#this is one of those times where i'm thankful i have access to disney plus and can rewatch some episodes

[tornrose24]

Examing episodes for the ‘Scratch is a wraith’ theory and details I collected. (Possible spoilers up to season 2, episode 5).

So I decided to rewatch some episodes of Ghost and Molly McGee that featured Todd for some careful observing. Especially regarding the whole ‘Scratch is a wraith theory.’

Season 1

Getting the Band(shell) back together

–Todd’s first appearance. We get to see a bit of the exterior of his house.

–This is the first time Molly meets Todd when she’s collecting money, but he just shuts the door in her face.

Monumental Disaster

–Todd thinks bringing cups to a potluck is a good idea. He seems happy about them or maybe the idea of being included…. Or getting to eat.

–Todd is white and as luck would have it he is seen next to other white townsfolk. However, it’s clear that his skin tone is grayish and a bit more on the pale side compared to the healthier complexions of those other townsfolk.

–The mayor snaps at Todd that cups don’t count. They didn’t count at his 8th birthday and they don’t count then. Apparently, the mayor knew Todd as a child. (This could be important in the future).

–Todd is pretty dejected at being rejected. He walks away… And Scratch pops up seconds later.

–Around the time this episode aired, it was easy to notice the similarities for a keen observer, but I assumed that Todd could have been a living relative/descendant of Scratch’s.

–Seen again with his cups when they reveal the new statue. Seems to be the only person who isn’t smiling/not happy. This is likely the second time he’s seen Molly.

The Festival of Lights

–Todd is seen with a book called Bill and Bob’s OK Adventure. It’s an obvious reference to Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure about two friends time traveling and meeting historical figures. (Hmm, two friends meeting historical figures…. That rings a bell). It’s likely he was going to buy it.

–As pointed out by another, Todd seems to be happy at the mention of food and is ready to grab some of Leah’s creations. (What is something that Scratch really likes again? That’s right, it’s food).

–“I’ll have one.” Do I detect a faint hint of eagerness? However, despite sharing the same voice actor, he doesn’t sound like Scratch here. (Unlike how it’s pretty obvious with Molly and Darryl’s bodies.)

– Unfortunately Scratch beats him to it.

Citizen McGee

–Can be seen in the crowd close to the reporter at the start of the episode. Yet another one of the few times he was in Molly’s presence.

The Internship

I lucked out in seeing this mentioned in regards to the wraith theory.

–This is perhaps one of the most notable times Molly is onscreen with Todd and the most they’ve seemed to interact together. He tells her to “Take my old junk” and we see the following from the pile:

The Bill and Bob book (guess he didn’t like the book or was he just done with it?)

Book on plants opened on a warning about needing to water them.

String of lights

Pyramid

Mason jar

Flashlight

Vase (?)

Toolbox or lunch box with what seems to be his name on it

Box with stars on it (That’s an interesting object)

Cup

Additional brown boxes

Rusty pliers and fork

Rusty pipe (I HOPE that’s all rust)

Basketball with a crown on top

Eyeball attached to spring (hmm, that’s an interesting object too)

Strainer

Some sort of cheese grater?

Opened lock

Robot that says “You are my best robot friend” (voice box was used to create a top secret project). The robot looks like a kid’s toy, looks like something a girl might have owned, and has a rare voice box.

–Actually he’s got a weird assortment of ‘junk.’ Some of it IS junk, but others seem to be possible clues.

–He doesn’t seem to be looking right at Molly and doesn’t seem to care much about what he’s doing.

–He’s also not that tall looking. In fact, he seems close to Molly’s height.

–“I’m Elated.” That line sounds apathetic and slightly irritated. His expression at this line IS similar to a face Scratch might make.

–Again I admit it’s tricky to tell that Dana Snyder is voicing him in this one, despite being credited as his VA (Dana Snyder was listed for additional voices (seperate from Scratch) in the Festival of Lights, but he wasn’t in this one). He doesn’t sound too much like Scratch. (But if the theory is correct, then it’s likely to keep Molly from recognizing his voice.)

–The ghost intern looks a little like a young Scratch, speaking of coincidences. (By the way, I’m going to be mad if the intern is Todd’s soul instead of Scratch.)

–If the theory is correct, then the pawn shop might become important later.

The jig is up

–I almost don’t need to go into too much detail on this one since this one is too obvious. But I will do a few:

–Scratch not only straight up says that Todd acts like he has no soul and is pretty miserable, but the two are seen in the exact same shot together.

–Also Todd’s reaction to getting his lunch down his pants is to just walk awkwardly away. He’s not even freaking out over it. (His behavior reminds me a little of Darryl’s soulless body just taking orders without question).

Season 2

I Wanna Dance with some Ollie

–Todd doesn’t appear in this one, but Scratch is seen reading the same Bill and Bob’s OK Adventure book. I find this detail HIGHLY interesting.

Davenport’s on Demand

–appears during the song and ordered a huge bag of ‘old grapes’ raisins that he has trouble holding up. Well… he’s able to hold the huge thing in the first place. (A few seconds later, the song switches right to Scratch. Kind of interesting that he’s sandwiched between a Molly part and a Scratch part.)

Of course, while Todd isn’t in Molly vs the Ghost World and Double Double Darryl and Trouble, they are very crucial for the theory–in fact, Molly vs the Ghost World was what lead to the creation of the theory. Both siblings’ soulless bodies are discolored and act pretty apathetic… sounds familiar? And of course, Darryl’s body just goes through life and does whatever he is told, as well as do things that aren’t entirely characteristic on his own, like helping the principal in one scene.

So my take on Todd is that he is someone who is apathetic and just goes through life. However, he does seem to want to be included in events at times, especially when food is involved. I admit, the scenes where he is seen with Molly are of interest especially since those are the few times I caught him talking. He’s also mostly been a background character, but some of the stuff I’m seeing adds up and does point to the theory being true. If not, he’s making for one hell of a good red herring.

If anyone has any more from any episodes that I missed to add to this, please let me know. 

#the ghost and molly mcgee #scratch the ghost #molly mcgee #wraith theory #this is one of those times where i'm thankful i have access to disney plus and can rewatch some episodes

[radley-writes]

So, as someone wanting to study more and get back into literature, I need some suggestions/tips. I left college years ago/never got a chance to finish. So I am a bit behind, lol. My focus is on Anthropology and Theology, but I want to be open minded to new information and areas of study. In a way, I want to strengthen my rhetoric, core knowledge and challenge myself. I followed you so I can start doing that, but sometimes have a hard time following the context, if I am being boldly honest with you. I am curious what books you would personally suggest for a person re-entering the world of reading, writing and studying so I can get better? And even if you have any direction or guidance? I really respect your opinion and enjoy your content as well. I want to be able to follow along and be like, "Yeah, I know exactly what you're saying!" You're so smart and well read! I hope you have a wonderful day today! xx

You are a brave soul, if you followed me in the hopes of gleaning any intellectual or academic fulfilment. 99% of this blog is clownery. Nonetheless, thank you for the message!

As someone who ducked out of education after university, I'm not the best person to advise you on re-entering academia. However, as someone who, after finishing my degree, didn't engage with original fiction for over a year, but is soon (ish) going to become a trad-pubbed author, I can pass on some suggestions that helped me ease back into the world of writing & reading!

Start with books you enjoyed when you were younger. The familiarity makes them far less daunting. If you want to improve your writing skills, read those books critically. Try to identify rhetorical devices, establishing character moments, points where the momentum of the pacing changes, etc. Chart out the plot on a piece of paper, if you like visuals. Buy a second-hand copy and scribble all over it. Try to think of the book as a clanking, belching steampunk device and yourself as the engineer who's deconstructing it to understand how it works!

For specific reccs - I'm unsure of your likes or dislikes in fiction. Here's a random selection from my nearest bookshelf!

Bartimaeus trilogy, Jonathan Stroud (my comfort books!)

Monstrous Regiment, Terry Pratchett (another old favourite!)

The City We Became, N. K. Jemisin (glorious prose, Lovecraftian horror remixed & reclaimed.)

Vicious, V. E. Schwab (I prefer Vengeful and Addie LaRue, but Vicious is the OG masterclass in non-linear storytelling!)

Cloud Atlas, David Mitchell (Multiple intersecting plots that weave into what I honestly think is one of the best novels of the 21st century...)

Silas Marner, George Eliot (Is is Eliot's best work? No. Is it her best writing? Also no. Did it make me cry like a little bitch? You fucking bet. Disney-film emotions in a classic adult novel.)

Nevernight, Jay Kristoff (This book is Problematic, to say the least. Its selling points are 1) gore 2) sex 3) more gore and sex. Some of that sex features underage characters. And, when you find out who the narrator is, the graphic nature of these scenes goes from 'ugh seriously?' to '...ew.' These sex scenes are, thankfully, skippable (why, you might ask, are they even there.....??). But this series means a lot to me personally, and I would recommend it based on the fact that it offers a great lesson in adding flounce and drama to your writing!)

Gideon the Ninth, Tamsyn Muir (for quirky, comedic, OTT-in-a-stylistic-way writing (trust me, that's hard to pull off.))

Leviathan Wakes, James S. A. Corey (for pared-down yet effortlessly descriptive & funny prose, plus some of the best character work I've ever read (later in the same series, at least). This is accessible semi-solid SF at its best; it explains complex physics in layman's terms.)

If you're interested in religion & literature from an academic perspective, The Stripping of the Altars is on my shelf - a fascinating delve into late medieval Catholicism. Of Giants: Sex, Monsters, and the Middle Ages is also a favourite - it features a lot of what it says on the tin.

Happy reading~

#reading #book reccs #literature #books #novels #religion #reading reccs #classic literature #long post

[pxrtgasdace]

Mun question: Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz - which do you like best and why and what are your thoughts and ideas on those worlds as AUs for One Piece/Ace & co? (If you hate them or some of them I'm sorry but in that case I'd also like to know what makes you despise them. Well, I at least know you like Peter Pan going by your already existing AU ideas. Thank you for your time!)

Oh, first of all, thank you so much for the unexpected question and for a very sweet theme, too!

I hate none of the three but maybe I should talk a bit what I know of/from them?

Peter Pan is, answering your question, my favourite out of the three. Of course my first big contact with the story was through the Disney movie. I don’t know what year it was when I got the VHS but love was an instant thing. If you have pirates and fairies together, what’s not to like? Plus my version was the Brazilian dub and contrasting it with the English original many years later, I believe it has more humour than the original. Smee always cracked me up. 

But the reason why I truly loved Peter Pan - and I know this now - was because of the projection it had compared to my favourite book from my childhood, another pirate staple - Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island. It was the first ‘big book’ I read as a child, and from a copy that belonged to my mother, too, and it is to this day one of my favourites. I love how Stevenson blended the childish wonder kids have for pirates with the more adult part of the theme, for being a young boy hiding in a barrel of apples listening to talk of mutiny can’t be anything other than scary, right?

Unfortunately, Island never got the adaptation it deserved (from Disney). In the 90′s what I had was the 1950 live-action and the 1996 Muppets version - which I really love but never watched back then. Treasure Planet came out in 2002 and… I don’t hate it but… My favourite book did not need a sci-fi twist to make it more appealing or modern or anything like it. It’s a classic.

So, Peter Pan was the closest I had to a pirate story before POTC appeared. And you know Disney does their homework too well with marketing, meaning there was an access to Pan that there wasn’t to Island. I bought The Complete Peter Pan in the beginning of this year and I must say I am glad for Disney’s take on the story, as Barrie leaves some details rather abstract, albeit on purpose. Disney unified our vision on Peter Pan without limiting, for each person can still add their personal twist to Neverland while sharing a ‘common ground’. 

Likewise, I am a big fan of the Disney Fairies franchise. It’s a great addition to canon, what with Pixie Hollow, the sparrowmen, the different talents for the fairies… It’s a new part of Neverland that doesn’t mangle Barrie’s work.

I admit most of my ideas for Neverland!Ace are fueled by the franchise and the Disney work as a whole rather than Barrie’s original precisely because of how it crystalised certain aspects of it while it enhanced others. My ideas about it are already on the verses page and also here. I never considered this world for One Piece as a whole, only for Ace but, if anything, it fits ASL. 

For instance, if there’s only Ace and Ace alone, he might be the leader of a gang of boys akin to Peter’s - for I do not replace Peter for Ace but would rather have both. They support Ace’s idea of making a crew and one day leave Neverland behind in search for adventures other than the ones they’re used to, with the othe inhabitants of Neverland. If Sabo exists, perhaps there is no need for a gang of kids and it’s just the two brothers trying to set out to sea someday. Whichever the scenario, Ace will still want to find Pixie Hollow to see the pixies and get some pixie dust for his ship to fly & he doesn’t like pirates very much - because he knows his father, Roger, was one and he left him alone in Neverland. Just like Peter, he doesn’t like James Hook very much but his hatred is different - it’s angrier, it’s on principle, it’s because of the bad things pirates do to innocent folks of Neverland - and irony, a pirate’s what he’ll become. Alas, being a child, his morals are still in grey and he doesn’t see or wants to see that stealing pixie dust for a crew is… piracy.

Alice In Wonderland I knew through illustrated books and, of course, the Disney movie. It was never a favourite. Don’t get me wrong, pushing those ‘twisted’ aspects or readings people make of it aside, it’s another wonderful children’s story. I do love new worlds! But… where them pirates at, you know? When there are so many great stories, one if just bound to touch you more than others and that’s what Pan did for me - just like I expect Alice did to others.

I have no ideas for an Alice AU for Ace or One Piece as a whole - and I guess that is mostly to blame on my ignorance. If I recall correctly, Carroll mentioned more creatures/beasts in his works (so beyond Wonderland) and made-up words and everything and for an AU to be believable, those would have to be included. That demands research and knowledge. So… I am very sorry I can’t provide an accurate answer. All I can say is that for Carroll’s works I would never set a verse for Ace that is exclusively drawn from the Disney movie when I know the books are richer and they ought to be considered.

The Wizard of Oz. Kill me but I haven’t yet read Oz though I have the complete ebooks! I know the basic story, yes, but Baum wrote so much more! You know what’s funny, though? I know of the darker adaptations of it: The Wicked Years series by Gregory Maguire - of which the first book spawned a very different musical - and Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige.  Those I have read but not Baum’s originals (or the other novels considered canonical).

Oz I do consider for an AU! At least there is enough space for many One Piece characters, considering the geography/size of Oz and all these different takes. For the original ‘verse’, I would have to assign Ace to a county/race and build my story around that. I gues using Dorothy Must Die as a base would be easier for me and smoother, too, as pirates could be part of The Revolutionary Order of the Wicked. Perhaps this would be more appealing than Baum’s story, too, as Paige made this world more adult - don’t know if you know the story, and without spoiling it for you, imagine Dorothy as a tyrant and those sweet characters - the Lion, the Scarecrow, Tin Woodman - are some seriously sick bastards. 

Maybe if I reread DMD I might make a fitting verse for Ace - again, in this particular Oz rather than the original. But that will have to wait a while as I am currently working on establishing another verse for him!

#✕ [anonymous] #[sorry it's long but since you mentioned 3 stories...] #✕ set the world on fire [answer] #✕ [ic answer]