringing it up to his lips until he could kiss her knuckles. “I’ll follow you to wherever you go.”

One of the beauties of the movie was where it was set and shoot, far across the North Atlantic Ocean, in her home country, actually. She could have stayed in her parents’ house when they had shoot the first movie, but since it was right at the heart of Norway, in Oslo, it was too far from the place of the shoot for her liking, as she would rather take her time to rest than spending at least three hours of driving each morning and each night. That was why she had opted in staying at a local apartment, just like the rest of cast.

Leaning forward, she had pressed her lips against his in a light kiss, just as she rose back onto her feet. “Okay, good. Now I really need to get out of these jeans.” And into something far more comfortable for her to sleep in after a long day.

Hans’ eyes had actually lit up at that, as he watched her returning into the bathroom. “I’m more than happy to assist, you know.”

“Shut up.”

--

She packed everything, right?

Norway had always been so beautiful for her. She took pride in calling it her home and have it being the main set of a movie that was so beloved by everyone, she loved how the crew would come up to her to ask if what they put in the movie -the costumes and decorations as well as the rosemalings and the cultures, was appropriately placed. They honored her homeland like that.

To come back, after years of being up states, was exhilarating.

She still didn’t stay at her parents’ house as it was still too far away from the location, but at least she could visit during break, spend some time with them and catch up, and watching Hans fitting perfectly with her family was also heartwarming. He had been introduced to her Norway culture the moment they had become much more serious in their relationship, and now it almost felt like he had been born in the country just like she.

Speaking of Hans, months ago they had gotten a much larger apartment that would suit their need better compared to the small studio one they used to have when they were both still single, as now they do require the extra space.

“Yes, babe, you’ve packed everything.” Hans chuckled, after seeing how uneasy she was in the passenger seat of their car -the one they had bought and deliberately kept at their apartment in Norway, one hand resting against her knee after she had asked the same question for the third time during their drive. “Stop worrying.”

“It’s just that I’ve never done this before,” neither of them had, so they were basically blanking on what to expect on set. “And I’m just nervous. What if we forgot something? What if we need something and we didn’t pack it?”

“It’s fine. I can do a quick drive to the store if we need anything.”

That did soothe her a little, enough to stop her from asking the same question until they had arrived at the outdoor shoot location. Hans had drove the car smoothly, even over the bumps on the road, and had found the perfect parking location not too far from the small town that they would use for the kingdom scene.

“You go ahead, I’ll catch up.”

Nodding, she had exited the car first, making her way toward where the crew had gathered, eyes scanning through the crowd but unable to find any of her coworkers.

“Elsa!” the familiar voice calling for her had made her head turned, smiling as she waved at the director that had approached her from one of the tents. “Oh, it’s so good to see you!”

“Hi Jen, it’s good to see you too.” Unlike with her coworkers, she hadn’t really kept in contact with the director, not that they were not in good terms, but both had their own different works that did not exactly allow coffee dates anyway. Of course, they had met during the first reading of the script, but it just felt different when they were about to shoot, as they would combine wearing the costumes with actual acting for the movie.

“So early, like always.” It always pleased the director, to see her arriving before any other, though that did not mean that the others were running late. “Did you drive here yourself?”

“Uh no, actually.” Looking over her shoulder, her blue eyes were quick to spot the auburn-haired man making his way toward the two blondes, waving him to come. “Hans is with me.”

The frown on Jen’s face was unavoidable, eyes narrowing as she looked over the man who stood by the platinum blonde haired woman, one arm wrapping around her waist. “Wait, why are you here?” she couldn’t exactly blame her for asking such question, since she had not told her anything about Hans coming either, thinking that it would be a nice little surprise.

“He insisted in accompanying me, hope you don’t mind.”

And she didn’t even get the chance in getting an answer, as the director had noticed the large bag on Hans’ back, as well as the precious cargo he carried with one hand.

“Is that a--”

“Baby!”

Three heads turned toward the newcomer, seeing Anna coming with quick steps toward them, one hand holding up a cup of steaming hot coffee that she no doubted had gotten on her way to the set. She had set the cup on a nearby table, near one of the laptops that earned her a glare from the crew, though she had ignored him completely as she came to kneel by the carrier, already cooing as careful hands lifted up the three month old baby boy with delight.

“You two had a baby?!”

“A son, yes.” The nervous laughter that came from her was accompanied with her hand coming to scratch the back of her neck as she looked at the disbelieved woman. “His name is Wilhelm.”

“And none of you thought of telling me beforehand?”

“I mean, I thought you would have figure it out.” Anna, who had rose back to her feet, shrugged, as she cuddled the baby close to her chest, bundling him with her equally warm clothing. “With Elsa laying low for a year or so.”

She had moved to Norway during her pregnancy, as she really did not wish to be swarmed with press and paparazzi following her wherever she went when all she wanted was to enjoy and prepare for the new chapter of her life. Hans had to travel back and forth between America and Norway, as he had a few movie projects he starred in but still wished to spend as much time as he could with his own little family. It was nice, living a life that did not require her to hide her face as much when she walked down the streets to buy groceries. Some people may have recognized her, but as the country was known to be quite cold, she could wear thick jackets to hide her growing belly.

“I thought you need a break.”

“It is a break. Maternity break.”

Jen had glared at her answer, arms crossed over her chest, whether to shield herself away from the cold or because she had just discovered the main star of her movie was a mother she couldn’t really tell, but she did step forward, peering into Anna’s arms at the babe sound asleep in her embrace. “He is cute though.” She admitted, and just by the look that she had, Elsa could tell that already her son was stealing people’s hearts once again. “I still can’t believe none of you told me about him sooner.”

“Ah, well, here he is now.” Ready to see his Mama in action, wearing regal dresses and wielding the magic of special effects of a hopefully billion dollars grossing movie, if it met with the same excitement that it’s first movie that received.  “Now, let’s make that sequel happen.”

#helsaweek2020 #helsaweek #helsa #hansla #hanselsa #iceburns #queen elsa #elsa #prince hans #hans #frozen #I pour some of my ranting into this

[angelofbenignmalevolence]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Thunderbirds Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Characters: Scott Tracy, Gordon Tracy, Virgil Tracy Additional Tags: Slice of Life, Disney, Brotherly Love Series: Part 2 of IR Relief 2020 Ficlets Summary:

Scott was just trying to get a little work done. Alan and Gordon were working on Alan's schoolwork. What could possibly go wrong?

Frozen submitted as a prompt by @tsarinatorment for International Rescue & Relief  which is being overseen by @gumnut-logic​. 

-------------------------------------------------------

Scott had known this was going to be a bad idea. He didn’t know why he had agreed to the whole thing. Ok. That wasn’t entirely true. He had agreed because when Alan came to him with the need for a debate assignment for his English work and made his case for debating Disney movies with one of his brothers rather than something like politics, Scott had thought it might bring a little levity into their sometimes hectic lives. He supposed the support from Grandma had also helped influence him to agree.

He now regretted that decision.

He had come to regret it much more when Gordon had agreed to be Alan’s debate partner.

Scott pinched the bridge of his nose as he heard the opening chords of Frozen for the thirteenth time this week. Alan had picked it and its sequel as his movies of choice, and he had dived head first into his research. Scott couldn’t decide whether it was better or worse than the Big Hero 6 soundtrack playing on repeat coming from Gordon’s room. While he was more than appreciative of his brothers’ all-in attitudes toward the project, he would not have complained if they had done so a bit more quietly. Headphones would have been even better.

It didn’t help that John was far out of reach of the two youngest brothers and thus immune to their shenanigans. Virgil was off on a rescue. Kayo was off running a security sweep. Brains had secluded himself in his lab with Max, both citing the need for a quiet workspace as they worked on upgrades for Thunderbird 1. He couldn’t argue with that. He hadn’t seen their grandmother most of the day either. Scott was left entirely to his own devices dealing with his two youngest brothers.

He buried himself in the work in front of him, trying to will himself to block it all out. They were being productive, in a manner of speaking. And Alan was excited about his schoolwork for the first time in a very long time. He was used to tuning out distractions on a rescue. How hard could it be to just ignore a little bit of music?

BANG.

Scott’s attention instantly moved to the source of the noise, too trained from years of rescue to ignore it. Gordon was standing theatrically in the middle of his open door as the opening chords of For the First Time in Forever filled the hallway, his toes tapping to the beat. Scott put his head in his hand as the lyrics started and Gordon began to theatrically mouth the lyrics as he danced and shimmied his way down to the lounge.

What had Scott done to deserve this?

Scott looked at the ceiling imploringly, as if he might find the answer to getting a little peace and quiet somewhere on the ceiling or beyond. Yet as Gordon continued to advance in the general direction of the kitchen, he made eye contact with Scott with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. He began to sing along with the song, grabbing one of his celery bars from the cupboard and using it as a microphone. Scott could feel the last of his nerves unravelling.

“Gordon, what are you doing?” Scott asked. Gordon looked at him, as if affronted.

“I’m singing along, obviously,” he said, the mischievous light in his eyes twinkling. Scott sighed.

“So I see,” he said, leaning back in his chair. “I wasn’t aware that helping Alan with his homework involved a sing-along.”

“Anything can involve a sing-along if you try hard enough,” Gordon responded with a flippant shrug, tearing open the wrapper of his celery snack. Scott sighed, knowing that when Gordon got into one of his mischievous moods, pushing back against him would only encourage him further and the mischief would increase. If nothing else, wrangling four younger brothers had given him the ability to find creative problem solving methods.  He rested his elbows on the arms of the chair and steepled hi s fingers as he considered the best tack to get Gordon to leave him to his work in peace.

“And this is helping Alan with his homework…how?” Gordon took another bite of his snack.

“Well, Alan and I have decided to look at Disney movies and debate the merits of blood family versus found family as an element in storytelling, with a focus on Frozen’s sisters and Big Hero 6’s team dynamics,” he said with a smile. Scott’s eyebrow shot up. That was…actually a lot deeper than he thought this project was going to go.

“That’s…actually really fascinating,” he said, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his desk. “I am excited to be the debate facilitator between the two of you. So I think it would be a great idea to continue your work back upstairs. With a closed door. And maybe some headphones.” From the grin that spread across his brother’s face, Scott knew that he had laid things on a little too thick. Gordon shook his head and shrugged, crumpling up the snack wrapper and shooting it at the waste basket. The wrapper circled the rim before bouncing out and rolling to a stop near Scott’s shoe.

“But Scott,” Gordon said, eyes twinkling with glee, “I don’t know if you know this, but love is an open door.” Scott barely managed to swallow a groan as he bent down to pick up the wrapper and drop it into the wastepaper basket.”  So this was how this was going to go. Scott looked up at his brother.

“Love might be an open door, but you the song doesn’t say anything about not using headphones,” he said.

“I knew you were going to say that. You might say our mental synchronization can—”

“No.” Scott wasn’t going to let this devolve any further than it already had. He wasn’t about to let Gordon go casually throwing around lyrics. He’d managed to avoid getting the songs stuck in his head this far and he wasn’t about to press his luck. Gordon folded his arms, his smile moving to an unconscious pout that Scott was all too familiar with from his younger days.

“Aw, come on, Scott. You never let me have any fun,” he said. This was also a phrase that Scott had heard uttered several times over the course of their childhood, though the fact that Gordon’s pout was replaced by the same mischievous smile almost as quickly as it had changed in the first place had Scott worried. Gordon put both of his arms behind his head and gave a light shrug. “I guess that your annoyance will all make sense when I am older.” Gordon giggled at his own joke as Scott frowned. Somehow, Scott felt that this was just the beginning of all of the song references.

“Gordon, please,” Scott entreated, knowing full well that it would only encourage his younger brother. “I’m trying to work.” Gordon’s smile widened.

“Still the same old work-a-holic,” he said. “I guess some things never change.” Scott massaged his temples. Gordon moved over and laid a hand on his brother’s shoulder. “C’mon Scott. Lighten up. You’ve been working yourself too hard over the last couple of days. Take a break. Go sit out by the pool. Enjoy the sun.” Scott held up a hand.

“Don’t tell me, it will thaw my frozen heart?”  Scott supplied. The surprise evident on Gordon’s face was enough to tell Scott that he had come up with that reference all on his own. Gordon let out a belly laugh and started to walk away.

“Looks like my work here is done,” he said as he headed out to the pool’s edge, closing the door behind him. Scott groaned to himself and rested his head on the desk. It was at this moment that Virgil walked into the lounge and frowned in confusion. Scott looked so utterly defeated. What had happened while he was out on rescue? He walked over and rested a hand on Scott’s shoulder.

“What’s wrong, Scott? Is everything ok?” he asked. Scott made a soft noise of frustration.

“I have been trying to get through the paperwork that the board at Tracy Industries has sent along regarding our most recent capital acquisitions and quarterly reports. And Gordon and Alan have been driving me mad with their intense ‘research’ into their topics for Alan’s debate homework,” he said. “I swear, I’m going to ban Disney movies from this house for the next month if they aren’t careful.” Virgil leaned on the edge of the desk.

“They’re just excited you let them do something fun. Things have been slow with the rescues recently and they’re happy that they have something constructive to do,” he reasoned, trying to soothe his brother’s rapidly fraying nerves. “I’ll talk to them if you want me to. See if I can’t get them to keep it to a dull roar.” Scott shook his head.

“No, I suppose you’re right,” he said. “I can do this, no matter if I’m hearing these songs for the thousandth time this week.” Virgil smiled.

“That’s it, Scott. Just let it go,” he said. Scott stood, his hands on the desk. He stalked away from Virgil, whose surprise was completely unhidden.

“If you need me, I’ll be checking with Brains about the upgrades for Thunderbird 1,” he said, disappearing before Virgil could process everything that had just happened.

Was it something he said?

#thunderbirds are go #scott tracy #gordon tracy #virgil tracy #irrelief2020 #irrelief #one of mine #fanfiction #my fanfiction

[renegade-skywalker]

Something that just occurred to me about the Star Wars sequel trilogy that just seems like another lost opportunity was the music, and no it’s absolutely NOT John Williams’ fault.

tl;dr: the sequel trilogy was a disappointing waste of not just the entire cast but John Williams post-TFA, thanks for coming to my ted talk

We have JOHN FUCKING WILLIAMS on board for this, right? He creates a new sweeping, emotional, and magical score for TFA. We have Rey’s twinkling theme (which I love and it still gives me goosebumps), we have Finn’s Confession theme which is reminiscent of Han Solo and the Princess while still being it’s own thing (the closest thing we get to a romantic theme, let’s be real here), and the reprises of classic themes like, as I just said, Han Solo and the Princess, are done in a way that have weight, they’re different from the original in the sense that it evokes the feeling of remembering those scores but not repeating them verbatim, like telling a favorite story to a new generation - which for TFA is wholly appropriate, think of the scene where Han tells Rey and Finn “It’s true, all of it”. And then we have the March of the Resistance, Kylo’s brooding theme which is not at like Vader’s percussive Imperial March but invokes the same amount of insidiousness, just more mysterious and less authoritative... These are all new themes that stand out yet fit right into the repertoire of Star Wars. We end the movie with the Jedi Steps, which is also a completely new score but with twinkling references to OT scores like Tales of a Jedi Knight but more grand and sweeping, and overall I honestly think TFA has such a magical and wonderful score overall and then to finish out the film with a new score that cuts to the classic Star Wars fanfare but also weaves in Rey’s new theme seamlessly is just brilliant. 

And then we have The Last Jedi... We are introduced to a new score, Rose’s theme, which is gentle and bittersweet, and stands out exactly where it needs to. But other than that... what? We heard The Force Theme/Binary Sunset track about a hundred times to the point that it loses meaning and nothing else has room to stand out. And then Rise of Skywalker... did we get any new musical features? I know a new score was made and it has its own soundtrack but watching the movie, nothing new stood out. We mainly just hear iterations of the same, mostly Original Trilogy re-hashings and call-backs, and Rey’s Theme again for good measure. Also, Rose’s theme never comes back and neither does Rose. What gives??? After TFA, I had various tracks stuck in my head without having to dig them up and find them. Even Rose’s theme stood out enough that I could hum along to it immediately after seeing TLJ.

But overall, the last two movies felt like they were musically holding on too tightly to the Original Trilogy despite their desires to “break away” from Star Wars narrative tradition. The other two trilogies bring us new music in every movie, whereas the sequel trilogy felt like it introduced its score in TFA and stopped trying after that. Now, this is NOT a criticism of John Williams, but I think it goes to show that neither TLJ or TRoS brought anything new to the table where it otherwise claimed it did. For instance, Phantom Menace had that killer of a bop Duel of Fates, but was it ever brought back again in Attack of the Clones or Revenge of the Sith? No. Attack of the Clones sweeps us into the turmoil of Anakin and Padme’s relationship with Across the Stars and Revenge of the Sith has its own sad and sinister scores in The Immolation Scene and The Battle of Heroes. We hear Vader’s Imperial March sparingly throughout the movies and only in very pivotal scenes. These scores underscore (pun intended) the character growth undertaken in each film, highlighting how the story is progressing. The original trilogy does the same. We don’t see The Imperial March until Empire when Vader is hellbent on vengeance against the Rebellion. Han Solo and the Princess plays off of Leia’s Theme from A New Hope and expands on it. Yoda and the Force (my favorite track ever honestly) draws inspiration from tracks like Tales of a Jedi Knight and the Force Theme, showing us that we are building onto what we’ve already learned in the previous movie, but adding an additional emotional layer to it and doing something different. Return of the Jedi introduces us to the Emperor’s droning and sinister theme, and when we see Yoda again, we get a new version of the music we heard during his scenes in the last movie. Not to mention all of the other killer scores like the entire Hoth Battle sequence, Boba Fett’s suite(The entirety of the Cloud City finale (Carbon Freeze/Vader’s Trap/Boba Fett) IS HAUNTING AND PERFECT AND AMAZING), the Parade of Ewoks and the Ewok Celebration music in RotJ, Jabba’s Sail Barge, there’s just so much. 

Yet, the themes from the sequel trilogy are used over and over again, reflecting how little the characters actually change. Rey doesn’t get any new music, nor Finn, or anyone else. We hear the same tracks we were introduced to in TFA and little else.

We don’t get that same growth in the sequels as we do in the original or prequel trilogies, that feeling of adding onto what we already know and want to learn. It reflects the movies’ inability themselves to decide on what it wants to be: something new? one big call-back? Why not both and neither at once! We didn’t even get the prequel trilogy soundtrack moments we were promised in TRoS. All in all... what gives?

tl;dr: the sequel trilogy was a disappointing waste of not just the entire cast but John Williams post-TFA, thanks for coming to my ted talk

#star wars #sorry feeling salty today

[blue-maiden4]

OPINION OF POKEMON SWORD/SHIELD

Now that I’m finally done with the game I can give all my honest thoughts and opinions about it!

I repeat: THIS IS A PERSONAL OPINION SO DON’T COME AND THROW HATE OR SOMETHING JUST BECAUSE YOU DON’T AGREE WITH IT

Oh, and there’s gonna be spoilers of the game

Now let’s begin with this thing that is going to be super long! (Putting it under read more)

First of all, this game was a wild ride. I really had fun during the whole adventure! I really don’t know where to start....

Soundtrack

 Dear lord they really outdone themsleves with it! It was amazing! It’s impossible for me to pic a fave ❤❤❤. From the battle themes to the overworld music, they made the whole journey better (though now that I think about it the did an outstanding job with the battle themes, they literally fill you up with hype and make the battles exciting)

Nevermind, my fave would  be the Second Phase of the Eternamax Battle.

Gym Challenge/Pokemon League

I. LOVED. IT.

At least the gym battles and torunament. They really knew how to include the Dynamax dynamic in them and made battles more exciting, add the whole ambience where you can hear the crowd screaming and cheering, and you get awesomeness.

And the idea of making a tournament where you have to battle the other challengers (the ones that made it to that point) and then gym leaders (some of them) before facing the champion, it just so original and like in the Anime.

I really hope they keep doing this in future games because it is better than only facing up four strong trainers and then the champion.

And did I mention how they make the Gym challenge a big deal? Seriously, people are ACTUALLY checking on you since the battles are apparently transmitted on TV or something, and people are rooting for you.

This region really gives Pokemon battles the importance it deserves, considering is one of the main aspects of the game and it’s world in general.

Difficulty

The game surely improved in this aspect (maybe not that much, but it’s better than in S/M), but they need to work in the AI.

Now, if I only I hadn’t accidentaly over-leveled my team, my pokemon would have probably been between level 52-60 (I always do some grinding before the League, so I’m not extremely under-leveled)

And when I refer to accidentally, I actually mean that I used the EXP candies which made my team reach level 70. (Just so you know, the champion’s pokemon are from LV 60-64)

So, if you want to make the game a little bit harder, don’t use the candies, and if you do, don’t use too many of them, espcecially the M and L ones.

Rivals

-Marnie: She got so little development, so I can’t really say that much about her.

-Bede: He is such a jerk, but I ended up liking him, he had some nice development. (He’s finally doing what he wants and at least accepting a little bit more his role as a Gym Leader)

-Hop: FINALLY! A FRIENDLY RIVAL WITH GOOD DEVELOPMENT! At the beginning he was annoying (just a little), but after he gets depressed ‘cause Bede said he put his brother to shame and blah blah blah, I really felt bad for him and wanted to hug him (And beat the shit out of Bede). And then after I defeated him on the tournament and looking how he was sad/angry but then accepted it, damn I seriously wanted to hug him even more. Then there is the post game, where we see the peak of his development, where he finally chooses his own path, but is still going to keep on battling....I’M SO PROUD OF MY BOY

Wild-Areas

They better keep the whole thing of the Pokemon roaming on the routes, ‘cause it’s awesome. But the way Pokemon appear as you move through the place....It’s so weird. They pop out of nowhere, there isn’t even like a slight animation or something. Though the same thing can be said for every section in the game. (I crashed TWICE against the Onix in Motostoke, cause I forgot where it was and with this pops out of nowhere thing well....)

I also find it weird how some Pokemon that are found in the water just jump out of it and that’s it (but this doesn’t apply to all of them luckily)

TM’s &TR’s

Okay, I’ve got mixed feelings with this one.

Now, remember how they made all TM’s reusable? Well, now only some moves are TM’s and the rest are TR’s.

And what exactly are TR’s? They are the same as Tm’s excpet that they can only be used ONCE and the only way to get them is as rewards of a Max Raid.

Honestly, this pissed me off (and it still does), but since Max Raid’s gives you Exp candies and objects that can be sold for money (like Star pieces, Nuggets, Comet shards...) it makes the search of some specific TR’s less painful (still it’s annoying, you have NO IDEA how long it took me to get the Ice Beam TR, and there’s a lot more moves that have become TR’s and that are the most useful and strong)

Poke-camp (or whatever it’s spelled)

Seeing your team interact with each other it’s fun, sadly it seems that my WHOLE team is ANTISOCIAL so I’ve never got to see that much how they get along -_-.

Story

Now this is one of the game’s flaws.

The story well...you literally know nothing about it ‘til the end of the game. You practically keep going with the adventure and then boom! Stuff happens.

Though I’m gonna say the Eternatus arch was cool, they at least executed well that part, heck it was the most epic part in the game but that was the only thing, but the story in general wasn’t well executed.

Graphics

They only need to improve in some of the animations and the look of some things. Other than that, the game looks good.

Pokedex

I’m gonna talk more specifically about the cut of some Pokemon.

First, you are all exaggerating. The cut of Pokemon wasn’t that bad, for heaven’s sake, I didn’t even feel it at all! 

Yeah it sucks what they did, but it’s nothing that can’t be fixed in the future.

And the Pokemon that can be found within the game aren’t that bad, some of the new Pokemon are really good as well.

(I can’t believe they made zigzagoon a good Pokemon, seriously, once that little guys evolves into Linoone and Obstagoon, it becomes a BEAST in battle)

Dynamax

At first I didn’t know how to feel about this mechanic, but I can say they knew how properly implement it in the game. (Though it is really OP, if you ask me)

I think that’s all, but I’m sure I left out some stuff

These games are good, and people are just throwing hate for stupid reasons (well maybe they’re not that stupid and have a point). But the game has potential that only needs to be improved.

I personally give it an 8/10 (or 7.5/10)

#pokemon #pokemon swsh #pokemon sword and shield #pokemon sword spoilers #pokemon sword #pokemon shield #personal opinion

[trishmilburn]

An Exploration of The Untamed’s Romance & Mystery, Episode 5

Disclaimer: This post and others in this series will be filled with loads of spoilers if you haven’t seen The Untamed, the Chinese drama based on Mo Xiang Tong Xiu’s novel, Mo Dao Zu Shi (The Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation). My chief interest in doing this series as I re-watch the drama is to chronicle the development of the romance between Wei Ying and Lan Zhan, but I also highlight the progression of the mystery that helps bring them together. Keep in mind that I’m writing these posts with the knowledge of what’s going to happen throughout the series and having read the novel. If you’d like to read my examinations of previous episodes, links are provided at the end of this post.

On to Episode 5…

We pick up where we left off at the end of Episode 4, with Wei Ying and Lan Zhan fighting at the back of the Cloud Recesses. Wei Ying tells Lan Zhan he thought he heard something and thinks someone might have snuck in. Lan Zhan grabs him and hauls him off to the library to serve out his punishment for being a bad boy.

Once in the library, we see bad boy Wei Ying copying the oh so many Lan Clan rules, and being very bored while doing it, so he starts to watch good boy Lan Zhan as he reads a book. Of course, “WangXian” is playing on the soundtrack and Wei Ying, even unknown to himself, looks smitten. But honestly, who wouldn’t be? Have you seen Wang Yibo as Lan Zhan? But I digress.

When Wei Ying compliments Lan Zhan’s calligraphy, he gets no response. After saying “Lan Wangji” a couple of times, he says “Lan Zhan” louder and finally draws his future love’s attention. But when he asks why Lan Zhan finds him so annoying, he once again gets no answer. (Here, I’ll answer for Lan Zhan: It’s because he’s drawn to you, and it annoys the fire out of him because you’re so not his type – or so he thinks.) Though Wei Ying apologizes for everything he’s done wrong so far, he points out that it’s not all his fault. After all, Lan Zhan hit him first the night Wei Ying snuck into the Cloud Recesses, bringing alcohol with him. He then gives us some more foreshadowing for when the story turns darker by saying, “I’m that kind of person who wouldn’t raise his hand against others unless they strike first.”

He asks Lan Zhan if he’ll give him the honor of looking at him (yes, this is totally a bro thing to ask), but Lan Zhan just tells him to copy the rules one more time because although Wei Ying has apologized, he feels no remorse. And then he uses the muting spell on Wei Ying yet again.

Next we see the brother-sister duo of Wen Ning and Wen Qing talking, and we get another reference to there being something wrong with Wen Ning. Wen Qing laments that though their family has practiced medicine for generations, she can’t even treat her own brother beyond the medicine he already takes. Then she promises him that she’ll take him away from Heavenly Nightless soon. We get another clue that he’s in danger there, that he’s being used or abused so that Wen Qing will do what Wen Ruohan wants her to.

Now back to the library, where this time it’s Lan Zhan looking up from his book to glance at Wei Ying working. But Wei Ying isn’t actually copying rules; he’s drawing Lan Zhan because, again, that’s totally a bro thing to do. No, Wei Ying is totally crushing on Lan Zhan but is just too dense to realize it yet. All those stares and grins and need to get closer to Lan Zhan, ostensibly to be the friend of this guy who isn’t giving him the time of day, are giving it away to anyone with a single clue. But, to give Wei Ying a bit of an out, who would have expected him to crush at first sight and on a guy when he’s always flirted with girls? When Wei Ying shows Lan Zhan the picture he’s drawn of him, Lan Zhan pronounces him “extremely childish.” What I think is really going on here is that Lan Zhan is wondering why someone would want to draw him. Perhaps he’s even touched somewhere deep inside, but he’s not self-aware enough to acknowledge that. But when he re-opens his book, any goodwill toward Wei Ying that might have been beginning to flicker is doused when he sees not the text he expects but a pornographic drawing. And that brings about the biggest expression change in Lan Zhan so far. His eyes go wide, and he leaps to his feet with an indignant “Wei Ying!” This all amuses Wei Ying mightily, and he tells Lan Zhan that he doesn’t believe he’s never seen anything like that before. Lan Zhan responds by telling him to get out of the library so they can fight, but Wei Ying says that fighting is prohibited in the Cloud Recesses, which just makes Lan Zhan angrier. So angry that he shreds the naughty book, much to Wei Ying’s anguish.

Next we see Wei Ying by the creek telling Nie Huiasang and Jiang Cheng about what happened in the library and how he thinks it calls for a celebration that he was the first one to cause Lan Zhan to lose control that way. Jiang Cheng, predictably, says that it’s nothing to be proud of and, “Our family’s reputation is gone because of you.” Wei Ying tells him that he already apologized to Lan Zhan but that he didn’t accept it and muted him. “What’s wrong with me teasing him?” Nothing, sweetie.

They suddenly become aware that something odd is in the nearby trees, and Wei Ying throws a paper talisman that direction. One of the Wens’ spying birds, which looks like it’s made up of black smoke, takes flight. They wonder why it’s there. Nothing good, that’s for sure.

Lan Zhan is telling Xichen that the energy barrier at the back of the mountain keeps getting disturbed. Xichen asks if he’s been able to determine who has been back there, and after a telling hesitation he admits it’s Wei Ying. Again we see one of those knowing grins from big brother Lan when he sees how much this information bothers little brother Lan. I think Xichen has been shipping WangXian since he first saw those two in the same room together. Lan Zhan asks if he should strengthen the barrier, but Xichen says it was set up by their ancestors and should be fine as long as “she” doesn’t go there. Lan Zhan asks, “She?” But Xichen says they’ll talk about that later. The she is a big reveal later down the road.

A Lan disciple, Su She (hate that guy, you’ll understand why later), shows up and tells the Lan brothers that a villager from Colorful Robes Town (also known as Caiyi) reported evil water spirits causing trouble in a nearby lake.

Wei Ying and Jiang Cheng go to see Yanli at her lodgings but are surprised when Wen Qing is the one who opens the door. You can tell Jiang Cheng is harboring a crush of his own when he grins like a fool upon seeing her. I don’t blame him. She’s beautiful. This crush makes me sad though because I know what lies ahead for them – sacrifice for her and betrayal for him. Despite the fact that I’m eventually going to want to knock Jiang Cheng into next week for being such a damn, self-centered fool, even fully hating him for a while, there’s this other part that harbors the fantasy that if things had just gone a different way he and Wen Qing might have found happiness and made beautiful babies together.

They learn that Wen Qing is there because Yanli hasn’t been feeling well. When Wen Qing sees the close, affectionate bond between Yanli and Wei Ying, it reminds her of her own bond with Wen Ning.

Next we see Wei Ying, Jiang Cheng and Wen Qing catching up with the Lan brothers, asking to go along with them to deal with the water monsters for the experience since they don’t have classes for the next few days. Lan Zhan says no, that it’s against the rules and there’s no need, but Xichen overrules him to Lan Zhan’s well-contained but obvious surprise. (Shippers gotta do what shippers gotta do.) When Wen Ning shows up, wanting to go as well, Wen Qing tries to get him to go back and rest like she told him to, but Wei Ying speaks up for his archery skill and that he should be allowed to come along. Xichen agrees to let him accompany them as well.

While on the road to Caiyi, Lan Zhan asks Xichen why he’s allowing the others to go with them. Xichen replies he could tell Lan Zhan wanted the two young lords of the Jiang Clan to come along. He asks his little brother, “Isn’t that so?” Lan Zhan says nothing in reply. The fact that he doesn’t disagree with his brother shows that Xichen can read what he’s thinking despite what he says.

When we see Lan Zhan and Wei Ying shown to their room at an inn along the way, I wondered why exactly these two are sharing a room. Wouldn’t it make more sense for them to share with their brothers? But maybe  Xichen and Jiang Cheng get private rooms since Xichen is his clan leader and Jiang Cheng is next in line to be his. It won’t be the last time – or the most memorable one – that Lan Zhan and Wei Ying share a room at an inn. (This is an even truer statement when referring to the book, which includes a scene that had to be left out of the drama unless they wanted to be shut down by the government censors immediately and perhaps even locked up.) They are shown to their present room by perhaps the laziest innkeeper ever. Despite the fact that he says they’re the first guests he’s had since the lake started eating people, and thus he’s had plenty of time to clean the room, he hasn’t done so and tells them to do it themselves. Rude!

Meanwhile, another fisherman is taken under by the mysterious lake monster. Dude, why are you night fishing on a lake that’s eating people?! I guess Nessie was hungry.

The next day, Wei Ying asks Xichen if he thinks the evil water spirits and the spiritual absorption issues are connected, but he doesn’t really get a satisfactory answer. So after offering Lan Zhan a drink while Xichen walks ahead, he asks Lan Zhan if there’s been any progress with the spiritual absorption issue. Lan Zhan responds simply, “None.” Oh, Lan Zhan, man of few words. Wei Ying says he feels as if Xichen knows something that he’s keeping from them, and he sees something in Lan Zhan’s expression that says he thinks the same. But when he presses Lan Zhan on this point, Lan Zhan simply takes his jug of wine and pours it out on the road, saying, “Drinking alcohol is prohibited when monster hunting.”

They arrive at Blue Spiritual Lake and board boats, typically one or two people per boat. Xichen is in the front, and there are four people in his boat, Su She among them. But I had to laugh at the last boat filled with seven people. I imagined the director saying, “Okay, all you unnamed Lan extras, in this boat.” I wouldn’t have been surprised if they ended up being eaten, the redshirts of Gusu.

So we’re on a foggy lake looking for man-eating monsters, and still Wei Ying looks over at Lan Zhan wearing that “I like him” smile. Then he notices Lan Zhan’s boat is displacing too much water, meaning that one of the monsters is hanging onto the bottom. So that the creature doesn’t catch on and either get away or endanger Lan Zhan, Wei Ying pretends to goof off by using his paddle to fling water at Lan Zhan. As soon as Lan Zhan leaps from his boat toward Wei Ying’s, the creature flips his boat. Wei Ying walks forward to be next to Lan Zhan and says that he wasn’t purposefully splashing water at him and that they can be even now. Lan Zhan moves away and says for Wei Ying to stay farther away from him. Xichen’s little knowing grin comes out again at this interchange. It really is like Wei Ying is flirting and Lan Zhan is determined not to return his feelings. This distance he puts between them is more evidence that Lan Zhan deliberately puts up a barrier around himself, physically and emotionally.

After Wei Ying kills one of the monsters, which I have to say looks like sentient seaweed, with his sword, Lan Zhan looks reluctantly impressed and asks him the name of his sword. When Wei Ying replies that it’s Subian (translated as “Whatever”), he has to explain that it is indeed the sword’s name, not that he’s just saying, “Whatever” in a flippant way.

One of the weedy monsters attacks and injures Jiang Cheng’s leg, and Wen Qing leaps over to his boat to treat him. Cue more crushing by Jiang Cheng. Pretty cultivator girl has healing skills. What’s not to like, right? Well, other than her kinfolk back at Heavenly Nightless.

When the creatures start gathering together, trying to lead all the boats to the middle of the lake, Lan Zhan says all the cultivators should immediately return to shore. Then Wei Ying figures out that the creatures are forming a waterborne abyss that will suck all the boats under, so Lan Zhan says they should abandon the boats and ride their swords. Everyone leaps up into the air to board their swords except Su She, who sends his sword into the abyss, trying to kill the creatures. (Oh, why couldn’t he have gone with that sword?) When he’s unable to recall his sword to escape, Wen Ning moves forward to help him. Seeing this, Wei Ying dives down to save Wen Ning. But when Wen Ning turns around and his eyes are completely white right before he faints, this shocks Wei Ying. Lan Zhan realizes the danger all three men are in and dives down to bring them all up into the air. That Lan Zhan, he’s handy to have around. But Wei Ying, being Wei Ying, has to tease a bit and asks why Lan Zhan is holding him by his collar when he can hold his hand instead. But Lan Zhan replies, “I don’t like touching strangers.” Well, that’s nonsense, Wei Ying basically says because they are well-acquainted. However, Lan Zhan disagrees.

Xichen plays his magical xiao and sends a spell toward the abyss. Right after, we see another of those freaky Wen smoke birds flying away. Yeah, that’s not suspicious at all.

Back at the inn later, Wen Ning is still unconscious and Wei Ying is checking his eyes, which are back to normal. When Wen Qing enters the room, he asks if Wen Ning had any past experiences that make him so easily affected by evil spirits. When she doesn’t answer, he figures he’s hit close to the truth. He gives her a protective amulet for Wen Ning and leaves.

Jiang Cheng is walking through the village when he passes a vendor hawking hair accessories. When she tells him hairbrushes symbolize yearning, he pauses. He’s certainly been yearning. We’re going to see the comb he buys again.

Once Wen Ning is awake, they all go out on boats in the canal that runs through the town. The way they don’t have to paddle and the slow pace at which they are moving reminds me of the It’s a Small World ride at Disney World. Wei Ying is reclining eating loquats like he doesn’t have a care in the world. Xichen, who is in the boat in front of Wei Ying’s along with Lan Zhan, asks his brother what he’s thinking about. Lan Zhan replies the waterborne abyss. Xichen wears another one of those tiny knowing smiles right before Lan Zhan admits that what Wei Ying said about there possibly being a connection between the lake monsters and the spirit absorption isn’t unreasonable. He asks Xichen if there are any clues about a connection, and his brother replies that he isn’t sure but hopes there isn’t. Because if it’s what he thinks then it’s possible they might not be able to stop it.

Meanwhile, Wei Ying gets that flirty mischief in his eyes again and calls out to Lan Zhan, who is standing ramrod straight (as opposed to Wei Ying’s reclining), to have a loquat and tosses it at him. Lan Zhan catches it, says no thanks, and tosses it back, all without looking at Wei Ying. Xichen says that if Lan Zhan wants a loquat, he can buy a basket full. Lan Zhan says he doesn’t want it. Yeah, I feel like we’re talking about more than fruit here.

The parting shot is Wei Ying grabbing a couple of jugs of Emperor’s Smile and tossing down payment as he passes. Considering the fact that Lan Zhan poured out the wine he had earlier in their trip and the Lans are right in front of him, I can imagine the look of mischief, sneaky satisfaction and barely contained laughter on his face as he does this. It’s also both sad and sweet when I think about how much Lan Zhan’s view of Wei Ying’s love for this particular alcohol will change as the story progresses. But for now, we’ll just enjoy the gradual development of their feelings for each other.

Previous posts in this series:

Episode 1

Episode 2

Episode 3

Episode 4

#the untamed #wei ying #wei wuxian #lan zhan #lan wangji #wangxian #lan xichen #jiang cheng #jiang yanli #grandmaster of demonic cultivation #mdzs #mo dao zu shi #wen ning #wen qing

[rwbyconversations]

RWBY Volume 6 Vocal Songs review

Well, we finally have it people- the Volume 6 soundtrack is out. And hopefully this time Spotify mains won’t feel left in the corner like the Ladybug fandom does during the inter-RWBY shipping discussions.

I’ll say overall I adored the songs this year and there weren’t any duds- in fact this is probably my new overall favorite lyric soundtrack since Volume 4, which was just overflowing with bangers. This year was similarly jam-packed, with every new song being the usual outstanding fare that RWBY has become known for.

... and then there’s the remixes which continue to be absolutely awful and will never go onto my playlists but this is the token mention of the remixes. Why do they keep doing them, the only good one’s been Sacrifice.

But regardless, this is my review of all the vocal songs in Volume 6. Enjoy! (forward warning I’m not a music critic so don’t expect anything too deep here)

All GIFs were made by @edelblume​, someone actually proficient in talking musical theory.

1) Rising

Rising was already one of my favorite openings to date for RWBY, if for no other reason than the superb opening animation itself. But fortunately, the song itself more than met my expectations. Featuring an incredibly strong riff from Jeff from Alex along with a surprising synth appearance in places, Rising kicks off the soundtrack with gusto, a defiant acknowledgement that their road is faced with a permeating darkness, but it won’t last, and much as nature simply knows how to be, they were born with the knowledge to do the right thing and stand against evil. For they are paragons, and death can’t hold them down for long. After years of ranking Time To Say Goodbye as my favorite opening of the show, Rising supplants it and takes its new spot on the throne.

2) Miracle

Miracle was a surprise- for the first time since Volume 3 and It’s My Turn, we got a new song in the premiere alongside the opening itself, capping off RWBY, Oscar and Qrow’s desperate struggle to buy the Argus Limited time to escape with its civilian cargo. It’s a much bleaker song than Rising, coming right as the heroes are about to have their senses of morality tested by the truths that Ozpin had been hiding from them for years. Miracle laments how they’re running out of time and that their own triumphs don’t matter- a reckoning is near and they have to answer the question of whether or not the path they’ve been walking was the right one, or just one made of lies. As the heroes scramble for a miracle, they’re dismayed to find that none’s in sight, but as they realize they’re fighting on the sight of light and all that’s good in the world, they’re determined to stand and fight until their miracle arrives.

Miracle can be seen as a proper theme song for the first half of Volume 6, as it more deeply examines the themes of the volume, especially the team’s inner conflict. The final verse especially can be seen as almost an abridging of the Brunswick arc, as the team reach their lowest points and despair at how nothing they do is worth anything before they take a breather and decide that even if the end time are coming, they’ll face it head on and give it a bloody nose before it consumes everything, still hoping for that miracle to arrive- just like a young silver eyed girl arrived in Brunswick to cleanse its tainted halls of apathy. 

Miracle was a surprising song back in October last year, and now that it’s out in full it’s honestly my favorite song lyrically on the track. It’s a perfect assessment of the situation the heroes wind up in this volume, capping off with their blunt refusal to let the end take them quietly. 

3) Lionized

I know they spell it Lionize but I don’t care, they say Lionized in the song for Christ’s sake! 

I’ve been waiting for this song for nearly an entire year since RTX and the short that won me back onto RWBY, and fortunately Lionized didn’t disappoint. Adam finally got his solo song to bow out his character after sharing From Shadows with Blake, and much like his character short, it offers a compelling, if truncated, account of his rise and fall into darkness. 

While Amity Arena’s bio had already revealed Adam’s early life to be horrific- born into slavery in an SDC dust mine, dreaming of looking up at the sky with his own two eyes one day- Lionized also makes no point of hiding the details, having the lyrics open with Adam reflecting on how he was “Insulted and reviled, Enthralled by human overlords since I was a child” (which gives off serious vibes of Adam being a sex abuse victim as a child to me and Jesus Christ). That punishment broke Adam and drove him mad in his desire to make humanity pay for what it had done to him and the hundreds of thousands of Faunus in those mines. 

Jeff kills it in this song- it’s easily my new favorite solo from him as we get a deep dive into what drove Adam past the brink of madness, as his revenge dovetails into building him up and making him more of a figurehead than an actual hero- “Watch them fall as I am glorified,” “You’ll see, I’m their hero/I’m here, I’m your savior, I’ll be lionized!” And the guitars are something else, a constantly churning ripping and shredding beat that combines with Jeff’s voice sounds like a feral animal about to attack. And if there’s one way to get me hype for a villain in anime, grab some guitars and start shredding. 

While Miracle might be my favorite song of the OST on a lyrical level, Lionized just knows how to get me hyped and this’ll probably be the one that gets the most replays on my playlist. It captures the old spirit of RWBY’s original music and delivers with a rip-roaring track that matches its narrators madness with shredding gusto.

4) Big Metal Shoe

I had no expectations for Big Metal Shoe. In fact I figured this would be the weak link of the soundtrack. Surely what seemed to just be a diss track at a villain I wasn’t especially fond of wouldn’t make for a good song, right?

And then we got Caffeine 2.0 and... it was actually kinda good. Again, I’m a simple man- throw some guitars at me and I’ll smile and nod like a kid watching fireworks. This sound wound up being a fun little darkhorse for the soundtrack, alongside a seeming self-imposed challenge by Williams and Abraham to make as many fairytale references in two and 3/4 minutes as physically possible. 

There is one downside though- this song’s actually incomprehensible. I don’t understand half of it. Jeff and Casey have this problem a lot of the time where it’s hard to understand them but this is just peak “Are you even speaking English anymore?” And then Lamar shows up for the Token Lamar Rap Verse that every RWBY OST includes and then it gets even worse.

While I wasn’t expecting much from Big Metal Shoe, it still made for a fun few minutes. Now I can’t wait for Flynt’s lyric video so I understand most of the song! 

5) Forever Fall

RWBY’s track record with ballads can be generously described as “hit or miss.” For every Cold or Home, we have Wings or All That Matters. Forever Fall has a crucial advantage over those weaker examples in that I actually like most of the characters featured in the song. Being about Pyrrha encouraging Jaune from beyond the veil while Jaune struggles to press on, much as she did in the Boundless Jaune Amity Arena bio, it’s a somber tune, and easily one of the better attempts Jeff and Casey have made at a slower, more quiet song. I’m not the biggest fan of how RWBY has handled Pyrrha’s death since Volume 3, sometimes it feels a little like they keep JNR around just to more easily have access to angst fuel for it, but Forever Fall definitely helped set the bitter stage for the statue scene, which does still stand as one of the better scenes of Volume 6 (even if it does lose some of its weight once you realize Pyrrha probably wouldn’t have actually liked the statue due to her hatred of being put on a pedestal). Casey knocks it out of the park with her voice and the piano plays a beat on many a fan’s heart. 

I’m especially fond of the theory that this isn’t so much a Pyrrha singing to Jaune song as it’s a song that can symbolise both of them at the same time. Credit to the crew for that.

6) One Thing

Neo’s far from my favorite character in RWBY, and I’ve made no secret of how I think she’s dreadfully overhyped outside of being a good luck charm for well animated fights. Luckily for her and fans then, her charm status made it into Maya unscathed, and Neo was protected by the universal rule of soundtracks.

The villain songs are always really fucking good.

Casey finally lives out her dream of voicing Neo in One Thing, a bitter revenge fantasy where Neo makes no reservations about how much she’ll love putting down anyone and everyone responsible for Roman’s death. She talks (heh) of how she had nothing before Roman came- not a voice, not a home, maybe not even a name if I’m hearing that one line right. “Then a brand new flame brought a brand new name.” 

Add in a badass as all hell chorus and Neo jumped up a few places in my personal RWBY polls thanks to the presentation of her musical debut alone, to say nothing of her fantasies about killing Cinder (can relate). One Thing shows just how effective a great song can be, setting the scene for a fantastic fight scene, a solid return for a fandom-beloved character and then even making someone who considered her the Boba Fett of RWBY start to like her. I’m eager to learn more of Neo’s past before she met Roman, whenever that day comes.

(btw is it bad if I kinda ship Neo and Roman now?)

7) Nevermore

I don’t have a lot to add that hasn’t been said since the finale aired- it’s a pretty great song and a fantastic closer for the volume, I hope Atlas means we finally stop getting Blake or Yang-focused credit songs because this was the third in a row and it’s getting tiring, the disconnect between the writers and actors calling Adam “the worst” while the songs and bios paint a far more complex picture is a bit of an odd disconnect that I hope doesn’t repeat if they ever remember that Cinder’s an abuser too. 

8) Armed and Ready Acoustic

Nice song, shame it’s gonna get ruined by all the fucking Beehaw/Yorse jokes. You weren’t funny in February, you’re not funny now. You’re not even worth a comment about beating a dead horse. Not sure I like the acoustic going full country but whatever. Wake me up when I’m The One gets the acoustic treatment.

9) Indomitable

Indomitable was the song I was probably the most hyped for in the V6 OST alongside or even surpassing Lionized. Ruby’s Silver Eyes scene was a strong contender for the best scene of the season and single-handedly made up for what otherwise could have been a Breach-level anticlimax of a finale, and part of what made it work was Indomitable, the short but powerful song that played as Ruby gave Bubbles The Leviathan both ocular barrels. Ruby finally getting a song after five straight albums was ambrosia to my soul, after years of having to make due with “Maybe Ruby’s song is meant to be the OP?” as Weiss, Blake and Yang got song after song after song, oftentimes getting multiple songs in a single year (Hi Yang. Stop hogging the jukebox. Please.). Finally, I thought, she’d get a track, and one that appeared to be about her accepting her role as the light standing against the darkness, all capped off with a beautiful quiet tribute to Monty in the form of his old blog quotes about the human spirit.

So I must admit, when I listened to Indomitable proper, I was... disappointed on the first listen. It’s still a lovely song, but it wasn’t what I hoped and wanted it to be and it took a little while to appreciate it in spite of that.

Indomitable is a tribute song to Monty, a la Cold from Volume 3. But while Cold had a double meaning that made it work in and out of universe (being a song from CRWBY mourning Monty that could also reflect on Jaune mourning Pyrrha), Indomitable is far less connected to RWBY in-universe unless Ruby had a dream offscreen where she met a tired looking guy who made worlds based off his ketchup stains then woke up and made a Christian Rock song out of it. 

Rather sadly for me at least, this also hurts the original Indomitable scene in question as well. It doesn’t truly fit the original scene now, as much as it did when we thought the song was about Ruby recognizing her spirit. It was a great way to cap off a volume that was overall great for Ruby. As she finally got to take center stage as protagonist in her own show, we finally got a new song about her standing unyielding against the darkness. What was a great character moment for Ruby has now rather sadly been hurt by the song. Not terribly, I still love the climax of Volume 6. But now the song just feels a touch out of place.

I know some people have already been rather critical of anyone who didn’t like the song because it wasn’t what they wanted (I’ve seen a fair few people express disappointment that the song wasn’t the Ruby-focused song the chorus and placement in the show led us to believe) and that tired old “subverting expectations” argument came up. To which I must reply that “What did you expect me to take from a song showing up during Ruby’s most powerful moment, that the song was actually about Port?” While what we got was still a powerful song that makes for an interesting trilogy of songs of RWBY dealing with Monty’s death in Cold, Let’s Just Live and Indomitable, I think Ruby’s fanbase especially are very fairly allowed to be disappointed that they were stripped of the chance to finally get her first focus song in half a decade. Instead we get another Ruby song where she’s not even the real focus (much like Blake’s trailers get hijacked by her supporting cast, Ruby’s songs get hijacked by anyone within a mile of the recording booth),  

I still liked Indomitable, and it does become a stellar song after the first chorus.. It still has Ruby’s overall attitude and the lyrics do still allow one to reflect on Ruby and her growth over Volumes 1-3 and 6. It’s a lovely, touching and very emotional tribute to Monty and a rousing anthem to celebrate his legacy (wait does this mean Indomitable breaks the Monty Rule? ;) ) and had it been a simple bonus track that we only learned about when the OST dropped a la BMBLB or Dream Come True it would have been a lot better in my opinion. We still got a lovely song and in the heat of the moment, it worked really well for Ruby. But at this point, I really just want a new inarguable Ruby song above all else, and this probably should have been kept as a bonus song instead of being used in-show. Still good, but I’m just a bitter bitch and wanted something else

Conclusion and ranking

Volume 6′s vocal tracks were a near-perfect selection this year. After Volume 5′s tracklist was more comparatively disappointing (Smile and This Time are the only ones I’d really go back to at this point), the V6 tracklist was far more impressive and a near constant streak of home runs. While Indomitable wasn’t what I hoped and wanted it to be, it was still a touching tribute to Monty and proof that his soul lives on in RWBY. If Jeff, Alex and Casey are as on fire next year as they were this year, the wait for the Volume 7 OST will be even more painful. Round of applause for the music team this year, they did a stellar job and I wish them all the best for Volume 7. 

1) Miracle 2) Lionized 3 One Thing 4) Rising 5) Forever Fall 6) Nevermore 7) Indomitable 8) Acoustic Armed and Ready  9) Big Metal Shoe 10) The music that played during Merc and Em’s scene in Lost.  10) The godawful Triumph and Path to Isolation remixes. Please. Leave the songs alone, I hate Volume 5 but even it didn’t deserve that torture. 

Thank you for reading. 

#rwby #rwby volume 6 #rwby volume 6 soundtrack #rwby volume 6 ost #rising #miracle #lionized #forever fall #one thing #indomitable #big metal shoe #nevermore #armed and ready #ruby rose #neopolitan #rwby analysis #rwby review

[secret-diary-of-an-fa]

Hidden Gems of the Silver Screen (And, to a Lesser Extent, the Telly)

It can’t have escaped your notice that the majority of my more recent posts (and fuck knows I’m not posting regularly at the moment) are about movies and TV. The reason for that is pretty simple: 2019 has, surprisingly, yielded some great movies and TV... and also some really torrid shite. On the one hand, films like Ma, Brightburn and The Perfection continue to breathe new life into the horror genre. On the other hand, sci-fi as a cinematic and televised thing continues to ignore its actual audience in favour of sniffing its own farts in a sound-proof chamber designed specifically for next-level virtue-signalling. One thing I will say about the dreck of 2019 is that it’s interesting dreck, at least so far. Another Life, for example, isn’t just bad: it’s mind-bogglingly, fascinatingly bad, as though someone set out to make the worst TV series imaginable and accidentally created a portal to another dimension made entirely of crap.

With all the amazingly wonderful and transifxingly terrible visual media on offer lately, it’s easy to forget that there’s a rich repository of films and TV series from just a few years ago that you’ve probably never watched. You see if you, like me, are a snooty, card-carrying member of the elitist intelligentsia, you probably missed films and TV series that looked dumb as soup on the surface on the grounds that they weren’t worth your time. Luckily for you, I’ve dived nose-first into the detritus of our dying culture, so you don’t have to, and I’ve ferreted out the diamonds from the pig-swill. Without further ado, I’d therefore like to present my list Easily Overlooked Gems.

1. Mandy The phrase “Nicholas Cage stars in a sword-and-sorcery rape/revenge thriller” does not inspire confidence. It’s therefore easy to ignore Mandy and the promptly forget it ever existed. Which is a shame, because it’s kind of a work of genius. The plot is exactly what you’d expect: a cult kidnaps, rapes and kills Cage’s girlfriend, Mandy, and Cage sets out on a mission of revenge culminating in a blood-bath. The nature of the revenge quest is what puts a sting in the film’s tail- or tale, if you’re feeling puntastic. You see, a lot of the bad guys exist in a constant hallucinatory haze after taking a drug that sent them mad after one dose. In order to fight on their level, Cage has to take a dose too. As a result, the world around him slowly but surely transforms into a nightmare landscape that looks like a cross between a D&D illustration and the cover of a heavy metal album and his grubby, personal mission of fury takes on the unmistakable resonance of a Conan-esque hero’s quest. By the end of the film, you have to wonder if Cage has actually slipped into some sort of alternate dimension or if he’s just lost his game-pieces completely. In places, it’s nearly as painful to watch as Landmine Goes Click (crikey, there’s one for the history buffs) but it looks and feels like Beyond the Black Rainbow. Worth your attention just because of how weird it is. I give it a solid four-out-five decapitated rapists.

2. Baby Driver Nothing about Baby Driver suggested it would be a good film: the way it was advertised as a car-chase movie trying to be cute; the stupid title; the fact that it came and went through cinemas like a fart in the night. Which is a shame, because it’s secretly brilliant. It’s a highly stylised crime film populated with the archest archetypes money can buy (to the point where some of the dialogue has a weirdly beat-poetic feel to it). It’s saturated colour palette and off-beat affect actually have something of a full-colour Jim Jarmusch flick about them. The hook, of course, is that the lead character (only ever referred to as Baby, because he’s got a punchably youthful face) has tinnitus and therefore has to listen to music constantly to drown at the buzzing in his head. The practical upshot of this is that a) every single scene is overlayed with surprisingly great and situationally appropriate music and b) he goes through life like he’s always dancing, so his way of moving lends to the film’s easy-going sense of flow. It also explains where his preternatural driving skills come from (I mean, not really, but within the context of the plot): he’s used to sliding effortlessly into patterns and rhythms because of the music thing. All of this could make a terrible film, of course, but execution is everything and, to everyone’s surprise, especially mine, this flick was executed with an astonishing level of panache. I rate it ten out of ten grizzly motor way pile ups.

3. Nightflyers It’s not just films that get overlooked as the tide of culture washes back and forth, like a great big sea of effluent. TV series also vanish unduly into the dustbin of history. Case in point, the criminally underappreciated Nighrflyers: Netflix pre-Another Life sci-fi offering that was actually good. It’s a pretty classic set-up: a group of mismatched wing-nuts on a spaceship, all of whom have secrets that that will threaten to tear them apart while they try to make contact with an alien life-form. What elevates Nightflyers is just how fuck-uped the cast are. There’s an angry British psychic whose spent his whole life in captivity in case he goes full Scanners on somebody’s head, a guy who only ever appears as a hologram for reasons too twisted to explain here, his evil mother whose uploaded her mind to the ship’s computer and gone batshit crazy, a genetic superbeing and a hacker who can send her mind into computers via a dodgy implant and who may or may not be drifting out of touch with the human condition. It’s great. 6 and half billion out of 7 billion monkeys, boiling in the void.

4. Hardcore Henry No, I don’t know who thought that title was a good idea either, but the point is that Hardcore Henry has no motherfucking right to kick as much arse as it does. It was clearly made on a budget that would embarrass a Youtube shampoo commercial, but it just flat-out rocks. Shot entirely in first-person, it follows the adventures of a mute cyborg as he seeks revenge against the bastard psychic entrepreneur who first built him then tried to kill him. Along the way, his main ally is a dude who keeps dying and coming back to life in a series of identical bodies but with radically different personalities and haircuts (this is eventually explained, but I’m not going to spoil it for you). It’s premise is demented, it’s surprisingly well-choreographed and its soundtrack is an aphrodisiac for your ears. Also, Tim Roth is in it, so that’s just yer seal of quality right there. It came out to a lot of fanfare and many, many cinema trailers back in the day and was then promptly forgotten about as soon as it launched. So I’m dragging it kicking and screaming back into the limelight. It’s on Netflix right now, so go watch it. I rate it a solid 11 out of 15 creepy duplicates of Tim Roth.

5. Upgrade Another lesser-known film about a cyborg. Unlike Henry, however, this cyborg’s life doesn’t so much ‘rock’ as ‘suck balls’. He gets crippled and then ends up with a sentient computer chip in his head that allows him to remote-control his own body despite not having a working spine anymore. Naturally, his experimental tech attracts the attention of some unsavoury characters and he and his brain-chip have to work together to figure out what’s going on, often through a series of ultra-violent, gory fight-scenes that horrify the protagonist himself. Of course, all might be well, except that the head-chip is a homicidal little shit that clearly has its own agenda. I give it at least 0000 0111 out of 0000 1001 painstakingly restored vintage kill-bots.

6. The Tick The Tick isn’t as overlooked as everything else on this list, especially since there have been a couple of previous televised incarnations of the franchise to lay the groundwork. However, I still feel like the modern iteration doesn’t quite get the love it deserves, so I’m throwing it out here. Following the adventures a mad, amnesiac and possibly stupid superhero and his neurotic sidekick, The Tick explores a world where superheroes aren’t the paragons of good from classic comics, the corrupt psychotics of The Boys or Watchmen, or the eternally struggling, walking moral life-lessons of modern cinema. Instead, they’re just ordinary people operating at various levels of competence/incompetence and mental illness and working within a bureaucratic, wildly inefficient framework. That might not sound like a recipe for a successful TV series, but it really is. Drawing out the mundane, human side of heroes and villains against the backdrop of cataclysmic, civilisation-threatening events makes for infinitely compelling and very, very funny viewing. It’s kind of doing for the superhero genre what Futurama did for sci-fi a few years back. It’s also where the phrase and/or popular song ‘seven billion monkeys boiling in the void’ comes from. My rating is four out of five sapient, homosexual boats (which will make sense when you watch it).

7. The Void Amid the high-budget horror extravaganzas of recent years, it’s easy to forget about the void, which feels like the best story H.P. Lovecraft never wrote and looks like David Chronenberg tried to adapt a Heironimous Bosch painting... in the ‘80s. The actual plot concerns a group of people getting trapped in a hospital by murderous cultists and discovering dark secrets and, arguably, a whole other dimension in its basement. You’re not exactly there for the plot though: The Void is a mood-piece and an exercise in visual FX craftsmanship. You’re there to drink in the atmosphere and see what each new cosmic horror looks like. I am delighted to award it ten out of ten unspeakable whisperers in the darkness. That’s enough for two barbershop quartets, an emcee and a supporting act.

8. Happy Death Day It’s Groundhog Day but as a horror film starring a really annoying lass in her late teens has to keep dying horribly until she learns to stop being such a terrible person... and also kill her murderer with a little help from her newly-minted, non-cunty friend. There’s a sequel that I haven’t seen yet, but the original is a low-key, oft-overlooked delight. I give it 9 out of 11 suspiciously similar corpses.

#Secret Diary of a Fat Admirer #films #tv shows #movies #Mandy #Baby Driver #Nightflyers #The Tick #The Void #Tick #happy death day #Upgrade

[i-am-here-with-fanfic]

TOSHI X READER: The Perfect Model

A/N: Apparently I forgot how to title so here you go.

I AM ALSO SO SORRY TO POST SO LATE. @fandomhell97 had sent ne this request before ....March April? I know it was the 15th because that was my spring break but i didnt have time to write it and edit it in less than a week cuz training.

SO I GIVE YOU THIS TO APOLOGIZE TO YOU.

Edit: May 10, 2019 9:40PM: @starrylegend helped me a lot editing like 3.8/4 of the story!! Yay, belated credit 😰😅😅😅 *nervous laugh*

~

It was a strange thing, feeling so attached to your drawings. You always had a sense of pride and happiness from your years of practice, sketching whatever caught your eye around the world; however, you were most grateful for the fact that the perfect model came to you.

Toshinori Yagi.

With you two being partners sharing a household, there were many opportunities to sketch his gorgeous face, fluffy hair, and insecure body. After his final battle with All For One, though, Toshinori had fallen into a state of despair, and you remained by his side until he felt better; even if it meant you had to delay your sketching to tend to your boyfriend.

He was resting in bed, despite his complaints to do anything else but rest. Fortunately, you managed to convince him otherwise.

Laying beside Toshi, you held his head in your lap, caressing his face, trying to lull him to sleep. You were captivated by his looks; the bags under his eyes from the lack of sleep; stress; and who knows what else. ... While still gently stroking along his jawline, you admired the sharp angles of his chin and the shadows that danced across beautiful cyan eyes, your boyfriend finally succumbing to the need to sleep.. You leaned forward to press your lips against his recently moisturized ones, but he woke up, surprised and adorably shy.

“W-why did you do that?” He asked, his cheeks turning a pale rose as he averted his eyes.

You smiled, holding him closer. “You tempted me with that gorgeous face,” you say before assaulting him with a shower of kisses, causing him to laugh softly and grin as he took every kiss to the depths of his soul, feeling a boost from your kindness.

He shifted around until he nuzzled into your abdomen, wrapping his good arm around you.

That image was burned into your mind and you thanked a force out there that you were capable of remembering it. When Toshinori was stubborn enough to go back to U.A., you only shook your head with a smile, reminding him to be careful and sending him off with a kiss.

With the image of your lover laughing etched into your mind, you decided to draw him while you still saw it clearly.

You first grabbed your blanket from your bedroom, with the scent of your boyfriend in it, it was the second thing that would remind you of the safety and warmth you felt while in his arms. Sketchbook and pencil in hand, you opened it up to an empty page, placing your earphones on as soft music played, calming yourself.

After a few hours, you really concentrating on capturing the details in your boyfriend’s fluffy, yellow hair, you didn’t notice the door opening and closing, signaling that your boyfriend was home. When Toshinori heard the scratch of pencil on paper, his first thought was of you sketching, something he had not seen you do in a while.

Leaning against the wall, he gazed at your form on the couch, your blanket loosely draped over your shoulders.. He smiled as he slowly approached you from behind the couch, resting his arms on it and pulling out an earphone, causing you to yelp from surprise and close your sketchbook out of habit. This earned a string of rapid apologies from your boyfriend as you turned, sitting with your knees on the couch to see him as a stuttering mess before reassuring him that it okay, pressing a few kisses against his lips in the process.

“Drawing a flower as usual?” he asked, smiling softly, cautiously placing his hand on your waist.

He so wanted to be the cheesy, romantic guy, but he just didn't know how your reaction would be. Usually when he does something romantic, in his experience, it would be awkward as hell.

“Yeah, it's a fluffy dandelion,” you answered with a smile that your boyfriend mirrored.

“You and your fluffy dandelions.” He kissed the tip of your nose, trying to be cute without feeling likes he's being weird.

“You hungry, babe?” You had asked, smiling warmly at his gentle expression.

“Well...a little,” he admits, lightly scratching his cheek with a shy smile. You got up from the couch to walk to the kitchen to prepare a meal for the two of you to share.

Toshinori was about to follow when he thought “What’s in the sketchbook?”

He flipped to the first page and noticed a building with flowers surrounding it, the flower shop.

He knew it was wrong, he just knew it was wrong. He was going to be frowned upon ag looking without permission, but he just couldn't help it. Curiousity got the best of him.

He opened the book carefully and He gently flipped through until he stopped at a page that was his face in profile. Then the next was All Might posing. For each page that he turned, his face turned into a different shade of pink from the embarrassment, why would you be so interested in drawing him. You were so precise in his facial features that in some doodles you drew him with wet hair covering his eyes and frowning, the next doodle was him with an exaggerated puffy hair that was still covering his eyes, still frowning. So you were amused with his hair...and you made him look like a cartoon character with the bad luck of a cat with water. If you’ve drawn him like this, you captured him with fascination. That was a lot for him, his cheeks getting warmer, but also with a cup of doubt. Did you love him as a model? Nothing else?

You did have talent, that’s for sure, but he did start to feel bad on top of the guilt and shame of going through your stuff.

He turned the next page, to see if you have drawn anymore, and to his surprise you did, the new drawing. You had drawn him sleeping and it was so realistic. He couldn’t help but feel the pride of your talent of drawing, so many feelings, it is overwhelming!

“Toshi?...” You call out, walking into the living room from the kitchen. You didn’t think he would fall asleep on the couch so went to check on him.

You went silent when you spotted your sketchbook in your boyfriend’s hands. What caught off guard was the fact that Toshinori was almost scared and shameful.

“I’m...sorry.” Toshinori whispers, his hand trembling a bit.

“It’s just...I know I shouldn’t have this but...but curiosity got the best of me I uhm...I like them very much…” He smiles softly at you, referring to the drawings.

You were quiet, progressing this scene. There's more he wants to say, and you want to speak so badly, but for some reason a force was forcing your lips shush for the moment.

Then he spoke once again, looking down at the drawings, “I'm just curious to know why you are drawing me when there's so much...you can draw other than me...like this flower shop, even this parakeet for that matter...you didn't have to fill up your precious sketchbook with...my uh puffy hair.” He states with uncertainty and self-insecurity.

Now without thinking you walked towards him, taking the book gently from his hands to place on the table as you place your gentle hands on his cheeks, cupping them, “Do not ever say that, because that is not true. I do draw everything I see that's beautiful and that also includes you dummy. I fill up my book with beautiful objects and people. The only person I see very beautiful and precious is you, Yagi. You make me happy and I just wanted to express it on paper. If I have to create a painting of your beautiful, adorable face on a big canvas I will.

Toshinori was left speechless and his words were all mixed up, not knowing how to even think of a response.

Would it be pitiness you express, or would it be a real, genuine statement you expressed?

You got closer to Toshinori, pressing your body against his, “You are very handsome, Toshinori Yagi. You lost all that self-confidence because you think of yourself as not, and now...now it’s a recorded soundtrack that is stuck on repeat…”

Toshinori couldn’t speak, the words he wanted to get out just couldn’t be heard. When you told him about his confidence, he couldn’t help but actually agree with you.

His silence was just adding onto the nonexistent tension, and you spoke again, “If I have to draw you in a bigger canvas to make my point loud and clear that you are my handsome man, then so be it I will do it. I will prove that my boyfriend, so strong and so sharp-and so fashionable might I add-is the most handsome guy I’ve ever dated in my life. You ruined the image of a man, because you left me obsessed with you.”

Toshinori felt your hands wrapped around his neck as you kissed him. He can’t help but believe you. You wouldn’t lie to him, you’re not the type of person.. However, they were right: he did believe himself to be not handsome, not even worthy of you. With the drawings she provided though, every sketch of his face, his hair, his body, she did not want to alternate anything, she saw who he was and drew what she saw. He even noticed the hearts drawn on the side, his favorite part of the whole drawings, the proof that she will always love him.

She started kissing his lips, his cheeks, tiptoeing to reach his forehead and he responded by tipping his head down, only to feel the warm lips pressed against his forehead.

“Thank you...thank you for such kindness.” He raised his head, smiling so warmly. You blushed softly as you hugged him, “I'm sorry for drawing you without consent, I promise to ask for you permission.”

Toshinori pulled away just the slightest, “There's no need to ask for permission. As the kids would say “You do you, boo”.”

You processed those words and even stifled a laugh, “The kids said that?”

Toshinori rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed, “W-well, I do want to get closer to them, so I guess becoming a multilingual is my only option.” He chuckled softly.

You laughed, “ I swear, if you start saying ‘Yeet’ when you throw something, I'm going to start using the duct tape.” You teased and he laughed with you.

There was another drawing you would make after you two ate, Toshinori laughing.

#toshinori yagi #all might #bnha #bnha toshinori #mha toshinori #mha #mha fandom #bnha fanfiction #bnha manga #all might x reader #fanfiction #my hero academia #toshinori x reader #toshinori yagi x reader #im desperate right now #this is what i get for shitposting #fuck my life with a cactus but put a condom on it please #i said please #what else do you have a kink for besides begging??

[fridgewheatfield]

Fridgewheatfield 2019 GOTY Awards

Normally I would go through the TGA nominations and give my thoughts on who the winner of each was for me. But 2019 kinda sucked for games imo, and I didn’t play very many. So instead, I want to highlight 5 games I really loved this year and give them each their own award. So here they are:

Best AAA Game: God of War (2018)

This game really took me by surprise. I got it in the Summer for 50% off and hoped it would scratch an itch that I knew a 3rd BOTW playthrough wouldn’t quite scratch. I didn’t expect much from it except for maybe some fun gameplay, since I had never played another game in the series, but it won a lot of GOTY awards in 2018, so I figured it was worth a try for the discount.

This game floored me. I was enamored from start to finish. The environments, the story, the characters, and especially the gameplay had me glued to this game for 10 hours a day for almost a week. I have never felt such guilt from shafting irl responsibilities in order to play a game. The graphics are among the best of this generation. The world building and main quest line kept me interested and actually listening the entire time. The relationship between Kratos and Atreus was strangely relatable, but never had me siding with one character over the other for too long. And the combat is probably the most immersive, diverse, and fast-paced of any game I’ve played. I fought thousands of enemies and I wouldn’t be surprised if there were only a few enemies that I actually killed in the exact same ways. This game was a huge pleasant surprise for me, and the ending pushed its hypothetical sequel near the top of my list of most anticipated games. 10/10

Most Satisfying: A Hat in Time

A Hat in Time finally came to Switch this year after what felt like an eternity. I was waiting for this game to come to Nintendo since the Kickstarter was announced. Before we knew about Mario Odyssey or Yooka-Laylee, it was refreshing to see that anybody still had interest in reviving the genre of game I loved most as a kid.

This game is EXACTLY what I wanted it to be: A love letter to every Gamecube game I played ad nauseum. A Hat in Time masterfully blends the freeform movement of Mario Sunshine, an art style inspired by Wind Waker, and the charming dialogue of Thousand Year Door to create a game that starts at a 10 and never lets you down. There must have been 20 times during this game where I said to myself, “I hope this game [does this],” and the game followed through with shocking consistency. With customization, easter eggs, references, and humor stuffed into every mission, this game reminded me of everything I loved about the games I grew up with. But this game isn’t just bells and whistles, it also features some of the most engaging level design of any 3D platformer I’ve played. A train murder mystery, a free-roam around a cruise ship paradise run by uwu-speaking seals, and genuinely one of the scariest segments in any game I’ve played were some of the highlights. But none of this game’s 30+ main missions ever disappointed. While the graphical quality and technical performance were less than stellar, everything that the game WANTED to be more than made this game an easy 9/10.

Funniest Game: Untitled Goose Game

I never understood all the buzz about this game leading up to its release. You’re just a goose? What do you even do?

I was skeptical, but this game did not let me down. There was something strangely hilarious about stealing everyone’s stuff and annoying them for no reason other than to cross off a to-do list. Maybe it was imagining the humans’ perspective. Maybe it was the spastic piano score that only played when you did anything. But whatever it was, this game had me cracking up for its entire 2 hour duration. You can’t deny that the price is a bit steep for such a small game, but the amount of enjoyment I got from an afternoon with this game left me satisfied with my purchase. And with fun secret challenges to discover along the way and to struggle with after the credits, leaving me saying “Ohhh I didn’t think to do that!”, Goose Game is just enough of a game to justify everything that it has going on. 9/10

Most Fun Bad Game: Animal Crossing Pocket Camp

The OG followers will remember when this was a New Leaf blog, and you best believe it will be a New Horizons blog when the time comes. I hated this game when it came out in 2017. I thought it was a boring, empty waste of time that did nothing for fans of the series. But after numerous updates and quality of life changes that I totally missed the boat on, Pocket Camp actually became worth spending time on. I jumped back into this game following the post-E3 hype for New Horizons, and I’ve logged in every day since.

I won’t mince words, this game is bad. It’s nefarious, predatory mobile game practices at its most kawaii. But damn if I don’t love these new furniture sets they introduce every few weeks. I love piecing together the new items I get from each set or event to make a camp that I’d enjoy spending time in. I’ve spent more money than I care to admit on Pocket Camp’s take on loot boxes (not bank-breaking, but more than I’m proud of). But I honestly can’t say I regret any microtransaction I’ve made. I’ve had a lot of fun with this game in the past few months, and getting everyone I know back into it alongside me made it even better, just like previous Animal Crossing games. The crux of the enjoyment is still sharing your designs and collections with your friends, just like always. And that was Animal Crossing enough for me. Not giving this one a score because its still a scummy mobile game, but if you haven’t played this game since launch, redownload it and give it a look-through.

Best Game I Played in 2019: Banjo-Kazooie

Everyone knows how good this game is. I played it as a kid, and I’ve known my entire life that this game is great. I’ve reminisced with friends about this game, I’ve watched countless Let’s Plays, and I’ve sung its praises as the best 3D platformer there is.

But I hadn’t ever actually beaten it until this past Summer.

And it turns out that I didn’t even know how right I was all these years. Banjo-Kazooie is a perfect game. Every level is meticulously crafted to be unique, interesting, and just big enough to where they’re fun to explore, but small enough to where there is no empty space. Banjo (and especially Kazooie) control like a dream. The dialogue is the textbook example of charming video game dialogue. And the game is just long enough to feel full, but it never overstays its welcome by retreading old ground for the sake of making the game longer. And don’t even get me started on the soundtrack. There’s a reason Grant Kirkhope left the 2000s as the only household name that came out of Rare. This game could not be improved, and its stood the test of time against the other greats of the genre like Mario 64, A Hat in Time (imo), and Mario Odyssey, to maintain its spot as the game that every 3D platformer wants to be. It’s the best game of the genre, the best game I played this year, and it’s now among my top 5 favorite games of all time. An obvious 10/10.

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Thanks for reading this. Feel free to respond, send a message, or send an ask with any of your thoughts on these games, or even some of your games of the year. I’d love to read them. I’ll see you next year for my 10 page review on New Horizons, which will surely double as my GOTY post.

#long #goty #the game awards #tga #2019 #2019 goty #goty 2019 #banjo kazooie #god of war #animal crossing #acpc #a hat in time #ahit #untitled goose game

[pheacas]

“The Musical Fandom is Sexist” Response Post

I saw a post trying to express the thought that the musical fandom is sexist because there was a lack of f/f ships from @justiceforalanabeck, and although there is something in there, the execution was lackluster, at best, and I thought I would quickly run down a couple of reasons why I find that argument to be weak and a (slightly) more structured argument for my own personal opinion.

Original post (for reference I just didn’t want to reblog because it’s so long and there’s no ‘keep reading’ option on it): https://justiceforalanabeck.tumblr.com/post/182985916366/the-sexism-in-musical-fandoms

Summary of my thoughts I put at the end: There is a clear and slightly unsettling ratio between m/m and f/f ships within fandoms, but the ‘ships’ are not the end all be all of a fandom being ‘sexist’ and shows with women leads deserve more love, but there is still plenty of content created for the women that shouldn’t be discredited because it isn’t ‘ship related’.

My (6) main arguments against the original post:

I’ve heard people argue that Pinkberry is ‘toxic’ (which I can make an argument for just about any ship in popular fandoms), which can certainly keep it from becoming popular.  Although Jeremy and Michael have some toxic interactions in the show, particularly the middle, they’re clearly there for one another at the end of the day and are best friends and have nice relationships (although I’m indifferent on almost all BMC ships).  Chloe tried to screw Brooke’s boyfriend against his will and made Brooke not just feel like shit in that one instance, but constantly put Brooke down in general which she didn’t deserve.

Within the canon universe of Dear Evan Hansen, Zoe and Alana (Zolana) have zero canon interaction in the Broadway run.  Literally zero (unless you could the couple of audios where they interact for a moment in Arena Stage which I wouldn’t count since almost no one has actually listened to it).  I’m personally not a fan of Evan x Connor, but when it comes to it vs. Zolana, they at least interact for a moment in canon, and in the computer lab there is an opportunity where Connor does truly seem to be attempting to befriend Evan and it is established that, yes, they could have probably actually been friends if Connor hadn’t read Evan’s letter to himself and/or Evan didn’t bring Zoe up in it (although they would have still never gotten into a relationship).  Also, in canon, Zoe and Evan’s relationship is built completely by lies on Evan’s side, which is, again, extremely toxic (although it is a ship I prefer to Tree Bros outside of canon).  And also, it’s hard to say that the fandom is being sexist when that’s literally the only f/f ship, until you want to get into Heidi x Cynthia which is extremely weird territory.

The two shows you focused on have a male lead who the entire plot is centered around and focuses mainly on (with Michael also getting a good amount of solo time and being able to be called one of the ‘main characters’ along with Jeremy, Christine, and the Squip), so obviously the male lead is going to be more paired with people than other characters who don’t get as much focus on how they interact (in DEH we don’t go away from Evan’s perspective other than Anybody Have a Map and Requiem, which are Murphy family songs so no shipping there, and whenever we stray from Jeremy I feel like it’s more Michael’s part most of the time).

Heathers has never had a Broadway run and doesn’t have a long running production, so it makes sense it wouldn’t be ‘as popular’, although it certainly does have a fandom, it’s just doesn’t have as steady of a stream sometimes (and there is confusion under the tagging for Heathers and Mean Girls, as well, since they’re based off of a movie, although there still admittedly isn’t as much content, especially for Mean Girls, compared to the behemoths of DEH and BMC (although Heathers I think comes close to DEH)).  Plus, the hype train for BMC was really big in the summer because of off-Broadway, and West End revivals…  Don’t pick up as much traction (although the soundtrack coming out should bring more attention to it which I’m hyped for).

The use of Waitress as an argument for people not liking f/f is just…  Off because Waitress doesn’t appeal to a Tumblr fan nearly as much as other shows because it’s about a middle aged woman getting pregnant in an abusive relationship and cheating on her abusive husband with a man who is also married.  Wicked…  Also doesn’t appeal to a theatre fanbase that will write fan fiction nearly as much.

The Prom is another debatably iffy one because yes, it does really give us f/f on Broadway we need, but it puts many off because of how misleading it feels.  You think you’re walking in and the two lesbians will be the leads, but instead it’s a straight woman which can put people off (along with those first ten minutes I really like the show but not those first ten or so minutes).  Although again we still 100% need love for female-lead musicals and f/f in Broadway just don’t fake me out with the straights (although I understand why that needed to be added to prolong its survival in a business which throws out what the rich, old populous doesn’t like (which is why ETAJ and Bare will never make it to Broadway but that’s another topic in itself and a post for another day)).

My feelings on the situation: Looking at m/m vs f/f can give you a hint of how the fandom feels on female characters, but, in reality, that truly cannot be the be all end all when looking at a fandom.  It does such that we don’t get that sort of representation, but that doesn’t mean by itself that a fandom is sexist.  In most cases, these ships just make zero sense.  If we’re shipping something, there should be a slight basis behind it.  Galaxy Gals has nothing and Pinkberry has toxic interactions.

Waitress and Wicked don’t appeal to a Tumblr audience for the most part.  Mean Girls and the Prom are sadly left in the dirt compared to the other fandoms, but MG has a stigma around it by some of the big musical fans (including me) and the Prom just hasn’t gotten as popular because it doesn’t have a Broadway video more than anything (and those first ten or so minutes I legit clicked off the first time with my friend who is now a mega-Prom stan).  Heathers does have a good-sized fandom, but nothing big has happened to it compared to BMC and DEH.

Looking on Tumblr, though, you can find that the fandom still does appreciate the female characters.  Zoe, Christine, Alana, Brooke, etc. get a lot of fanart around them!  In fact, one of my trading friends named their trading stuff after a female character in BMC, and not Jeremy or Michael or whoever else!  The females do truly get attention in the fandom and calling them sexist really isn’t seeing the full picture.

Also, the part of the fandom who would be writing and reading this stuff is more younger girls, and they just have a tendency to prefer writing/reading about gay men over gay women and straight couples.  It could be seen as possibly sexism placed on themselves by the society they live in, but I think it’s just sort of a fetization of gay men that we’ve seen many times before (namely: Love Simon), mixed with the male leads get more development than their leading ladies and supporting actresses which just makes them easier/more interesting to write on because they’re already 3D.

But, yes, females in musicals and female-led musicals do deserve a lot more attention than they receive and it is sad that sometimes they don’t get the recognition they deserve, but calling the fandom ‘sexist’ for not writing f/f is just so wrong.

#dear evan hansen #deh #be more chill #bmc #the prom #heathers the musical #mean girls the musical #mean girls #heathers #boyf riends #tree bros #I wrote this when I was slightly tired so my argument probably doesn't make perfect sense #and there's probably typos #but take it

[sir-adamus]

The Case for Wings

alrighty so Wings has been a hot debate in this fandom for a loooong time over who the singer of the song is supposed to be (it’s most certainly about Blake, but the identity of the singer is somewhat ambiguous)

so i’m gonna just go into how i see things on that score; i’m gonna avoid going into creative speculation on this, and just try and stick to to the facts, how i’ve interpreted them, and how those facts correlate with each other

now, right out of the gate, i have to say that from what i can tell, Wings is not a terribly romantic song. the subject of the song, Blake, is referred to as ‘baby’, but other than that there’s nothing really indicating romance; it’s primarily a song of support and care from the singer to the subject - the singer sympathises with the subject and understands how they feel about being ‘stray’ and encourages the subject that they’ll soon ‘take flight’

now a common interpretation for who the singer of the song is that it’s Weiss, as it played at the end of a two parter which involved the two clashing and then reconciling, plus there’s reference to “twelve hours”, which is part of Weiss’s dialogue over how long was spent searching for Blake and working things out

however, i don’t think the song makes sense from Weiss’s perspective - as mentioned, the song is primarily supportive and encouraging, which doesn’t reflect Weiss’s behaviour in the scene it plays in - she wants to just move past the argument because she’s realised Blake being a Faunus doesn’t bother her, they’re still friends and teammates, so she doesn’t need to hear Blake’s explanation - there’s no real sense of understanding or being sympathetic to Blake’s experiences which lines like “I know you can't stand the thought of/Being stray” kind of allude to

the perspective i feel does make the most sense for Wings is Yang’s, for several reasons, both based on details we had as early as volume 1 that kinda passed us all by as well as details that have come along as the show has progressed which kinda build to lean on that interpretation more

so to start with, there are a couple of other songs on volume 1′s soundtrack which lead to this interpretation

the first point is Gold - Gold is another supportive and encouraging song that describes Yang’s love for her little sister Ruby. so there’s already precedent for that kind of song

second point is that both I Burn and Gold, both Yang songs, reference flight - “ High as you can go, but I'm the one who's gonna soar.” and “Love's around you/ In time, you'll fly.” respectively. this is important because flight imagery also comes up in Wings - obviously from the name, but also the line “You’ll take flight soon baby”

this flight imagery carries over to a few of Yang’s other songs, which reinforces the connection; “My misery/My agony/Has taught me to fly” from Armed and Ready, and “Maybe help you find your wings and fly” from All That Matters (notable because this is a pretty overt reference to Wings and the song is outright a song from Yang’s perspective to Blake)

so i feel already there’s a lot connecting Yang to Wings

additionally, Wings doesn’t really sound like Weiss - like it’s hard to imagine her calling anyone ‘baby’, while it’s not that hard to imagine Yang doing so

in addition to this, while it’s of dubious canonicity (the interview often citing ‘the songs aren’t canon’ is heavily misinterpreted because the intention behind that statement seemed to be more ‘this isn’t 100% them saying this’ - like RLR Pt 2 clearly isn’t a conversation that actually happened between Ruby and Summer because it’s talking about the event in which Summer died - it’s more conveying emotions and intent, not 100% “this is what they’re saying in this moment”. it likely also meant more that the songs are made with applicability, like you don’t need the context of the songs to understand what they mean) because there was no creative consultation done with RT during production of it as it wasn’t made to be used in an episode of volume 4 (and only got into volume 4′s soundtrack because of an injury, though Jeff was working on it before the injury, meaning it was likely intended to get creative consultation and be put in volume 5 somewhere maybe), of course i’m talking about BMBLB - which Jeff still made with characters in mind, so would have their ‘voice’ in mind for it - that has the subject of the chorus referred to as ‘baby’

so two soundtrack instances involving Blake involving someone being called ‘baby’. weirdbut let’s talk about Wings as a leitmotif

Wings is used as a leitmotif 4 times across the series - once in 1x15, before the full song debuted, when Ruby wakes up and sees Blake’s empty bed, which enforces it’s connection to Blake, if nothing else. the next time it played was in 2x01, after the scene has jumped to Blake looking through her notebook, and looking at her doodles of Adam, it stops as Yang leans in to ask what she’s doing - again, mainly connecting the song to Blake, though the juxtaposition of it with Yang’s appearance is interesting

third time it played was in 3x04, as Qrow leaves with some encouraging words to his nieces - this definitely plays into the supportive and encouraging tone of the song, as well as connecting to flight imagery (because Qrow can turn into a bird and fly - which also connects back to Yang because she’s part of the Branwen bloodline)

and the most recent time it played was in 5x13 - though often disputed, i’ve made a couple of posts and finally audio and video posts on this which put it pretty conclusively. also, while i can’t confirm the veracity of the statement, a reddit thread talking about the good parts of volume 5′s soundtrack mentions that Alex Abraham confirmed Wings is used as a leitmotif in 5x13 (i won’t be linking the thread, though as of the writing of this post it’s still up, as the OP wants to avoid shipping drama - which this subject tends to bring up - and linking it could lead to the thread, and thus only source we have, getting taken down and/or lost) - playing as Blake enters the hall and everyone reacts in shock (specifically starting just as Yang sees her) and she looks around and only says Yang’s name. it also echoes the first time the full song played, which was RWBY reuniting after being broken up temporarily (Blake even ran away both times)

which i feel definitely reinforces that connection (especially as All That Matters, which we got a snippet of in the next episode, also references Wings)

but finally, let’s talk about how it makes sense for the song to be from Yang’s perspective based on her actual character and her interactions with Blake

Yang is a very caring character, and very supportive to those she cares about - this side of her also comes about a lot, especially following volume 2 where her character came into focus a lot more (as she was mainly in the background in volume 1) - Yang demonstrates how much she understands and sympathises with Blake in 2x06, which is how she’s able to get through to Blake because she’s been in Blake’s position. later, in 2x10, when Blake expresses her self-doubts over her ability to realise her ideals of equality, which Yang is vocally encouraging and supportive of “I’m sure you’ll figure it out, you’re not one to back down from a challenge, Blake”

in fact that 2x06 conversation and the fact that no one else was able to get through to Blake shows that Yang, out of any one of her friends at Beacon, knows and understands her the most - so surely it makes sense for her to be the perspective of a song from a perspective of knowing how the subject feels when Yang gets Blake in a way no one else really seems to do

finally, there are a few counter-arguments i’d like to address on this score

“but Weiss was the one who said the ‘twelve hours’ line” - that is true, no denying that. however, the song only references those twelve hours passing, and Yang was with Weiss for all of it - in addition, Yang is the one shown most upset by Blake leaving, which makes how that line is followed “Twelve hours/Is a long night./When you're searching/With no hope in sight.” - Yang is more visibly worried about not finding Blake in 1x16, even calling Weiss out for seemingly not caring, so lines like this make more sense from her (especially given her history with people leaving - that’d surely do a number on the amount of ‘hope’ she’d have in that situation)

additionally, later song, All That Matters is a reference to something Ruby said, but that song is still Yang’s perspective

“but it played at the end of a Blake and Weiss centered episode” - that doesn’t really mean much though, i mean Red Like Roses Pt II played during RWBY and JNPR’s initiation fights against the Nevermore and Death Stalker, despite it being a duet between Ruby and Summer. plus it’s primarily the credits theme of the volume, which doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with the content of the episode it plays in

like Sacrifice comes off (with the benefit of hindsight) as a Raven song, despite her not having much involvement at all with volume 2 beyond Yang bringing her up for the first time, her saving Yang a few episodes prior, and the unexplained stinger afterwards

then there’s Divide, which primarily covers Salem’s grudge with Ozpin, which we only got a little of at the end of that episode, and it’s mainly referencing the extended conversation between the two of them that we got the start of in 1x01 and the end of in 3x12

Armed and Ready is about Yang’s arc across volume 4, recovering from the trauma of losing her arm, but that wasn’t an overarching factor in 4x12

This Time is about working to undo the damage of the White Fang and making a new brotherhood, which does come up in 5x14 but it’s mainly referencing speeches from earlier in the volume, and not much to do with the main content of that episode

you get my point, just because a song is used in the credits of a volume doesn’t mean it’s tied to the events of that episode, and may be in reference to earlier events or foreshadowing later events

ultimately i feel like, keeping in mind Yang’s characterisation and strong dynamic with Blake the use of flight imagery in Wings (and the ties that has to Yang) and how it was used in the moment they saw each other again after being apart for months, with all the focus that had been building up to the two of them in particular reuniting and reconciling - then being followed in the next episode by another song that has a pretty overt reference to Wings and is pretty clearly about Blake from Yang’s perspective - it makes so much more sense for the singer of Wings to be Yang

obviously songs are up to interpretation and we don’t have official confirmation one way or another, and there’s nothing stopping you interpreting the song however you like; but these points which have built up over the years are a lot of the reasons why the interpretation of Yang as the singers’ perspective of Wings has been around for the last few years (i personally made the connection based on soundtrack stuff in the post-volume 3 hiatus, before a lot of these points came about)

#RWBY #Wings