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#the boy is a Model TM
cto10121 · 1 month
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Actually, the fact that Bella had to think about who was more beautiful—Rosalie, whose literal vampire GIFT is her beauty, and Edward, who is not described as extraordinarily beautiful by any other vampire—speaks volumes. Volumes.
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georgekirrin · 8 months
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reason 273459824705249 I could never be an actor: walking down the same corridor 15 times until you do it at the elusive 'correct speed' is infuriating
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emo-batboy · 1 year
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Fan pages on Twitter with Bruce are making me think of one thing. Kpop Twitter. Do u think they would be making fancams of him too? Photocards? Posters? Buying 10 copies of vogue just for different cover with him?
*takes off glasses* now I cannot reveal the secrets of my Twitter au BUT you came to the right person :DD
NOW CONSIDER
BRUCE WAYNE AS A FORMER MODEL (idk if this has been done before with Battinson? Let me know so I can read it)
So maybe Bruce did some covers for a business magazine in his late teens or early 20’s and it went really well!!
a few luxury brands asked if this fresh-faced Bruce Wayne would consider being an ambassador. Maybe a brand of watches, suits, sunglasses, something business-like or old money
He agrees to work with some suit company cuz his dad loves the brand and he likes them too now
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This earns him his first ever taste of A-List Celeb Status. He is on the cover of magazines, not just business and fashion: Gossip magazines. Tabloids. People recognize him and want his autograph. Paparazzi follow him to lunch dates with friends.
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They want to know his favorite color, cereal brand, ice cream flavor, and not because they want to be billionaires like him (poor little nepo baby) but because they love him so much they want to know every little detail of his life.
He is given the title of heartthrob over and over again (and I mean look at him, ofc he is)
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He despises it with every cell in his body.
BUT he keeps working for this one luxury tailor brand until his contract ends. Maybe two or three years?
He has a good relationship with them, still. Wears their suits mostly, recommends it to friends if they need a new one. But he’s decided it’s not for him anymore.
Now. Every year, during New York Fashion Week, Bruce is invited to walk in their show. (This brand gives all of their ambassadors the opportunity.) Sometimes, he says yes. Sometimes, he doesn’t.
He refuses for a few years (during his vengeance era) until Bruce Wayne changes and decides to make more appearances. NY Fashion Week comes around, and Bruce returns for one (1) show.
Oh lordie the stans
They arrive in droves
EVERYBODY AND THEIR MOTHER SEES THE CLIP OF BRUCE WAYNE WALKING AT THE FASHION SHOW!!
He tears up that fucking runway! He’s a seasoned veteran of course he does
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THE BRAND BEGS BRUCE TO COME BACK
And ya know what?
He says yes
Cuz he wants to be personable, likable, approachable, a role model (no pun intended)
His bitterness is slowly dissipating, and he’s grown stronger after the stress of his early 20’s and the hatred of his late 20’s. He’s an Adult TM who can handle it.
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This is when he learns about the new emergence of stan culture :)
The edits are EVERYWHERE
Some are from his new collections and looks
Others are made up of early 2010’s Bruce Wayne
Imagine like those sparkly ones with cute music in the background and it’s just Bruce smiling
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(And then there’s the thirst trap ones, you know those one)
Pretty boy billionaire Bruce Wayne and his army of fans could declare a nation. They’re your cousin, your friend, your teacher, your goddamn accountant.
Old posters from Tiger Beat 2009 go up on eBay for thousands of dollars
And those old “vintage” fashion magazines where he’s on the cover, those could cost you rent
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Bruce walks some new shows and agrees to pose for some magazines (fashion AND business, among others)
Vogue offers him the cover, which he accepts
They run out of stock.
(How is that even possible?)
Fancams of him walking down the street and attending press conferences crop up? That’s what surprises him the most.
He is still very camera shy but the more he gets to know the regular fansites, he feels more comfortable waving and talking to them. (And hopefully they don’t suspect a thing. PLEASE don’t suspect a thing.)
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There are a lot of events where they’re not allowed in but if it’s a public event, they will be there
(There are some creepy ones tho, and Alfred handles them accordingly) (with a call to the police) (and occasionally a hose)
It’s fun tho, allows Brucie Wayne, Billionaire Nepo Baby Extraordinaire, to become separate from his nightly persona
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This is how Bruce becomes very familiar with Stan Twitter
But he still refuses to make an account for his own sanity
It’s for the best
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profesionalpartyguest · 2 months
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two newsea hairs 4t2! both come in afterglow, textures are afterglow blended with newsea. Tiffany - who doesn't love a formal updo? TF-EF, 6.8k polys, 5.3k vertices. modelled by @alurafairy's Luna in the full Breakfast at Tiffany's Look. Download here. Jojo - messy, tousled kpop boy band member hair. TM-EM, 16.7k polys, 14.2k vertices. modelled by @brattylulu's cola. Download here. Enjoy these! :D also @the-afterglow-archive
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1dcommunityficrecs · 2 months
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Girl Direction!
List number two is here! And y'all really showed up, we have 35 amazing fics ranging from barely 1,000 word quick stories to 100,000 word epics all celebrating GIRLS. We've also got a few rarepairs included, which I'm excited to check out!
Please enjoy, share, kudos, comment -- and get ready for the next theme!
Man Made Beauty by jaerie (4788, Explicit, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) Warnings: M/F
Famous Louis meets non- famous tgirl Harry (again)
Reccer says:
that good girl faith (and a tight little skirt) by ariadne_odair (43734, Explicit, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson)
Harry and Louis are camp counsellors. They hate each other. The amount of sex they have in the camp showers probably contradicts that.
Reccer says: This story is everything you want from Girl Direction, including impeccable Summer vibes, hot lesbian sex and cute side Ziam.
Bluer than velvet were her eyes (softer than satin were her thighs) by thebreadvan (12333, Explicit, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) - fic post
Tailor!Harry should probably stop obsessing over her customer’s boobs, but fate can’t keep her away from plus-size model!Louis
Reccer says: Boobs Are Awesome (TM) or, I am love with this fic and the way Harry is just so lesbian over Louis. Harry is a gay mess and Louis is irresistible. I love how the tension was written and explained, also Harry and Louis' dynamic.
You got me in the back of your car like a star (is it wrong?) by thebreadvan (2165, Explicit, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) - fic post
Harry and Louis go on a road trip, their car breaks down and it's too hot to keep their clothes on.
Reccer says: 80s vibes
She keeps her lips red (to seem like cherries in the spring) by thebreadvan (35299, Mature, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) - fic post
The Office AU, where Harry is engaged and Louis is pining.
Reccer says: Cute baby gay Harry? Love. Pining Louis? LOVE.
She spreads her lovin' all over (and when she gets home, there's none left for me) by thebreadvan (5361, Mature, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) - fic post Warnings: Watersports
For Harry and Louis, moving in together wasn't easy. (Part II of The Office series)
Reccer says: Domestic Larry getting into a fight that ultimately ends in hot (messy) sex
The Changer and the Changed by Homosociallyyours (59496, Mature, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) - fic post
1970s coming out / self-discovery featuring poet Louis, new girl Harry, folksinger Zayn and her girlfriend Liam, and women’s bookstore owner Niall. Harry is a closeted lesbian who moves to New York after graduation. She meets Louis, a proud lesbian who works in a popular women’s bookstore. They click instantly.
Reccer says: I’ve never read a more beautiful girl direction story. Completely atmospheric and SUCH wonderful, layered characters - including all of OT5! The setting is so thoughtful and their relationship is so mature. This fic feels both like a historical nonfiction and something absolutely timeless. The author really digs into the queer struggle of the 1970s, and in doing so highlights how much things haven't really changed.
Pink Like the Paradise Found by Disgruntledkittenface (18477, Mature, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) - fic post
Midwest US girl direction coming out! Harry goes to her first gay bar and meets bartender Louis. It's the first time she really feels like she's a bonafide lesbian.
Reccer says: I love the honest communication, the awkward flirting, and excellent smut! A very relatable story for me.
Tell Me This Is Paradise by QuickedWeen (19855, Explicit, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) - fic post Warnings: Exhibitionism in later chapters
Harry has never had an orgasm. Niall decides that this needs to be rectified, and her method of choice is Louis. Turns out, Louis is very very good at giving Harry orgasms.
Reccer says: Incredibly hot, incredibly honest, incredibly sweet, and HOO BOY I might be a slut for exhibitionism. I also love the way we get to follow their relationship through the chapters.
I Said It Wrong, But I Meant It Right by lululawrence (4381, Not Rated, Nick Grimshaw/Liam Payne) - fic post
From AO3/author: "Nick was a bit of a disaster, but she was used to it. Or so she thought. She had never known how much she could struggle just to function until the new fire lady goddess angel person winked at her."
Reccer says: Unique rarepair fic with a fun and interesting dynamic that adds depth to not only Girl Direction as a trope, but also to 1D fics in general!
Little pink skirt by ialwaysknewyouwerepunk (2468, Not Rated, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) Warnings: Recreational drugs
The girls are at a festival. When Louis tries to light a spliff, the wind makes it impossible to do so, for which Harry has an idea.
Reccer says: The author! Kidding (am i?) but it was so hot. I was caught in by the art and then well… it became a classic for me!
Blush by orphan_account (15128, Mature, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson)
"I've never wanted to kiss a girl but like, every time I look at your lips I just wanna... fucking kiss you all night long." Harry's eyes open wide as Louis' drop to Harry's mouth; her lips are swollen from biting them all night, red and wet and plump. "Then why don't you?" Harry whispers. (or, the Christmas FxF Larry fic in which Louis is 99.5% sure she's straight and Harry likes to walk around shirtless and watch lesbian films)
Reccer says: very friends to lovers Christmas pic that is as fluffy as you want a Christmas fit to be, the smut is vanilla so great if you just want to relax with some pining and confused Lesbians
thank goodness love can float by cryptidstar (orphan_account) (2486, Teen, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson)
prompt: au where they're both sorted in Slytherin and Louis gets tired of Harry flirting with the merpeople through the glass windows of their common room and not enough with Louis. (fem!larry)
Reccer says: very cute and pure sapphic love story, I am always up for a good Harry Potter/Hogwarts AU fit
Bleeding Love by momentofclarity (27191, Explicit, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson)
Louis is an animal rights activist who throws red paint at fur coat wearing it-girl Harry Styles. Then there's a crack in the surface and something new starts bleeding through.
Reccer says: I'm always here for enemies to lovers, especially if it's written as excellent as it is in this fic.
Bittersweet, Irrepressible by fairytalefemme (5120, General, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson)
“Dear Sappho,” Harry pleaded, her voice unsure and her eyes squeezed tightly shut, “or Hayley Kiyoko, or anyone really. Aphrodite? You’re the goddess of love or summat, right? Um, or God, I guess, if you’re there and you happen to be a lesbian. There must be a lesbian god somewhere, right? Or at least someone who’s sympathetic to the needs of a young lesbian. Because I need some help. I need Louis Tomlinson to like me back." In which Harry's been in love with Louis all semester but can't tell the difference between platonic and romantic interactions, leading to pining and confusion and at least one date.
Reccer says: this fic is so lesbian I can't lesbian anymore
bambi legs by disgruntledkittenface (11552, Not Rated, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) - fic post
Harry works at her family’s fabric store sometimes and always sells the most interesting fabrics to Louis. Louis is the wannabe fashion designer who keeps buying fabric she doesn’t necessarily need just to find a way to talk to Harry.
Reccer says: it’s so hard to narrow it down because aghhhh i love everything about this fic!!! BEST characterization (including ace Harry) and perfect Zarry friendship. Squee-worthy crushing! Sweet open Harry and lovely lovely Louis! i adore the ace representation and how the characters handled it, the banter, the pet names!!! and the oblivious friends to lovers trope is *chef’s kiss*
If You See My Reflection in the Snow-Covered Hills by friendofhayley (16948, Explicit, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) - fic post Warnings: Alcoholism
The story of One Direction if they were all queer women!
Reccer says: I like how much research was put into it and also how feminist and queer it is?
It’s Probably Because I’ve Got a Big Lesbian Crush on You by yeah_alright (6600, Teen, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) - fic post Warnings: Brief reference to past homophobia/bullying
OMG MEAN GIRLS AU
Reccer says: It's so funny and such a good twist on the movie - it's not exactly like it but the characters and the VIBES are perfect!
To Sleep, Perchance to Ream by yeah_alright (3988, Explicit, Louis Tomlinson/Harry Styles) - fic post Warnings: Somnophilia (consensual)
Harry and Louis have a signal for when Harry wants Louis to fuck her after she's fallen asleep
Reccer says: Kinky and so hot so hot omg so so hot!!! It’s so hot and cute at the same time. I remember I was like ‘omg i want what these two have’
Among Lavender Fields by homosociallyyours (70000, Explicit, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) - fic post Warnings: Internalized homophobia
Harry and Louis are cast in a movie by a French director and the director has them live together while they film in a beautiful, remote location
Reccer says: AN ABSOLUTE DREAM! Just beautiful, soft women falling in love! Honestly like living in a soft, soothing fantasy - absolutely flawless!
It's Been So Long by littleroverlouis (10608, Explicit, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) - fic post
Harry and Louis are ex-wives who still have fun sexy times.
Reccer says: OLDER SUPER HOT LADIESSSSSSSS so funny and hot
Vesper by Yesisaworld/louandhazaf (2000, Explicit, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) - fic post
Louis orders herself a vibrator but ships it to Harry's house because she doesn't want her to mom to get the delivery and ask questions. Friends to lovers. Bisexual Louis thanks to Harry LOL
Reccer says: It's so much packed in! Sweet and hot and funny - such a sucker for good friends realizing they should probably go ahead and do it!
Close Our Eyes (Pretend We're Miles Away) by haztobegood (5000, Explicit, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) - fic post Warnings: Major Character Death
Harry and Louis' girls weekend away turned bad and now they're on the run from the law. Thelma and Louise AU
Reccer says: Incredible balance of soft and tense. Made me so so emotional!
Sea Asunder by cupcakentea (68000, Mature, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) - fic post
Harry's mom hires painter Louis to capture Harry well enough that she can find a husband. Portrait of a Lady on Fire AU.
Reccer says: Absolutely gorgeous writing! It somehow captures the quietness of the movie but allows the characters to shine through even more.
Must be the Season of the Witch by 4ureyesonly28/evilovesyou (14500, Teen, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) - fic post
Harry get a new coat at a thrift store and it brings her both Louis and magic.
Reccer says: witchy goodness! found family! Really beautiful and moving
Harriet and Louise by Blaaake (29000, Explicit, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) - fic post
Lesbian Jane Austen novel, basically
Reccer says: Lesbian. Jane Austen. Novel.
tempted by the fruit of another by disgruntledkittenface (3000, Explicit, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson/Zayn Malik) - fic post
Zayn walks in on Harry and Louis hooking up and can't look away.
Reccer says: Zourry my beloved!!! So tender and hot - like SO HOT! Such perfect using of switching POV
in my head we can love forever by beardyboyzx (1272, Explicit, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) - fic post Warnings: Pain kink
Harry's got to stop touching herself while thinking about her roommate. Except that she can't. Or: Harry might be a bit in love with her roommate.
Reccer says: The author does an amazing job at fitting so much emotion into so few words
I know I've got this (because I've had it all along) by we_are_the_same (16351, Teen, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) - fic post Warnings: Body image, self-esteem issues
Louis struggles with her body image, and she's initially hesitant when her friend Liam books her a boudoir shoot. Despite her nerves, the photographer Harry teaches her to see herself in a whole new way.
Reccer says: I love the way the author describes Louis' emotion: you can feel all her insecurities as if they were your own
That Smile and That Midnight Laugh by yeah_alright/uhoh-but-yeah-alright (50000, Teen, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) - fic post
80s AU - Harry and her high school boyfriend's sister become friends…and then eventually more. Popular, sweet Harry and seemingly tough/loner Louis.
Reccer says: I'm such a sucker for girls slowly realizing they're into girls specifically by realizing they *like* like each other. Sweet and funny and soft with just a tiny bit of angst. It's four parts - one for each season - it's just so lovely!
still, somehow by disgruntledkittenface (1124, Not Rated, Liam Payne/Louis Tomlinson) - fic post Warnings: Depression
Louis trims Liam's split ends.
Reccer says: This fic has such tender and care. It holds such a special place in my heart.
You Make Lovin' Fun by homosociallyyours (109915, Explicit, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson)
Silver fox Louis and 28 year old travel writer Harry meet on a gay cruise.
Reccer says: An all time favorite with such amazing character development for Harry! And incredible side characters keeping everything fun!
tis the damn season by YesIsAWorld (17901, Explicit, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) - fic post
Harry returns to her small hometown over the holiday season and starts to think about the road not taken.
Reccer says: Loved the chemistry between all the characters and especially the love story between Harry and Louis
Daydream by allwaswell16 (2024, Teen, Zayn Malik/Louis Tomlinson) - fic post
Every Thursday, Louis nods hello to her fellow regulars at Horan’s Cafe, one of whom is the woman of her dreams.
Reccer says: So funny and charming!
Study Dates and Coffee Taste by AlwaysHazandLou (2000, General, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson)
Prompt: college au - Harry and Louis have the same class and they have a crush on each other but they're disaster gays and one of them is great at the class and the other one sucks so they have to tutor them.
Reccer says:
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dapper-lil-arts · 22 days
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Thoughts on rarijackdash, startrixburst, and chrysarmordance? For me, these are personally my favorite mlp ot3s
I personally hc that Rainbow Dash actually does enjoy dressing up(a la g3 Rainbow Dash, but only occasionally), so other than modeling(cuz she doesn't like sitting still) she actually enjoys Rarity's work(besides, both AJ and RD are like the heroes in Rarity's tropey adventure romance books, with one being strong and brave, and the other being swift and cunning), and there's just something about Rainbow and Applejack's constant competitiveness
I could NEVER break up startrix, and for starburst I really enjoy the childhood friends dynamic. I've actually consumed more mlp fan content than the actual show or comics, so I don't know much about Trixie and Sunburst's dynamic, so they might be better as queer-platonic, but I do enjoy the hc of them both being trans(Trixie being transfem and Sunburst being transmasc)
I think it would be sweet if two beings of love were wives, but it would funny if they were also the wives of Just Some Guy(TM)
Ohhh very very interesting, okay lemme give my thoughts cause this is a good ask
rarijackdash - This one is pretty funny, because i see exactly what you find appealing about it, its like a love triangle that ends in a polycule n stuff. Rarity keeping the competition going because she likes both of them and loves them fighting for her affection is very cute; but i have never even concidered this one, because there is no world in my mind in which between AJ and RD competing for someone's romantic affections (specialy rarity) that applejack wouldn't win by a landslide everytime, lmao. I'm sorry to rainbow dash fans but the girl is tragicaly self centered and nigh charmless; but i definitely see the potential on what you mean! (also ive recently discovered that Rainbow had closer to rarity's personality on g3 which is very fun) Though hey, i see the potential you mean! its a cute trio. (rarijack has made me mentally ill though i love it too much. 20 pages in to writing a shrek1 but its rarijack fic and i'm not stopping) Okay now the case with startrixburst is an peculiar one, because although sunburst is def one of the best male characters in the show, thats also an incredibly low bar, so i never really thought of it; i do find it funny for a failpolycule of unicorns centered around the biggest failgirl of all time, starlight tho. Worth stating i never paid much mind to the childhood friends backstory because it pissed me off that starlights backstory is "i was traumatized bc i was inconvenienced as a kid and now i'll make it everyones problem" its hard to salvage a character after such a weak ass backstory. But hey, it does seem to come naturaly to make this polycule trio, i aint got nothin against it! (lord knows the startrix dynamic is impecable though) Okay in the case of chrysarmordance, this might be my favorite of all three because like. i thought of how bland shining and cadance's relationship was on the show, then i thought of how simple Cadance and chrysalis would be, but if you stick her boy in the middle; suddenly something really fucking funny happens. Whether its two beings of love arguing over 1 white boy, or if its Shining getting cucked by a bug monster, the entire thing becomes fucking hilarious, with such a potential for hilarious jokes. Alright imma do something i normaly wouldnt do and show some disjointed notes of a multiverse story i'm writing because it's pertinent to this ship and also fucking hilarious.
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theredengineapologist · 2 months
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From the ttte movies you seen, whats your fav?
✨THE GREAT RACE✨
The Great Race is THE BEST ONE! I may not have seen most of the other movies yet, but I'm very sure NOTHING is ever gonna beat this movie for me.
You're telling me they made a Thomas movie centered around what is basically a Train Pageant (tm) AND they made it a MUSICAL!!??? Hell yeah! Sign me up!
But then you actually get in to the movie and it gets even better.
EVERY SONG IS A BOP! EVERY! 👏 SINGLE! 👏ONE! 👏 THERE WAS NOT A SINGLE MISS IN THIS MOVIE! I don't know what they were on, but they were pumping out JAM after JAM!
Secondly, I think the Great Railway Show was a great way to introduce more foreign engines into the show in a way that made sense. Pity that we didn't really get to see much of them. But I also feel like we didn't really need to. I mainly just liked that we got to SEE them.
One of the things I LOVE about Brenner Era CGI Thomas is how the world of Sodor feels so much bigger. In the model series I get this sense that the Island of Sodor is this quaint little English countryside island where nothing much happens, and the engine's shenanigans are the most interesting things to happen in day-to-day life. Whereas I feel like in Brenner Era CGI Thomas, the world feels much grander. Still very much an English countryside island. But the island itself feels much bigger. The engines and the people living on it feel much busier. And in some ways I would say the cast itself feels more diverse once they gave the characters unique voices. I'm a sucker for shows that allow their characters to speak in different dialects, and giving Duck his West Country accent and the narrow gauge engines Welsch accents honestly endeared them to me more.
Anyway, main point I'm trying to get at is that the introduction of The Great Railway Show helped to expand the Thomas universe and show the rest of the world interacting with Sodor and vice-versa, even if only for a short period of time. It adds to the grandness of the world.
I also really like Thomas's arc in this movie. With how often he gets picked on for being a "little engine" over the course of the series, it's no wonder the guy's a little self conscious. If the narrator called me "short and stumpy" three times in a row I'd be pretty self-conscious too lol. But jokes aside, I did like seeing Thomas have conflict with this part of his identity. His verses in "You Can Only Be You" really made me feel for him, and I loved being able to see him finally come around at the end.
And of course, we can't talk about The Great Race without mentioning
HOW PRETTY JAMES'S DECORATIVE PAINTWORK IS!!!
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LOOK AT HIM! LOOK AT MY PRETTY BOY! GAZE UPON HIS BEAUTY AND HIS SPLENDIDNESS!!!
And you know what? I'm gonna say it. James deserved to win Best Decorated Engine. Sorry not sorry RAJIV! But they don't call me the Red Engine Apologist for nothing! My pookie deserved to win!
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One of these days I've got to do humanized versions of James's and Emily's looks from this movie. I can see it very clearly in my head but I also want to, um, draw other characters HAHAHAHA
Anyway, TLDR, The Great Race was an amazing movie with a killer soundtrack, great story, and a concept that appeals to ME SPECIFICALLY. I also genuinely think it would adapt very well into a stage musical (similar in visual style to the Spongebob musical). I have a clear vision in my head for what it would look like but unfortunately I don't have the money nor resources to make it a reality so it would just stay in my head. But just know that every time I watch this movie I am actively thinking about how I would hypothetically adapt this to the stage.
I''ve spent WAY too much time rambling about The Great Race but yeah, there's your answer.
Also if you're curious, here's every Thomas movie I've watched so far ranked from favorite to least favorite.
The Great Race (obviously)
Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure (Thomas had a great arc in this one, "Never Overlook a Little Engine" was fun, and visuals are spectacular. Solid movie but it can't beat the campiness of The Great Race)
The Adventure Begins (Solid movie. The other two are just more fun imo)
Tale of the Brave (It was a good movie and I probably would have appreciated it more if I watched it in High Quality. But unfortunately I can't stand Kerry Shale James and so I chose to watch a grainy upload on YouTube instead.)
Journey Beyond Sodor (I'm sorry to my one mutual (you know who you are) who said this was their favorite movie. But unfortunately, in my opinion, the songs do not slap as hard as in The Great Race)
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Round 3 Poll 13
Use My Fkn Pronouns: 「I first met Allegra on the bus in 8th grade. I thought they were cool, but I didn't approach them for a couple months because I couldn't figure out if they were a boy or a girl. When I finally did talk to them, they told me they were nonbinary and explained what that meant. They asked me why knowing their gender was so important to me that I was afraid to talk to them, and that question spurred a series of epiphanies that lead me to who I am today.
The conversation moved on. We giggled about how mad their mom was that an *allergy medication* of all things used the same name just a couple years after she had her baby. They told me that they were a guitarist and that someday they were gonna be a rockstar. I said that when it happens, people will finally think of the musician first and not the medication, and we cheered.
Being openly gay and trans in a red state is fucking daunting now, but it was even moreso a decade ago. Allegra was *the* out queer kid in our class. Having the grit to withstand that kind of social abuse while remaining a goofy and deeply kind person speaks to their character. They used their music to carve out a precedent for the classes below us: showing them a queer person can be out and well-liked and successful while still having personal boundaries. Even here.
Next month they'll be onstage performing at the biggest music festival in the state. The song I submitted is the flagship single from their second album. It's about how tiring it gets to have to ask for simple respect all day every day. It's at about 3,600 some streams on spotify now, which puts it above the stream limit. (I submitted Windmill, a personal favorite of mine off the same album, as a backup.)
I think Use My Fkn Pronouns should be included in this bracket because it represents my friend standing on a stage and singing out to thousands of people, in the face of a government that is actively trying to erase them, that their life and experiences have value. They're gonna stand up there and BE the role model we needed when we were kids, and they're gonna fucking rock while they do it.
Even if it doesn't win, I want everyone to know that I am so, so proud to be their friend.」
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Fang into Vein: 「okay listen.
Not only is this a chilling and beautiful song about vampires (the way he sings "it means nothing to me" the first time?! HOLY SHIT) it also is by someone so fantastic I don't have words for it.
So he is a Trans Elder TM, he is iconic for many reasons but most of all because he transitioned publicly in his mid 40s after having an established career and EXPLAINED THAT HE IS A CHANGELING, that a faerie had lived his life for him under a glamour while he the real boy had been kept in faerieland! It's the best metaphor of all time and he has stuck to it for 15 years no matter how much it baffles cis people. Also he is kind and thoughtful and if he were a spiritual leader I would follow him. Might be too popular for this bracket but this song only has 1.7k plays on youtube (I can't check spotify because I don't have a computer)... so, thank you for your consideration!」
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ryuuka-balaen · 7 months
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I'd dug it up earlier to send to someone as it had been relevant in conversation recently, so may as well post it here too; a lil bit of CatLore(tm) for my main Warhammer Army; the Knights of Noble House Valere.
When I decided that it would be healthy for me to try to partake in physical hobbies more often rather than spending all my free time online and having almost exclusively online friendships, the first thing I went to try was Warhammer. I'd been trying to get into it for nearly a decade and I've always loved my funny little minis and models so it was the most obvious choice to me, especially being that I'd just been given a new 3d printer I could make terrain and models with. However, this came with a small issue; I didn't like the style of the models I already had as much as I used to. Which meant I needed to browse through which factions 40k had to choose from, and find something with an aesthetic I did enjoy.
What I found that i liked was the Imperial Knights and Grey Knights.
First, some official lore as Context;
Imperial Knights are huge mechs owned by influential families called Noble Houses. Before the founding of The Imperium of Man wherein the God-Emperor took the Golden Throne, the Noble Houses were some of the first humans to leave Terra and colonize the galaxy in an event referred to as The Long March. For the purpose of this colonization, they built huge agricultural mechs with chainsaws that could reave forests for lumber, explosives that could level mountains for construction, etc. Of course, these tools were repurposed into weapons of war. The mechs were equipped with armour that can withstand a nuke and autocannons that shoot shells wider than a man is tall. The planets colonized by these Noble Houses are referred to as Feudal Worlds. When the Age of Strife began and humanity lost a significant portion of the knowledge required to create and upkeep their most advanced technologies, contact between distant worlds was also lost. Many Feudal Worlds that were isolated from this regression have yet to be rediscovered by The Imperium.
Grey Knights are the God-Emperor's Special Boys who live on Saturn's moon Titan in a Grand Fortress-Monestary. unlike other chapters of space marines, there are only every 800 Grey Knights at any one time, and every single one of them is a psyker and has mad wizard powers. They also all wear ~Special Boy~ armour that's been sanctified and blessed with Mystical Rituals that makes them harder to kill than your average Space Marine. They exist only to fight invasions of the Daemon forces of Chaos, and will take any measure to do so. The whole thing is very edgy and they try very hard to be cool.
Unfortunately, the rules of warhammer40k don't normally allow one person to use models from two different factions in their army at the same time, and doing so is referred to as a "Soup Army" which is generally very frowned upon by the gaming community. Regardless, I happen to be and continue to be a fool of a kitty that likes my funny little Knights, and what I wanted to do was run an army that's made half and half of the two factions I like.
That begs the question though; Why would these two factions be fighting together? the Grey Knights are Daemon Hunters, and as such only fight against those corrupted by Chaos, and while the Noble Houses of the Feudal Worlds which have been rediscovered by The Imperium do fight alongside The Imperium, they don't do so Often or Consistently. (And, by game rules, while any imperium army is permitted to field either one large or up to three small Imperial Knights models, that isnt enough for me)
While I do like the Imperial Knights official lore, I'm pretty neutral on that of the Grey Knights (as much as I do like to make fun of them, the idea of an order of paladins that'll show up anywhere, anytime to lay the smackdown on some demons is pretty cool). So, my solution to that question was; What if they aren't Grey Knights? Any military that's fielding gigantic irreplaceable Death Mechs is also going to employ footsoldiers, aren't they?
The Knights I paint and play are of the Noble House Valere, one of the many to take part in The Long March and the many to still be isolated following the Age of Strife. The House, however, has not been idle in it's isolation. From the time contact was lost in the 25th millennium House Valere has continued to make technological progress, re-engineering the systems utilized in their great Knights to smaller and more compact forms, to create Exosuits in which even an untrained wearer could rival a Space Marine in combat. While this is surely impressive, the real feat of innovation achieved by Valere's researchers is undoubtedly their progress in harnessing The Warp. Normally only Psykers would be able to utilize the reality-bending power of The Warp, however the continued study and research between the 25th to the 41st millennium has seen these researchers engineer methods for machines to make use of The Warp, and integrating this into the Exosuits of House Valere's Knights allows every one of their footsoldiers to wield the power of a Psyker.
The current Standing Army of House Valere, which is to say the models I currently have (though many are currently unpainted), numbers at six Knight Mechs, one Armoured Troop Transport, and seventeen Exosuit Soldiers.
In Game Terms that's;
one Knight Preceptor, two Armiger Helverins, and two Armiger Warglaives for 1,000points of Imperial Knights,
one Nemesis DreadKnight, one Brother-Captain, one Brotherhood Champion, one Razorback, five Terminators, five Grey Knights, and five Purifiers for 1,000points of Grey Knights,
which all together makes a happy Tournament-Standard sized army roster of 2,000points.
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House Valere's age of peace is not to last much longer, as the universe permits none to escape it's wrath and there are a great many who, whether for Tech-Heresy, claims of territory, or simply Hunger, would see The House's citizens dead.
As a footnote; I do want to clarify that when i wrote this i felt like an absolute madwoman and it seemed very Chuuni / "9th-grader's Overpowered Self-Insert OC" but fuck it cringe is dead, I'm having fun, and others have said its neat so im keeping it.
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currently-simping · 11 days
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Ask box explosion 2: electric boogaloo
Interesting system you have there: What colors are ally colors, and what are kill-on-sight colors? I'm inferring that orange doesn’t trigger regular war nutcrackers. How is threat level determined? I presume the average employee doesn’t scale too high on that list if they can get close enough without getting instantly pulverized without reason. Prior to the current day, how does he recognise enemy from ally?
How would the average interaction between Connell and an employee go? (I presume for Mavros it’s just on-sight)
How about old man Mavros? Is he just perpetually ‘old man yells at cloud’ to everything that moves? Is there anything he WON’T attack or get initially aggressive towards?
What’s up with the crack on the back of Connell's head? Is what caused that the reason he was dormant for so long?
How wide is the range of his emotions? Having a very humancentric/ company indoctrinated upbringing makes me think he probably feels more than your average nutcracker might, unless that sort of thing is standard. Has he killed anyone by accident before? Does he feel guilt? Shame? What brings him joy? What bring’s grandpa Mavros joy (besides blasting an enemy to smithereens).
When not patrolling or doing what grandpa tells him to do, what do the duo do in their spare time? Any past trinkets? Sentimental items? Hobbies?
Do they ever go outside? Mavros seems like a no if he was originally designed as home security only, but for Connell if he’s meant to be out in the open killing stuff, I wonder if he’s met the outdoor fauna and if so, what he thinks of them. (Imagine a forest keeper trying to bite it, only to get absolutely blasted)
And please, I beg of thee, more baby Connell. I just had an image of baby Connell vibing/sleeping in a ramen bowl and I aaAUUUgh too cute! Happy innocent noodley boi. Shame both reality and dream has shattered for him.
As I type this, my last functional braincell said “sure grandpa, let’s get you to bed” meme of these two.
I think it’s a sign that I need mroe sleep lol. thank heyou for th food
wahoo!!!!!!!!!!!
these are super fun actually lol
ok so to explain the ally/enemy and threat level system we have to dive a bit into the lore tm
nutcrackers were originally used as fancy living security systems that patrolled the mansions. Because of that, they would only allow certain people in that were on an "okay" list, which included the owner, family, and anyone added to the list. then anyone that wasn't on that list was dealt with and seen as a threat. SO, when the nutcrackers were recalled for the war instead of reprograming/training them a whole new system to follow, they just tweaked it a little. so anyone with the "ally" colors where on the okay list and anyone not with the ally colors wasn't on the okay list and where dealt with, just a little more violently. I'm not 100% sure what would count as a "kill on sight" color, I'd have to guess blues cause the whole red vs. blue thing, and also its sorta been lost to time so no one knows, so just be careful around older model nutcrackers like mavros, sometimes you can even see him point his weapon at things out of instinct even though he doesn't listen to anyone anymore lol
but with the war getting more complicated and things getting more risky Nutcracker Co. (not, not actual name just being silly idk lol) finally went "oh we should, upgrade that system." and that's where connell comes in!!! Connell was actually part of a whole group specifically for this project, they were supposed to be this new cutting edge model. Connell was one of the few to survive and to be trained to have the new system cause you don't want your unstoppable machine to run out of ammo by shooting at harmless bugs lol
ofc connells own bias can skew it sometimes, he is a person more or less and ofc he's not going to be to happy with the employee attacking him even tho he's technically not to attack bystanders. but at that point do they really count as one lol
but here’s a little meter to help you see where certain enemies land on the danger scale :D
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An average interaction with Connell is p interesting, it doesn't take as much work to approach Connell, a lot less dodging blades and building trust lol
Usually, he just acknowledges the employees and sometimes questions them on where they're there and leaves them be if they aren't a threat. But sometimes, if a human looks a certain way, he's surprisingly a lot more friendly and helpful to them
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mavros is very crazy grandparent core, even more so if you just met him. But, even if he doesn't admit it, he does have a soft spot for some things. Mainly for Connell and Connell's pet spore lizard, pudge!
If Mavros is your crazy grandpa then Pudge is his pug he brings to Thanksgiving lmaoooo
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(He loves the beast don't let him fool you lol)
Other than Pudge and Connell he's very skeptical towards and scares everything else off unless ur able to get on his good side lol
Yeah! While Connell was on march for transferring and the moon was attacked he wasn't the most important thing on the employee's mind, so Connell might've kinda sorta got a lil damaged during the commotion. Which is p bad cause like humans a lot of important stuff is kept up on the noggin.
(Dont tell the scientist about it tho, they will NOT be happy to learn the super soldier they worked for years on is cracked and has some memory issues lol)
Connell is a lot more sensitive than most nutcrackers definitely, to the point that Mavros has no idea how he survived on his own for so long lol
Nutcracker parasites are treated and seen just the same as their shell, a product to be sold and made. They weren't really exposed to a lot of emotion and care like Connell which is why Mavros is a lil inexperienced in showing them. Not everyone was assigned a scientist that greets them every morning with a smile like Connells sadly.
so Connell deff has more of a conscience than others but he was still raised to be a "killing machine" so he doesn't try to dwell on things. even if that employee didn't 100% deserve the giant bullet to the chest.
and to hit two birds with one stone, usually after patrols n all they have a LOT of free time if there's no employees and monsters. connell usually plays with Pudge and Mavros makes sure his halberd is nice and sharp! though Connell does like collecting interesting things he finds, stuff employees left behind or items that somehow appeared in the halls thanks to the hoarder bugs.
sometimes mavros likes to talk about his time in the mansion and stories about his past, connell rarely shares his memories but he doesn't mind cause he likes listening to Mavros talk about how "he was the best head of security!" before the war. connell doesn't really have trinkets besides the really fuzzy memories he has but sometimes he catches Mavros looking at the crest on his hat, connell doesn't ask about it though cause the expression Mavros has doesn't seem like a pleasant one whenever he does look at it.
Connell does spend a lot of time inside yeah, with Mavros and Pudge liking the inside more than the outside but Connell does sometimes remember that there is an exit and sometimes hangs around it if remembers the path to take. he likes the manticoils mostly and doesn't really hang around long to see the horrors after dark, but omg the idea of Connell blowing up a forest keeper is HILARIOUS
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But he does like to be around the others more lol
and finally, you ask and i deliver hehe :3c
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the child dkjfhgdj
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choccy-zefirka · 1 year
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So. I am Old TM, particularly in the eyes of teenagers, and have no interest in getting entangled in ship wars involving literal child characters. If someone asked me if I am Team Kataang or Team Zutara, I’d reply that I am Team Iroh. But I will say this.
I grew up on Harry Potter, and the only characters there that looked like me were the Dursleys, and Umbridge, and Slughorn, and Crabbe and Goyle. So while Willow Park is not a fat character reaaally, her model is somewhat rounder than those of the other kids in The Owl House, and I know for a fact that teen me would have latched on to her. And teen me would have been absolutely mindblown to have a Tragic Boy With A Dark Past Now On A Redemption Arc, like the ultimate HEART-THROB from teenage romance media, get visibly flustered and blushy around a girl like this.
So if you are a fat teen shipping Huntlow, I am so so happy you get to have this, and if I were 15 years younger, I’d have been out there with you having a field day.
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teenjiism · 2 years
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domestic vegaspetemacau thoughts incoming.
vegas keeps a picture of pete and macau in his wallet for sure. they are his lockscreen. if pete had a photocard, vegas would keep it in his phone. his password is something related to pete (therefore macau regularly gets into his accounts). vegas probably commissions a huge painting of pete or the two of them together OR the three of them together or ALL of these because he is such a lover loser (txt starts playing)
yknow how kim kept chay’s little polaroids and the move ticket and all that? vegas keeps all their little things too. he secretly takes pictures of pete and has a whole album for them. he keeps every tag from a gift he got from pete. you can’t prove nor disprove me on this but vegas regularly writes love letters to pete. does he give them to him? who knows but either way, he writes him letters because his feelings overwhelm him so much, he needs to let them out.
they have a picture of the 3 of them on their fridge, the magnet they use to pin it was bought on their first vacation together. they leave e/o lil notes on the fridge to each other every day, such as “i love you 💙”, “don’t forget to eat ❤️” and “take a jacket, it’s cold outside. ily”. they do these little things for each other, like vegas making them breakfast every morning, pete packing macau and vegas lunch, macau organizing family nights with movies and board games, all three of them grasping at any semblance of regularity, of a normal, domestic life.
macau is a skater boi TM so he nags pete until he agrees to try it out n turns out he’s very good? macau is impressed, “damn, you’re much better than my brother,” and he’s even more impressed by how strong, fast and smart pete is, “how did my lame ass bro score someone as cool as you?” vegas def sulks a little because HEY i used to be the cool brother? i raised you hello?? but macau just sticks out his tongue and cuddles up to pete (all while holding vegas’ hand it’s okay he’s a cuddly clingy boy)
while i’m here, i think macau definitely idolizes vegas to a certain degree, he’s the only role model he’s ever had but he’s a brat so now that he has pete, too, he can allow himself to tease vegas and poke fun of him (it makes him happy that he can make pete laugh, too, and he can see the grin on vegas��� face, even if he tries to hide it with a grimace). macau’s just a funky little boy who wants to be loved, he wants to be part of a loving, caring family for once in his life. pete would give his life for him and not just because of vegas, not just because he’s vegas’ little brother, but because he actually cares for and loves macau, and macau can feel it. pete makes sure to show him how precious he is and how loved he is, by both of them.
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you won't post 1 headcanon for every puppet. you wont
i WILL. AND i'll do it in chronological order from appearance (more or less). but it will be under a readmore after the first season so i dont interrupt anyones scrollin
The Professor: i think in addition to growing a bit from Dino DNA(tm) he also has feathers now. just some feathers in there with his fur. maybe even molts and is miserable about it
Death: he plays guitar And piano, but just as a hobby. he's like a salaryman who had a garage band as a teenager and never fully gave up on the dream
Propeller: propeller SADSTUCK: i think he legitimately had to go to therapy for the britannica shit that happened. PH feels like it would be that realistic about mental health tbh
Big Pile of Diamonds: his mustache is fake. his greatest secret. his greatest shame.
God: he actually really likes to dance! unfortunately next 2 no one will do it since... The Incident
Train: does he not have a better name... maybe put a mr. in front of there... anyway he feels betrayed by the U.S. since they gave up the train model for highways/interstates and the motorcar industry. gets REALLY heated about it
Mt. Vesuvius: has a bunch of speeches given by famous latin authors and orators memorized, but sometimes he mashes them up without realizing/misattributes which one was written by whom. old man moments
Hatshepsut's Goose: can't remember what their gender was in life. that's fine, they love being a nonbinary icon. AMAB (Assigned Mummy at (em)Balming)
Clipped Coin: dodges the spool's wrath by being unflappable and so down to earth despite his apparent success. truly the king of staying in his own lane
Olympic Torch: hes a cranky piece of shit and only really enjoys sporting competition. he was complaining about being in the group puzzle photo so god just picked him up and he went ffffffffffine. okay. ill smile for 2 seconds
Gay Oars: i think they Also went to therapy, mostly relationship counseling, and now they are back and better than Ever. unbreakable bond. im abt to pen a whole ass comic series about them getting married in purgatory
Policarpa's Spool: still thinks of himself as a spy type, but there's only so much spying he can do in... purgatory. of course, his primary nemesis is the treasure chest.
Lake Donner Snowman: idk if this counts as a headcanon per se but in my very short list where i recast the puppets as famous singers, he is ABSOLUTELY voiced by Weird Al Yankovic.
St. Nick's Wet Bones: sort of taking the whole purgatory thing in stride. he kinda feels like he's in retirement! now he's a minor agent of chaos who's looked after by his darling Pickle Boys
Beast of Gevaudan: i was so sad when the infinitiger wasn't real, i wanted them to have a cooking show together so badly and destroy the horse's self-esteem. i love him. hes so abominably french
Stool of Gold: well-traveled, well-read, literally just as sensible as the Book or the Oars, but finds the chaos entertaining to spectate.
Ziryab's Oud: I think that the puppets have divvied up the whole Wondrium Arena and all have designated Living Areas, and he has a whole dressing room filled with shitty costumes he can't even wear. every time someone knocks he answers like hes on MTV's Cribs.
Bye Bye Brothers: they live in the orchestral pit and treat it like a secret lair. only other Murderer Puppets are allowed in. EXCLUSIVE club
Flower Boat: GNC Icon. this is a flower boat stan account. jenuinely a wholesome, emotional vessel doing their best to pitch in.
Molasses Horse: you can wash him as much as you want, that shit always just comes back somehow. the book theorizes it's psychosomatic at this point, since they're technically only souls at this point.
Tiny Piece of Wheat: bro i bet they went through SUCH phases after finding out about the professor's death. like all five stages of grief and then four more that have not yet been discovered by humans. dw kiddo, u got Grandparents incoming
Emu: the type of guy to fistfight you and then help you up. laid back but ready to throw down at a MOMENT'S notice. has no beef with the Wheat, but generally avoids them to keep from any Upsets.
Treasure Chest: has a little list of get-rick-quick schemes he wants to test, but has no way to in purgatory. he has one braincell bouncing around in his head like the DVD logo
Scabs & Pus: they get to hang out with the Bye Bye Brothers in their little club :) they're gross dudes to look at and be around. but they are ultimately harmless and friendly and just happy to be included.
Book: i love da book. I think he lives in the music library backstage and finds librettos for stageplays/musicals to pitch to the group to put on, as well as produces their little TV shows.
Birch Trees: since they share a root system, they have a telepathic link and communicate without even speaking, which is fucking creepy as hell when one or both of them just start laughing out of nowhere. they probably enjoy acting sinister
Asmodeus: he worked HARD on his song for the show!!!!! i think he's a bit of a ham sometimes when he gets the chance. also his goat head bites literally anything that comes close on reflex.
The Devil: while everything he does is to get souls, it also feels like he wants for positive and is less an Enemy of God and more an Irritating Coworker. in my brain they have a whole Tom and Jerry thing going on.
I don't have anything for the Fake Puppets the Substitute impersonated, but im planning on drawing some infinitiger soon bc he was my fave for sure
The Substitute: this is PURELY crack but i think it would be hilarious if he had voice commands like some tech does. i want him to climb back in the window and ryan just yells XBOX TURN OFF and he vanishes.
Dino Dad/Dinosir: i think even after he gets to the present and learns about all kinds of rocks and gems and crystals he Still just loves a big old rock he can lay on and sun himself with. like a dad and his armchair. doesnt gotta be fancy, just has to be comfy.
Dino Mom/Dinosara: i think she would be REALLY into the fake tv shows the puppets in the Wondrium Arena make. and they'd probably Love to have her as a fan. i think both the professor's parents are Hella popular.
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A lyrical analysis of I'm Just Ken.
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By a very cis man who has been struggling to deal with his masculinity and the fact that he loves being a man.
I think it's pretty fuckin obvious that I'm Just Ken is very clearly about the feelings that drive men into being incels. I have very little pity for incels, because it's ultimately a hell of their own creation. However, I definitely empathize with their feelings, since those are the feelings that are almost universal because of the nature of patriarchy. I'm Just Ken isn't just about becoming an incel, it's about the masculine experience. Let's get started.
Doesn't seem to matter what I do
I'm always number two
Both within the movie and in the manosphere, men/Kens view themselves as fighting an uphill battle for recognition. Even though the reality of the world is that we have constructed a society built around men, the patriarchy creates a world of competition where you can never be the winner. The idea that we as men have to fight tooth and claw to lay claim to such a broad field as masculinity means that we're always in second place compared to someone who has focused on a different aspect of masculinity. A perfect example is the perceived beef between weightlifters and martial artists on social media. Both activities are stereotypically masculine and shows of power, but only a very slim minority of people can do both well. As such, it's hard not to find posts of bodybuilders mogging martial artists or jiujitsukas saying they could just choke out a powerlifter. Patriarchy cannot be a meritocracy.
No one knows how hard I tried, oh-oh
No matter how hard it is to struggle with feelings of emasculation, coming forth with your struggles will always be more emasculating. As such, it's not just that no one knows how hard you try, it's that nobody CAN know how much you try because that would be far more painful to deal with.
I, I have feelings that I can't explain
Drivin' me insane
While self explanatory, I want to focus on "can't explain." While this could be interpreted as Ken saying that nobody else could possibly understand his oh so unique emotions, I think there's a little bit more to it. Emotional intelligence is trained out of boys, and when we become men we have none. Not only does that mean we can't understand other's emotions, it means we can't understand nor express our own emotions. Ken can't explain his feelings because he does not have the ability to explain them to himself. Presumably, this paragraph reads like a second grader realizing why it's called elementary school, and then parading it around to their parents. Granted, this entire essay is probably that.
All my life, been so polite
But I'll sleep alone tonight
Another obvious allusion to Nice Guys(tm), this also reflects the transition from boyhood to manhood. Well groomed boys are trained to be polite and to model masculinity, and if they do everything well, they're promised the world. The reality is, if you lack capital, if you are not able bodied, if you do not have enough proximity to whiteness, if the god of capitalism has not bestowed upon you enough boons of privilege, you will not receive what your elders, the media, and society has promised you. So you sleep alone no matter what, believing you were inadequate or defrauded.
'Cause I'm just Ken, anywhere else I'd be a ten
Is it my destiny to live and die a life of blonde fragility?
An allusion to all of us browns favorite book on racial justice, White Fragility really does reflect how men try to analyze their own toxic traits. Not only is White Fragility an honest to goodness virtue signal used by people (men, (ken,)) to say they've thought about their white privilege (toxic masculinity,(kenergy,)) it also embodies Ken's final breakdown, that getting people to think critically about their own privilege will require people of color (non-men,(barbies,) to comfort them after they feel bad. Just like this essay! Wow!
I'm just Ken
Where I see love, she sees a friend
What will it take for her to see the man behind the tan and fight for me?
The thing that's interesting about this passage is that it's the only reprised passage in the song. Further, it's a breakdown of exactly what creates and motivates the incel and the nice guy. These people see themselves as normal or polite, good men, and despite the fact that they strive for greater recognition than friendship, that want is never met. A big reason people shift to inceldom is the fact that they don't understand why women don't want to provide them the love that they want.
I wanna know what it's like to love, to be the real thing
See, this plays into the double meanings of the movie. Barbie, and by extension Ken, are not only metaphors for men and women, they're also representative of the symbols that Barbie and Ken are as brands. Ken is not just alluding to the idea of adolescent boys wanting to achieve the ideal image of masculinity that comes with conquering love, he's making something incredibly clear about him as a character. Both he and Barbie want the same thing. To understand what real people think and feel, to exist beyond the world of a child's playroom, to be more than plastic. The key differential is how men and women are instructed to go after their ambitions.
Is it a crime? Am I not hot when I'm in my feelings?
This should be plainly clear, but men are viewed as lesser for experiencing emotion. Ken questions if and why his masculinity can be destroyed by showing that vulnerability.
And is my moment finally here, or am I dreaming?
I'm no dreamer
This passage mainly exists to make it clear that the rest of the song is basically a dream sequence, basically what Ken (at the very least subconsciously,) desires. I want to make it clear before we go deeper that I believe that the rest of this song portrays an idyllic version of positive masculinity as well, meaning that even Ken states (even if he doesn't acknowledge,) that his patriarchy is not what he wants or needs.
Can you feel the Kenergy?
Feels so real, my Kenergy
Can you feel the Kenergy?
Feels so real, my Kenergy
Kenergy is masculinity, if you didn't pick up on it by now. Here, in the bridge between reality and the dream sequence, Ken asks if his masculinity is noticeable, and then reaffirms it. Going by that logic, Ken goes from saying these things in doubt into saying them for the sake of making clear that his masculinity isn't something that needs to be questioned, but celebrated.
I'm just Ken, anywhere else I'd be a ten
Is it my destiny to live and die a life of blonde fragility?
I'm just Ken
Where I see love, she sees a friend
What will it take for her to see the man behind the tan and fight for me?
Here's the reprisal I was talking about. The fact is, even in a world where masculinity is celebrated and not something constantly at risk of failing, equating one's self worth with the opinions of others, ESPECIALLY the feelings of someone specific, isn't going to make you happy. There's a reason a lot of people in the manosphere are lifters and Patrick Bateman clones. By all accounts, those people are very masculine, but they aren't fulfilled because they cannot truly achieve fulfillment according to the criteria that they've made for themselves.
Side note, I'm not a good dancer, so I'm not going to focus on the choreography, but this is the moment where Ken receives two kisses from two other Kens.
I'm just Ken (and I'm enough)
And I'm great at doing stuff
I'd say this line made me cry, but unfortunately 22 years of conditioning to be a man and my testosterone levels makes it very difficult for me to cry, even when I try. According to Bell Hooks and other thinkers of her persuasion, the most important feature of men under capitalism is their ability to produce and/or their ability to perform. By saying this, Ken is affirming that he has worth and value, that he isn't just "& Ken." If you aren't a productive member of society, if you aren't Kenough, you're worthless.
So, hey! Check me out, yeah, I'm just Ken
Continuing off the last line, the weight of a man's fantasy being the ability to confidently self-affirm himself is legitimately depressing to me. Partially because I know how difficult it is to do that! When Ken finally dons The Sweater, we know that he's no longer suffering, that to some extent he's confident in his masculinity.
My name's Ken (and so am I)
Put that manly hand in mine
Solidarity between men is a rough topic. It's difficult for men to stop trying to be more manly than whoever is nearby. When people picture male solidarity, they picture MRAs. It's too easy to relate male solidarity to violence, and to ignoring and aiding systems of abuse and oppression. In the movie, that's what this is. But in the song, this is the end of conflict. This is where rivals realize that they don't have to one-up each other. They might need to slather some blue paint over it, but these men are able to be intimate with each other. That's what's scary about male solidarity, it's something that's easily weaponised, but it's also key to undoing patriarchal mindsets and systems.
So, hey! World, check me out, yeah, I'm just Ken
Baby, I'm just Ken (nobody else, nobody else, nobody)
I never heard the "nobody else," part until I read the lyrics. I think that was an intentional decision from an artistic front. We can't really hear it, but in the same way that the Ken's reassure themselves of masculinity earlier, they also assure themselves that they aren't anything more than Kens. This could also be the Kens proclaiming that nobody else can claim the right to be Ken, making their privileges exclusive. This is much more easily assigned to the incel narrative of the song.
But I don't want to leave this song with a negative perspective. It could be argued that the silence of "nobody else," is an inverse of the loud minority that is the manosphere. The same toxicity that exists within masculinity can be drowned out by overpowering it via displays of positive masculinity.
I'm Just Ken isn't just a song, it's a mindset. And I think it can be a mindset for change.
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moralpuppet · 1 month
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@rvrend sent me this ! I love all the little screen shots you can make from this show ! This ones particularly dear to me because the dynamic we've written between Orel and Rod but look at how excited the boy is tm , he's on the edge of his seat and Rod's just trying to be cool and casual as a role model here .
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astronnova · 1 year
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no on god if you feel like it i wanna hear your issues with s4 bc i was also kinda iffy on it... i thought that was just me tbh LMAO
OKAY... haha im glad its not just me
lego monkie kid has this overarching theme of "the world is what you make of it / anyone can be a hero, make the most of your abilities / with the support of your friends and belief in yourself, you can do anything". at least, that's the narrative i was getting.
Lady Bone Demon represented the idea that fate is unchangeable and that means you should stop trying to "make a difference/change". she, ironically, claims herself has a harbinger of "destiny" and attempts to force this viewpoint on the world. she tries to change the world to fit her image. her ice powers could be symbolic of how her mindset is meant to freeze others into place and keep them from taking action against her.
so, in contrast, MK is meant to represent the opposite, aka the overarching narrative theme. when MK defeats her, he even says that "the perfect world is what you make of it, so as long as i have my friends by my side, the world is perfect!". it's a pretty clear indication of what the show is trying to get across to the audience.
MK's backstory is unknown throughout s1-3. we just have the general of Pigsy and Tang being important role models in his life and the idea that he recently changed his name/nickname to be MK, and that originally he had a name that was "really a mouthful". not much is really needed for a hero like MK to work in a story like this. honestly? the more boring the character's original life, the better. it hammers home the idea that anyone can be a hero.
we're never fully told why Wukong picked MK as his successor, but one can assume it's because of Wukong's "i've been kinda watchin' you" comments that Wukong has studied MK and deemed him suitable. i know i, along with a couple others, assumed it's because MK was "worthy". even the staff seems to allow those who are "worthy" to lift it, proven by when MK loses the ability in the fight against Macaque in s1. he says "i can't ... i'm not strong enough". i'm gonna quickly mention that this means the Monkey King Powers (tm) are rooted in believing in yourself, which is fitting since Wukong was an allegory for the power of the mind. anyway. the entire season MK's powers are referred to as Monkey King Powers by the cast and himself. there's even that glowy, golden power stone thing that Macaque removes from MK, effectively "taking his powers". that confirms the idea that power can be shared, meaning Wukong most likely just quietly gave his powers to MK when he lifted the staff. this, along with the fact that Wukong could shut off MK's powers kind of proves the idea that Wukong gave MK the powers in the first place. if that wasn't true, then somebody in MK's life, or himself, would have noticed something being off.
TL;DR, s1-3 MK started as a regular delivery boy who was given Monkey King's powers, and he represents the idea that anyone can become a hero and that you just need to believe in yourself and your friends.
now that the set up is outta the way, here's my gripes with season 4 lol
MK is given a backstory that, in a way, proves Lady Bone Demon right: destiny is unchangeable. he is another stone monkey, born of an egg similar (or originating from) Wukong's stone egg. we don't ... really know why? there's a lot of holes in this, like
how did MK go all the way from the mountain top to Pigsy's noodles? why to Pigsy's of all places?
if MK is a stone monkey, why does he take on a human form from birth?
if the powers he possess are all innate and not given, why has he never noticed/used them before? did he just ... not use them? even on accident? (that feels like lazy writing.)
it feels kind of obvious, at least to me?, that this backstory is... made up for this and future seasons. it doesn't really apply to s1-3 MK. it's retconned in. which, okay, fine, it's a kids show made to sell toys like ninjago, of course they're going to start adding random stuff in, they gotta sell those toys. the kids need a cool action show to get them interested in them toys. but my issues stems from the fact that the message of the show has changed.
MK is no longer the everyman underdog hero for kids to look up to, he was specifically born to be an all-powerful stone monkey. this isn't the story of a normal guy becoming a hero, it's the story of an all powerful being just... realizing they're all powerful. he was destined to be this way. it feels almost negative, if ya catch my drift. this, along with the retcons (???) to the rest of the cast, just leaves a weird taste in my mouth.
the others, Pigsy, Tang, Sandy, and Mei, are no longer the reincarnations of the pilgrims, but are now the descendants. mei is an exception, since she was always Ao Lie's 1000x great grand daughter, but the others? they were always thought of as reincarnations. the descendant thing feels like a quick retcon. for what? i have no idea. the only thing i can think of is the narrative question for the heroes of "the sins of the father" type deal, where they have to prove that they are better people than their ancestors. this... also applies to MK, in an odd way? the show has made comments of how Wukong regrets many things in his life and that no one has let him forget about his mistakes, something that could tie into the narrative idea of The Next Generation (tm) being better than the old guys. he even tells MK that he's done so much more for the world than Wukong ever did himself. this is weird, because MK and Wukong are not related. at least in a direct descendant kind of way (such as father -> son confirmed by writer/producer, David Breen. as for sibling relationship? god i hope not.) although MK says in s4, and Sandy in s3, that this is Just A Theory that they're descendants/reincarnations, it's still pretty blatantly showed that it's true.
my issue is that this feels like character assignation, of the old pilgrims and of our current cast. issues that characters didnt really have (mei's "anger", for example) are being put into the series to give them some sort of obstacle to overcome, even though there's plenty organic obstacles in the narrative. and damn, poor mk. i guess im just mourning the loss of our regular ass dude who has been exchanged for a..... uh..... fanfic-like backstory? i know i know that's a "cringe" remark to make, but it's the only analogy i can think of at the moment. imagine pitching this
okay, so our main character, get this, is gonna be a stone monkey JUST like the monkey king. AND he's gonna have all the monkey king's powers. he'll be born from the same stone, too. it's like he's another wukong but for the kids!
i'm exaggerating, but still. like .. ???
now, not everything was bad or something i didnt like! i loved the conflict azure presented, and i love MK grappling with the idea of "everything being his fault". it reflects wukong's problems in a cool way (now if they'd EXPLORE THAT!!!). azure brings up a pretty good point and one i did NOT thing they would ever do: the idea that the celestials are corrupt and self serving. azure has a point here, and the conflict is pretty damn cool. i just kinda wish the heroes' narrative would also be a response to this conflict? like s1-3. but w/e i guess
i kinda expected a change in direction since the director and some writing staff were changed from s1-3 to this season. but uhhhh not like this </3
now!!!!! i am not completely set in stone with this current idea of lego monkie kid because there's a season 5 on it's way. the story will continue, and i assume we will get our closure on the azure lion arc. im kinda worried about how that closure will happen but uhhh future us problem. MK is also at the height of his darkest hour/self doubt by the end of this season, so hopefully s5 will address this and explore the solution. what narrative solution r they gonna present??????? no fuckin clue theres like no hints i hae no idea where they're going with this. foreshadowing? never met her.
(also, side tangent, there is no way that this was Planned From The Beginning)
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