#parts that make him a character worth revisiting. he’s so full of love. and he uses it to hurt people. he means to sometimes. a lot of the | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

edutainer2022 · 1 month

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Character Ask Game

25. What was your first impression of this character? How about now?

For Scott.

@janetm74 Thank you so much for the ask!

I will revisit a little meta I did on getting to know Scotty as a character and have some additions.

"How do I love thee, let me count the ways". I stumbled into TAG through Tumblr osmosis I think some time in the second half of Season 1 run. I remember liking the 2004 movie, and I zeroed in on the "missing Dad" part, but I was generally amiably "on the fence" and non-committal. Nice boys, overall. A little bit too much focus on "child hero" Alan (because it's a kids cartoon and you're an adult, duh!). I was dabbing into bits and pieces here and there, not having a full picture. Tunnels of Time drew my attention, because of the sheer DEVASTATION Scott demonstrated. The elder brother and in charge sans Dad - I was bound to pay attention. John was the character I am - an introverted "intellectual". But the Tall, dark, charismatic and going kinda recklessly nyoooom didn't hurt either. Then I came across Recharge. And it hit me like that Runaway train. My Dad died when I was 22 and I took over as head of the family, as my Mom checked out in grief. I'm fairly sure I GAVE THAT SAME SPEECH in the Arctic tent to someone at some point - I miss him, I HAVE TO DO IT ALL (and do it fast), keeping busy with IR the PhD/work/postdoc/more work is the only thing that keeps me from going crazy. Verbatim. I'm still giving that speech sometimes. I saw a mirror of grief, self-worth issues and (non)coping mechanisms I recognized so much it was uncanny. So I knew these things: I've met yet another character that I know all too well what makes tick and will love forever - it's pretty much always the same character, give or take; the uppity Top Gun Flyboy persona is absolutely a facade - he's Tall, Dark, and Emotionally Compromised (hello there, sweetie!); I need to rewatch the earlier episodes keeping that in mind. And of course, Recharge (re)contextulizes everything - chasing a sizable city time and again to martyr himself for or to generally self-destruct, chasing Dad's shadow pretty much beyond the edge all but consciously (pretty candid for a kids show), going insane with a combo of worry, grief and guilt, keeping up the Next in Command mantle, sometimes just barely, the whole convo with Lee up to and including asking him to stay, the Chain of Command implications, the Hood's return implications, randomly adopting people and pushing them to be and do better. And just like that, I SAW Scott Tracy.

That was nine years ago, give or take. I've been through more losses, pressure of "command", responsibility, betrayal and just plain tragedy ever since. And every step of the way I feel I can relate to Scott more. The need to lift and inspire people to be their best selves - even when your own soul is writhing in pain and doubt. The crippling guilt over failure. The understated loneliness. The very unsubtle nonexistent concept of personal happiness. Being back in fandom also helped me explore (and confirm) and share lots of nuance about this character that I also felt were true. I wish for Scott a lot healthier emotional coping structure and support going on into his next decade than I got his age. He's my emotional support emotional wreck and disaster.

#methinks i have astronomy #thunderbirds are go #thunderask #scott tracy #scott tracy needs a hug #scott tracy needs his dad

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aerkame · 10 months

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I really love your finfolk au and the amount of care you have put into the world building and characters.

If it's okay, can I ask some questions about the story?

In one post, you mentioned that Frank seemed to not mind being tricked into coming to the island, and "maybe at some point he gave up" (or something to that affect?). You also mentioned that he keeps his bowtie as a reminder of his old life.

So, how did Frank first react to being trapped on Home? Did he resist like the Selkei OC? Was he tricked into transforming, or did he he know what the potion was for? How long has he been on the island?

(This has nothing to do with anything you've already shared. Just a 'what if' that's been bouncing around in my head)

If Sally had gone on one of her killing sprees while a neighbor-- lets say Eddie-- was trying to woo someone from the mainland, would there have been a way for her to know that, hey, maybe leave that one grey nerd alone?

Thank you so much for the kind words! I really love folklore and I thought finfolk folklore was just perfect for the kind of writing I want to experiment with. :)

Frank had knowingly came to the island with Eddie and actually willingly allowed himself to be transformed. It was from curiosity but mainly done because he loves Eddie enough to give up his old life as a marine biologist. Even though he does miss some parts of his previous life, he wouldn't change what he has now. It's because of this that Home and the others didn't even try to force Frank to stay, they already knew he never wanted to leave any of them to begin with.

So of course, he won't run, not ever. Not when the love of his life and best friends are here.

It took time to get used to things, yes, but it was worth it in the end. Something that Frank found to be intriguing was not only the magical abilities of finfolk, but also the many forms they could take on. For example, he and the others could take on any face, shape, or form of another puppet, sometimes even making a whole now identity unique to themselves...but when it came to being in a finfolk form only finwomen could transform themselves into what look like mermaids. Full tail and everything. Finmen could only grow fins along their bodies.

The magic that Frank was allowed to use wasn't his own. Only true finfolk could use their own magic so he had to 'borrow' Home's magic in the form of a seashell. He always kept the shell clipped to his bowtie or vest whenever he wore it. It not only allowed him to use some magic (it was weak, but it got the job done when used), but it looked quite fitting with his outfit.

He likes to visit the mainland with Eddie sometimes even if he no longer lives there. It felt so nice to see new and old faces pass by. Frank also loved to revisit the places that Eddie often takes him to for dates. It was truly a dream.

It was almost funny really.

Back when Frank was just a normal puppet he honestly thought Sally was going to kill him or Eddie as either a jealous ex or some murderer wandering the streets. The yellow star had been caught stalking the both of them and on one night while he was alone, she came to him talking about how head over heels Eddie was in love.

"You know, it'd be a shame if something were to happen to you...poor Dear would be heartbroken."

The finwomen examined her claws while speaking, it left Frank terrified and unsure of his own safety, he was not quite understanding if whether or not Sally was a fiend or a siren judging by her finned head and arms. Either way she looked ready to kill something. It wasn't going to be him though.

Turns out Sally just had a sick sense of humor or she tended to word things poorly. She had really just showed up to make sure Frank remained safe for the night after Eddie had some business to take care of.

It took a few minutes of awkward silence for Frank to realize Sally wasn't here to kill him. Of course she clarified what she meant only after Frank had the third panic attack that night. She had a good laugh about it and he had a good pout about it.

Frank isn't upset about it anymore really. If anything, he's glad Sally showed up the way she did otherwise he never would have found out about finfolk or what Eddie really was. Even when he did find out he wasn't mad, disgusted, or upset. He was curious, intrigued, and falling deeper in love for his fin man.

#welcome home #welcome home finfolk au #welcome home au #finfolk #au #welcome home eddie dear #eddie dear #welcome home frank frankly #frank frankly #eddie dear x frank frankly #welcome home eddie x frank #requests open

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lyssiesleakedmemos · 3 months

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My first mmf threesome (Walter & Cullen)

Real life 🌶

It was in the years of seemingly endless firsts, maybe too many for any 19 year old girl to experience without losing her mind and weaving life-long fixations into her core.

I felt the first taste of intoxicating freedom, and I did so alongside the most unusual characters. My bf Walter was a walking contradiction in every sense. All American boy who would channel gg Allen if there was a full moon.. The unappreciated nice one of the group who was secretly more vicious than the crowd combined. The less desirable "fat one" who would teach you that he only needed the attention of 2 women to be a relentless heartbreaker. But I was every bit as toxic. In those days, I was a bleach blonde wannabe porn star who was addicted to attention and lived for drama. When he betrayed me, I'd return the favor. If i showed him crazy, he'd show me a medical emergency. I often wondered how we ever were a couple when we both seemed so self consumed that it couldn't have left room for love in any meaningful way. It took a mutual friend to theorize we both unknowingly used each other to experiment at a time where we were young and figuring everything out and that perhaps we needed that.. it eased the discomfort of the blood-stained memories.

And experiment we did for all we lacked in chemistry we made up for in the bedroom, living room, and public pools. There is nothing he wouldn't try at the drop of a hat, and most everything he ever did, he did well. Sex, blood, and rock n roll were a way of life, and I regret to this day never appreciating it for what it was.

Let's revisit toxic. Enter Walter's best friend Cullen. The one I was in love with. Now, before anyone passes judgement, I wasn't knowingly being deceptive, wasn't emotionally cheating, I was, however, deeply in denial. I gave every excuse in the book for why I hung on his every word and got lost in his eyes. He was attractive if you liked slightly older grunge guys in bands who looked the part. Remembering him as a "big deal" in the halls of HS did make me feel some sort of way now sitting in his garage drinking till the sun came up. That made it easy to hold on to denial.. I just "felt cool, and he's nice to look at" Id protest. If only I knew then how many attractive men of status I'd go on to leave unread.. I would have known the real trouble I was in.

It was him. Something mostly indescribable in the way he spoke to me. The way his kind words seemed to be carved out of this brooding cold shell from a warm secret place and his cruel ones always felt like a challenge I could take. When we argued, it felt like looking in a mirror. I knew we'd be a nightmare together but it didn't stop me from picturing us like an 2000s rock music video, fucking and fighting. My mascara running while he smashes a bottle. There was something about him that had a hold on me.

So when I found myself between them after everyone else left the party liquor still blurring reality, would you blame me for not thinking of the consequences of tomorrow? Would you blame me for not thinking of the angel on earth who was Cullens GF?

*You should blame me, of course. I did and promptly confessed in the weeks following. I was given more understanding than I was worth, but I paid in the end for being so selfish.*

I sat torn and tingling between them after Cullen brought up the idea of the 3 of us having a little fun. I was so caught off guard by the suggestion that i thought it might be a joke that went on a bit too long. He never indicated any interest prior to this moment, but now he was shamelessly begging to experience me. I protested multiple times, but I knew the temptation was in the inflection of my voice and written on my face. I wanted it. They each put a hand on my thighs, sliding them higher, watching with satisfaction as my defenses crumbled. "Come on, it'll be fun" Of course it fucking would be. They toyed with me until I was trembling, I stood no chance in this game.

Briefly, I thought I escaped their grasp, Walter had to run downstairs, but before I could sigh in relief, I was face to face with Cullen on the sofa. The look in his eyes, he cornered his prey. "So if I kissed you right now.. you wouldn't kiss me back?" Despite my heart racing, I managed to muster "why don't you try and see?"

He did not hesitate grabbing the side of my face and pulling it towards his, he won, but rather than devouring me, he kissed me with agonizing passion. His tongue tangled in mine and sent chills down my body. I could have kissed him for hours. That kiss ruined me forever.

It was over too soon, pulling away to greet Walter, who was now standing in the doorway. I was ready to negotiate, I mean, essentially, he walked in on me kissing his best friend, and it didn't feel right to not include him in the fun.. right?

"Okay.. but not all the way, " I asserted as if I could get away with a moral misdemeanor and avoid the felony charge.

They didn't argue leading me to Walter's bed in the dimly lit room I knew all too well. I laid myself down in the middle, aching to be preyed upon, Cullen wasted no time asking Walter's permission to taste me. It was dark, but attentively I watched him disappear between my thighs. The man who always seemed "above it" and disinterested in everything became a desperate frenzy of tongue and fingers between MY thighs. It wasn't enough anymore. By the time he emerged, I was ready for him, I let him slide himself inside me, thrusting while he kissed me, and my fingers got lost in his hair. Fuck how many times did i picture running my fingers through his hair? Now I lay under the weight of him buried inside me living out my wildest fantasies.

Now Walter was ready and I braced myself for the rougher fucking I was used to he flipped me over and shoved his cock into me while Cullen put his in my face, I was noticeably louder and through my gasps and pants I managed to get Cullen in my mouth. The challenge of trying to keep sucking while being pounded from behind thrilled me. I watched Cullen intently, "don't you love her tongue rings?" Walter boasted. "Fuck, I do now." Was all he managed to say.

Eventually, they couldn't resist marking "effiel tower" off their bucket list, realizing the opportunity bent over between them, high fiving over me. "Oh God" I muttered only for Walter to order me to "shut the fuck up and suck his dick." So I did, those words in that domineering tone flipped a switch in me forever. Walter had the power, Cullen had the passion and I was a merely a quivering puddle between them.

They took turns cumming on me and I loved the feeling, the filth in that moment of being used, enjoyed and discarded. Paired with the very different feeling.. a bond that formed from being a first we all shared together that night, like criminals decompressing in the safe house after the heist. We gathered on the couch to watch... oh who the fuck cares until daylight crept through the windows. Oh, how I despised the sun.

That not where the story ends.

That's not where these characters die off especially not Cullen.. no, those stories lead right back to the present day.

I said I'd never tell them, but he said a lot of things too.

So I ask you? Can you keep a secret?

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phantomato · 2 years

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[F]or a long time I stuck to writing pre-canon fics or AUs because I felt intimidated by the need to Address The Thing. And eventually, I did…. 197,000 words of Addressing The Thing. It was a lot of fun to write, it got a good reception, I was pretty happy with it overall.

But then the fic was finished, and I went on to writing other things…. I had a reader ask me “Do you ever plan to Address The Thing in this fic?” I felt kind of jarred. Because… I already wrote that fic….

And that’s just it! That’s just so exhausting, both from a writing and a reading perspective. I don’t want to have to wade through ten thousand words of Addressing The Thing, over and over and over…. An entire fandom full of fics that are about exactly the same thing would be awful.

Clipped from: mikkeneko

Thoughts on this and why I’ll never order two cakes below the cut.

With apologies to those who will always order two cakes.

If there’s one thing I love, it’s older meta. I came across the linked piece tonight, and I don’t even fully agree with the discussion that led to mikkeneko’s addition, but I adore that addition, so it was a worthwhile read. I’ve carved out the core part of it, if you’ll excuse my ellipses; it’s worth reading the less-choppy version.

Anyway, what I enjoy about older meta is seeing how the same thoughts and conversations have been circling through the fan community for years, even decades, in essentially recognizable forms. I’ve felt this for a long time, as my very patient and wonderful friends can attest, and here I am, quoting a six-year-old post, finally able to put my thoughts in order thanks to it.

There’s that adage that goes around tumblr, and fandom more broadly, about authors who worry whether their take on a recurring trope/premise/etc. will be welcome. “Well, of course,” the tumblr post/comic assures the reader, “what’s better than two cakes?” And I am so glad that fandom makes space for that, joyfully encourages it, and that readers and writers who love revisiting the same moments in canon, the same plot inspiration, the same tropes or kinks for their favs, can find all that they want in this space.

With that said, I don’t want a second cake. It’s just not my temperament—if I’ve had a satisfactory/enjoyable cake, I will next want a pie, or something to drink, or something that’s not sweet at all. This goes double for my work as a creator; perhaps I will circle back around to wanting to eat yellow cake in a few weeks or months, but I don’t want to bake it again for years. I like variety!

I write pre-canon, primarily. It’s not a coincidence. The character I like best lives for 64 years before canon starts up, which is most of his life. He experiences everything you would expect of someone that old, and more, and there are dozens of jumping-off points in even the scant history we get about him. On the other hand, canon lasts seven years, and he dies at the end of it. Canon doesn’t account for every second of his life in those seven years, no; there are many plot threads to pick up. However, by virtue of being the antagonist, canon brings bundles of baggage—if you diverge in year three, what about XYZ other plot events that we know are taking place? If you do anytime before the end of year four, you’ve got to reckon with how he gets a body, and after year four, his body looks a certain way that you’ll have to address. Don’t forget about his supporters, and his housing situation, and the increasing degree of investment from the protagonist towards destroying the antagonist, and…

It’s a lot.

It’s a lot that I have, quite neatly, sidestepped (re)writing.

I took it on in Oily Water, a project that had a false start, 10k words deep before I realized I wasn’t satisfied, needed to scrap it all, and restart. That’s over a sixth of its finished length, mind. I rewrote it from an entirely new POV. And while I love what I created, I consider that exercise finished. I’ve written the canon-era fic; I’ve eaten that cake. It was a chore for me. Perhaps I’ll want to eat it again in two or three years, but probably not before. I don’t care about canon—and not just in the sense of “screw the rules, I have money I can write a different plot,” but very, very sincerely: I don’t care about anyone or anything that defines the canon era, and I don’t want to write there.

I’ve done it already.

I’ve Addressed The Thing.

Not every story needs to be about The Thing, even when The Thing is defined as “the canon and core of this universe.” I write a villain; I am so tired of the set of expectations that demand answers as to how he deals with his boy-hero nemesis and how he wins or ends or survives his war and how his magic macguffins are dealt with. The boy hero’s never born, and if he is, he’s irrelevant, not fit for even a one-line mention. The war doesn’t start because my story changed so much in the decades prior. I don’t give a shit about magic, let alone macguffins, and they’re not named. I free myself from baggage by refusing to pick it up in the first place.

And that’s lonely, as it happens. I think it’s very reasonable and expected that most fans of a thing will want to spend the majority of their time in the canon, playing with the main characters, and revisiting the events that define the series. I know it’s a little silly to look for community in the vast blankness of the extra-canonical timeline, where there are few signposts to guide the way, but I do. I relate very strongly to the statement that it is exhausting to both encounter the same types of content over and over again, and to deal with the expectation that my content provide those same elements. I would stop writing before I put myself through replaying canon endlessly—it is, again, just not my temperament. I need the change and lack of expectation that comes from looking at other parts of the timeline in order to feel creatively fulfilled.

There’s no takeaway message in this, I’m afraid. I don’t come out of reading mikkeneko’s post with any great insights into… how to be more content with my role as a fic author, or how to navigate membership in the wider fandom. I am glad to see someone else express that desire to avoid particular areas of canon baggage, and the associated pressure to do just the opposite, that’s plagued me in my time here. I just don’t want to Address The Thing, and each time I flirt with it, with taking on some part of the mantle of expectation, I become only more convinced that it’s a poor fit for me and that I shouldn’t try again.

I only wish it were easier!

#navel gazing

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strangewiggles · 2 days

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OK! i finished reading dungeon meshi. many a thought i have.

long post, thoughts under cut, as spoiler free as possible

tl;dr: i really really enjoyed it. i absolutely recommend it. though because im mean old guy telling you to get off my lawn, i have some issues with some of the writing choices

ill start with good stuff

i wanna reiterate that i enjoyed it a lot!! it was super duper fun read. it took a minute for it to catch me but i decided to keep reading and it was worth it.

the character design is what initially drew me to reading it in the first place, and i was not disappointed. this story is full of fun and cool designs, interesting powers, and simultaneously interesting and comedic worldbuilding.

it takes a bit to really get going IMO but it quickly becomes a fun to read story and gives you a lot to think about in the current moment and, even as the story goes on, lots to think back on and asks you to recall certain moments. a story that asks for your full attention is one that i can definitely enjoy. (will revisit this topic in the “things i didnt like as much” section, though.)

i think the theming of food and meals and the way it manages to stay the be all, end all of the entire story all the way until the very end was extremely satisfying. it manages to make the story not too heavy, since it works as light relief from the heavier parts of the story. and, In My Onion, it never manages to derail the story. like. ever. at all. not really any parts of the story was i ever thinking like “are they seriously talking about FOOD right now?” its very very well established as the core part of the story, even when something absurd but food-centered came up, it was just like maybe comedic? but mostly like “ah ok that makes sense.” it very much gives you room to feel normal about the core themes of the story. and i think that alone makes it a very well written story.

if you’re looking for something fun, action-y, fantasy, silly, and sometimes a little serious, with great characters and design to read, its totally worth it.

(also, without plot spoilers, i gotta say i LOVED the Demon. thats all im saying. im obsessed. perfect. amazing. no notes.)

…..and now here’s the mean part

this goes from mild annoyances to “i almost stopped reading” so lets go

ill start with my smaller issue.

the secondary (i guess that’s what you’d call them?) characters. the canaries and former group members and all them. (izutsumi not included, as she becomes main cast) …ill say that i do like these guys…generally….eventually

when all the secondary characters get introduced and start getting more and more screen(page?) time, its hard to connect with them at first. and “at first” is … a long time. its possible this is less of a writing thing, and more of a me thing? but to me i genuinely couldnt care about these characters when they started showing up more. it took me a LONG time to connect with them. there wasn’t anything immediately compelling that makes you care about them other than “you need to know what they’re up to for the general plot”.

the story took a bit to grab me, had me for a while, introduced a bunch of guys and gave them a bunch of screentime, and it was a slow read for me after that, before they were doing anything that i found interesting. again, possibly just me and my cocomelon baby attention span.

…ok now the part that i have a hard time believing is just a “me thing” , something that had me so frustrated the entire story that i almost stopped reading. …

LAIOS.

LET. me explain.

its not his overall character, or how hes written in a general sense. overall hes an enjoyable main character, hes funny and i definitely had a good time reading most of his parts. I CANNOT MAKE IT ANYMORE CLEAR THAT I ENJOY HIM. I LIKE HIM. DO NOT MISINTERPRET THIS, HE JUST HAS ONE SINGULAR THING WRITTEN ABOUT HIM THAT I ABSOLUTELY CANNOT ENJOY.

he has ONE little quirk that KINDA MOSTLY makes sense with his general personality, and is the most frustrating thing ever….

he straight up forgets to tell the entire crew things.

like IMPORTANT, PLOT RELEVANT THINGS.

and the way its SUPPOSED to be read is “haha wow hes such an airhead he forgot to tell them (Thing that laios and the audience know but the rest of the characters dont)” and im sure plenty of people read it that way, but to me it was straight up confusing and felt like he was deliberately hiding information, which didn’t feel true to his character at all. only to find out he genuinely did forget and it dragged on the plot for a while.

its possible this forgetfulness is *used* to drag the plot on for a little longer, and to me its not at all satisfying. it feels like its less characterization and more plot device.

i happen to enjoy in stories when the audience knows something the characters don’t, but using that storytelling device in this specific way wasn’t at all fun to read, just insanely frustrating.

i was willing to let it go the first time, but this happens MULTIPLE times in the story. and its played off just like “ph i forgot! this happened!” “WHAT WHY DID YOU TELL US?!”. after the whateverth time it happened i genuinely almost stopped reading, but luckily the overall plot was encapsulating enough to have me like this:

… so those are most of my thoughts on it. anything else i didnt add was probably positive! it probably just wasnt included cuz i forgot, or it was spoilers.

do i think the story is super absolutely worth reading? yes definitely

do i think it has some writing issues that are either just boring or absolutely annoying? yeaaahhhh

im just kinda mean old cranky Jeeby. make ur own opinions. go read it. or font. its fun. thats all.

#trying SO hard not to be misinterpreted here #I LIKE THIS STORY!!! READ IT!!! AHHHH (BANGS MY HEAD IN A WALL)#long post

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caelestis-composition · 3 years

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⭒ argument: kaeya ⭒

request for @oneleggy: sliding into your dms with a request 🐌 can we get bulleted hcs for kaeya (and whoever else u want!!) where you get into a lil fight and he accidentally makes you cry so he has to be all sweet to make it up to you 😚 i recently found your blog too and i love your writing sm

absolutely! hurt/comfort is my PASSION there’s just.. something about it that gets me every time..... and tysm for the compliments! i am excited to write more i’m so happy people are liking my content!! gonna put most of the headcanons themselves under a cut because my notes got a little long asbcjiuasnk

remember that disagreements are a normal part of any relationship, not just romantic! communication is key in preventing the situation from escalating into something irreversible, and it’s so, so important to remain civil in any argument.

⭒

pairing: kaeya/reader

characters: kaeya alberich

genre: hurt/comfort

word count: 488

⭒

⋆ he doesn’t mean to make you cry, honest

⋆ he can just be so frustrating to argue with, because he doesn’t seem to take you seriously

⋆ not at first, at least

⋆ kaeya tries his hardest to dodge an argument. he’ll make jokes, try and redirect your attention or conversation, because he doesn’t want it to escalate into a full-blown fight

⋆ his method doesn’t work because you feel like he’s not listening, like he doesn’t think this—your opinion—is worth his time. he doesn’t actually believe that, but it’s what it feels like to you

⋆ something in kaeya seems to snap when you sharply ask: “would it hurt you to listen to me?”

⋆ when kaeya gets upset, he truly embodies his cryo vision: cold, stern, and hard.

⋆ he’s not yelling, he’d never yell at you, he’d never raise his voice, but honestly you wish he would

⋆ he wouldn’t ever dream of raising his hand against you, but he delivers verbal blows emotionlessly. it’s sharp and it bites, but he’s too caught up in the moment to care

⋆ and then he goes too far. neither of you remember what he said, but it was something too personal, too harsh, and you break

⋆ when he sees you crying, he stops. he takes a step back—physically and mentally—and takes a deep breath

⋆ when he exhales, the cold is gone. he apologizes immediately, telling you how he’s sorry, he stupidly got caught up in a fighting mindset, he wasn’t thinking and it was wrong for him to hurt you so badly

⋆ if you’ll let him touch you, he’ll pull you into a tight hug, running one hand through your hair and one up and down your back as he presses kisses to your face in between a neverending stream of “i’m sorry”s

⋆ once you’ve both calmed down a bit, kaeya will ask what you want to do. whatever it is you say, he’ll fulfill your request to the best of his ability. if you want to go out on a walk or find something to eat, so be it. if you just want to relax in his arms, he’ll gladly oblige. if you say you need some space to collect your thoughts for a bit, kaeya will give you the space you need

⋆ he knows the two of you will need to revisit this in the near future, but for now you need to heal

⋆ he can’t stand to see you hurt, and the fact that he was the source of that hurt tears him apart, so he promises to be better, no matter how a situation may make him feel. next time, he promises he won’t go cold. he’ll hear you out, he’ll hold his tongue, and he’ll think before anything he says

⋆ in the end, the two of you will be alright

⋆ kaeya loves you, and he’s willing to do whatever he needs to so that you’ll never forget it

#brynn’s writing #brynn’s headcanons #brynn's requests #genshin impact #genshin #genshin impact x reader #genshin x reader #genshin impact headcanons #kaeya #kaeya alberich #kaeya x reader #hurt/comfort

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catty-words · 3 years

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on the school dance fallout or, a thorough examination of the boys’ apologies to julie

full disclosure, i used to take serious issue with 1.06 for what it did to julie’s righteous anger in light of the boys letting her down, and my gripes haven’t fully gone away. but i have spent some time thinking on the fallout since my first (several) viewing(s) of the show and i finally noticed some emotionally nuanced storytelling that i needed time to come to appreciate. so, if you’ll indulge me another gif-filled meta post...

everyone knows that a good apology demonstrates an understanding of how you wronged the person you’re apologizing to, otherwise the words i’m sorry end up being fairly empty. and luckily for the boys, julie does a good job of immediately and effectively communicating her hurt feelings:

the first part is directed at luke specifically as her main co-writer, while the rest is about how all three of them let her down. it couldn’t be more clear that the reason she’s so betrayed is that a) they’ve made her feel like julie and the phantoms is less important to them than sunset curve and b) they’ve failed to consider her point of view or empathize with how important the show was to her.

which is why singing sorry a bunch of times, though charming, leaves her unmoved. and it’s why booking another gig actually makes her angrier. a gig the boys have deemed important enough to show up for is not a present or an olive branch to her, it’s a slap in the face. and if the boys had actually been paying attention to what she’d said the night of the dance, they could have anticipated her reaction.

but they clearly haven’t listened, so they haven’t learned how to do better or make things right. which is why this is such an important beat in the scene in the studio:

hounding julie to rejoin the band, even with such nice sentiments as “you’re the best thing that’s happened to us since we became ghosts”, does nothing to address how undervalued julie feels getting stood up because, as she points out above, their ability to do what they love is very limited without her. that makes her a powerful and essential member of the band, but it doesn’t prove that they care about her, julie, the person. and you can see in the reaction shot how the truth of her words lands for all of them.

their remorseful silence gives julie the opportunity to reiterate one of the points she made the night before, and it’s important to note which part of her hurt feelings she chooses to revisit.

the fact that they made the choice to pay more attention to their old music in spite of the music they were creating together is the thing that hurt her feelings the most. and, of course, her open hostility and her imagined reasons for why the boys picked sunset curve over julie and the phantoms (i.e. selfishness) puts luke on the defensive and ends with everyone leaving the scene dissatisfied.

great! okay, so here’s the part that’s bugged in the past (and the present, just. a little less so.) — in their attempt to deescalate the situation, alex and reggie give julie, and the audience, the all-important luke backstory. but like asking julie to rejoin the band with a shinier gig than a school dance flies in the face of actually making amends, so, too, does asking julie to empathize with luke’s emotional journey when the boys failed to take julie’s into account when they hurt her. only this time, it works as an olive branch.

now, i’m not saying that julie’s acting out of character in being sympathetic to luke’s pain, quite the opposite is the case. and i’m also not saying it’s bad that she does find sympathy for his situation — again, i’d argue that the opposite is true. it’s just, at the same time, it’s not a good look to force aside the young woman of color’s hurt in service of the white dude who hurt her feelings in the first place’s tragic backstory. the narrative is asking julie not to be mad at the choices luke made in the past two episodes because he’s really sad, actually.

and sure that’s an ungracious read of the moment, but i stand by the fact that it’s present in the text of the episode all the same, even with a little more nuance than i’m currently giving it credit for.

all that being said, alex and reggie do a bit to win back this highly insensitive maneuver with another stab at an apology.

alex addresses julie’s comment about them knowing “how tough it’s been for her to play” by reiterating that not showing up let her down and they get that that’s a crappy way to feel, while reggie takes a crack at julie’s “our songs were good” by emphasizing that they all love being in a band and making music with her. it’s a slight step up from their sorry in the garage, but not a complete fix because they’re all still sitting with the fact that they need julie to make the most of their music and how that complicates their declarations of loyalty.

the thing that makes this attempt at reconciliation different than those prior, of course, is this line:

the acknowledgement that things haven’t been fixed + the politeness + the implication that they’re willing to put in the time to earn her trust back so long as she lets them makes the apology a good enough one to accept. well, that, and:

one gets the sense that if rose could actually speak to julie in that moment, she’d be reminding her the value of grace. and, of course, we know that this also serves as a reminder to julie that good things are fleeting, loss is around every corner, and holding close what you care about is important. so she does just that by letting go of her (righteous, righteous) anger and reuniting the band.

still, even though alex and reggie have had their chance to make amends, luke doesn’t get the same moment to show he’s actually paid attention to julie’s needs in 1.06. so, naturally, he starts immediately in their first scene together in 1.07.

i mentioned in my exhaustive list for “finally free” that julie picking a sunset curve song for their reunion number is a lovely, understated way for her acknowledge luke’s lost musical legacy, and i have similar feelings about the fact that luke suggests “edge of great” for their follow-up gig. it’s his first step in proving to her that he does care about the music they’ve written together with actions instead of empty apologies and misguided gestures.

by the end of the episode, though, the three of them take a step back (reggie gets points for his being, like, half a step) when they learn that, in addition to letting down julie, one of the consequences of their night chasing revenge is a ticking clock on their existence.

though i understand the urge to protect julie from the alarming news that their power is going out, there’s also a lot of selfishness behind the decision. julie loses them in the end no matter what, but lying to her about it and planning to leave without an explanation shows a disregard for her emotional journey in a similar way standing her up did. in fact, this plan is basically to stand her up for eternity. not cool, guys.

naturally, since it’s luke who’s the one proposing the terrible plan and it’s luke who never officially demonstrated his understanding of how he hurt julie’s feelings by not showing up when it mattered, it’s fitting that he’s suddenly more in tune with his own feelings. and, with that, comes a new awareness of how his and julie’s feelings interact, starting with this moment in 1.08.

you can see his conflict over her declaration. she’s worried without knowing just how much there is to be worried about, and that makes him sad because it’s confirmation of the fact that he’s important to her. that losing him will mean a lot of pain for her. but instead of cluing her in, he makes a conscious choice to continue withholding the information of his imminent departure. and maybe it’s such a weak deflection because he’s already starting to come to terms with how unfair he’s being to her, but even so, he’s not being a good friend when julie is showing up for him in big, unexpected ways he’d never even thought to ask for.

and again, here —

— just after they’ve acknowledged that there’s a something and not a nothing between them, you can see him sober with the thought that she doesn’t know they’re about to lose each other. but it’s still not enough to move him to share. maybe because he prefers that she live with the possibility of that something when he no longer can, maybe because he’s too caught up in his own feelings about how crappy this hand they’ve been dealt by the universe is. but in any case, he keeps tight-lipped.

UNTIL.

it’s seeing her excited about a future their music can’t have that finally pushes him into coming clean. and i love how subtly this demonstrates that he has been paying attention, actually, and he knows that what hurt julie the most was the feeling that their music took a backseat to his past. if he crosses over without telling her the whole, ugly truth about the mistake he made by standing her up, then he crosses over stuck in that mistake. because part of that whole, ugly truth is the beautiful realization that no music is worth making, julie, if we’re not making it with you. and he’s not quite at that particular aspect of his truth yet — he still has to experience the what if of caleb’s club to be able to make the declaration with the conviction he does — but when he finally does tell her that and means it, she’s given the catharsis she’s needed since the dance. because he’s backing up his apology with action (i.e. being willing to literally no longer exist instead of making music with someone else) and providing her with the same consideration she showed him when she rejoined the band because his loss felt more important than her anger. and reaching that level of give and take in their relationship, physically represented in their hug, finally sets them free.

so, yes. even though 1.06 is clunky and a little tasteless at times, i can acknowledge that the story manages to win any missteps back. quite poetically, honestly. all’s forgiven.

#julie and the phantoms #jatpedit #jatp meta #julie molina #luke patterson #reggie peters #alex mercer #gifs by catty #long post #am i disappointed with myself for not being able to include any gifs from 1.09 because i reached the limit already #yes. absolutely.#should i have split this post into two parts to fit it all?#maybe so #will i do anything about it?#obviously not #FATED BANDMATES #melody & words #together my cats can queue anything

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lewishamil10n · 3 years

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hi! zero obligation to answer this ask but I’m an old school SPN fan (went to a convention in 2013 and everything lol) who stopped watching in season 9 & hasn’t seen a full episode past that point. I’m wondering if you could recommend any episodes from season 9-15 that you think are essential viewing for the Sam x Dean relationship? I know episodes like Red Meat and Baby are popular but any others you can think of would be amazing!

hi anon! sorry this took a while, i was compiling the list, and then halfway through my app crapped out and i had to do it all over again. thanks, tumblr :')

anyway, here is the comprehensive list of my personal fav samdean episodes! i'll be putting most of it under a cut, since it's kinda long, and i'll add a samdean factor (sdf) rating out of ten at the end of each episode summary.

here goes!

season 9

actually my least favorite season, but it does have a couple good episodes

9.05 dog dean afternoon – dean becomes a dog. sort of. yeah. humorous motw (monster of the week) episode with some hurt!sam and some good face-caressing action from dean. sdf 7/10.

9.07 bad boys – motw, has flashbacks to teenage dean. some retconning about john that might bother you if you're a john fan. overall a good episode, with a moment at the end showing just how much sam means to dean. sdf 6.5/10.

9.13 the purge – boys go undercover at a spa. also the episode that introduces donna. motw, lots of humorous moments, including the classic sam and dean being confused for a couple thing. also, sam doing yoga. the boys do have an argument at the end though, for plot-related reasons. sdf 7.5/10.

9.23 do you believe in miracles – overall kind of a boring episode, but has a samdean moment at the end when dean decides to take a temporary vacation from the mortal plane. you could just watch that on youtube though, with the keywords "i'm proud of us." i wouldn't say it's worth putting yourself through the entire episode. up to you entirely. sdf 5/10.

season 10

10.03 soul survivor – actually one of my favorite episodes. not top 5 or anything but it's up there. demon dean chases sam around the bunker a lot, he was nice and scary, and the suspense was fun. references to married samdean at the end. sdf 7.5/10.

10.05 fan fiction – basically a love letter to the fans. motw at a high school play based on the supernatural books. lots of brother moments, by proxy and in actuality. the show pokes fun at itself in a light-hearted way. the samulet is brought up. good stuff. sdf 8.5/10.

10.06 ask jeeves – one of my absolute favorite episodes to rewatch. motw, classic locked-room mystery except in a house. sam and dean stuck with rich pretentious WASPs. sam versus cougars. the phrase "homosexual murderers." overall a very good episode. sdf 8.5/10.

10.12 about a boy – motw, deaged!dean shenanigans. sam gets to be the big brother for once. lots of banter. a cute scene with dean telling stories of his and sam's childhood. a fun episode to watch. sdf 7.5/10.

10.14 the executioner's song – oh man, what an episode. plot-related. dean versus cain, excellent fight scene, even better emotional samdean moment later. it's a short moment so you could just youtube it if you wanted, but overall i would recommend this episode. sdf 8/10.

10.19 the werther project – motw with some plot-related stuff. warning for suicide. really good episode, though intense. good samdean moments at the end, including hurt!sam and dean stroking his hair. sdf 9/10.

10.23 brother's keeper – season finale. suspenseful episode, i liked it. watch for the sam versus dean fight, and death's scenes. the brother moment pay-off is SO GOOD. in my opinion this is where spn started getting good again. sdf 9.5/10.

season 11

aka my favorite season

11.04 baby – easily my top 10, if not my top 5. motw told from the impala's perspective. so many brother moments, and improvements on their relationship like open communication etc. really brilliant. don't miss this one. sdf 10/10.

11.05 thin lizzie – fun episode until the axe murders start. sam and his thing for serial killers, dean indulging him. the implication of bed-sharing. banter and fun. good stuff. sdf 8.5/10.

11.08 just my imagination – motw episode, super cute moments. sam getting affirmation that he's a hero. flashbacks to younger sam and dean. dean being jealous of someone else being protective of sam. lots of humorous moments. sdf 9/10.

11.10 the devil in the details – plot episode. watch mainly for sam standing up to lucifer, and dean protecting him. excellent excellent moments. warning: you might feel rage by the end of it due to a certain angel's bad decisions. sdf 9.5/10.

11.11 into the mystic – motw at a senior home. eileen is introduced. sam accidentally says fuck in asl. good episode. broment with sam thinking about his and dean's future. sdf 8/10.

11.16 safe house – amazing episode. motw. the boys work a case worked by bobby and rufus in the past. excellent transitions between present and past, bobby and rufus banter, and dean reaffirming that sam is a part of his soul. sdf 9/10.

11.17 red meat – do i need to say any more. possibly my favorite episode of ALL TIME. motw. hurt!sam, reckless!suicidal!dean. straight up romeo and juliet parallels. badass sam. the boys being compared to a married couple. the classic spn vibe is [chef's kiss] sdf 15/10.

11.19 the chitters – motw episode featuring two of my favorite one-off characters. more classic spn vibes, specifically wendigo (monsters in the woods). more of dean comparing him and sam to a married couple. the usual. sdf 8.5/10.

11.20 don't call me shurley – the show could have ended at this episode and it would have been perfect. more classic spn vibes, with a case in a small town. more sam and dean moments than you know what to do with. soft touches and reaffirming their love and obsession with each other. a long-standing theory confirmed. and of course, one of the most important objects in their personal history. sdf 13/10.

season 12

also one of my favorite seasons

12.01 keep calm and carry on – no bro interaction in this one, but you might enjoy it if you like hurt!sam and feral!protective!dean. also, dean talking mary's ear off about sam. sdf 7/10.

12.04 american nightmare – motw with one of my favorite one-off characters again. sam's past is revisited. brothers have some nice moments of banter, but it's mostly sam-centric. sdf 6.5/10.

12.06 celebrating the life of asa fox – motw in which dean literally forgets his mother's existence because a door comes in between him and sam. great episode. another locked-room mystery in a house; the brothers attend the wake of a famous hunter and run into other hunters who see them as legends (also what inspired my url lol). trouble happens. sdf 8.5/10.

12.09 first blood – separation anxiety leads them to make a stupid deal in order to break out of a maximum security facility and see each other again. separation described as "worse than hell." unironically. badass winchesters. underrated episode, one of my favorites. i rewatch it a lot actually. sdf 9/10.

12.11 regarding dean – motw. a curse causes dean to start losing his memory. he begins forgetting everything, including sam. angst and brother moments ensue. rowena is there. good stuff. sdf 8.5/10.

12.20 twigs and twines and tasha banes – the witch twins return! good motw episode with interesting characters, paralleled with the boys. wish we'd gotten a banes twin spin-off or at least more episodes with them. sdf 7.5/10.

12.22 who we are – sam and dean getting themselves out of a death trap. dean finally gets to use his rocket launcher. the words "hey lunatic" are said in the way most people say "i love you." bro hug. dean is proud of his badass little brother. ass is kicked. the brothers do separate midway through the episode but the broments more than make up for it. dean stands up to mary for everything she did to her boys with her choices – especially sam. extremely emotional episode, sdf 10/10 would recommend.

season 13

13.11 breakdown – motw. dean takes a visibly depressed sam on a hunt to help donna out. some epic hurt!sam ensues. brother moment at the end where they talk about sam's depression. sdf 7.5/10.

13.12 various and sundry villains – humorous motw episode. dean gets put under a spell by a witch and is convinced she's his soulmate. sam, his actual soulmate, is not amused. wrestling and shenanigans ensue. rowena is there, as she usually is when witchy shenanigans are going down. she and sam talk about their lucifer-related trauma. good episode overall. sdf 8.5/10.

13.15 a most holy man – motw (sort of) where the boys hunt down a skull, knock the fuck out of a priest, and engage in general shenanigans. humorous broments scattered throughout the episode. jealous!dean makes an appearance. sdf 8.5/10.

13.17 the thing – motw. sam gets kidnapped, dean loses his shit. lovers are separated across an interdimensional rift, while dean debates whether it's safe to take sam across another interdimensional rift. parallels between the brothers and a pair of lovers? yep. must be another day ending in y. sdf 9/10.

13.19 funeralia – wonderful, wonderful episode. rowena and billie are BRILLIANT. dean freaks out again because he's separated from sam. important revelation about sam and rowena at the end. sdf 8.5/10.

13.21 beat the devil – sam and dean go to the alternative universe to save mary and jack. BAD SHIT happens to sam and dean can't help him at all, leading him to go literally mute with grief. so. many. emotions. no one matters to these boys as much as each other and this episode is testament to that. sdf 10/10.

13.22 exodus – HUG. BROTHER MOMENT. BADASS BOYS. SAM BEING A LEADER. GOOD STUFF ALL AROUND. sdf 9/10.

13.23 let the good times roll – dean and sam get separated again thanks to lucifer and dean makes an impulsive decision for sam's sake. the world's silliest angel fight ensues. beautiful moment at the end that unfortunately doesn't last. sdf 9.5/10.

season 14

14.04 mint condition – halloween motw episode. nice homage to slasher flicks, plus sam and dean being cute in their insurance guy outfits. broment in the beginning AND end of episode. dean calls sam pretty a lot. one of my fav episodes to rewatch. sdf 9.5/10.

14.08 byzantium – nice angsty episode. sam grieves jack when he, in true winchester style, takes a temporary vacation from the mortal plane. he and dean (and cas) fight to get their kid back. a good ep if you like sam angst and dean worrying about him. sdf 7.5/10.

14.11 damaged goods – another angsty episode. dean resorts to desperate measures to deal with his annoying skull roommate issue. sam is not happy about it but reluctantly goes along. featuring the hug-from-behind that's become legendary in gifs, and dean saying Those Three Words along with other things that indicate that sam is the most important person in his life. sdf 9/10.

14.12 prophet and loss – the boys go to help donatello who's in a coma. sam is angsting over dean's decision from the previous episode. dean is angsting over sam's angst. castiel is just kinda there. then sam has a breakdown which short-circuits dean's brain and resets it back to common sense. brohugs and tears ensue. one of my favorite hugs mostly due to how Baby Brother sam is in it. sdf 10/10.

14.13 lebanon – DO NOT SKIP THIS. lots of cute moments showing sam and dean's life in their town, plus. john winchester. SO MANY BROMENTS. literally all they do is talk about how much they love each other. they get closure from john. lots of tears are shed. i will never be the same again. sam and dean are each other's endgame and i will go feral. sdf 14/10.

14.17 game night – an okay episode, though it has a great hurt!sam broment near the end. worth watching for that itself. dean takes care of his baby brother and i cry a little into my bowl of chips. sdf 8/10.

season 15

15.01 back and to the future – another okay episode. there's a nice scene where dean fixes up a bullet wound in sam's shoulder, but you could probably find that on youtube too. sdf 6/10.

15.04 atomic monsters – kinda a depressing episode even by spn standards, tbh. motw, again where dean takes a visibly depressed sam on a hunt. the hunt hits too close to home, sam's depression gets worse, and he talks to dean about it in the end of the episode. it was a good scene, was nice to see sam discuss his mental health and dean listening. sdf 8/10.

15.11 the gamblers – motw. the boys go to a bar in alaska to win back their luck from the goddess fortuna. some other plot stuff happens with castiel and jack but eh. the boys play pool and have some nice moments. also, snarky sammy! sdf 8/10.

15.14 last holiday – motw. the boys accidentally release a wood nymph named mrs. butters who looks after them in a creepy kinda grandmotherly fashion. they get to have birthdays! but of course she's not what she seems, etc. etc. some hurt!sam, a few cute brothers-and-jack-as-family moments. sdf 6.5/10 (some marks reduced due to unnecessary and nonsensical inclusion of saileen)

15.17 unity – plot episode, honestly just watch for the moment near the end where sam is able to talk dean out of his existential-crisis-induced mind-controlled state, breaking chuck's hold over him. it's a great moment, but like. i'd say go watch on youtube instead of watching the entire ep. sdf 7/10 due to the moment.

15.19 inherit the earth – the boys finally take back control of their own lives and destiny. the universe is back in order with a new deity. classic sam and dean versus cosmic entities, with nothing but each other and their sheer willpower. beautiful, beautiful ending. the show could have ended here and been perfect. sdf 10/10.

15.20 carry on – the episode that might finally land me in therapy. the series finale that made this entire 15-season ride so worth it. lovely motw episode, full of love and passion and heart, and a monologue from dean that will have you in tears. The Three Words are spoken. he calls sam his baby brother. hands are held and foreheads are touched. i was literally sobbing while watching this, and i never cry at tv shows or movies. even now when i think of this episode my heart feels heavy and full in the best of ways. the entire episode is a love letter to the pilot, to the boys, and to everyone who's stuck with them. it is the distilled essence of what made this show special. i still haven't been able to rewatch because of how emotional it makes me. sdf 34693/10.

well anon i hope this long list helped!!! enjoy your watch <3

#supernatural #samdean #asks #anonymous #naila.txt

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kitkatpancakestack · 3 years

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Hold up...your theory on all the season finales focusing on Buck and his love interests — Buck ending each season being left by someone he loved (he didn't really love Ali, but doesn't matter). Hold. Up. Not really a theory, but a keen observation of fact on your part! But what was different about season 4, hmm? He almost lost Eddie, but the episode ended with Eddie staying, Eddie choosing Buck. THIS SHOW!!!

911 narrarive parallels are rarely one-on-one, they are like fractals. What on earth is coming next???

(And I am now just remembering that that scene with Buck and Eddie was the final scene of the episode, before the montage.)

I don't know what I'm asking except I would love to hear more of your thoughts on this parallel (or anything else 911 that is on your mind...)

OHohoh be careful what you ask for, I will reach into my brain and splatter the proverbial canvas with every over-analytical triviality I can get my hands on.

@yramesoruniverse I am so happy to see you in my inbox, every time your url pops up on my dash I smile. I vibe with your vibes! Reading your tags on my posts and vice versa feels like we're sitting down with some popcorn to talk shit (affectionate) about this beloved weewoo show.

Okay okay onto the ask - naturally I have some opinions, 90% of my headspace is the weewoo and 10% is nonsense like bills, groceries, my job, school applications, etc. I've got thoughts. So here we go:

I've started realizing this on my latest re-watch, and I just got to the season 3 finale, and as I was shoving my face full of Wendy's I thought to myself, whoa whoa whoa, this is the third finale of this show and the third time I have to see Buck all forlorn and woe is me bc another LI is leaving him. And everything snowballed after that. Let's go in order, and then we're gonna talk about other character's arcs as they manifest in the finale, and then hopefully I can pull this mess together at the end so it makes sense!

Let's preface these analyses by saying that typically season finales are reserved for revisiting the main storylines of characters, and in the case of 9-1-1 which focuses on the personal lives of the first responders, the main storylines revolve around those characters' families. Buck's main storyline is his search for meaningful connection and having something that he can call his own.

1x10: "A Whole New You"

Abby leaves Buck. That's what this boils down to in regards to the theme of this post. After Buck prepared himself to "step into it with her" and "keep her company there," Abby's mom passed away and relieved her of the last thing tethering her in place, resulting in her deciding to travel the world and rediscover herself. I think the title of the episode is hilarious as it relates to Buck and Abby, because it's pretty obvious in Abby's case but in the context of the next season we literally start to see the transition to a "whole new Buck." I hate speaking its name aloud, but Buck 2.0 anyone???

Why Abby leaves: she was afraid she would lose herself if she stayed

What Buck learns: he is capable of a monogamous relationship and actually he might prefer this to the alternative

2x18: "This Life We Choose"

Ali leaves Buck. Her mere existence in this episode shows the audience Buck is actively moving on from Abby. He is trying to make this whole meaningful connection thing work, which feels more authentic to him probably because Ali is already established in his life (sound like someone we know from season 4 anybody??? sorry I digress), but we know how this turns out.

Why Ali leaves: she couldn't handle the inherent danger and unpredictability of his job

What Buck learns: people leave, but you know what will always be there for him? His job. Let's project our entire self-worth onto that, then.

3x18: "What's Next?"

Abby leaves Buck (again, and this time for another man!). It's more like the continuation and finalization of the process she started in the season one finale, but absolutely this gets its own mention. Never mind that Tim said the train was literally a metaphor for Buck. Abby isn't walking off into the vague unknown with this one. She is about to marry a single father (cough cough) and that is the deliberate cut-off to her and Buck's relationship, which leaves him in a bit of a freefall as is obvious during the first bit of season 4 (hello Dr. Copeland, better late than never I suppose).

Why Abby leaves: she found someone who she can be her authentic self with, who she doesn't feel will make her backslide

What Buck learns: everybody walks away, he is always the one left behind, maybe the problem is himself.

4x14: "Survivors"

Eddie almost left Buck. The difference? Abby and Ali both made active choices to leave him. Eddie had to literally get gunned down in the street, through no choice of his own, in order to even be added into this parallel. Considering the culminating events of Buck's story arc throughout the years and especially the plotline we get in season four alone, this is huge, don't you think? I know the writers do, because they literally put up a huge neon sign with the final scene between Buck and Eddie like, "We know Buck always gets left behind at the end of each season but look at this! He isn't! In fact, it's the exact opposite!" and then we're forced to go insane ruminating on the meaning of these choices for an eternity during the hiatus.

This is already obscenely long, and I have some thoughts about other characters and how their main plotlines play out during the season finales, but I'll leave this here for now. Hope this gave you something!

#yramesoruniverse #ask #the writers are insane #the writers are unhinged #season finale parallels #something about being left behind #something about eddie not leaving him behind #Im going insane I think #buddie #evan buckley #meta #season 5 boutta knock me over the head #meta by me

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ficsyoumayhavemissed · 3 years

Text

it’s only for the brave — sunflower_lwt / @hometothecanyonmoon

2.247 words / Liam x Tom Daley

My love, all I want is to protect you. I gave my heart to you a long time ago and I never got it back. I love you, I adore you, I love who I am when I’m with you.

Always in my heart, Tom Daley.

Yours sincerely,

Liam Payne.

This fic somehow manages to be a journey of emotion in so few words. There’s so much fear and angst over a love possibly lost, a future left uncertain, and a past full of regret. But the author leaves the story open-ended, closing off with a little room for hope.

i’ll meet you anytime you want (in our italian restaurant) — alwaysgolden / @hsmp3

3.239 words / Harry x Louis

harry and louis reunite after ten years in their favorite restaurant, reminiscing about the past and revisiting old feelings.

This absolutely adorable fic is the author’s first published work (thankfully, they have posted more since!) and while it’s fairly short, it’s an absolute treasure. The shyness and nostalgia between the two friends blend into a perfect atmosphere that’s sure to keep you smiling the entire time you read. (Warnings: mentions of death)

It's Poutine Bitch! — @haztobegood

3.950 words / @harryandmenfest / Harry x Mitch Rowland

“What is that?”

“This?” Harry pointed his fork at the plate. “It’s poutine.”

The man gazed longingly at the heaped plate. “Looks good.”

"Go ahead and take one, bitch.”

Everything about this fic is absolutely hilarious! From the title over the narration to the dialogue – it’s absolutely wonderful. Go ahead and read this feel-good-fic if you need something to cheer you up, a bit of a laugh, and a story that will make you feel warm.

baby I'll never leave (if you keep holding me this way) — we_are_the_same / @so-why-let-your-voice-be-tamed

6.438 words / @1dclicheficfest / Harry x Louis

His fingers curl around the first thing he can find that would be suitable as a weapon, an umbrella that has a rather impressive looking metal pin at the end. He holds it in front of him the way he imagines people hold a sword, tiptoeing through his living room until he can find whoever’s in his kitchen. He briefly considers calling 999, figures that if someone’s trying to burgle him, he should probably not be a hero and actually rely on professionals to arrest them, but he’s never been the type to sit back and wait, and -- is that singing?

It is singing. Whoever is trying to rob him is in his kitchen, singing an eighties pop song under their breath.

And they made cookies?

All about this fic is beautiful. The author has made a wonderful impression of the character development – plus it’s hilarious and cute. It portrays a ray of hope for everyone struggling with the current worldwide situation bringing an ‘everything’s gonna be fine’ message to the reader. Give it a chance!

It’s Probably Because I’ve Got a Big Lesbian Crush on You — yeah_alright / @uhoh-but-yeah-alright

6.614 words / @wordplayfics / Harry x Louis

Harry's never really concerned herself with being part of the popular crowd. But as the new girl in school the second semester of her junior year, she finds herself unwittingly competing for Queen Bee status against high school royalty Louis Tomlinson. Maybe there's more to their rivalry than it seems.

A not-quite-Mean Girls AU

Are you in need of a sweet, interesting, and funny Girl!Direction fic that you won’t be able to put down? Look no further: This fic has it all! Just the essence of Mean Girls with the perfect amount of the author’s own twists and turns that will leave you smiling all the way through!

sweet music playing in the dark — solvetheminourdreams / @solvetheminourdreams

12.753 words / Harry x Louis

“Just get in.”

“I don’t even know you,” Louis continues lightly, hand already inching toward the door.

Harry laughs, shaking his head. “No, but I’m willing to take the risk if you are.”

Or the one where Harry wants nothing more than to hear From Eden live and Louis just needs to pay off some parking tickets.

This fic is a great mixture of humorous and sweet! Louis’ characterization is just great, and the chaos of the plot is very fun. A must read for those days you need something a little unexpected to make you smile.

light somewhere, in the distance — wordsnnotes / @quelsentiment

26.011 words / Zayn x Liam x Louis

“You’ll be paired up with one partner in each place.”

Zayn frowns.

“A partner?”

“Yes, that’s the way it goes,” the angel nods. “Everyone gets a partner. Sometimes it’s people from your previous life, if you used to be together or could have been together if death hadn’t separated you. But most times, it’s not someone you know. In any case, we’re always very careful about pairing up people who are compatible together.”

Or: a Zouiam love triangle set in the afterlife. Loosely based on The Good Place

This fic is so intense in the best way: it gives you the chance to shed a few tears on a bad day while giving you the warmest hug at the end to make sure you’re alright. The worldbuilding in The Good Place fashion is done fantastically and it matches the relationship developments so well. It’s definitely worth a read.

—-

As always, support the authors by leaving kudos and comments! Happy reading!

If you love a fic that has gotten less love than you think it deserves, submit it to us so we can check it out and add it to one of our recs! We would love to be able to spread more love to underappreciated fics! — FYMHM xx

#hlcreators #tracksintheam #trackinghome #trackinghappily #hljournal #hlsource #fic rec #fymhm #september 2021

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jamlavender · 3 years

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Gaslight, gatekeep, girlboss: Mrs Coulter, misogyny and the His Dark Materials TV show

The show went hard on misogyny as a vital part of Mrs Coulter’s backstory, and I want to talk about how they did it, and why, and how it might have been done better. This is quite long (when is anything I write not, let’s be real) so it’s under the cut. Read on for thoughts on women, power and fictional villainy.

As a quick disclaimer, though: I’ve enjoyed the show a lot! I’m so glad they made it! Ruth Wilson is mesmerising as Mrs Coulter! There’s so much to appreciate about the show overall, including many aspects of Mrs Coulter’s portrayal. But the HDM team have also made gender politics and misogyny very explicit themes of the show – particularly season two, particularly season two, episode five – and I think it’s fair to critique that.

Let’s be clear: Mrs Coulter is a villain. She murders kids by tearing out their souls. She kills and tortures friends and foes alike without a second thought. She abuses her daughter. She upholds and advances a totalitarian regime. She’s a Bad Person, as confirmed by God himself with the unforgettable line: “You are a cesspit of moral filth.” She’s fucking terrible, but, in life as in art, many of us are fascinated by how such awful people are made. What drives someone to commit atrocities? I am keen to see such questions examined in fiction, because I don’t think exploring a character necessarily means excusing their actions, and because it’s interesting (I mean, of course I find her fascinating, I’ve written a novel’s worth of fic about her). However, after a few snarky comments (“What sort of woman raised Father Graves, do you think?”) and some subtler commentary on sexuality, gender and power (her unsettling MacPhail with the key in the bra in S1E2), S2E5 drew a weird line between sexism in Mrs Coulter’s professional and academic life and her vast and senseless institutionalised child murder, and the longer I’ve sat with that the more I’m like: what the fuck?

Look, Mrs Coulter doesn’t tear apart children to search for sin inside them and poison Boreal and break a witch’s fingers because she’s experienced sexism in the workplace and in her education. That’s… a very odd thing to imply. We have to remember that there are lots of women in Lyra’s world, all of whom will also have experienced sexism, misogyny and other forms of marginalisation (many in more expansive and pernicious ways than Mrs Coulter, who’s a woman, yes, but also white, wealthy, highly educated and very thin and beautiful), and none of them are running arctic torture stations. She will have experienced misogyny, absolutely, and that will have affected her in various ways that inform how she approaches her work, but to imply that being denied a doctorate is the reason she became a sadistic killer is frankly bizarre. Here are a few of the lines from that episode with my commentary:

“Do you know who I could have been in this world?” What does this mean? If she’d been roughly the same person in our world, the answer is: Margaret Thatcher, which is probably a step down for Marisa, all things considered, because the Magisterium is far more autocratic than any recent Tory government and would be a much easier institutional environment in which to enact her cruelty. What we’re supposed to think, clearly, is that she’d have been a different person: a scientist and a mother, and she’s had this realisation because she saw a woman with a baby and a laptop and had a three-minute conversation with Mary. This doesn’t make sense. We live in our world! It’s less repressive than Lyra’s world but it’s hardly a gender utopia. If Mrs Coulter had chosen the scientist-and-mother life (which, as I’ll revisit later, she could have done in her world but chose not to because of her megalomaniac tendencies), she’d still have been affected by misogyny here too. Our world is not kind to young mothers, nor young women embroiled in scandals, nor is the world teeming with female physicists. It might be a little better, sure, but it’s hardly as if those gendered challenges would have been solved.

“What do you mean she runs a department?” This is just the show forgetting its own canon. Marisa, you ran a massive government organisation (the GOB), including a huge murder science research initiative in the Arctic. That’s a much bigger undertaking and much more impressive than running a university department in our world. Pull yourself together.

“But because I was a woman, I was denied a doctorate by the Magisterium.” This is the show flagrantly ignoring the source material to make a clumsy political point. In the books, there are women with doctorates (notably Hannah Relf, also a major player in the new Book of Dust trilogy) and at least one women’s college full of female scholars. Now, would that women’s college likely be underfunded and disrespected compared to the men’s colleges? Almost certainly. But saying that is different than saying “I couldn’t get my doctorate!” when women in Lyra’s world can. The show knew what point they wanted to make, and were willing to ignore canon to do so, which is frustrating. Also, given that there are female academics and scientists in Lyra’s world, and that Mrs Coulter is a member of St Sophia’s college, it’s clear that she could have lived that life if she so desired. But she didn’t want that, because being a scientist and academic at St Sophia’s imbues her with no real power, and that’s what she craves.

I’m not opposed, in theory, to exploring Mrs Coulter and misogyny in more depth, but I think doing so through an examination of the sexual politics of her life would have made a lot more narrative sense and been much more powerful. It’s better evidenced in the text – her using her sexuality to manipulate people and taking lovers for political sway is entirely canon, as is her backstory where genuine love and lust blew up her life – and it links much more closely with the most shocking of her villainy, which involves cutting out children’s dæmons to stop them developing “troublesome thoughts and feelings,” referencing sexual and romantic desire (and what Lyra and Will do to save Dust is clearly a big ‘fuck you’ to those aims). She even says this to MacPhail in TAS, “If you thought for one moment that I would release my daughter into the care - the care! - of a body of men with a feverish obsession with sexuality, men with dirty fingernails, reeking of ancient sweat, men whose furtive imaginations would crawl over her body like cockroaches - if you thought I would expose my child to that, my Lord President, you are more stupid than you take me for.” Don’t get me wrong, she’d have been a villain regardless, but I do believe that there’s a much stronger link between her sexual and romantic experiences and her murder work than between professional and academic stifling and child murder. It would have been a lot more interesting and a lot less tenuous.

However, the show is trying to be family-friendly, and digging into why this terrible, cruel woman might want to cut the ability for desire and love (and other non-sexual adult feelings, I’m sure) out of people could get dark. We know that the show doesn’t want to go there, because they’ve actively toned down her weaponising her sexuality: in the books, she has an established sexual relationship with Boreal, whereas the show made it seem like she’s been stringing him along all this time, and made it about potentially ‘sharing a life’ together rather than fucking, which was clearly the arrangement in the books. Also, I think Ruth Wilson said she and Ariyon Bakare filmed a “steamy scene” together, and given that only a single chaste kiss between them aired it must have been cut. I think they deliberately minimised the sexual elements of the text, particularly regarding Mrs Coulter (the mountain scene with Asriel, which I did still love, was also a lot less horny than in the book) and replaced that with another gender issue, that of professional sexism, as if the two are interchangeable, which they are not. This is a shame, both for Mrs Coulter’s character and also for the story as a whole, because the characters’ relationships with sex and desire are an important part of the books! (If this minimised sexuality approach means that they don’t use the TAS scene where Asriel threatens to gag her and she tries to goad him into doing it, I’ll scream). Overall, I think they missed the mark here, which is a shame because I also think it could have been done well, if they’d been bolder and darker and more thoughtful.

Why might this happen? Why might the show take this approach? Why might it be latched onto by viewers? Personally, I think the conversations we have about women and power are very simplistic, which leaves us in a tight spot when we see women seizing power for themselves (even in fiction) and weaponising that against others, not just other women but people of all genders, because we struggle to move past ‘women have overall been denied power, so them taking it ‘back’ is good,’ even if that immediately becomes a hot mess of white, corporate feminism and results in the ongoing oppression of many people. I think we are so hungry for representations of powerful women that we – producers and viewers alike – struggle to see them as bad, because it’s uncomfortable to be so intoxicated by Mrs Coulter effortlessly dominating the men around her, subverting systems designed to marginalise her for her own benefit, and generally being aggressive and intelligent and ruthless, and then realise that you are entranced by someone who is, objectively, a terrible, terrible person. It can be hard to realise that if you channelled the energy of someone who mesmerises you, you’d be the villain. So instead of sitting with that (more on this below), a lot of legwork goes into reworking her villainy into, somehow, a just act, a result of oppression, as her taking back power that has been denied to her, rather than grappling with the fact that for anyone to desire power in such a merciless way, even if they have to overcome marginalisation to get it, is really, really dangerous.

The joy, of course, is that Mrs Coulter is not real! She’s not real! Adoring fictional characters does not mean condoning their (imaginary) decisions, nor do stories exist for each person in them to fit neatly into a good or bad box so you know who you’re allowed to love. Furthermore, fiction can be a fabulous tool for exploring and interrogating the parts of yourself that, if left to bloom unexamined, might perpetuate beliefs or behaviour that cause harm to others. Mrs Coulter doesn’t need to be a feminist or taking down the patriarchy or a righteous powerful woman to illuminate things about gender, power and feminism for those reading and watching. In fact, it’s important that we explore what happens when women (most commonly white, wealthy women, as she is) continue to perpetuate brutal systems under the guise of sticking it to ‘men,’ because it happens all the time in the real world, and it’s a serious issue. Finding characters like Mrs Coulter so cool and compelling doesn’t make you a bad person, but it might tell you something about yourself – not that you want to be a villain or kill kids or whatever, but something about how you relate to your gender or women or men or power – and that knowledge can be useful! We all have better and worse impulses, and finding art that helps us make sense of ourselves, both the good and bad parts, is a gift that we should relish.

Anyway, tl;dr, Mrs Coulter doesn’t need to be sympathetic or understandable or redeemable to be brilliant – but you wouldn’t know that from how she’s been portrayed in the new adaptation.

#his dark materials #marisa coulter #my analysis #this might be controversial idk #more thoughts that no one asked for #hdm meta

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lokiondisneyplus · 3 years

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Loki director Kate Herron’s heart was beating fast. She’d already had some surreal experiences during her short time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, so a simple phone call shouldn’t make her nervous. But on the other end of the line was Owen Wilson, an actor and writer she admired and hoped would join her on a time-jumping journey through the MCU.

“It was the most detailed pitch I’ve ever done, to an actor, ever. I pretty much spoke through the entire first episode with him,” Herron recalls of wooing Wilson, who wasn’t too familiar with Marvel before being cast as Mobius, an agent for the mysterious Time Variance Authority central to the series.

Wilson instantly put Herron at ease with his laid-back charm as she walked the actor through 10 years of onscreen lore for Loki, the god of mischief played by Tom Hiddleston. She answered his questions about Avengers: Endgame, about time travel, about how this version of Loki was not the one fans knew from films like Thor: Ragnarok, but rather one plucked from an alternate timeline from 2012’s The Avengers.

It was all part of a whirlwind few years for Herron, who not that long ago was temping at a fire extinguisher company and struggling to land directing work even though she’d already helmed a BBC project with Idris Elba. Then Herron finally achieved breakthrough success directing episodes of the Netflix hit Sex Education and soon was hounding her agents for a Marvel meeting.

When Herron finally landed one, the Loki superfan cleared her schedule and spent two weeks putting together a 60-page document, even though her agents tempered her expectations by noting it was just a meet-and-greet.

“I knew I’d be up against some really big directors, and I knew I wouldn’t be the most experienced in the room, so I [said], ‘OK. I’ll just be the most passionate,'” recalls Herron.

Just a few days after officially landing the job, Herron found herself on a five-hour walk through New York with Hiddleston discussing Loki and flying to D23 in Anaheim to be greeted by thousands of screaming fans alongside Loki head writer Michael Waldron.

Herron is now working long days finishing up Loki in Marvel’s production hub in Atlanta, where the British filmmaker has largely lived since getting the job in 2019. Over Zoom from her freezing Atlanta apartment (she still hasn’t figured out the quirks of the air conditioner), Herron dives into Loki ahead of its June 9 debut on Disney+.

What was your process of sitting down with Marvel for this?

I was just so overexcited. [My agents] were like, “Look, it’s just a casual conversation, they just want to get a sense of you,” and basically I was like, “OK, I’m just going to pitch them.” Because I thought, they might not meet me again. So I got as much information as I could, and they sent me a little bit about the show. And I just prepared a massive pitch for it. I canceled everything for two weeks. I made a 60-page document full of references, story ideas, music. I knew I’d be up against some really big directors, and I knew I wouldn’t be the most experienced in the room, so I [said], “OK. I’ll just be the most passionate.”

Was that first meeting in Burbank?

That was in England, in southeast London on Zoom. I had a few stages where I did that. Then after a few interviews with Kevin Wright and Stephen Broussard, two of the Marvel executives who got me ready for the big match, I went in to pitch to Kevin Feige, Victoria [Alonso], Lou [Louis D’Esposito], the whole team there. That was very surreal because they flew me to Burbank and I pitched at Marvel Studios. I didn’t have the job, but I found out they were interested and then I remember Kevin Feige called me, and when he was in London, we had coffee. He was like, “Look, we want you to direct it.” Oh my God. They flew me to D23 and that was crazy because I think I found out I got the job 48 hours before, and then I was onstage. The Lady and the Tramp dogs were in front of me and Michael [Waldron] on the red carpet. “What is going on?” (Laughs.) I met Tom that week as well, so it was a bit of a whirlwind kind of thing.

📷Herron, Waldron and Feige at D23 in 2019.

Where did you first meet Tom?

I had a two-stop trip. I flew first to New York to meet Tom. He was in Betrayal at the time, on Broadway, so we basically went on this amazing walk around New York. I’d never met him before. We just spoke about Loki and what was really important to us about the character and where we thought it would be fun to take him, as well. It was this intense, five-hour conversation with him basically. I met him and then flew straight from meeting him to D23. So it was a lot. (Laughs.)

When did you finally get the scripts? How did that change your thoughts on what you want to do?

They sent me the outline, so I knew the overall story. I also was pitching stuff. “Oh, we could do this with this character.” The pilot was really well written by Michael and I really liked what they were doing with the character and the story. Then it was building upon that and throwing in ideas for where he could go later in the show. It reminded me a bit of improv where you’re always building, always trying to push the story to the best place. So we were always adapting and shifting the story. Our lockdown, during COVID, was a chance for us to go back in. I was cutting what we’d done, so I was like, “OK, this is tonally what is really working for the story.” Then we went back into what we hadn’t filmed and started adapting that stuff to fit more where we were heading.

The Marvel movies have a writer on set to help tweak things. Was that the case with Loki?

Michael [Waldron] was with us at the start, and then he went on to Doctor Strange [in the Multiverse of Madness]. We had a really wonderful writer called Eric Martin from our writers room, and he was our production writer on set. It was between me, him and my creative producer Kevin Wright. We would kind of brainstorm and adapt. I’ve always loved talking to the cast. We had such a smart cast. Owen is a writer as well. If you have that amazing resource, why not talk to them? We were always adapting. Obviously paying respect to the story we wanted to tell from the start, but always trying to make it better.

📷Herron on the set of ‘Loki’ with Hiddleston and Wilson.

Kevin Feige has said Owen Wilson, like his character, is nonplussed by the MCU. Since Owen isn’t necessarily dazzled by Marvel, does that make him all the more perfect for this role?

He is playing a Loki expert, so at the beginning of production, Tom and I were talking. He devised this thing called Loki School. He did a big lecture to the cast and crew. I love the character. This is a decade of fans loving this character and where that character has been. It was talking everyone through that, but through Tom and his own experiences. Stunts that Tom liked or costumes. He ended up doing that same Loki school for Owen. Owen absolutely loved it. Owen has such a writer’s brain. I remember I had to pitch him down the phone. My heart rate [was up].

Was this the pitch to get him to get Owen on board?

Yeah. I love his work. “Oh my God, I’m going to talk to Owen Wilson.” He’s so laid back and nice, it immediately puts you at ease. It was the most detailed pitch I’ve ever done, to an actor, ever. I think I pretty much spoke through the entire first episode with him. You can tell he’s a writer, just by the way he attacks story. His questions about the world and the structure and the arc of the character. It was really fun to work with him.

Was it the most detailed pitch you’ve ever done because you really wanted Owen, or because you knew you needed to woo him a bit to get him to sign on?

It was the questions he asked, and the way he attacked story, in that sense. And also probably because he was newer to the Marvel world, he was like, “OK, how does this work?” I also pitched him Loki’s arc over the past 10 years, where that character has gone, but also explaining our Loki and what happened in Endgame and time travel. There’s a lot to unpack in that conversation.

Sometimes Marvel will give writers or directors a supercut of all the scenes of a specific character. Did you get one of those?

They didn’t actually give me a supercut, but I’m a big Loki nerd. I think his is one of the best [arcs] in the MCU. I really wanted to make sure we were paying respect to that. At the same time, something Tom spoke about a lot was you have to go back for a reason. Let’s be united on what that reason is and feel that it’s worth it.

The reason can’t be, “Well that’s what happened in Endgame,” so the question becomes, “What is the point of revisiting him at this era of his life?”

Yeah. He’s only had — I don’t want to get this wrong — I think 112 minutes of screen time in total if you cut all his scenes together. And he steals the show. We have six hours to really delve into this character and talk about him and go on this completely new story with him. For me, it was making sure that [we’re] paying respect to what has come before — I know as a fan if there is a character I really loved and I found out they are making a show about him, I obviously would be so excited and so happy. I felt lucky to have the responsibility, and I took it very seriously.

Those who have worked with Kevin Feige say he’s someone who can stress test an idea and push things in new directions. What have you found working with him?

Something I always found was we would sometimes pitch something, and it would be at a good place, but he’d always be like, “OK, that’s great, but push it further.” Sometimes I’d pitch stuff and be like, “This is too weird,” and he’d say, “No, go weirder.” He wants to tell the best story and I found it really helpful having his eye across everything and the fact that he does challenge everything. Tom as well, on set. He brings this amazing energy and this great A-game that causes everyone to rise to the occasion.

How do you know when you’ve got the perfect Hiddleston take? Is he asking you for one more, are you pushing him to do one more take?

By the end, it was almost telepathic. We would kind of know. We would look at each other. “We could go again,” or, “We’ve got it.” It’s different with every actor. There are some actors who will come in firing and they just want to go for it. But they don’t want to do a million takes. There are other actors I work with who are very meticulous and they want quite a few to warm up and get into it. It’s actor-dependent. The way me and Tom are similar is we are both very perfectionist. We are both very studious. (Laughs.) We definitely connected in that sense. He’s a very generous actor. I remember one day, we had quite a few of our actors coming in as day players. It was really important for him to be there for them, to read lines offscreen. He would have to be 50 places at once, because he is the lead actor. The most amazing thing about him was his generosity. Not just to the other actors, but also to the crew, to be filming in a time like COVID.

When you make an Avengers movie, you get a big board with every character that’s available, and whether the actor’s deals will allow them to appear or if that would need to be renegotiated. Loki is smaller, but was there any equivalent for you? Was everything on the table? Was only some stuff on the table? I imagine if Chris Hemsworth has his own new Thor movie coming up, he’s not going to be on the table, necessarily.

I felt like everything was on the table if it meant it was good for story, and Marvel would be like, “We’ll work it out.” Me and the writers, we never felt restrained in that sense. Honestly, it always comes back to story.

What is your relationship with your editor as you finish this up?

We have three editors, Paul Zucker, Emma McCleave and Calum Ross. My relationship with all three of them is very different. Emma and me are very close because she was also in Atlanta away from home. I got to know her very well. I love working with the editors because it’s a fresh pair of eyes. You get so deep into something when you are filming, it’s almost like writing it again when you are in the edit. Stuff does change. Even some episodes, we’ve reordered the structure. Or we moved scenes from one episode to another episode. I’ve always loved the editing process. The best thing is someone honest who can be like, “Hey, this doesn’t quite make sense to me,” or, “This isn’t working.”

What are you going to do on premiere day? Will you be on the internet at all to see the reaction?

I’m actually working. I’m still finishing the show. My last day is the day the second episode airs. I’m going to be working that day. Sadly, I’ll probably check in on the internet a little bit, but I’ll probably go to bed when I finish because I think I’ll do a 12- or 13-hour day or something. I can’t remember. I’m really excited for people to see it and just to bring it out in the world, really.

Everyone wants to know about spoilers, but what’s something you wish you were asked about more when it comes to Loki?

Kevin Feige said, “We make movies. We want to run it like a movie.” So unlike a lot of television shows that are showrunner-led, this was run like a six-hour film. As a director, you don’t often get to do that in a television-structure show. I really enjoyed it, having a hand in story and just how collaborative it was. Also, just beyond that, directing the equivalent of a six-hour Marvel movie was incredible for me. That’s something I found interesting about it. Making something the Marvel way.

In terms of the themes, I love gray areas. The show is really about what makes someone truly good or what makes someone truly bad, and are we either of those things? Loki is in that gray area. It’s exciting to be able to tell a story like that. As a director and a writer, you don’t necessarily understand why you are making these stories. Something I keep getting drawn back into is identity. Sex Education, we spoke a lot about identity and feeling like an outsider but actually finding your people. I feel the same with Loki. It’s a show about identity and self-acceptance and for me, that’s also what drew me in.

Gray is a good way to describe Loki. Your version of Loki just tried to take over the Earth not long ago.

Exactly. This isn’t the Loki we’ve seen. How do we take a character that people love, but from a lot earlier, and send him on a different path? That for me was interesting, getting to unpack that. Alongside that, getting to set up a whole new corner of the MCU with TVA. That to me was so exciting.

What about the Teletubbies? You referenced that recently and it made quite a splash. Are you going to leave people in suspense on that?

I referenced the Teletubbies once and people were like, “What, Teletubbies? What does this mean?” Maybe I should leave people in the air with it. One thing I would say is the show for me, stylistically — I wanted it to be a love letter to sci-fi because I love sci-fi. Brazil, Metropolis, Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Alien. If people love sci-fi, they will definitely see the little nods we’ve got across the show. People will know what it was a reference for when they see the show. It was a visual reference to something in the show.

Interview has been edited for length and clarity. Loki debuts on Disney+ on June 9.

#Kate Herron #Loki #interview #loki series

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scintillatingshortgirl19 · 3 years

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Loki’s Line About Betraying Everyone

I need to talk about this line (spoiler: I’m not happy about it). I was going to just include this in the full episode response post I’m working on, but it got long enough that I decided to make it its own.

First of all, here’s the full quote: "I betrayed everyone who ever loved me. I betrayed my father, my brother, my home. I know what I did. And I know why I did it. And that's not who I am anymore."

Y'all, I'm less emotional about it now but this line fucked me up when I first heard it. It hit me like a ton of bricks while watching the episode for the first time because I was actually doing fine and wasn't significantly bothered by anything up until that point, and then came that line and I suddenly almost felt physically ill. I actually wrote up a post about it that night but never posted it because it was essentially just a lot of screaming, so I've now taken pieces of that and formed a hopefully more coherent post (though it still contains a good amount of screaming). So, I get that the idea that Loki’s betrayed Thor over and over is a Commonly Accepted Thing. It's really a lot more complicated than that, and there are a lot of gray areas involved, but fine, I'll give them that one. But - when did Loki betray his father? When did Loki betray his home?? I’m not just mad about it, this is...a legitimate question. I mean with the father thing, I guess the only thing could be the nursing home in Ragnarok/taking the throne from him? Which is irrelevant anyway because this Loki didn’t do that and doesn't even know it happened in the main timeline?? And besides, it PALES, like, hilariously, in comparison to any one of multiple things Odin did to him before that (not counting any fanon here - just the canon things that we know of!) I am just so confused, especially about the betraying Asgard thing. WHEN? LITERALLY WHEN? Guys, there is no film in which that took place.

If I trusted the narrative, I would say the most logical thing to conclude - at least about the betraying Asgard part - is that this is a setup for Loki to later realize he actually saved Asgard by causing Ragnarok (because that's the closest thing I can think of to "betraying his home"), which could even tie into something about, idk, helping him realize he’s capable of being a hero? (or something) and it would be a good follow-up to the moment he found out about Ragnarok in episode 2, but...fuck, the way these lines were framed it really doesn't feel like anything like that is going to happen. I could be wrong, but these just didn't strike me as lines that are at any point going to be contradicted or even revisited.

And moving onto another part of the quote - "I know why I did it." Uh, I guess good for Loki for apparently knowing that...but the audience sure doesn't?? This is something we're just now being told and have not been shown at all?? I have a feeling Loki thinks he knows why but it unfortunately doesn't have anything to do with some of the biggest actual reasons, which are the abuses done to him that helped make him who he is. Even more unfortunately, I also have a feeling the creators are on roughly the same page as Loki here. So yeah, that's a real shame.

The core problem here seems to be where the writers are coming from, and @iamanartichoke worded it really well here, so I’m just going to quote her: “either the writing is being lazy by oversimplifying Loki’s motives, or it’s being deliberately misleading in order to retcon the character, or the writers genuinely believe that’s what happened, which implies a misunderstanding of Loki’s character kinda from the get-go - at least on what drives his villainy and what fuels his anger, which are pretty significant things.” I do think there’s a slight chance they were using Loki as an unreliable narrator here and the audience was supposed to pick up on the subtext (more on that at the end of this post), but I doubt it, and I think it’s very likely one or more of the options listed in the quote.

Honestly, I can explain Loki's line about betrayal (and his general lack of acknowledgement of his own trauma/legit grievances against his family) pretty easily in-universe. It makes sense that Loki himself would frame things as him betraying everyone who's ever loved him as if they never did anything to wrong him first, or that he would try to ignore what Thanos did to him in favor of putting all the blame on himself (coping with his trauma and loss of control by denying it). Or hell, maybe he would even straight up subconsciously invent a betrayal that never even happened, like the one about his home. I can totally understand Loki seeing the events of his life that way! That all lines up with his complete lack of self-worth, and to have him 1) recognize his mistakes and take responsibility for them (which has happened at this point in the show), but then progress on to 2) realize he isn't solely to blame for literally everything, and 3) recognize the role of his family and others in understanding why he is the way he is - that would be a very satisfying arc and is the natural direction that the story should take in episode 6. The problem is, I don't think the show is going that way. I think we're either supposed to take it at face value that Loki did in fact betray everybody who ever loved him (as if Loki is a reliable narrator when he's most certainly an unreliable one), or the audience is supposed to figure out that Loki's an unreliable narrator here - but the latter won't work, because the creators have to follow through on that subtext at some point and actually do something to indicate that what Loki said wasn't 100% true, and it doesn't feel like they're going to. You can't expect your audience to put any weight on subtext or even pick up on it in the first place if you never actually confirm anything, and your audience won't know your narrator is unreliable unless you tell them. If Loki being an unreliable narrator in that specific moment was their intention, only a small subset of fans are going to pick up on it. So the way they're framing it so far, the audience is simply going to see it the same way Loki does and not realize it's incorrect.

Unfortunately, as stated earlier, I think the most likely explanation is that the writers either don’t understand Loki, are being lazy, or are deliberately retconning. So while I take a degree of comfort in the in-universe explanation, it’s pretty damn infuriating to consider where the writer’s minds were probably at in reality, and how this set of lines is presenting Loki to the casual audience.

Tagging @iamanartichoke and @delyth88 if you guys have any thoughts?

#loki series negativity #loki spoilers #loki tv series #loki meta #loki series speculation #kind of #journey into mystery

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brandonjg227 · 2 years

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10 Best Animated Christmas TV Specials (Redux)

This is a remake of my Top 10 Christmas TV Specials. Animated Christmas TV specials are some of the most beloved forms of holiday entertainment, and these 10 specials are always worth revisiting.

#10) 11 Louds a Leapin’

The Louds are caught up in their usual holiday mayhem, like reindeer trapping, holiday music, presents, even Christmas Puns. Everyone's in the Christmas Spirit except for their neighbor Mr. Grouse who's always a grumpy bear on the holidays. But when Lincoln sleigh ends up in Mr. Grouse's house, he finds out why Christmas always makes him so sour. So Lincoln and his family and friends make a plan to get Mr. Grouse in the Christmas Spirit.

#9) Phineas and Ferb Christmas Vacation

It's Christmas Eve in Danville and Phineas and Ferb are excited to be on winter break. As the boys write letters to Santa, they realize that he is greatly underappreciated in their town. With the help of their friends, they transform their town into a giant thank you card for him. Meanwhile, Perry faces off with Doofenshmirtz who has made a device that will put the entire town on Santa's naughty list.

One thing that's fun about "Phineas And Ferb Christmas Vacation!" is that two versions of the episode exist with one being a bit longer. Not only does the episode capture the warmth of the season, but it's a great showcase of the charm of Phineas and Ferb as a show. The episode also features several original Christmas songs that are sure to get stuck in everybody's heads.

#8) Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire

On the air for an astounding 28 seasons and counting, it is hard to imagine what life was like before The Simpsons. Though Bart and company were first unveiled to the world in short interstitials during Fox’s The Tracy Ullman Show, most of the world remembers their origin as “Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire.” Their first full length episode aired as a Christmas special — the only one to ever premiere in the 1980s. Its premise is a familiar one — Christmas is threatened because of lack of money, partly due to an unplanned tattoo removal, and it is Homer who has to figure out how to make it all right. Hilarious and heartfelt, this was the perfect introduction to a family who would become a part of our own households, and notable for the addition of Santa’s Little Helper into a brood that would soon become a phenomenon.

#7) Christmas Who? & It’s a Spongebob Christmas

Patchy the Pirate tells the story of Spongebob's very first Christmas. When Sandy tells Spongebob a magical tale of gum drops, toy making elves, flying reindeer, and most importantly Santa Claus. Spongebob becomes captivated by this and immediately tells his friends about the holiday magic. Everyone except Squidward believe this tale and they begin to get ready for Santa Claus's expected arrival. But when Santa's a no show, the last person anyone would expect saves the day.I not really sure what the moral of the story is, but I guess we should treat every Christmas like it was our first.

In Spongebob Squarepants first ever Stop Motion Special, Plankton is tired of always getting a stocking filled with coal, and in his latest scheme to get the Krabby Patty Formula from Santa. He uses fruitcake that layered with an element called Jerktonium, which turns everyone into Bikini Bottom into jerks to make himself look good by comparison. This works on everyone except for Spongebob, who's love for Christmas makes him immune to Jerktonium. While Plankton send a giant dangerous wind-up Spongebob to ruin his good name, Spongebob must find a way to cure everyone in Bikini Bottom before Santa arrives...Don't be a Jerk, especially on Christmas!

#6) Mickey’s Christmas Carol

Playing Scrooge in his own version of the Charles Dickens classic, the beloved, sight-challenged gentleman was not only the earliest cartoon character to do so, but Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol became the first animated made-for-TV special ever. A Christmas Carol soon became a template for any and every cartoon franchise to eventually step into, but the cream of this crop was most definitely Mickey’s Christmas Carol featuring Scrooge McDuck in a role he was literally born to play. Though this short was originally released theatrically to accompany The Rescuers in 1983, it found a home on TV the next year and stayed in heavy rotation thereafter. Scrooge’s transformation from miser to altruist is as captivating as any live-action production of this well-known tale, and with all our favorite Disney characters rounding out the cast in parts both large and small, it is no wonder this version is the fairest of them all.

#5) A Charlie Brown Christmas

Charlie Brown might be a character always down in the dumps, but even he can't help but get swept up in the holiday spirit in the beloved animated classic A Charlie Brown Christmas. Arguably the standout holiday special within a Peanuts canon filled with them, A Charlie Brown Christmas has been a beloved tradition since it first aired in 1965.

It's hard to find a single beat of the special that doesn't work on all levels. From the school Christmas nativity pageant, to the gang dancing to Schroeder's Christmas music, to Charlie Brown's sad little Christmas tree and the gang showing up to save the day, the Peanuts are at their best in this deeply moving and powerful Christmas special.

#4) Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas

Though the Grinch himself may represent the absolute antithesis of Christmas, there's no denying that the legacy of How the Grinch Stole Christmas extends far beyond the original special. Remade time and again in movie and musical form, the story of the Grinch is perhaps one of the truest examples of the reason of the season.

While the Grinch spends much of the animated special terrorizing the poor unsuspecting residents of Whoville, it is his unexpected connection with Cindy Lou Who, his astonishment at the sincerity of humanity's faith in the holiday, and his heart growing three sizes in the special's final moments that demonstrate what Christmas truly is all about.

#3) Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town

Yet another classic Christmas animated special owes its very existence to yet another classic Christmas carol. Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town, released by Rankin/Bass in 1970, tells the origin story of the man who would become Santa Claus, Kris Kringle (as performed by Mickey Rooney).

The special, narrated by Fred Astaire, features some of the most iconic and memorable characters in all of Christmas special history, including the Winter Warlock, Burgermeister Meisterburger, and Tanta Kringle and the Kringle family. It also features some truly iconic songs in addition to the titular track, such as "Put One Foot in Front of the Other" and "The First Toymaker to the King."

#2) Frosty The Snowman

One of the many Christmas specials inspired by classic Christmas carols also happens to be one of the very best of them. Frosty the Snowman, released by Rankin/Bass in 1969, tells the story of the familiar old snowman friend and his first visit with the children who created him.

The special complicates the classic tune's tale, introducing a villainous foe in the magician Professor Hinkle, a trip to the North Pole to find Frosty's true habitat, and a heart-wrenching sequence in which Frosty sacrifices himself to save his dear young friend Karen. But by the end, it's clear that Frosty will be back again next year on Christmas Day, just as promised.

#1) Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer

Once again continuing the series of treasured holiday classics inspired by beloved Christmas songs, the timeless Rankin/Bass classic Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is arguably the very best of them all. The 1964 special tells the tale of the adorable holiday underdog Rudolph, as well as his unexpected best friend Hermey the elf who wants to be a dentist.

It also introduces countless other iconic characters to the canon, including all inhabitants of the Island of Misfit Toys, Bumble the Abominable Snowman, and Yukon Cornelius. With a rousing music soundtrack including songs like "Jingle, Jingle, Jingle," "Silver and Gold," and "A Holly Jolly Christmas," the special works on every level imaginable and truly excels in making viewers feel the Christmas spirit.

Well, that’s it for today’s post, thanks for reading! And don’t forget to tell me your favorite comebacks so far and/or if you like any of these specials.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

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2am-theswifthour · 4 years

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The 8 Theory-Folklore’s Commentary on Youth

Yesterday, I took note of @taylorswift and her careful attention to the number 8.

“Not a lot going on at the moment” had 8 words. The 8th track is “august,” which is also the 8th month in the year. She has 8 deluxe editions of her album. Many attributed this to Folklore being Taylor’s 8th album. I thought it meant either a.) we needed to pay very close attention to track #8 or b.) that 8 references infinity, a.k.a “forever and ever.”

To my surprise, I was actually selling Taylor Swift short.

When listening to the album, there’s a lot of back and forth in emotion and circumstance. I was confused about the order, especially when the strikingly sobering “hoax” followed the self-aware almost-tranquility of “peace.” Then it hit me. There are two schools of thought going on.

There are 16 tracks on Folklore (excluding the bonus track none of us have heard). 16/2=8. This means there are 2 equal emotional song threads on the album. In other words, you can get two drastically different lessons listening to each group of 8.

When you separate the even numbered tracks from the odd numbered tracks you get the following:

Odd

the 1

the last great american dynasty

my tears ricochet

seven

this is me trying

invisible string

epiphany

peace

Even

cardigan

exile

mirrorball

august

illicit affairs

mad woman

betty

hoax

Odd Interpretation:

Starting with “the 1” and “the last great american dynasty,” the lyrics are very upfront in showing that the protagonists are making fully intentioned mistakes. “the 1” says, “in my defense, I have none for never leaving well enough alone” (I see you “ME!” reference). In “the last great American dynasty” it says, “she had a marvelous time ruining everything.” These characters’ folly is their youth-induced selfishness. They��re casual in the harm they cause because they distance themselves from it. They’re fine with what they don’t look at closely. When you’re young, you make a mess of things in service of YOUR need. Your need for companionship. Your need for the thrill of danger. Your need to make your mark, to be somebody, to leave something behind. The marvel of the excitement and the chase and the very vitality of teens to 20-somethings’ shenanigans blinds us to the scale of our destruction…

…until you have no choice but to face the consequences of your recklessness.

The next track, “my tears ricochet” is not your average track 5. It functions as a pivoting point. Now our narrator is the hurt party, the one baring the brunt of callous treatment. Fickle mistreatment is no longer so casual. Now it’s a torment, and the tormentor learns the scale of their damage. So much so, that they get burned too. They learned their lesson at a terrible price, but what’s most important is that they learned.

“seven” is a long-overlooked memory revisited. In this picture of naïve innocence, the narrator tells of their childish belief in the impossible. Through magic and play pretend and fantasy they are invincible. They have all the control in the world to control the world they live in. Obviously, this is a flawed perspective that everyone eventually grows out of. Fairy tales don’t solve real problems. The point is that their sense of self-importance is in service of a stronger moral compass than the first two songs. If we accept our responsibility to others, to do what we can to ensure their welfare, are we not better and more satisfied people for it?

“this is me trying” hears that lesson and attempts to walk the walk. Part of being responsible to your fellow human is taking accountability when you fumble. The narrator doesn’t know what to say or how to make it right. What they do know is that they’re here, they’ve put the bottle down, and that they’re willing to try what’s necessary to heal what they’ve hurt.

“invisible string” gives us the reward we’ve been waiting for. The narrator says, “cold was the steel of my axe to grind for the boys who broke my heart, now I send their babies presents.” This is someone who has gone from lashing out in anger at a partner from a burned relationship to genuinely wishing them well in their next stage in life. It’s a powerful testament when you can recognize that youth drives us all to make hurtful decisions and that no one is immune to change if they truly want to change. When you let the anger and lies go, the strings that tied you to them fade away. All that’s left is the string you want to hold onto. The string tied to the one who matters, because you’ve made the conscious decision to deduce that their worth as a person should equal yours. It’s a painful path to traverse through, but when you do it’s all worthwhile. That’s why the narrator can say with confidence “hell was the journey but it brought me to heaven.”

In any other album, a song like “invisible string” would be the quintessential emotional payoff for this story arc. However, because this album is a masterpiece, we have a different payoff point in “epiphany.” “epiphany” takes us out of the world of a romantic relationship. We hear descriptions of war and nurses dealing with the despair of this international pandemic. This point in this emotional thread is that it powerfully declares it’s not enough to do no harm nor is it enough to just empathize with your romantic partner. You MUST show your responsibility to your fellow man. Stand beside them. Empathize with them. See them as whole human beings. Do good by them. In other words, it is our duty to do right by everyone, for everyone bleeds, loves, and dies.

The 8-song selection ends with “peace.” The song begins by saying that their, “coming-of-age” has come and gone.” I believe this (along with “invisible string”) to be the most overtly “Taylor Swift” track in perspective. This is her speaking as herself. She lets us know that she’s grown through taking her mistakes, and the mistakes she learned through folklore, into account. She is overly aware of her flaws and feels she pales in comparison to her partner. Rather than allow those insecurities to manifest in unchecked rage or resentment, she takes it as a challenge for herself to do better. She knows she can never give him complete peace (due to inside and outside factors), but she can make the choice to give him unselfish promises and embrace the entirety of her partner’s life. This is a person who has learned the value of selflessness in love and life, which makes this whole thread worth everything.

Even Interpretation:

“cardigan” foreshadows the eventual failure of the even path. The odd interpretation I just described culminated in the narrator finding their place with “the one” because they’ve left everything petty and casually cruel behind. In “cardigan” it says “chase two girls, lose the one.” On top of this directly referencing the first track, it also implies the partner’s self-destruction. By toying with two girls, James is losing “the one.” I don’t think losing “the one” means that you keep one of the two of them. I think it means that engaging in that kind of behavior makes you into a person that isn’t ready, or worthy, of “the one” that they are meant to be with forever. Meeting and keeping “the one” has to require each partner to love themselves and their partner wholly, truly, and selflessly. They can’t be a cardigan you pick up and only wear on the weekends. They must be a wholehearted commitment.

“exile” shows the blowout from “cardigan.” The two couldn’t stay together, and Bon Iver’s (character’s) toxicity comes out full force. He thinks her new man is lesser than him. He’s prepared to throw punches despite being at fault over a hundred times. He’s seen the film before, and he didn’t like the ending because it didn’t work out for him. He wants her under his thumb, not having learned from his prior relationships that that just can’t work. They leave out the side doors, neither fully ready to confront the problems head on.

“mirrorball” is daring in its shift of focus. While all of the tracks I’ve mentioned thus far have dealt, in some way, with the problems that result from a young person’s selfishness, this song doesn’t do that. This song illustrates an extreme that young people participate in at the opposite end of the spectrum; radical selflessness. To be selfless means that you should never allow something that harms someone else to happen just because it benefits you. Young people, girls in particular, are often groomed to interpret selflessness differently. Their definition is synonymous with accommodation. Change your looks, change your personality, don’t object, and embody what your partner wants so that they’re happy. That’s why the symbol is the mirrorball in the song. It reflects everything in the room but itself. By explicitly not factoring in their own sense of self-respect in a relationship, they are unknowingly and tragically enabling their partner’s mistreatment. To be clear, that doesn’t mean abuse is their fault if they have low self-esteem. It’s not, even remotely. But not having the capacity to defend your self-worth is what keeps so many drawn into toxic relationships there for so long. This radical selflessness manifests itself in the other woman too. In “august” it explicitly says that she was living on the, “hope of it all” and that she would cancel plans in the name of a potential hookup with someone who was never hers. The idea of radical selflessness culminates in “illicit affairs” when one of the women deals with their addictive compulsion toward someone who treats them like a cheap lay. Their relationship is a secret that leaves her feeling used in parking lots and as though any trace of her is gone. These three songs have taken the desperate hopelessness of “Abigail gave everything she had to a boy who changed his mind” to the extreme.

Many have speculated that “mad woman” is a commentary on the Taylor/Scooter conflict and I’m inclined to agree. However, if I were to assign an interpretation that goes with my theory, I would say that “mad woman” details the unforeseen consequences of a tormentor’s abuse. When a toxic partner performs bad behavior, their expectation is that they will always be found in the right. After all, Taylor noted on her previous album that for men, “everyone believes [them].” So in the face of lies about her character that everyone believes, she gets rightfully angry. Her anger is their affirmation. For many, a woman being angry on her own behalf is “crazy” and “irrational.” What kind of a society have we set up? A society that promotes women to lack self-worth and, should they find it, they’ll meet a whole other exile.

“betty” is our complete look into James’ perspective. On its own, it sounds like a big romantic gesture to get behind. However, this path is very clear to put “cardigan” first. “cardigan” says, “I knew you’d miss me once the thrill expired and you’d be standin’ in my front porch light.” Lo and behold, in “betty” he shows up to her party when she doesn’t want to see him and asks if she would, “kiss [him] on the porch in front of all [her] stupid friends.” It’s an absolute punch in the gut. Betty knows in “cardigan” that he would come back after he had his fun with another girl, but that she would take him back when he saw momentary value in her again. James in “betty” claims he didn’t know anything, but that’s just an excuse. He knew what he was doing, he knew that he would be able to pick up her broken pieces with ease, he knew he could isolate her from her friends, and he knew that he could capture the imperfect “comfort” of that cardigan again.

This path ends in the final even-numbered song, “hoax.” In the odd numbers, “peace” shows a lesson learned. This even path shows what happens when we don’t learn. The seeds of youth-driven mistakes have led us here. The narrator wants nothing outside the pain of this faithless love. Without learning what it means to be selfless, the traumas of these young relationships create a never-ending cycle. The narrator knows that the “love” is a “hoax” but doesn’t care because that’s all they have. There’s no point to wanting anything else. Without the perspective of age, of truly going beyond that, they’re stuck in a truly dark place.

Final Thoughts:

Taylor Swift is an exceptional artist for a lot of reasons. No one makes albums this good this far into their career. Most artists teeter off after two or three because they retread. Their audience inevitably gets bored of them e same thing time and again. Repeating themselves is something that a lot of artists do because they want to go with the formula of what works. With Folklore, Taylor has done what few artists have dared to do. She’s allowed her discography as a place to uncompromisingly expand her worldview and challenge her listeners. She’s not reiterating previous lessons to make another quick sale. Instead, every album prior has been a steppingstone. As she said at the Time 100 Gala, she has truly turned her lessons into her legacy. From a variety of narrators, she has brought what I decree to be her best album to date. This wouldn’t happen for anyone else 8 albums into their career, but she’s done it by devoutly embracing age’s wisdom.

Learn from the highs and lows presented in these paths. As all good folklore does, it teaches us how to live better. It is our duty to live selflessly and with self-assured dignity. These writings, I have no doubt, will become integral to the legend that is Taylor Alison Swift.

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