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alltoolewis · 10 months

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Timeless- Mason Mount

I'm finally off for the summer & finally back writing! This one is super special and is inspired by timeless by Taylor swift, if you haven't heard the vault track please listen to it while reading this! This has to be one of my favourite things I have ever wrote... Hope you all enjoy & I can't wait to write more! Hope this apologies for my absence Love you guys x

P.S I will not comment on him leaving to united btw... as Liverpool fan I am devasted 😒

Summary- When you and Mason are cleaning your nan's attic you discover a book of your grandparents love story... helping Mason think of the perfect anniversary present for you...

Words- 2.6k

"Mase please.." you squealed as he wrapped his arms around you from behind, taking you by surprise as you continued to search through the old dusty boxes "This really needs doing and I never would of agreed to let you help if I knew you'd be messing around like this!" You didn't realise that agreeing to clean you nan's old attic would result in your clingy boyfriend of almost 5 years joining you. What was suppose to be a solo task, turned into a duo one the minute his brown eyes grew wide at your claim that you were leaving him for a couple of hours alone.

"I didn't know showing my beautiful girlfriend of 5 years love was classed as messing around..." he pouted, loosening his grip of you but of course not fully as his arm still hovered your waist. "It's not 5 years yet loser" You smirked, throwing something you believed was an old sock that was hiding in the box at him "We're still 3 weeks of that title!" You still couldn't believe that it had already been that long. It felt like just yesterday that he caught your attention in the dimmed lightened room, his laugh being the loudest noise as the speakers blaring out the music you had always hated silenced, allowing you to hear what has since been your favourite sound. Since that night you had been by each others side, through the ups and downs, the spot next to him was always yours and vice versa... there was no Mason without (y/n) and he prayed there'd never have to be!

Silence filled the room once more, however the smiles never faded as you sorted through all your nans precious things. Growing up you never thought of your nan as a hoarder, her house was also tidy barely anything on display except the odd pictures of core memories but little did she know that she kept the purest things locked up here. From her old ballet shoes to her old school books, her old prom dress to a rock she found on her secret dates with your late grandfather... she kept everything.

"What's this?" Mason asked curiously, lifting up a book covered in dust and cobwebs. Being nosy of his new finding, you quickly went to where he was sitting next to him on the old fragile footstool, floor creaking as you did so. Your eyes hovered over the brown book in his hands, that it was safe to say that time has took its toll on. Crouching down in front of him, your hand swept across the front cover, tears immediately filling your eyes as you read the words...

'THE STORY OF ANNIE & JOHN'

The words were followed by a photo of them together, smiles brighter than the stars as the look of love was written in there eyes. You had already heard the story of your grandparents many times from your nan... but seeing it in hidden pictures made your whole world freeze.

Noticing the sudden emotion in your face, Mason sighed "You okay, darling?" wiping away the fallen tears as they fell down your cheek, letting his hand hover there as a guard. Nodding, you gulped "Yeah... yeah I'm good.." Smiling he patted his knee, silencing telling you to come over which of course you obeyed.

Now the book was on your knee as Mase held you tightly on his lap, head leaning over your shoulder as he traced comforting shapes on your arm. "Are you going to have a look honey?" He could see your clear hesitation to open it, as your hands strummed over the outskirts of the pages. Apart of you wanted to open the book, see the love of your grandparents everybody talked so dearly about, the love that was always compared to yours and Masons, however the other part of you couldn't help but think you were invading the privacy... you knew there story like the back of your hand. A secret romance that was forbidden by there families, your grandmother being in a privileged family who had a tradition to pick other privileged people for there children to fall in love with. While your grandad was the son of the maid, 2 years older than her but fell head over the heels the second he caught eyes with in his word 'a princess' They hidden what they had for years, scared that there families would tear them apart... but faith took its role and 12 years later they were happily married as a runaway couple, ready to start there new lives together.

As your mind wondered away, you felt his hand lace over yours, squeezing it tightly "It's okay (y/nn)? She would want you to see this??" You knew he was right... she'd be screaming for you to open it if she was there. Listening to him, you squeezed his hand back before opening it up.

The pages looked just as battered as the front cover, but the love was still clear as rain. The book had different chapters, just like a fairy tale. It began with there first year, where your pop's mum first got the job and he was allowed to be involved in the staff picture where your grandmother stood just 5 people away.

"I didn't know your grandad was in the war.." Mason whispered, scared to ruin the moment as you were flicking through there years together. It was there 7th year 'together'... the year your dad got drafted to fight in the war. "He didn't want to go" You mumbled back, hand touching the envelopes your nan had clearly stuck in the book "He wanted to stay with her although no one knew about them... he wrote her love letters, signed them off as Dave so no one knew it was from him"

"Didn't she call him Dave all the time..." Mason chuckled, squeezing your hip gently. He only had a few years with your nan, while with your pops he only had 1 short one & for the longest time he was convinced he was called 'Dave' "Yep!" You giggled back "Even after all those years together she still called him it. It was there secret code word..."

For the next couple of hours you flipped through the rest of the book, pausing to read the letters, see the small details of the grainy images. From there wedding to the birth of your mum, from the day they ran away together to the day your grandad came back to find your nan had been set up to marry someone else... it had all be recorded in the book.

Your heart broke when you flipped to the last filled page in the book, your grandads order of service leaflet from his funeral. Your heart broke even more when it came clear that your nan had placed it in by herself... ending there story together...

Noticing the tears falling faster down your face, Mason closed the book placing it gently down as he wrapped his arms tighter than ever around you, allowing you to sob in his chest. He didn't say much as you cried, just rubbed your back and whispered a few words of comfort, knowing what you needed most was time to absorb what you just saw.

Once you calmed down, you lifted your head back up to look at his warm brown eyes, his hand instantly going to your cheek "They we're amazing (y/n).." He smiled, causing you to mirror it back "They would been so happy you got to witness it through there eyes..."

"They were timeless..." You breathed out, looking down to the book on the floor that was bound to come home with the two of you.

"Just like we will be.."

Your head shot up to look at him with blood shot eyes "You think?"

"Oh I know we will!" He smiled, causing you to cuddle deeper into him "I hope so Mase..."

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3 weeks later.....

"Mase stop!" You laughed as he picked you as you went to put the key in your new shared home in manchester "Please stop we need to get in before it rains... stop messing around!"

"I didn't know showing my girlfriend of 5 years of affection was classed as messing around..." He sulked as your laugh continued to echo around the house, taking the heels that had killed your feet all night "and before you start I can call you that now!!"

"I know..." You smiled, turning around to wrap your arms around his neck, pulling him in for a kiss, one of many that day "and I couldn't be prouder to now say it.." Mason returned the kiss as he muttered I love you, which of course you mumbled back. Somehow you two ended up in your bedroom, his jacket through on the floor as the zipper on your dress began to be pulled down.

Just as it was about to get even more heated, he pulled back causing you to sigh dramatically. "Don't be dramatic lovie, we have all night to do that.." He laughed, dragging you to the end of the bed "But first I want to give you your final present of the night.."

"but mase you've already given me loads today.." You groaned, hating how much he had already spoiled you today. Giving you far to many presents, making you bed in breakfast and then taking you to the fanciest restaurant in Manchester. You honestly didn't know how he'd make the day even better before he pulled out a box placing it gently on your knee... "Now this one is kind of for the both of us..." He smiled wrapping his arm around you "But I think you'll appreciate it.."

Carefully, you untied the little red bow on the box lifting the box up with the expectation of finding more personalised jewellery. However your heart dropped to the floor as you saw something you'd never thought you'd see...

A book... Similar to the one of your grandparents but instead of there names it read...

'THE STORY OF (Y/N) & MASON'

And just like the other one, a picture displayed below it. One of you and him at the champions league final, your smiles brighter than stars and the same look of love they had.

"Oh my god M-Mase..." You speechlessly gasped, covering your mouth as tears escaped your eyes "I c-can't believe it.."

His eyes mirrored yours with tears as he placed his hand on top of yours "Open it darling.." He whispered, voice full of love "Don't be scared to read this one... it's ours only"

Listening to him like always, you opened the book, smile immediately spreading across your face as you flipped through to see the many filled pages of your story so far. The first day you met at that party, the first selfie you took together, your first chelsea game, the day you moved together... every memory shared together was captured in perfect unison to the orginal.

"I didn't even know this exsisted!" You laughed messily, as you looked at the picture of you drunkenly asleep on Mason's lap at his Chelsea leaving party. You couldn't remember much of that day, other than you drunk the night away in hope that it took the sting away from living the beloved club and city...

"Ben took..." Mason smirked "He sent it me the next day along with the video of you doing my celebration on top of the table..." "Please say that's a joke.." You muttered as you hid your head in embarrassment, hoping that he was lying..

"Nope!" He chuckled "I'll show you that later darling, first you have to finish this book!"

So you did. There wasn't much after that, other than his first day at united and your new home in Manchester... little did you know there was one final page to your story you were yet to experience...

"What's this?" You questioned as you flipped the page to see a brown envelope stuck to the page, similar to love letters your grandad use to write. Unable to say much, Mason whispered "Open it and see..."

With shaking hands you pulled out letter which was folded in half, his scruffy handwriting evident. You shot him one last look, nervousness written all over his face as you began to read the love letter addressed to only you....

My dear (y/n),

I've never been good at doing speeches or expressing how I feel, but with you by my side I feel as though I can do anything, so here I am... Ever since I saw you my whole world changed for the better. You fixed the hole in my life like a puzzle piece and ever since then I knew I'd never want to lose you.

The other week when I held you in your nan's attic made me think of if we met in another life, would be the same as we are right now... and the truth is sweetheart we would of have! Even if we met on a crowded street in the 40's or if I was sent to war and you were forced to marry another man... my head would of still turned for you just like it did at that party...

you still would have been mine, I'd of make sure of it!

I'm going to love you for the rest of our lives, till we have grey hair, mini mounts running around the place, a cardboard box stored of memories we made, we'll have it all!

Our story starts now Angel...

we're going to be timeless...

look forward...

Mase x

Tears poured down your face as you followed the letters instructions, showing him down on one knee, a small box with the most gorgeous diamond ring displayed in it, one that coincidently resembled the one your nan had...

"Mase..."

"(y/n)... will you please make me the happies man alive & spend the rest of your life with me??"

Unable to speak you nodded your head, falling to your knees as you wrapped your arms around him. "I love you so much.." You sobbed into his neck.

"I love you so much more..." He cried back, pulling back from you for a brief second to slip the gorgeous ring on your finger "This is your nans ring" He smiled "I asked your parents if it was okay if I gave it you... I want us to be a timeless classic like your grandparents, I want to fill that book up with you till the day we are torn apart by fate..."

Once more you were speechless as his arm wrapped around you, your head lay on his chest listening to the heart which had loved you for 5 years... there was no (y/n) without Mason and you prayed every minute of the day that you'd be the couple your grandparents were. A love so strong it could be seen from miles away, a love everyone dreamed of but only a rare few could experience... one that even time couldn't forget... Your going to be...

TIMELESS

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lovenonymously · 20 days

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My good people of Tumblr! You know when you love something so much, you just have to share it?

Niché fandom fanfic rant incoming, you've been warned:

Writing fanfics for a smaller fandom is 100% self indulgence, but despite how small it is an it's been since the show came out, the Love Like the Galaxy fandom is pretty active on AO3!

Recently, Infinity by the talented MoodyScorpio got completed. It's a fix-it sort of fic that enhances the canon in ways I didn't think were possible despite the many hours I've dwelled over LLTG. I was surprised in the best way!! Speaking of which, they started a new fic today called Splendid Stars which I'm very excited to read!

One of my all time favourite LLTG fics is Just a Dream by the amazing raileypink. This is probably my most favourite fic on AO3. It offers themes of time-travel and chances of do-overs yet doesn't make the story a repetition of canon. Instead, the sweet moments are sweeter, the tense moments are filled with twists. Every time this fic updates, I leave everything I'm doing to go read it!

Then we have KimberlyA's reimagining of LLTG called Reverse Love Like the Galaxy. Apart from the writer being one of the biggest supporters for anyone who writes for the LLTG fandom, they've crafted quite the intriguing story! It's not just a gender-swap, the characters are more than just put into gender-defying roles that would make a mess of the time period the show is set in. No, it offers a refreshing take with a "what if?" factor where the characters keep their strengths and depict their flaws; both known and original plots entwining quite well. I'm looking forward to seeing where this fic goes!

And lastly, if you're still here, I too am writing a fic that's a crossover between Love Like the Galaxy and Who Rules the World. Cheng Shaoshang and Bai Fengxi are two characters so brilliantly played by Zhao Lusi are two of my all-time favourite female leads. When the time called for it, Shaoshang chose to put herself before the volatile nature of Huo Buyi. Her saying "He is my most beloved person in the world. But I am still me." both surprised me and changed my perspective fundamentally. It explained so easily how selfish and self-preservation are not the same.

But I needed something more. I needed her to get a chance to grow up, to know what freedom tasted like, to know what it is like to love herself before she loves others or is loved by others.

And so, The Wind of Fire was born, where Cheng Shaoshang becomes Bai Fengxi. Shaoshang is certainly younger and more faminine than Bai Fengxi, who has a regal aura about her while holding up as one of the most powerful people in the Martial Arts World. But in essence, they're the same. They're both courageous and mischievous, stubborn and steadfast, both very capable young women.

It's ongoing and updating, you can find me on AO3 as aprilrayne. Below are some edits I made for the fic!

Apart from the fics I've shared, which are all ongoing there are a hundred more fics to go through. Some with happy endings, some with characters going their own ways. Whatever your preference, there is something for everyone!

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grigori77 · 4 months

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2023 in TV - My Top 10 Shows

10. THE MANDALORIAN (Season 3)

The fortunes of post-George Lucas Star Wars have really fluctuated over this past decade, for almost every blissful high there has been an excruciating low to tip the balance back on its axis … thank the gods, then, for the consistent success of Lucasfilm’s biggest success story since they were bought by Disney, their streaming service’s epic and expansive series following the (mis)adventures of Mandalorian bounty hunter Din Djarin (the legendary Pedro Pascal) and his adopted ward, the impossibly adorable Force-sensitive baby Grogu. The show’s gone through some major shake-ups as it’s expanded its outlook in the SW universe beyond just Din’s own experiences to take in the larger canon, and some purists have complained that it’s starting to lose its identity because of this, but as long as Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni continue to present a finished product of this consistently high standard it’ll remain EMINENTLY worthy of our time. I for one actually really LOVED the greater prominence of Katee Sackhoff’s Mandalorian royal scion Bo-Katan Kryze throughout this third season as her rise to prominence makes her almost as much of a key character now as Din himself, and given how this season delivers what feels like a comfortable close to the original Mando’s story, I think this does a really beautiful job of setting up how the series could most smoothly continue in the future. So long as it remains as exciting, inventive, emotionally rewarding and downright GORGEOUS as it has been, I’ll keep watching.

9. THE GREAT (Season 3)

Hulu’s opulent black comedy satire from Aussie playwright and screenwriter Tony MacNamara (The Favourite, Poor Things) recounting the youthful rise to power of the mighty world-renowned Russian monarch Catherine the Great (albeit very loosely) has been a very enjoyable TV distraction these past few years, particularly once things starting really going to shit, and this latest (seemingly LAST) season is no exception. Elle Fanning continues to excel in what’s become the best role she’s had to date as Catherine, still effervescently self-confident despite her growing exasperation with her ongoing struggle to bring her adopted home of Tsarist Russia into Enlightenment and away from the far more base urges that have held it in their grip for so long. This is made all the more difficult by her persistently complicated and tempestuous love-hate-love-hate-love-murder-murder-stabby-stabby relationship with her husband Peter III (the always brilliant Nicholas Hoult), who’s FINALLY trying to learn to better himself for the sake of his own deep love (and throbbing carnal obsession) for his wife and the mother of his adorable infant son Paul. Fresh difficulties arise to baffle the lovers at every turn, from dastardly courtly machinations to civil unrest and an EXTREMELY ill-advised “accidental” war with Sweden, and it doesn’t help that their various friends and advisors – including Phoebe Fox’ spiky Marial Brezhnev, Peter’s complicated aunt, the Empress Elizabeth (the delightfully ODD Belinda Bromilow), and, of course, Adam Godley’s spectacularly perverted Russian Orthodox Archbishop “Archie” Samsa – largely seem to be in it for themselves. It’s anarchically brilliant as ever, every episode proving more chaotically unpredictable, gleefully off-the-wall and endearingly, downright FILTHILY hilarious than the last – it’s a rare thing indeed to get a comedy show that’s THIS fiendishly ingenious, making it a consistent must-watch. Unfortunately, the story has finally reached its (admittedly wise) conclusion, but I’d love to see Fanning revisit Russia’s greatest ruler sometime in the future …

8. AHSOKA

It was one of my greatest pleasures from the second season of The Mandalorian to get to see the live action (re)introduction of Anakin Skywalker’s wayward padawan Ahsoka Tano, now grown up and truly come into her own despite years spent in self-imposed exile after the Galactic Jedi pogroms and the subsequent collapse of the Empire. Seeing her return (however briefly) in the ultimately disappointing Book of Boba Fett was one of that show’s saving graces, so it seemed to only be a matter of time before she got her own series on Disney+, and gods knew I was one of the most hopeful. Thankfully, the wait has not been in vain – this is BY FAR the best piece of Star Wars-based TV I’ve had the pleasure of indulging in this year, Dave Filoni not only allowing us to spend plenty more time with our girl but also getting to see a resolution to the open ending of the very enjoyable Rebels series as we see some of her key Rebellion-era comrades return as well. Rosario Dawson has really grown into the title role now, bringing fresh nuance and complexity to a character who was already SO INTERESTING, and the new additions here are very welcome ones, particularly Natasha Liu Bordizzo (The Society) as my very favourite Mandalorian, Sabine Wren, who’s become Ahsoka’s very reluctant apprentice after showing some small aptitude with the Force, as well as the late Ray Stevenson and Ivanna Sakhno (The Spy Who Dumped Me) as mercenary former Jedi Baylan Skoll and his vicious apprentice Shin Hatti, who are working to bring the infamous Imperial Grand Admiral Thrawn (the legendary Lars Mikkelsen, finally getting to portray his chillingly masterful villain in live action) back to the Galaxy Far, Far Away. This is a rich, evocative and epic adventure story that takes this well-trod universe to intriguing and exotic new worlds as it opens the saga out to intriguing new possibilities, and while this was conceived as a limited series I’m personally holding out real hope for more moving forward … and I KNOW I ain’t alone …

7. GOOD OMENS 2

Neil Gaiman’s adaptation of his own much beloved collaborative novel with the legendary late fantasy author Sir Terry Pratchett was such a perfect piece of television that it was a no-brainer for Amazon Prime to greenlight more, making it most fortuitous that the two writers had already made impressive progress planning further adventures for the wayward divine duo of the angel Aziraphael (Michael Sheen) and the devil Crowley (David Tennant), so he already had a starting point for more. Ultimately this is less THAT specific story than a bridge between the main story from the novel which formed the first season and the next saga, but that doesn’t make this any less worthwhile an experience, Gaiman again proving he’s one of the very best writers OUT THERE by presenting us with another exquisitely crafted sextet of hour-long episodes of gleefully comic theology-themed speculative fantasy which does a beautiful job of expanding the universe and offering rich and rewarding new character arcs for our two favourite gay angels. Giving away much of any of the plot would do the brilliantly twisty story an injustice, suffice to say that the arrival of a VERY NAKED amnesiac archangel Michael (the wonderfully game Jon Hamm in a MUCH more expanded role this time round) on the doorstep of Azirapahael’s book shop sets another potentially cataclysmic true-existential crisis into gear which will have massive repercussions for our reluctant heroes moving forward into the inevitable third season. Nice to see that Amazon have ALREADY asked Gaiman to bring the series to a satisfactory close, then.

6. THE LEGEND OF VOX MACHINA (Season 2)

More rightly renewed genius from Amazon Prime, this time with the second season of the animated adaptation of the first campaign of Critical Role’s TTRPG live-play webcast series, still undeniable essential viewing for both fans of professional Dungeon Master Matt Mercer and his friend’s online antics and just those who enjoy their fantasy adventures a bit more irreverent and adult. Given that the second major arc of the campaign was already a doozy, I knew ahead of time we were moving into what was sure to become an even more potent stretch of the saga than we got in the already impressive first season, and the deeply-committed folk behind it have NOT disappointed with this follow-up. The stakes have been raised CONSIDERABLY as the fantastical land of Tal’dorei falls under the brutal sway of the Chroma Conclave, a collective of tyrannical dragons bent on bloody conquest, so it’s up to the dysfunctional adventuring party of Vox Machina to save the day. Oh dear … this is JUST as much fun as the first season, with plenty more thrilling action, side-splitting satirical comedy (thank you AGAIN Sam Riegel for the gift of pure, unadulterated R-rated JOY that is the gnomish bard Scanlan Shorthalt) and inspired creative invention, but once again proceedings are tempered with plenty of powerful emotional heft and heartfelt LOVE for the characters these players created and remain STRONGLY connected to so many years later. Since Amazon wisely made the decision to commission the THIRD season WELL in advance of the second’s release we already know there’s more coming, and given where I already know this story is headed I can’t help getting REAL excited for its future …

5. THE LAST OF US

Okay, here we go, finally time for the proper ORIGINAL STUFF … yeah, it’s been a particularly great year for new IPs on the small screen, meaning that my Top Five all get to be completely fresh and “original” properties instead of continuations or spinoffs from existing series. One of the most deservedly long-awaited, well-received and rightly ACCLAIMED new shows to emerge in 2023 was HBO’s highly anticipated adaptation of the much beloved post-apocalyptic zombie survival horror video game series from Naughty Dog, and their wise move to team the games’ original creator Neil Druckmann with Craig Mazin, the man behind the now legendary Chernobyl miniseries, has paid off SPECTACULARLY here, since this is one of the very best TV series I’ve come across in a good long while, a work of breathless brilliance and soul-destroying POWER which just left me SPEECHLESS at the end of SEVERAL episodes in its all-too-brief run back in the New Year. Pedro Pascal may be The Mandalorian, but I think he's found his TRUE greatest role EVER here in Joel Miller, the world-weary survivor of a particularly nasty zombie apocalypse who lost EVERYTHING in the collapse, only to be given an opportunity twenty years later to make a difference when he’s charged with taking Ellie (Game of Thrones’ Bella Ramsey), a wilfully tough teenage girl who’s IMMUNE to the cordyceps fungal infection that brought down the world, across the American hellscape in the hope that she can help with the creation of a cure. Given that Joel lost his own daughter in the initial outbreak they naturally start to bond, their burgeoning connection creating a powerful driving throughline at the heart of the series as it goes from bad to worse to TRULY FUCKED and beyond … this is everything The Walking Dead always tried to be but never QUITE managed to become, a brutally challenging but infinitely rewarding tale of hope, love and compassion in the face of Armageddon, and since there’s still a second game to adapt and plenty of potential for expansion besides, I for one CANNOT WAIT for the second season’s arrival in 2025 …

4. SCAVENGERS REIGN

It’s also been another really great year for ANIMATION, particularly grown-up fare, and this brand new series for Max was EASILY the year’s most unusual and effortlessly ORIGINAL piece of work, in some ways frequently becoming downright DISTURBING, but often with a stark, challenging BEAUTY to even its most TWISTED creations. Relative newcomers Joseph Bennett and Charles Hueffner have taken their original short film and expended it into a sci-fi story of rare vision and endless invention, following a scattered collection of desperate survivors from a colony ship crashed on a miraculous but deeply hostile alien world fighting to reach what’s left of their ship in order to have a fighting chance of building a new life, maybe even ESCAPE if at all possible. They’re an interesting and rewardingly well-rounded collection of characters, each of their disparate storylines providing equally fascinating arcs across the series as they encounter weird, wonderful, unfathomable and sometimes downright TERRIFYING alien phenomenon building up to a thrilling and suspenseful climax which gives the season a strong conclusion while laying ground for possible future development. The animation from Titmouse (The Legend of Vox Machina, Pantheon) is FIRST RATE and refreshingly unique, with the design-work frequently reaching OFF-THE-CHART levels of artistic creativity, while the writing proves impressively robust too, creating realistic character arcs and compelling stories that keep the viewer invested to the end. Given how the ultimate climax, I wouldn’t be sad if this really WAS all we got, but I hope this gets picked up for more, it’s DEFINITELY worth signing up for a longer haul ...

3. ONE PIECE

Another year with Netflix DOMINATING the small screen with their Original Programming then, although I’ll admit when they were putting THIS together I was, like a whole lot of people, extremely pessimistic of its chances. If there’s ONE THING I’ve learned over the years as a fan of the genre, it is EXCEEDINGLY RARE for Western adaptations of manga and anime to work, PARTICULARLY in live action – like many, I STILL ain’t gotten over the HORROR of what Netflix themselves did to my beloved Cowboy Bebop … thankfully, somebody in creative control was paying attention to that, because FOR ONCE, this is one of those infinitely rare occasions where it’s actually WORKS, and VERY WELL INDEED. Thankfully, the original creator of One Piece, Eiichiro Oda, was brought onboard as creative consultant by showrunners Matt Owens and Steven Maeda (Lie To Me), and they CLEARLY listened to him because this is EVERY INCH a madcap, sprawling classic anime comedy adventure show brought to vivid life in live action – I’ll be honest, I never actually got into the manga or anime myself, there’s just WAY too much of it for me to even know where to begin or really want to commit to it, but I’ve watched plenty of other shows like this, and I’ve learned the ropes well enough to know they got it VERY RIGHT here. It’s a fantastically rich world for their creatives and an incredibly game cast to play in too – obviously, the beating, thriving HEART of the series is, rightly, Iñaki Godoy (The Imperfects) as Monkey D. Luffy, the irrepressibly UPBEAT wannabe pirate who wants to find the legendary treasure of the title and become truly the new King of the Pirates, although like many I’m sure I definitely fell hardest for Roronoa Zoro (Mackenyu), a roguish master swordsman who wields THREE BLADES, and Sanji (Gassed Up’s Taz Skylar), a talented cook and unapologetic ladies’ man who’s also a powerful martial artist who fights exclusively with his FEET. The whole crew that Luffy brings together are a sweet, lovable bunch, while the bizarre assortment of freakish pirates, criminals and marines they encounter are uniformly bizarre and thoroughly memorable, while the show is a masterclass in controlled anarchy, well-written character work and the perfect balance of riotous comedy and stirring pathos. The end result was definitely the year’s most effortlessly ENJOYABLE TV show, and one I’m definitely in for the long run with. Good thing Netflix have already greenlit season 2 …

2. THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER

Mike Flanagan really has become one of Netflix’ most powerful secret weapons, each one of his original series proving to be an undeniable MASTERPIECE of inventive writing and ingenious direction coupled with sheer, heart-wrecking FEELS. Such is the case with his latest offering, an admittedly BALLSY take on the collective works of Edgar Allan Poe, all filtered through a modern-day reimagining of one of his most famous stories, although this is definitely something a little different from Flanagan. This time, instead of focusing on a family of dysfunctional but ultimately decent people who love each other deep down, the Usher clan are, almost to a man, some of the most DESPICABLE excuses for human beings you’d probably never wish to really encounter in your life. The head of the family, Roderick (another magnificent turn from the great Bruce Greenwood, alongside Midnight Mass’ equally excellent Zach Gilford as his younger self), is a morally bankrupt born salesman who seized control of the massive pharmaceutical conglomerate of Fortunato with the help of his even more viciously sociopathic genius twin sister Madeline (Mary McDonnell and Willa Fitzgerald), and his equally precocious offspring are, collectively AND individually, just as unpleasant as him – the only ray of light is his granddaughter Lenore (Doctor Sleep’s Kyliegh Curran), the only Usher with compassion, decency and a truly gentle heart. Unfortunately their empire is built on lies, murder and a dark, demonic bargain made with an unknowable angel of death, Verna (Carla Gugino), who’s finally come to collect on the debt, and she plans on taking THE WHOLE FAMILY as payment. This is the most PURE piece of horror that Flanagan has made to date, his usual restraint largely absent as he lets rip in a series of brutally ironic and fiendishly twisted murderous reckonings that sees each member of the family meet the worst fates you could possible imagine, while the true monstrous depths of how this all came to be are slowly revealed in typically non-linear narrative fashion. In the end, while The Haunting of Hill House remains Flanagan’s finest hour on the small screen, this may be his finest work for Netflix since, and it’s definitely the darkest and most cathartically MONSTROUS work he’s produced to date. I really do hope he lets his dark side out to play again before too long …

1. BLUE EYE SAMURAI

While we champ at the bit for the long-awaited second season of Arcane, Netflix have thrown us a fresh bone to chew on in the meantime with this truly INCREDIBLE new adult animated series from screenwriter Michael Green (Logan, Blade Runner 2049), who co-showruns here with his wife Amber Noizumi and animation storyboarder-turned-director Jane Wu (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse). To be honest, this show could have been PRECISION CRAFTED expressly to appeal directly to ME, this is SO MANY THINGS I love all in one package – it’s a gorgeously animated, super-violent action thrill series telling the story of Mizu (Man Seeking Woman’s Maya Erskine), a half-white, half-Japanese woman who has to hide both her heritage AND her gender as she wanders Edo period Japan as a lethal ronin samurai in search of the unknown white man who fathered her so she can murder him for making her a monster in the eyes of the country she was born in. Thankfully there are only FOUR of them in Japan at this time, and her current target is Irish gunrunner Abijah Fowler (a fantastically oily vocal performance from Kenneth Brannagh, who gets to use the accent he originally grew up with), a brutally subtle hulk of a man who’s got his own far-reaching plans for the conquest of the very country he’s a dirty little secret in … Mizu is an INCREDIBLE creation, a fierce warrior with truly astounding talent with a blade matched only by her ice cold determination to mete out her vengeance by ANY MEANS NECESSARY, and I am ABSOLUTELY BESOTTED with her, I swear. Fowler, meanwhile, is one of the very best and most well-written, super complex villains I have come across in a good long time, while he’s just another one of a whole RAFT of fully fleshed out and compelling characters which also includes Darren Barnet (Never Have I Ever) as arrogant but principled samurai Taigen and Heroes’ Masi Oka, who frequently STEALS THE SHOW as Ringo, a portly sushi chef born without hands who becomes Mizu’s incredibly unlikely protégé through sheer force of will and an unendingly sunny disposition. The action sequences are some of the best the year’s offered up, captured in a fascinating mixture of 3D flare with a distinctive mock hand-painted 2D finish which makes for some very distinctive animation that obviously owes a whole lot to the influence of Arcane, paying off equally well in the distinctive character designs and gorgeous watercolour-styled panoramic vistas. Most of all, this is some of THE MOST SKILLFUL writing I came across in all of 2023, even putting some of the year’s most impressive BIG SCREEN offerings to shame with its ingenious plotting, peerless character development and handling of intriguing, powerful themes of gender and sexual identity, body positivity and systemic racism which are just as potent today as they were in the historical period they represent. This is IMPORTANT television then, but most of all it’s just DAMN FINE WORK, and I cannot wait for the now greenlit second season to arrive …

Honourable mentions:

Our Flag Means Death (season 2, HBO Max), Sweet Tooth (season 2, Netflix), Loki (season 2, Disney+), Scott Pilgrim Takes Off (Netflix), Foundation (season 2, Apple TV+), Star Trek: Stange New Worlds (season 2, Paramount+), Shadow & Bone (season 2, Netflix), Chainsaw Man (Crunchyroll), The Witcher (season 3, Netflix), The Wheel of Time (season 2, Amazon Prime Video)

#best tv shows of 2023 #the mandalorian #the great #ahsoka #ahsoka series #good omens 2 #the legend of vox machina #the last of us #the last of us hbo #scavengers reign #one piece #one piece live action #one piece netflix #the fall of the house of usher #blue eye samurai

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weasleywizardpranks · 2 days

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Bad batch finale rant

This is probably just me bitching and not being able to let go of things so my apologies.

I’ll just say that overall I’m not super happy with the final season. To me it felt rushed, so much happened off screen and it feels like we wasted characters. And what the hell was the point of Echo giving Omega the crossbow?

And I’m here to complain about how the Bad Batch were practically useless on Tantis. Echo and Omega carried that rescue mission, the bad batch just made it way more complicated. Also really missing Hunter’s insane senses. It’s like they were forgotten about.

Crosshair has joined the hot men of Star Wars who lost a hand squad.

I’m happy and sad all at the same time that we finally got a good mention of Tech after all this time. “Clone Force 99 died with Tech” will actually haunt my dreams. Hauntingly beautiful.

But I do wish we got to actually see a bit more of them dealing with their grief, especially Crosshair. I kind of get why, but it also just kind of pushed Techs existence to the side.

Speaking of Tech, I’m actually happy that he stayed dead. I much prefer that than him being winter soldiered. And I love that you get to see him through his brothers but especially Omega. His memory lives on through them. I do get the complaints about CX-2 though. The way he was handled led you to believe he was at least someone. Just for all of them to be no one.

I’m not shocked by the deaths, I think we all expected those. Hemlock got what he deserved.

I was a little shocked they actually stayed on Pabu just because that’s where the empire found them last time, but I guess they didn’t bother to look for her. Obviously the project continues in some way though. I’m happy all of them lived, and Emerie came along. It’s obviously setting up another show, or at least it better be because that’s a whole storyline we should see.

The epilogue. I will say I tend to dislike large time jumps anyway because I’m the kind of person that likes seeing everything. What was their life like? Did they ever travel anywhere? Etc.

1. I am very happy that Omega is a pilot and is going to fight for the rebellion. It makes sense that she would want to help. Tech would be proud.

2. Dilf Hunter the man that you are. It was nice to see him accept that Omega is leaving.

Here’s where I say that I suck at letting go. This goodbye seems so permanent. Stories that could have been told with them gone. Characters with minimal development. The fact that you don’t even see Crosshair or Wrecker in the epilogue really bothers me. I was expecting them to come out of the shadows or something but nope. Nothing. It felt like Wrecker barely appeared in the episode. Even if we got a time lapse or something leading into the epilogue so we could see them grow old with omega would have been nice.

I will say at least with Crosshair, his story I think has been done the best out of all of 99. A complicated character with a satisfying arc and a happy ending.

I really do think we should have had another season (or more). We barely got to see the Bad Batch together, we got five or six episodes I think?

It almost feels like wasted potential. We could have gotten so much more and it seems like we won’t be getting really anything. Maybe a couple of appearances in spin off shows.

Just overall the finale felt lacklustre to me. Not saying it was horrible, because it wasn’t. But I just have very mixed feelings about it. The fact that we don’t really get a goodbye from Wrecker or Crosshair bothers me immensely. But also nothing from Phee? Or any of the other side characters?

But that’s it for the Clone Wars era. Probably my favourite era and it gave me so many of my favourite characters. Ones I could relate to, ones that made me smile any time they were on screen. I’m very sad to see it go, but I’m really hoping for more clone stories because I’m not ready to let go of them. I’ll get over it eventually.

Mission accomplished

#tbb season 3 #the bad batch #tbb spoilers

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takadasaiko · 1 year

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Here I come with the same question as usual: What are your fav Star Wars head canons? What are your favorite things about your current fic?

Ooooh. I like those questions! Let's see.... Favourite head canons... I really love the idea of Force Ghost Anakin and Obi Wan bickering in the afterlife like they did in TCW. Even better if they do it around Ahsoka who is just trying to focus.

I also really love the idea of Rex recognizing Luke. I read a fic called The Cadet where Rex hears the name Skywalker being chanted after the destruction of the first Death Star and he ends up meeting Luke. The idea stuck with me and I've had half a dozen different ideas on how they could meet after the war ends. I just really love the idea of people that knew Anakin recognizing Luke and being like 'yep, definitely Skywalker's kid' lol

I also really need Ahsoka to call Luke 'Skykid' as a nickname and for him to be really confused about why until she gives him the story about Anakin calling her Snips and the fact that she called him Skyguy. Things I need in my life lol

Favourite things for my current fic... The first is what I love about all canon divergent AU's (a genre I absolutely adore): I get a chance to explore how the world changes with one choice rippling out across the galaxy. For A Flicker of Light, that comes in Obi Wan's choice to raise and train Luke himself. That ripples out into Vader finding them, Vader taking Luke, and Luke being raised within the Empire. But at his core he's still Luke, just with a different set of circumstances. It's a great exploration of nature vs nurture and how surroundings can influence a person. Luke hasn't had it easy in this life (especially compared to his quiet life on Tatooine in canon), and that affects his outlook and his choices, but we'll see if that fully derails which side he lands on in the end ;)

Luke and Mara getting to grow up together and all the complications that come with that is a blast. There are so many conflicting loyalties, especially with the Rule of Two hanging over Luke's head his entire life. He and Vader know that something will have to eventually give: either one of them will die or Palpatine will. There's no ending where all three of them survive and rule the galaxy, yet Mara's loyalty is to her master. He raised her, he brainwashed trained her... She is loyal to him, but at the same time she has an increasingly special connection to Luke that will cause a lot of questions to be asked and choices to be made.

One of my favourite arcs so far has been Ahsoka showing up. I knew early on that she'd be there, that she'd meet Luke, and that we'd see a different version of the battle she and Vader fought in Rebels. She started the ball rolling when it comes to Luke's growth by opening up questions he hadn't necessarily thought to ask. Questions about his father's past, his mother, and if the Jedi were all as terrible as he's always believed or been told. She implanted the kernels of doubt that have been growing. There are also future scenes that are linked to her and Anakin that I'm really excited for in the future!

Thanks for these questions! Those were fun!

#star wars #star wars fanfiction #star wars head canons #luke skywalker #mara jade #ahsoka tano

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thepermanentrainpress · 2 years

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THE PERMANENT RAIN PRESS INTERVIEW WITH CATHERINE LOUGH HAGGQUIST

Catherine Lough Haggquist is a seasoned veteran in the film industry, with experience far beyond the reach of the silver screen. She is an entrepreneur – the owner of two businesses offering education and resources to creatives – and an advocate for the industry at large. Her passion is reflected in her work and dedication to her craft.

You star as Petra Bellweather in Motherland: Fort Salem, now airing its final season. What can you share about Petra’s story as the season progresses?

At the end of last season, we see Petra experience a really bad first few days on the job. Things seem like they have hit rock bottom for her and could not possibly get any worse. And then they do. And do. And do some more.

Petra is being tested on every front this season, as a mother, as a leader, as a political force, and as an individual. She moves from moment to moment and episode to episode simply trying to make the “next right decision” all while trying to sort out which of the many competing interests and responsibilities needs to be prioritized in that moment. I remember approaching each new script with a sense of tense anticipation about what Petra would be put through next. It was a wild ride for me as an actor and I hope an exciting one for the audience.

Tell me about working opposite Ashley Nicole Williams as your on-screen daughter, Abigail. Have you enjoyed the changing dynamics of their relationship?

I remember the first day I met Ashley! I was walking through the production office, excited and a bit nervous about what lay ahead and I saw this tall, beautiful young woman sitting at a conference table. As I approached, unsure of where I was going, she looked up from what she was reading, fixed her gaze on me, broke into a big grin and exclaimed “You must be my Mom! Hi! I’m Ashley!”

I smiled back and that was it. We were bonded. It has been a delight to watch her mature and grow both as a woman and as an actor. I think our dynamic on screen is based on the affection and respect we have for each other off-screen and I am grateful that our relationship was written with challenges but always love and connection. I have also enjoyed seeing how close Ashley and the other young women on the show have become. In a business that often encourages unhealthy competition between actors, it has been a joy to see (and experience) the bonds and friendships that have been formed on this show. I look forward to keeping in touch with Ashley and she knows she always has an extra back-up mom whenever she needs me.

What has this character taught you about yourself, as both an artist and human?

Petra taught me a lot about strategy, clarity, power and patience. But even more than those elements, I think the most important quality of Petra’s is that is an example of what I believe Dr. Maya Angelou was speaking to with her quote “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”

Often characters with power, especially women with power, aren’t given the grace to evolve and change with understanding or new information. They remain locked in the beliefs that they perceive to be directly linked to their strength and success. That Petra evolved over the 3 seasons and was not diminished in that evolution (as so often happens in film & TV), but had her new knowledge enhance the work she had done prior making her even more effective is, I think, a very meaningful example both for us to share with the audience but also for me personally.

The series has been ground-breaking in how it empowers female voices and their strength, while building an inclusive world. You’ve discussed how the power of Black women is celebrated in the show. What legacy do you hope it leaves in film and TV?

I think that the main legacy of the representation of Black women’s strength, leadership, intellect and power in Motherland: Fort Salem will be questions like this, in forums like this, which draw the lens of reflection and amplification to the contributions Black women make and have ALWAYS made to society, and in specific, American and Canadian society.

Black women have long been woven into the fabric of the work and fights for social justice. Now, increasingly, we are being seen and recognized for our contributions to and excellence in many other arenas and Motherland: Fort Salem assists in normalizing these contributions as the become acknowledged, appreciated and expected.

What message do you have for the passionate fans who have championed these characters over the past few years?

Thank you!

Thank you for recognizing and appreciating the intricacy of the storytelling, and the diversity of the characters. I think the allegorical nature of Motherland: Fort Salem and how it interpreted through this fictional lens so many of the challenges facing the world right now, combined with the representation of so many layered and interesting individuals navigating this world generated the following that has been so embracing of us and our work.

Seeing how many people personally identified with different characters was another lesson in how much representation matters when it comes to who we see on our screens.

I truly believe that it was because the fans returned so much love and enthusiasm to us that allowed for us to be given the gift of bringing the series to a meaningful conclusion. And so I thank the fans for that opportunity too.

You’ve also appeared as a guest on a number of fan-based podcasts to discuss the show and your story. How special has it been to discuss theories, and speak to others who have supported the show since the beginning (and maybe know the characters better than the cast themselves)?

Unlike theatre, where you receive immediate feedback from and have interaction with your audience, film and television production takes place far away in both location and time from where and when the audience watches. As such, the opportunities to interact with the people who are watching is much more limited.

Social media – in particular Twitter and Instagram – have been wonderful ways to connect with the folks who are as captivated by and invested in the world of Motherland: Fort Salem as those of us bringing that world to life. Seeing their theories, fan art, appreciation posts, edited montages... all of it has been super fun and is received gratefully and humbly. And to get to meet and interact with so many of them through social media, their podcasts and Discord groups has been awesome. On top of all of that, the campaign that the fans launched to save the show was incredible. To know people are willing to go to that level of expense and effort in support of your work is truly a wonderful feeling.

Do you have a favourite behind the scenes memory from the set of Motherland?

One of my favourite elements of the promotion of each new season has been the release of our “blooper reels”. It is fun to be reminded with the footage of how much laughter we shared and how much we all enjoyed working with each other. So I would say my favourite memories are also connected to what I will miss most now that we are done, laughing with my friends and enjoying each other’s company.

Do you have any upcoming projects you can share with us?

I just finished working on an independent feature film and while the details are still being kept quite under wraps, it was an extremely fun experience and I look forward to when I can share more information about it.

That said, I can say that it was both a very different world from Motherland: Fort Salem and a very different character from Petra so it was nice to move from being sad about the end of Motherland into creating a new story with another wonderful group of people.

You also have a passion for educating and community building through the arts. Tell me about Biz Books and The Drama Class, and the importance of these platforms to you and your work.

We started Biz Books in 1996 as a brick and mortar bookstore in Vancouver’s Gastown district. We moved to our second location in 2001 and we operated in that neighbourhood until 2010 when we transitioned the storefront to BizBooks.net and our current “Online and On Location” format where we now serve customers all over the world and create pop-up shops at local industry and educational events.

In 2020 when acting classes migrated to the internet due to the pandemic, we discovered that there was much to be explored in the online training space. In September 2020 we acquired TheDramaClass.com where we now develop classes, workshops and coaching plans to assist actors, writers, directors and teachers to develop skills and knowledge to help them achieve their creative professional goals.

If you had to pick one, what is your personal favourite book for actors looking for inspiration and to bring their career to a new level?

It may surprise you but the book that I think is essential for actors and other independent creative freelancers to read to level up their careers is “Atomic Habits” by James Clear. A dear friend gave it to me as a Christmas gift and it has proven to be a game changer for me.

As I work to be more intentional with the habits, patterns and systems I am creating, I also become more aware or the progress I am making daily which is so vital to recognize, especially with the ebb and flow of gigs. Focusing on maintaining the habits and behaviours of the person I am working to become, and narrowing the focus to being 1% better everyday, makes it possible to keep going when times are tough and to get back into a routine after the whirlwind of things going well.

In a business that can sometimes feel like everyone else holds the power, it is nice to have a guide to establishing and maintaining personal agency and accountability for the results we are seeking.

You’ve been a mainstay in Hollywood North for the past 30 years now, and have amassed a rich resumé of projects in British Columbia (in addition to many talented friends). What does it mean to be a part of the BC film industry, and noticing its growth and changes over the years, notably in female-led projects?

I have been proud to be a part of the BC film industry and to know that I have contributed to the efforts of so many in growing the business here. The community of artists and technicians based here are world class and second to none. Helping to promote them and their achievements through my union, board and committee work makes the heights that we have attained together so very satisfying. And to have the ability to stay here, close to friends and family, while still pursuing my artistic and career goals as an actor, makes me feel truly blessed indeed.

The advancement of women in both profile and leadership has been undeniable. When I started, female producers were few and female directors were rarer still. Seeing the expansion in the diversity (race, gender, orientation and more) of creative leaders, benefits us all as we tell stories from the context of our experiences and amplify what we see through that lens. The more variety we have in the visions being shared, the more enriched, inspired and empathetic we become. All while still being excited and entertained!

What are some of your favourite places to visit and/or eat at in Vancouver?

I am a HUGE sushi fan so I have a mental list of faves arranged by neighbourhood and price point! Shiro Sushi, Tojos, Minami, Manna Sushi, Yanaki Sushi are on my Vancouver list and I also really like Taka’s Sushi in White Rock and Sushi Mori in South Surrey.

Other favourite spots in Vancouver are Burgoo, Les Faux Bourgeois, and The Patty Shop. And closer to my home in White Rock, Kiki’s Greek Restaurant, Three Dogs Brewing, Pho 777 Vietnamese and the Wooden Spoon are my local haunts.

Our signature question – if you could be any ice cream flavour, which would you be and why?

I think I would be Butter Pecan. A unique flavour that is not too overwhelming and that is smooth most of the time but also little nutty. Kind of sums me up, I think.

We appreciate Catherine taking the time to answer our questions! Motherland: Fort Salem has had a remarkable run and its impact will not soon be forgotten. To keep updated with Catherine’s projects and activities, visit her website, Facebook, and follow her on Instagram.

Photo credit to: Shimon (cover) and Disney Enterprises (Motherland: Fort Salem)

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imperatorium · 1 year

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Oh my god satan now that I think about it See The Light is actually an incredibly romantic song for nihil and sister, especially the line “of all the demons I’ve known, none could compare to you” that immediately leads into an intense chorus.

I’m imagining nihil singing this song during a concert and when he gets to that line he finds her somewhere on the stage or standing somewhere nearby and walking over to point her out while making eye contact while singing that verse and I’m melting into a puddle thinking about how I want what they have.

the song just fits them and their relationship so well and it’s vibes. Mary On A Cross who? I’m sorry I don’t know her pfff-.

YEP. When I first started conceiving of puzzling everything together to build a(n unrealistically long) musical, it was one of the first songs that stood out to me as a really This Is A Moment In A Musical thing and absolutely I attribute to being a song that Nihil originally created, in context of Ghost as a band. (I think of a lot of songs on Prequelle as being his work, actually.)

The scene itself is not nearly as dynamic as some of the other bits I have planned, but it's still one of my favourites and I too melt into a puddle every time I think of it. It's just the two of them in bed together, telling each other how much they mean while making love.

But of all of the demons I've known, says Sister, who knows them all, none can compare to you. Nihil is the only demon that matters, the direct descendant of Lucifer, the true (current) Anticrhist.

When she says drink me, eat me, then you'll see the light, she is entreating him to let her give him back his birthright. Telling him that she will give him all she is to show him that he is the (rather, her) Morning Star.

Many a mind I have haunted is Nihil's acknowledgement that Sister has been carrying him with her since childhood. He is her ghost (Ghost). And in many a way I have been often the one to have flaunted an image grotesque & obscene - his apology for his part in the horrible things that were done to both of them, for his own role in giving into harmful temptations and sinning against her in moments of weakness. But of all these dark roads that I roam, none could compare to you - his life has taken him down so many different, twisted and expected paths and in the end, the only one that matters is the one he's following her down.

Drink me, he begs, eat me, then you'll see the light. Take of him his body and blood and share in the Light that he brings.

Every day that you feed me with hate, I grow stronger. They feast on their opposition, their enemies, their hardships and they do it together and become, together and separately, stronger for it.

Like, don't get me wrong, "Mary On A Cross" is my favourite Ghost song, hands down, and it will never not be peak romance to me. But "See The Light" is just something else (and defo also in my top five favs). I think this has to do with conceiving of "See The Light" as an expression of love between Sister & Nihil as characters, whereas "Mary On A Cross" is a diegetic song created by Nihil (for Sister) as a musician within the story. That makes sense, right?

#asks #ghost

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chess-blackmyre · 19 days

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4, 10, 28 for the writing ask!

4. Do you have any OCs? Do you have a story for them?

I have so many OCs. But I am going to talk about my favorite three: Kai Morita, Morgana Arnim, and Maeve.

Doctor Kai Morita, (my beloved firstborn) is a main player in my Jade Mantis AU that explores a ‘what if the main character’s mom was a vigilante’. Things have kind of spiraled out from there, with Kai starting out as a kind of Robin figure who is now the main character’s adopted older sister. I don’t want to get too big into details about her story cause of BLAM spoilers, but themes of control and trust are pretty central to her character arc.

Morgana Arnim (formerly Morgana von Ernest). She is a trans woman 🏳️‍⚧️, and an Agarthan, specifically the biological child of Cleobulus (Cornelia Arnim). She was assigned to infiltrate the Blue Lions in preparation for a coup, but ends up developing actual friendships with them and falling in love with Dimitri. Her story has strong parallels to Plato’s allegory of the cave—learning to see the world and other people as they are and not just how Those Who Slither In The Dark says it is. Basically, relatively well adjusted for someone raised by a fascist technomagic cult! She’s still delightfully messed up though, as she still has murder as one of her primary love languages.

Maeve is a version of Madam Mim that could exist in the “Once Upon a Time” show universe. She’s fun because on the surface she’s just a disaster lesbian who is also a witch. But! The more you read the more I peel back the layers of her character, showing “no she’s not a perpetual party girl who refuses to grow up, she’s an incredibly traumatized individual who’s been self medicating and very bad self-esteem issues.” Her story is one of learning how to make actual connections with other people and how to deal with her trauma.

Also writing her allows me to explore the more messed up parts of Once Upon a Time lore!

10. Top three favourite fic tropes

A ship being absolutely OBSESSED with each other. I don’t care if it’s “unhealthy” or whatever it is FUN and I LOVE IT!

One of my favorite kind of fic premises is ‘hey what if we explore this fucked up/interesting implication that canon just kind of glosses over’? For example, Star Trek TOS fics that explore how living through Tarsus IV affected Captain Kirk later on.

As for a third thing…fake dating. I know I know it’s pretty simple but I just eat it up.

28. Any writing advice that works for you and you feel like sharing?

Try experimenting with different styles of writing! Like epistolary writing, where the story is conveyed through documents/journals/etc. Try editing the story so it’s presented in a non-chronological order (but still makes sense of course).

Also, research is important, as while there are certainly things that can be hand-waved or not delved into in your story sometimes researching different topics can give you IDEAS or other insights.

Also, it bears repeating but do read stuff that isn’t fanfic, it’s the literary equivalent of going outside to touch grass. (And also can help with writer’s block! At least for me)

#writing ask #ask chess #Morita Kai #Morgana Arnim #madam Mim #BKBC

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sapphicmoth · 1 year

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Here I am , beginning what is the first ever book review of my life...if you don't count the ones you are forced to compose in school , those of which you have no true interest in.

Please only read this book if you are in a good headspace

Content Warnings for the review and book, this book contains the following mentions both brief and/or in depth of . Sexual abuse,alcoholism,mental abuse,physical abuse,emotional abuse, narcissistic family members,stalking,bullimia and purging,anorexia, cancer/treatment , death, panic attacks , anxiety disorders

I have been waiting for a long time to get my hands on this book, however after finding it out of stock I my local bookshop and a 6 month wait I decided to purchase my first audio book.I was persuaded because I decided I wanted to hear jennette tell me her story...plus waiting sucks.

Rating someone's personal story about their struggles and the exploitation she faced as a child doesn't feel right so I've decided to rate the feelings it made me feel and how effective it was at doing so.

Growing up undiagnosed and autistic, I myself had an 'interesting' childhood and often zoned out absorbing whatever distractions I could.My favourite being icarly.I remember the very first episode I watched, a Halloween special, watching a scene where Jennettes character 'Sam' repeatedly hit her friend 'Freddie' (Nathan Cress) against a door in order to escape a haunted apartment. I laughed. This was the first time I had laughed at a TV show.I found comfort in the little world in which Jennette played. I found comfort in her character Sam Puckett. Sam Puckett was a girl that loved food, wasn't afraid to fight and who showed traditionally 'masculine' traits. I loved her because not only did I struggle with being neurodivergent and sticking out of social situations like a sore thumb but I struggled with eating, Sam showed me that it was okay to eat and enjoy food and to be a little rough round the edges...And yet , this character couldn't have been further from the reality Jennette was facing. The contrast was heartwrenching.

I think that people always have the presumption that fame=money=happiness. I think people like to think that children stars have no concern , they have property at the age of 18 , bank accounts with numbers many working families can only dream of by the age of 21 ... Jennette shows us this isnt real , this isnt the truth . She is the start of something , she is the start of what i expect to be a string of child stars living and giving us an unfiltered insight into the exploitation of young people in showbiz and hopefully the start of a conversation

Jennette rips open the facade inwhich Hollywood creates surrounding young fame and gives us the raw , unforgiving truth.

From abuse and power from those at Nickelodeon studios to not being able to escape her own thoughts amongst the abuse at home. Jennette covers it all and in a very unique way. She is fast paced but goes into detail just where you would want to know more and skims over other bits enough to feel satisfied. She has a very dry sense of humour, very witty and I think that did go over a few people's heads when sliding little laughs in surrounding issues and trauma. I am someone who copes with my trauma through humour, talking relating to others so to me it was perfect but I can see where others may have missed it.

The brutality of recovery is often a subject people shy away from. I personally believe its a fear of putting others off going through it themselves. However we need people to give us the harsh reality of recovery. She goes in depth into the physical and mental struggle of a bullimia recovery and having to break the illusion of a narcissistic parent and face the trauma it brings with it. The hardships of healing.

I found this book a difficult read or 'listen' but not because it is written badly , because younger me could relate and because it was written so truthfully and beautifully.

If you too are neurodivergent, have experienced neglect or abuse or even followed icarly as a child/teen. Pick this book up. Read the paper , scroll over the screen, listen the words...however you take books in, if you only plan to read one book this year... make it this one.

Rest In Peace Sam Puckett, Hello Jennette McCurdy , we cannot wait to get to know you , as a creative , as a writer and as yourself .

#booklr #books #jennette mccurdy #im glad my mom died #im glad my mom died jenette mccurdy #tw abuse

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amoveablejake · 1 year

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A Never Ending Story

Tales of The Jedi

When Disney Plus first appeared onto the scene it didn’t have a great deal of content. Yes, it did have a wealth of Disney films and Disney Channel TV shows but it didn’t have the original series and films that Netflix and the other streaming rivals had become to be known for. It did however, launch with a title called ‘The Mandalorian’ which proved to be one of the best ‘Star Wars’ projects of recent years, actually no, best ‘Star Wars’ projects since the inception of the franchise. Disney would then go on to use its streaming platform to provide series for other franchises with different levels of success. Now, a few years down the line Disney Plus has grown to be a streaming platform behemoth like its rivals and it is frequently putting out new content. They have however, remained restrained with their ‘Star Wars’ offerings which I am very happy about. Yes, there are more titles than there have ever been but they are still spaced out enough to make each visit to the world feel unique and special in its own way. Over the last few weeks though, two new shows have been released, one ‘Andor’ that continues to be a revelation week in, week out and has surpassed all of my expectations. The other, is a six episode series of shorter animated episodes called ‘Tales of The Jedi’ and it is, well, its perfect.

When ‘Tales of The Jedi’ was announced I was very excited. I do like the ‘Star Wars’ animated series such as ‘The Clone Wars’ and ‘The Bad Batch’ very much so another entry in that style was always going to be appreciated. When I found out though that ‘Tales of the Jedi’ was going to be about two Jedis, Ahsoka Tano and Dooku, thats when my excitement really began to increase. Ahsoka Tano is a fantastic character and one that I always enjoy seeing and her three episodes of the series offer an even greater insight into a beautifully developed character however, the real star of the show here are the three Dooku episodes. They are, quite frankly, breathtakingly good. They’re the sort of episodes that you wouldn’t necessarily know that you wanted but then the moment you see them and you learn more about the character you will question why you never knew these points in the first place. Dooku now is a much more rounded character and one that has one of the richest backstories in all of ‘Star Wars’. His path to the Dark Side is one that I will be thinking about a great deal and I think I will be revisiting again. With these series, my favourite thing about them is that different parts of the galaxy and the lore are being explored so piece by piece this universe is continuing to grow and grow or rather its being enriched and I can’t wait to see what new, unexpected story is next.

If you will, I would like to change path for a moment here to end this week’s piece. I have been rather unsure what I wanted to write about this week as nothing felt quite right. I did have an idea but in the end I just couldn’t face it. Maybe another time. Instead I turned to ‘Star Wars’ as I so often have during times like this and it provided the warmth that I was looking for. It is a funny time of year and today is never an easy day. It has been many years but I still don’t really know what to say and whilst this may seem to be a bit more of a rambling end here I wanted to say something, even if it only makes sense to me. So yes, I am always thinking of him, today especially.

-Jake, a man breathing in and out, 06/11/2022

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rextasywrites · 3 years

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Aftershow - Leon Kennedy x f!reader

with the help of some tricks and your best friend distracting the security guard, you manage to sneak into the after show of the world premiere of “Resident Evil - Infinite Darkness”. It tells the story of federal Agent Leon S. Kennedy, who, after retiring from his career as a federal agent, decided to tackle acting. Ever since you first saw him in “Resident Evil 2”, you were in love with him and couldn’t wait to meet him. So...what would happen at this afterparty?

hey lads i’m back! i hope you enjoy this piece i have been writing the past few days! hope you are doing well xoxo

Warnings: alcohol, smut, Leon being an ass to others sometimes

Your dress clung to your body, making you feel like some overstuffed sausage. It was physically and mentally out of your comfort zone, but your best friend insisted you looked like a million bucks in it, so you begrudgingly purchased it a week before. “But you look fantastic,” your best friend reassured you when you stood before your mirror earlier that night, awkwardly, tugging at the fabric by your hipsMaybe she was right, but currently she was busy with the security guard to give you the chance to meet your idol and celebrity crush, Leon S. Kennedy. You had heard he’d attend the premiere, and posts on social media confirmed the rumours.Not that you’d ever admit to subscribing to notifications from him, though.

The place was filled with Hollywood executives, actors, and actresses from all over the planet, yet you hadn’t spotted your favourite so far. Maybe he was outside smoking? Busy spending time with fans and writing autographs? Who knew… So you made your way past some gossiping actress towards the bar. A simple Sex on the Beach would calm your nerves. You began to zone out as you sipped on the cocktail- that is, until you felt a hand on your shoulder.

“And I thought I had met everyone tonight.”

That voice. That fucking voice. You’d recognize it out of a million, and there he was.

On the barstool next to you sat Leon S. Kennedy, and he was touching you at this very moment.

Before you would answer, you chuckled and took a sip from the cocktail, buying your nerves some more time before you’d answer. “Guess not.”, you said and placed the glass on the bar in front of you. “I’m (Y/N), nice to meet you.”

“I’m Leon, but I’m sure you already knew that, nice to meet you too. (Y/N), what a beautiful name for a beautiful woman. Say, how is it possible that I haven’t spotted you before?”

Uh oh. Quick, think of something.

“Sorry, bad traffic,” you replied, directly quoting a line from his costar in Resident Evil 4. “But I’m here now, and just in time to celebrate you and your new show!”, you smiled and raised your glass, Leon clicking it together with his own beer glass. “Cheers.” You two took big sips from your beverages, Leon’s hand now gravitating towards your knee.

“Say, would you like to join me on the terrace? It’s getting so hot in here.”, Leon said and pointed towards an open door on the other side of the room. The mere thought of being able to spend more time with him made you agree with his idea, and a minute later you two were sitting on the terrace in a porch swing. Leon had bought you another drink. He was such a gentleman, just like you’d always imagined him.. From time to time, people came to congratulate Leon on the success of his new show, wanting to invite him for a drink or more rounds. Yet every time he declined it, saying he already had enough for the evening.

“You weren’t invited, were you?”, Leon asked after some conversation between you two. You had told him a bit about your life, your work, your pets. In return, Leon shared stories of the making of Infinite Darkness, funny bloopers and behind-the-scenes stories you otherwise would never hear. The party had died out by now, it being late and the night becoming colder. Telling him a lie wasn’t an option, so you sighed and nodded. “Thought so. You carry yourself differently.”, Leon said while he lit himself a cigarette, blowing the smoke into the night sky.

“What do you mean?”, confusion was written across your face. Carrying yourself differently?

“Hollywood wankers carry themselves with a confidence that could kill a mortal like us. They think they are invincible, but oh boy they are wrong. You don’t carry that energy about you. You don’t look the type.. How did you get in?”

“My best friend is buddies with the security guard and he owed her a favour.”

“You little minx.”, Leon laughed, taking another drag as his eyes rested on you, taking in your body in this dress you hated, yet in his eyes you were the most beautiful woman in the sea of botox and silicone tits. “If you promise not to spill the whole night on social media, I can show you a whole new world.”, and by the look in his eyes, you both knew the feeling was mutual

The penthouse Leon was renting for his stay in your city was more than just breathtaking. Standing by the front window, you could see the whole city, way beyond the city limits. In the bathroom was, next to a big bathtub, a jacuzzi, and an iced down champagne bucket right next to it. “In Hollywood, money has no meaning. You ever seen Wolf of Wall Street? They weren’t fuckin’ lying when they called money ‘fun coupons’”, he laughed when you first entered the penthouse and your eyes had nearly rolled out. The bedroom alone was bigger than your whole flat, the champagne in that goddamn bucket probably worth more than your rent

“If your eyes get any bigger they’ll fall out of your head!”, Leon laughed as he sat down on the huge sofa, the fireplace warming up the room to a comfortable degree. Yet the dress felt too tight, just ready to be taken off...or was that the alcohol speaking? Leon for the cigar box lying atop the coffee table. He offered you one, but you declined - you didn’t smoke, but the mere view of Leon with a big cigar between his lips, legs spread and dress shirt slightly unbuttoned...it went straight to your core, a view millions of women would kill for, presented in front of you. “Like what you see, little minx?”

“Would it be bad if I didn’t.”, you replied, trying to hide your nerves by being cocky. But Leon wasn’t having any of this. He could see through your mask, trying and failing to hide how badly you wanted to straddle his lap and kiss him senseless, seeing stars and whole new universes. Comes with being an ex cop and agent. No secrets could make it past his eyes.

“Come here”, were Leon’s simple words, yet they had an effect on you and your body, something you'd normally be ashamed to admit. You made your way over to Leon on the sofa and instead of sitting next to him, he patted on his lap. “I want you to be comfortable, and I bet you are the most comfortable on my lap. C’mon, it’s the best seat in the house.”, he smirked and...you couldn’t deny it. His thighs were comfortably big, years of hard training paying off in the form of muscle and rough skin under his suit pants.

You weren’t sure why your head felt like it was spinning - was it the alcohol or the intoxicating smell from Leon? A mixture of his unique scent: whiskey and his cologne, all in a cloud around your nose. You wished you would be able to smell him for the rest of your life. All you knew was that your body screamed for Leon, and his body screamed right back. “Here.”, Leon offered you the glass of scotch he had just poured for himself. “There are three types of liquor. Terrible, not so terrible, or do you want to impress people with your money?”, and with those words, he pressed his lips against yours.

“We shouldn’t be doing this.”

“And yet, here we are.”

Leon had picked you up after another glass or three of scotch, the way to his bedroom clear. You weren’t sure if it was the warmth from the scotch swelling in your chest or the way his muscular arms wrapped around you, but something in you was one wrong- or right- move away from melting away completely. Your legs were wrapped around his hips as well as possible. The slit on your dress helped you, but suddenly Leon stopped in his tracks. “Are you okay?”, you asked, placing a hand on his cheek, but he looked over the bedroom you two just entered… Suddenly he placed you back down on the floor, kicking the door shut and pushing you against it.

“I don’t think I’m gonna make it to the bed.”, he smirked , his soft hands moving down your sides, leaving goosebumps wherever they touched you. Your dress felt too tight, the room too hot - you needed to get out of it quickly! Leon watched your blush grow, this asshole smirk still on his lips. “I love how real you are.”, he muttered as he leaned in, brushing his lips over your pulse point, just enough to draw a soft gasp from your lips.

“What do you mean?”, you asked, puzzled. Leon just chuckled, “Haven’t you noticed? It’s all Photoshopped. All the women at the premiere had the same fucking ass. Same crooked lips from the same quack doctor. The same busted Botox faces, everywhere you go. Yet they think they’re hot shit.”, he whispered, hot air against your even hotter skin. “But you...look at you.”

And you did. You looked down on yourself and saw nothing but imperfections. You looked back to Leon with a frown but he just laughed, “Hollywood is suffocating as fuck, but you’re like a breath of fresh air.. Look at you! You even have stretch marks! I haven’t seen real stretch marks since I put my first step into a studio!”, Leon took a deep breath, his voice shaking as he said his next sentence, “And I want you so fucking badly.”

Only minutes later, Leon had marked you up, hickeys and little bites of pleasure and need covering your upper body, whatever part he could reach. The dress was long gone and you laid on the bed, watching Leon unbuttoning his dress shirt. Underneath the white fabric was a body riddled with scars and old, badly healed wounds. Each and every single one could tell a story you were ready to hear, but right now, all you wanted was Leon and only Leon. And he needed you too.

“Aren’t you fucking gorgeous?”, Leon asked as his hands reached behind you, undoing your bra with a simple movement. This man had disarmed bombs before, of course a bra wouldn’t cause him much trouble. “Look at you…”, he repeated once more once your bra was thrown across the room, landing on some random piece of furniture. You blushed under his hungry eyes, him taking in what would be his in mere minutes. “Spread your legs. I wanna taste you.”

You had an iron grip on Leon’s hair, bucking your hips to meet his touch. More, more, more! You needed more! While Leon’s tongue teased your entrance, he used his hand to hold you down, keeping you in place like the good girl that you had been. Well, had been until his tongue first licked up your folds, taking in the sweetness of your juices. Leon had consumed many different liquors in his life, but only your sweet juices could rival ambrosia, sending his drunken mind into another plane of existence.

“Leon!”, you moaned out the moment his calloused finger brushed over your clit. It had been begging for attention, but Leon - that dick - kept on lapping up your juices, sucking and nibbling carefully on your folds. The movements of his fingers were in a steady rhythm with the ones of his tongue, making your head spin once more. He knew how to play you like a fiddle, making you putty in his hands.

But before you could cum, Leon pulled away, his face covered in your sweet fluids and he licked over his lips with an obscene sound and a dirty smirk on his lips. “I can’t wait to fuck you ‘til you scream my name.”

The condom was put on quickly. Magnum, of course. What else would a guy like him need? The first stroke inside of you made you see stars for the third time in less than an hour, what an impact this man had on you. Leon was still inside of you, not moving until you were adjusted to his size, especially his girth. “You okay?”, he asked, to which you gave him a soft nod. “Yeah, I’ll be alright. It’s just… fuck, you’re big..”

Leon’s ego beamed at your words, and once you gave him the okay to continue, it was very hard for him to hold back in any way. You were too tight, too sweet, making him nearly burst on the spot. Instead, his mind wandered...but you were always part of those thoughts.

The wet noises of sex, lust, and unadulterated passion filled the room, along with soft panting and groans coming from you two, a noise as old as humankind. Your arms were tightly wrapped around Leon’s body, leaving behind tiny marks when you needed to hold onto him, your nails digging into his skin. Leon hissed at the stings but fuck, knowing you were marking him up too made him even harder, harder than he had ever been.

“Fuck, you feel so good.”, Leon moaned against your neck and buried his head there for a moment. All you could do was nod in agreement, not trusting your voice anymore. Leon reached down at this, pressing his palm between you two, against your clit. You needed this feeling, you were begging for your release.

“Come on, cum for me.”, Leon growled when he felt the first contractions around his cock. The needy undertone of his voice was the last thing you needed to push yourself over the edge. “Leon!”, you moaned and came around him, stilling in your movements. Leon rocked his hips a few more times before his own release overcame him, spilling into the condom as you milked him inside of you. It felt too good to be true, but Leon was real.

Once your high started to fade and the contractions lessened, Leon leaned in for a quick kiss, stealing it from your open lips as you tried to catch your breath again. You smiled up to him, loosening your grip around him. “That was great.”, you smiled and Leon dropped next to you after pulling out.

In the early morning hours, you woke up to an empty bed. Leon’s side was cold and you sat up, looking around in confusion. Where was he? He wouldn’t leave you alone, would he? Finally, you spotted him on the balcony and you quickly threw on one of the jackets laying around along with your panties.

“Good morning.”, you smiled at Leon, who was taking a drag from his cigarette. He greeted you while blowing the hot smoke out, then held up his arm, offering you a place next to him. You happily agreed, leaning against his warm body in the fresh morning hours.

“I’d love to see you again.”, Leon said after he exhaled another drag, looking down at you. This took you by surprise - why would he? You weren’t special at all, just a mere fan who managed to get into his penthouse suite with a lot of luck and cleavage. He grabbed his phone from the table next to him, offering you the open contact list, “I’d love to take you out on a few dates and such. Spend time with you. What do you think? Wanna give me your number?”

#Leon Kennedy #leon kennedy x reader #leon kennedy x you #resident evil #leon s kennedy #Leon Scott Kennedy

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replicatortrash · 3 years

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what are some of your favourite star trek enterprise episodes?

oooo thanks for asking me this lovely indulgent question! I've been watching thru season 1 while I've been laid up with a cold the last week so those are in the forefront of my mind:

Sleeping Dogs is very fun - good Klingon biz & a key tender T'pol/Hoshi moment.

The Andorian Incident and Shadows of P'jem go together as a little pair and are great Shran episodes! Lots of good Vulcan lore and T'pol lead in these. (I'd say Fallen Hero is a good episode too if you're into Vulcan lore)

Shuttlepod One is essential for the Trip/Malcolm shippers and is just a great little bottle episode where these two get to become friends over a life or death situation. That formula gets me every time.

Acquisition! Ferengi episode! Jeffery Combs and Ethan Phillips play ferengi who try to rob Enterprise & chaos ensues. Bonus: Trip spends half the episode in his little blue undies!

Rogue Planet and Vox Sola both feel like classic trek to me - cool alien creatures someone has to communicate with to save the day. Vox Sola also has great T'pol/Hoshi moments and Hoshi gets to work her magic.

Two Days and Two Nights is funny. it's Enterprise's Risa episode so hijinks ensue, plus fun outfits, new sets, & cool background aliens.

Season 2:

Carbon Creek my beloved. T'pol tells the story of how Vulcans invented Velcro on Earth, or I suppose rather, the real first contact. A great Vulcan episode and such a sweet story. Great to see Jolene Blalock in real clothes also.

Ok I know everyone hates A Night In Sickbay but I love all the Phlox backstory and getting to know him in this episode, plus the dream sequence is bonkers. The total lack of sexual tension between T'pol and Archer also lands very funny to me, so it gets a pass on my list. Plus you get the follow up to the incident in Vox Sola with the insult to the Kreetassans and you get to hear the single best line in Enterprise, "this is Porthos! my beagle! my pal!"

This is as far as I've gotten in my rewatch so the rest will be kind of sparse...

I like The Catwalk cuz oooo that ship feels small & I love the potential energy of people stuck in small places together.

Dawn has Trip sweating thru a tank top and trying to communicate with an alien to survive on a desert planet together. Great star trek.

First Flight is a good flashback Trip & Archer besties episode.

Season 3

Impulse is like a zombie Vulcan episode which is very fun.

North Star gives us a cowboy episode, what's not to love!

Doctor's Orders is possibly the best Phlox episode and I love him so. He has to take care of the crew while they're all asleep to get thru some anomaly that doesn't effect him & it is SO good.

Similitude has a rapidly growing Trip clone - discussion of clone ethics, great scifi, and good acting. Definitely a heartbreaker tho.

Carpenter Street has Archer and T'pol travel back in time, steal a car and rob and ATM which is great fun.

In E^2 an Enterprise from another dimension? or is it their dimension? travels back in time so they get to meet their descendants which is v fun. Plus old T'pol of course. (I think Phlox should have been in this one as well since he's from another long lived species.)

Season 4

The Augment trilogy (eps 4-6) has Brent Spiner back with a vengeance and it's cool history.

The Vulcan trilogy (7-9) is some of the best Vulcan lore out there and such a treat to see T'pol wrestle with her culture.

Observer Effect has Malcolm and Travis possessed by noncorporeal aliens to observe Trip & Hoshi who are infected with a virus. Great classic trek vibes and fun acting.

The Andorian trilogy (12-14) is a blast. Great Andorian lore and Shran of course but also fun Trip/Malcolm biz plus twists & turns!

Okay this got out of hand, but I genuinely love this show. I love how small the ship feels and their astronaut looking jumpsuits and how the time period bridges the gap between our current day experience of space exploration and that TNG era we're all so familiar with. It feels hopeful and attainable and yes it's riddled with 9/11 era sentiment and America-centric ideology, but there's great scifi here too and I fell in love with these characters. These are just my highlights and I think @jonathanarcher has a couple different episode guides if you're looking to hop skip your way thru the series with some kind of coherence. Let me know what you think! 💗

#wow this got long #I love enterprise #sorry it's not quite in episode order #my brain is garbled #enterprise highlights #st ent #star trek enterprise #star trek #best of list #my favs #ask #faith of the heart #long post

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lesbianakaashi · 3 years

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The Forgotten Shounen: Katekyo Hitman Reborn

This is not a “Why you should watch/read khr” or anything like that. This is just me going into the deep dive and throwing my findings at you. I’m making this because khr used to be my favourite series when I was 15 (I had plushees, posters, tradingcards, the art book etc) and now as an adult I constantly find myself baffled at how unknow it seems to be.

1. Okay first what is khr?

Katekyo Hitman Reborn! or just Reborn! is a series by Akira Amano which was published in Weekly Shounen Jump from 2004 to 2012 (with 42 volumes) and got an anime adaption which run from 2006 to 2010 on Tv Tokyo (with 202 episodes and one OVA).

2. What’s it about?

Khr is a parody of the italian mafia and plays in a world where the mafia is heavily influencial. The protagonist is the japanese middle schooler Sawada Tsunayoshi who is known as “No good Tsuna” because of his failing grades, general weak and cowardly personality and weak physics.

He becomes aware of the mafia world when a 2 year old baby called Reborn arrives at his house claiming to be the greatest hitman and declaring himself his home tutor. Reborn was send by the 9th head of the Vongola famiglia who is ready to retire and looking for a new heir. Which of course, is supposed to be Tsuna and now it's Reborns job to shape him into a worthy sucessor.

Tsuna rejects the violence of the mafia world and refuses the position as the 10th. Thanks to Reborn and his general craziness Tsuna meets different people and starts to make real friendships. Reborn wants 6 of those friends to be Tsuna's future guardians, basically a group of people which will be closest to him in the vongola famiglia. Tsuna might have no interest in those positions but the friendships he builds with them become really precious to him.

Reborns arrivial also brings in the enemies of the Vongola family which leads to Tsuna being forced to engage in battles. Generally Tsuna openly avoids fights and prefers to run away but will put himself in danger for his friends' sake or because of something Reborn did.

Through out the series Tsuna matures and gains strenght but he never becomes a power fantasy. He's just a guy with many flaws who grows through the human connections he makes.

Personally I think the relationship between Reborn and Tsuna is one of the best student teacher reltaionships in all of manga only topped by Mob and Reigen from Mob Psycho 100. Especially the last arc really underlines their unique relationship to me.

Furthermore, khr offers a new and unique battle system: The flames. I'm not gonna go into to too much detail but the general idea is that one fights with their dying will flame which basically turns off your the savety switch so you can fight with everything you have. The flames are seperated into different categories such as: sky, storm, mist, rain, sun, lightning and cloud and have different attributes asigned to each one. Tsuna's use of the sky flame and his transformation when using it is still one of my favourite shounen transformations to this day.

3. What happened?

The series did really well and then not so well over the course of its serialisation. After the manga got an anime adaption it increased in populairty and video games, light novels, and other products such as CDs were created based on the series. Reborn is one of the best selling series of Weekly Shōnen Jump and has sold around 30 Million volumes overall. It was and still is very popular in Japan but rather unknown in the west.

According to the article "The Rise and Fall of Weekly Shonen Jump: A Look at the Circulation of Weekly Jump" khr was the 10th bestselling series in Weekly Shōnen Jump, with a total of 7 million copies sold in 2007.

This number increasing to 15 milion in 2008. Which placed khr into the 4th best selling series of 2008 in Japan.

Between 2008 and 2010 those sales declined but still kept strong with khr as the 6th top selling manga in 2009, 8th best selling in 2010 and then 24th best selling in 2012.

In November 2014, readers of the Da Vinci magazine voted khr number 17 on a list of Weekly Shōnen Jump's greatest manga series of all time.

After the anime came to an apprupt stop in 2010 for unknown reasons the manga sells took a visible hit. (Apparently the studio wanted to put the anime on halt because they were busy with other projects and give Akira Amano time to develop her story but I couldn't find any source for this claim) Furthermore, the rushed last chapters of the manga in 2012 declined the popularity of the series even more. There's no offical statement as to why the manga was ended in such a way but it's reasonable to assume that Jump either cut it considering the decreasing sales or Akira Amano choose to end it for personal reasons.

Nontheless, Tsuna not being included in Jump Force (a fighting game where you can play as different characters from Jump) in 2019 even tho he made it in earlier Jump Stars games also underlines the decreased interest in the series.

Rumors on a reboot or anime adaption of the last two arcs surface from time to time but are genereally unlikely. Artland the studio which made khr has gone bankrupt around 2015-2016. It might be taken on by another studio but rather uncommen especially with such an old series.

4. Art style

The khr anime ended over 10 years ago and the old art style might not be appealing to newer audiences.

Especailly because the anime adaption follows Akira Amanos old art style which heavily developed within the years. Here a picture comparing characters in the new art style:

A modern anime adaption in the new art style would be aesthetically pleasing. It would probably look similiar to Psycho Pass since Akira Amano did the concept art for this series.

(My personal art student hot take is that both art styles are unique and fun. Up to this day Akira Amano still has my favourite art style and even if the amount folds in the characters clothing is a little extreme I love it dearly.)

5. Criticism

The show is not without flaws and even if I greatly enjoy it it wouldn't be right not to adress them.

Daily Life Arc:

A lot of people view the first 20 to 25 episodes as fillers and quickly lose intererst in the series. This is due to the fact that Akira Amano inteded the series to be a gag manga and focuses the first chapters on world building, character introduction and comical narratives. It's rumored that the decision to develop the story into a battle shounen was made because the sales weren't doing well enough at first. So the first chapters/episodes may seem titidious but are necessary for the story and the development of the characters. The tonal shift from a more gintama like gag manga to a darker battle focused story can also be offputting to some viewers.

Either way a lot of people blame this arc when discussing why khr never got an english dub or didn't end up on Toonami. I've also read that the manga never finished serializing in the north america. However, it finished in other western languages like german and spanish.

Censoring:

The anime censors A LOT. From Gokudera's smoking habit, Yamamoto's whole character arc which deals with heavy themes such as depression and suicidal thoughts. The general bloodiness of the manga was censored and sometimes whole chapters and characters were left out even if those were important to the devolopment of others.

Filler episodes:

Out of the 202 episodes the anime has around 29 filler episodes which makes roughly 14 %.

Sexism:

Even if Reborn was written by a woman most female characters are rather flat and their storylines often tied to a male character in one way or another.

Genereal things:

Khr, like many other long running series, is sometimes criticised for a lack of world building or unpopular narrative choices.

6. Hope?

Khr isn't exactly dead. As stated before the series is still very popular in Japan and still gets new merch pretty regulary. There are also petitions floating around for a reboot or a new anime season but those never get a lot of traction. Furthermore #Reborn2期アニメ化 (#Reborn2ndAnimation) used to get some traction on twitter not too long ago. Last year the Anime News Network did a poll on which anime the readers would like to see a rebooot of and khr placed second.

Either way here's a collection of recent khr things I could find.

- In 2018 a new bluray set was released in north america

- The khr stage play reached yet another new season

- A mobile game was released last year

- Currently ongoing anime cafe event called "Concerto di Vongola"

- Last month there was an event with the former VAs and stage play actors where they discussed their favourite khr episodes.

- There has been an increase in blind reacts to the openings on youtube which might bring in a new fan base. The biggest one I could find had around 90k views and was made in 2019. On this note check out the soundtrack. The first openeing Drawing Days by SPLAY still makes me go insane (but I'm biased of course)

There also renewed hope for a new season/reboot because Shaman King, Inuyasha and Bleach got anounced for new seasons after a long hiatus. It's important to keep in mind that the circumstances for those series are differnt tho. For example bleachs new anime is often tied to the immense success of the gatcha game.

7. Conclusion

Khr is a series which used to be a flagship for Weekly Shounen Jump and is deeply beloved by it's fans, especially in Japan. It influenced other shounen series like bnha. It would be nice to see it gaining a bigger fanbase in the west :)

#khr #khr meta #anime analysis #shounen jump #katekyo hitman reborn #mirytalks #long post #manga

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innovativestruggles · 3 years

Note

will you do tsukiyachi head canons?

I'm not very good with writing HC (I think I've only ever done it once in my life LOL) but I'll give it a go since you asked teehee ❤️

TsukiYachi HC

· Yachi would confess first - in a very roundabout, flustered manner that wasn’t supposed to come out like that

· Tsukki also liked Yachi but he never pursued those feelings and he thought she would never reciprocate, so he just left it and never bothered (plus he is insecure...)

· Tsukki would be pleasantly surprised with the confession and would be the one to say (in a very deadpan, listless voice), "so do you want to date then?"

· For the first few months of dating, Yachi would sometimes feel intimidated by Tsukki’s presence. Tsukki would sense this and would always comfort her by giving head pats

· Tsukki would be covertly protective of Yachi

· When they are travelling on packed trains, Tsukki would always make sure that Yachi’s back is against him and his arms are around her. This is to deter pervs. Yachi being so short and small would make her a prime target for creeps

· No one would dare do anything to Yachi because Tsukki is too tall and intimidating (and he would genuinely have a ‘piss off’ look on his face)

· He would enjoy teasing her whenever he can. Tsukki likes taking items from Yachi and holding them out of her reach just for fun

· But he would always keep an eye out to make sure Yachi does not trip from jumping excessively trying to get them back

· Several times this would happen and Tsukki would always be ready to catch her if she stumbles. He would then use the opportunity to tease her and hug her

· Yachi would be so mortified she would try and hide underneath his jacket to cover her embarrassment (but she would be equally happy that she gets the extra cuddles)

· This would get Tsukki flustered and he would stop teasing her immediately to recollect himself

· Yachi would eventually catch on to this and use it as her ultimate weapon if Tsukki was being particularly ruthless. She would just come forward and hug him really tight. He would give the item back to her every time

· Several times Tsukki would suddenly return the ‘stolen’ item to Yachi without further explanation. Unbeknownst to Yachi, she was jumping too high in her school skirt and people could see beneath it. Tsukki noticed this and stopped what he was doing immediately. He ain’t gonna let anyone (except him) perv on his girl

· They would walk back home from school together holding hands. And after several months, they would start giving each other goodbye pecks before parting ways for the night

· Yachi would sometimes make surprise bento lunches for Tsukki in an attempt to get him to eat more (and because she wants to show her love and appreciation for him)

· Yachi and Tsukki would make time to have lunch together just the two of them a couple times a week

· They would study together. A lot.

· They would often have deep and meaningful conversations about everything and anything

· Tsukki would get annoyed if Kageyama or Hinata (or anyone really) asks him study questions, but does not mind if Yachi does

· Tsukki is only patient when he teaches Yachi

· Sometimes in the middle of studying, an exhausted Yachi would crawl onto Tsukki’s lap and fall asleep

· “How am I supposed to study?” Tsukki would say this every time, but then he would just embrace her and fall asleep against her (he’s obviously exhausted as well!)

· Every time they have an intensive study session that would occur late into the night, they would do a sleepover

· Yachi would wear all of Tsukki’s star shirts as her nightdress whenever she sleeps over

· They would initially start off by being modest – Yachi sleeping on the bed (whether hers or Tsukki’s) and Tsukki sleeping on the floor next to her. But then he would always somehow end up cuddling up to her on the bed…

· They both have a couple’s photo on their phone lock screen (taken on a special Christmas Eve date)

· Yachi likes to do a lot of cutsey things (like taking sticker photos) on their dates, whereas Tsukki doesn’t. He would go along with them all because seeing Yachi smile is what matters most to him

· They would text each other goodnight every night (unless they are doing a sleepover, then it would be a goodnight kiss)

· Tsukki dislikes PDA but can be affectionate in private given the right moment

· Tsukki has a sweet and sensitive side only Yachi can see

· Yachi understands Tsukki better than anyone. He doesn’t often show emotions, whether happy or sad, but Yachi would see through all this and knows exactly when to comfort him

· Tsukki likes his hair being touched! He’d be most relaxed when he is lying on Yachi’s lap and Yachi is gently stroking his hair

· Yachi would hand make Tsukki a strawberry shortcake (his favourite food) every year for his birthday

· They would sometimes do a joint birthday celebration together, as they share the same birth month

· After every volleyball match, Yachi would always give Tsukki a hug (despite his (slight) protest that he is all hot and sweaty)

· On several occasions after a winning match, Tsukki’s teammates would attempt to hug him, but he would irritably step away. Then he would just let Yachi right at him (his teammates would sulk about this for quite some time)

· Yachi would often get distracted checking out Tsukki when he is playing volleyball. Several times she would forget to update the scoring board and got a mini lecture from Ukai, much to Tsukki’s confusion

· At the end of their first year, Tsukki and Yachi would one day have a random conversation that ended in them both deciding to grow their hair longer

· Yachi is the only girl outside Tsukki’s family that has ever been in his room

· Tsukki’s brother and mother loves it when Yachi visits. His mother would always embarrass them when she starts talking about future grandkids. Though Tsukki would be visibly irritated, he actually doesn’t mind

· Yachi's mother is quite fond of Tsukki and would always be welcoming of him

· Yachi would sometimes eat dinner at Tsukki’s house (since her mother is always working late), and sometimes Tsukki would come over to her place and they cook something together

· Tsukki is pretty good at cooking, Yachi is better at baking!

· Tsukki hates seeing Yachi cry the most. He once threatened Hinata and Kageyama that he would punch them both and walk off the team if they don’t make up from their fight that made Yachi cry

Maybe I should write a story that combines all these elements?!

I hope you enjoyed them at least, anon! 💞

#my brain went off its rocker with all these hc #i actually had to try and put them in a sensible order as they were all over the place #but that was what made it fun #it's so much harder to write hc than i thought #but i tried #i def prefer writing teehee #but nevertheless this was still fun to imagine up and i can so see some of these happening if they got together #aaaaahhhh #and i'm so sorry i took so long to respond to your ask!#thanks for the ask #tsukiyachi #tsukiyachi headcanons #tsukishima kei #yachi hitoka #ask #haikyuu

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