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stories-and-chaos · 2 months

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Tarnished pt 13

[Helluva Boss AU where Blitzø’s childhood theft from Stolas’ palace is discovered and major consequences ensue for everyone involved.]

[Part 13/?? Word count 1670 Cw: language]

——————

Present day

Striker was not what anyone would consider a happy imp. Oh he had things that made him happy and moments of pleasure, but even at the best of times there was a simmering rage inside. He managed to hide it beneath country charm. A veneer of strong, affable confidence helped too. Certain things could reveal that rage quickly though.

One of them was demon royalty. He didn’t much care for any higher ranking demon, but the Goetia, Deadly Sins, and the Morningstars? Well, there were magma pits in Wrath cooler than the anger he felt at blue-bloods.

Another was members of his own kind dancing to the royal’s beat. When he was feeling charitable, Striker could admit that an imp has to eat and sometimes working for the rich pricks was the best option. But Striker wasn’t often charitable either. But the ones that rubbed elbows with royalty willingly? Or even got into relationships with them? They were the same as the pompous bastards they were fucking.

So when that prissy Goetian bitch called his burner phone, he was tempted to hang up on her. But he hadn’t had many jobs lately; an imp and his hellhorse have to eat. “Depends on the work and what you’re offerin’ ma’am. I’m always lookin’ for opportunities.” Then she told him what she was looking for. And the fee for the initial job? “Well, sounds like you were right ma’am; I’d be glad to oblige.”

“Marvelous. Get up to Pride. My Hound will meet you.” There was a click and the call cut off. “And a g’day to you too bitch,” Striker growled to dead air. He always had saddlebags prepped to move out quickly. Most of his jobs needed to be done in a timely manner, so having gear ready to go meant his clients could rely on his speed.

He saddled his coal black Hellhorse. The stallion only gave him a little trouble with the bridle today. “Yeah, I know Bombproof, you’ve been liking the easy life past few weeks. But we gotta get your dead bodies from somewhere.”

Once out of the lair, he urged Bombproof into a run. Riding was one of those few things that made him happy after all. He and Bombproof had been together for years and he was so used to the steed he barely had to think about the mechanics of riding.

Which meant he could focus on what was coming. He wasn’t lying when he told that royal he’d be glad to oblige. One blue-blooded bitch paying him to fuck up shit for another? And for said royal’s imp boy toy? Well, he hadn’t heard anything so good in years.

Add on the possibility of killing a prince? Striker’s glee as he rode out of Wrath wasn’t just from the fun of Bombproof racing near his top speed.

He met up with a middle aged Hellhound on the outskirts of Pentagram City. His new employer wasn’t about to meet him in person, but that was to be expected. Striker could keep that rage to a low level over the expected snub…for now.

His immediate instruction was to tail a couple of the Goetia’s servants if they left the estate. His employer suspected something unusual was going on with her husband and his plaything. She wanted information and while he was ultimately a hit man, Striker had experience following targets.

In addition, she wanted him to get intel on the boy toy’s activities off the grounds. Princey let his side piece have way more freedom than other royals expected. Striker was to find out why, since she wasn’t going to pay him for just sitting around until the servants moved.

He had at least one safe house in every Ring. For some it was little more than a cave or a bolt hole, but it was somewhere to lay low if he needed. In Pride, the most convenient one was a cavern just outside the biggest city. It was big enough to accommodate himself and Bombproof and let out to a blasted plain that had some hunting for the stallion. Not quite enough to keep him fed, but enough to offset Striker’s daily expenses.

In the four days before he got word that his current targets were moving, he learned a lot about this imp traitor and his master. Over the past year, Striker had heard rumors about an imp starting up an assassination operation, catering to Sinners in Pride. He’d held some vague respect for one of his kind willing to start their own business. That business being murder was even more intriguing.

So his disappointment when he found out that the rumors were true, but the imp in question was a royal plaything? He hadn’t needed to buy any extra carcasses for Bombproof that day. He didn’t know why this Blitzø was running a murder-for-hire business, but that wasn’t his job. He just reported this to his employer, by way of her Hellhound.

He passed on some scraps of information about the company and employees while we waited. Before he could get too impatient, Aster, the Hound that was his contact, texted him that the two imp servants were leaving. The older demon sent a picture of the pair as the left the estate so Striker could identify them.

They took public transport but his hideout was close enough to catch up. He took a seat a few rows behind the pair. His country style didn’t really fit into the city, but there were enough Wrathian imps in the Pentagram that nobody gave him more than a quick glance.

So he was able to follow the servants, feeling likely he was watching a couple on a date. They were certainly pawing at each other like it was. He got off at the same stop as them and did his best to not attract notice as he followed them, roughly two thirds of a block behind.

They didn’t seem to pick up on his presence. Instead they were flirting enough that he felt like a voyeur. It didn’t help that they turned onto a street lit by sanguine streetlights. The multitude of sexual signs along the street made the pale imp stop in horrified fascination. His targets strode into one of the businesses. The vibrant red and teal sign above the door read “Slick Seduction.” Wrapping around the teal letters were red and magenta tentacles. The sign even had fluid dripping from the suckers.

“Why is it always a sex thing?!” Striker hissed. He was not going into a whorehouse, no matter how good the pay was. His burner phone was an older model, so the camera was barely adequate. He had to be across the street to get a decent picture of the sign. He sent it to Aster, then found a bar nearby to wait. It was close enough that he could keep an eye on the brothel door, as long as he didn’t get too drunk.

Before long he got a message back, telling him to not indulge in the whores (as if he’d even consider it) and to continue to tail them. He ended up being at that bar for hours. He played a few rounds of darts with the patrons to keep suspicion at bay. The servants didn’t leave until almost four in the morning. The bars in Hell didn’t have closing times and last calls like he’d heard of in the mortal realm.

So Striker was a bit tipsy as he followed the now disheveled imps. It was pretty obvious they hadn’t gone anywhere else in the interim. They seemed to have indulged plenty in the whores as well. They took another public transport route back to the estate. Since Striker had gotten on at the same stop, he got off when they did.

They still were all over each other as they stumbled past the palace gates. He scowled at the luxurious building and manicured grounds as he kept walking. He sent a quick text that the servants hadn’t gone elsewhere before heading back to their master’s residence.

The early morning chill contrasted his rising anger. What the fuck had he gotten into? Following around a couple of weak imps as debauched as their master, all for a paycheck? The stuffed shirts still got to be waited on, claw and hoof, in their fancy ass palace with more money and power than they could ever use. And here he was camping out in a cave, waiting for a royal bitch to give him orders.

Said royal bitch called as he was getting ready for some shut eye after the long night. “Excellent work darling,” came her cultured tones, dripping with satisfaction. “You’ve done better than expected, good boy. Your payment has been transferred, along with a bonus. You can head back to Wrath for the time being. I’ll call when the next step is ready. Ta!”

Striker hissed in frustration. The prissy bitch hadn’t given him a chance to get a word in. He resolved to stay out of what noble nonsense she was up to once he got back to Wrath.

That resolve didn’t last longer than a day however. Once he’d gotten some sleep and rode Bombproof to their preferred Ring, he checked his account. The new number made his jaw drop. She gave him that big of a bonus, all for a night of stalking? She was either an idiot or she really wanted to stick it to her husband. Probably both.

A message from Aster later in the day had a rough outline of the next phase. The Goetia wanted him to ingratiate himself to the prince’s boy toy. Aster provided half a dozen options for how to do so, but the upcoming Harvest Moon Festival seemed the most promising to Striker. And the promised payment was just as big as the one he just received.

“Well, shit. Looks like I’m on retainer for her royal pain in the ass.”

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<<First <Prev Next>

A/N: Not gonna lie, Striker’s been the hardest character for me to get a handle on. I know he’s a fan favorite so I hope I did alright. And hopefully this little detour was enjoyable. We’ll be getting back to Loona’s arc in the next section.

#helluva fanfiction #helluva striker #helluva blitzo #helluva stolitz #helluva stolas #helluva stella #helluva au #blitzo x stolas #blitzo #striker

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daltonblaine · 1 year

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Can you give a run down of Blaine’s relationships with the original six girls, and season 4 new girls. Rank importance to him?

i giggled a little at first because. Rank Women BUT this was actually really fun to think about !!

tina #1 OBVIOUSLY. "you are the most important person to me at this school right now" + "i know i can't possibly leave here without having at least one slow dance with you" + all those shots of blaine hugging tina or them holding hands/linking arms in the hallway are so !!! blaine joining the cheerios with her, hanging out with her & sam as a #Trio, comforting her when she cries, supporting her status as prom queen (though he did admit he fell asleep texting her about her prom dress 😭), singing a duet with her at nationals, poking fun at her for mistakenly being into gay guys lightheartedly ^_^ also tina is SO ride or die for blaine. she's the only one who voted blaine in the blaine vs sue feud duet off !! she's the only one blaine told about his crush on sam !!! they went to sadie hawkins together !!!!!! they have super cringe nicknames for each other (blainey days bling bling tay tay queen t) !!!!!!!!! but they can also be super snarky with each other LOL like blaine saying "thanks tina" + tina going full diva on an (oblivious) blaine <33

santana... this might be my bias talking but i imagine they're somewhat tight... "it's not unusual" is amazing performance fodder (though rip purple piano 💔), but also santana stepped up for him (and kurt) against karofsky in night of neglect, and she was willing to risk everything in getting revenge on behalf on blaine in michael (they spend a sizable number of scenes together in that ep)... also they have that fun dynamic where santana makes little disgusted faces at certain things blaine does in performances ("love doesn't come in a minute" + santana's shocked face during the dance breakdown of "hungry like the wolf / rio" + blaine rapping in "perfect" + santana giving kurt an offended look during "it's not right but it's okay") also they walked down the wedding aisle together 🏳️‍🌈

rachel comes next i SUPPOSE but i always kind of got an impression they were more coworkers than friends even during high school 😭 they had a shocking number of duets for a duo that hardly seemed to relate to each other otherwise but they DID get drunk together & kissed in biota and also starred in west side story as leads... rachel is definitely closer to kurt (e.g. she "sided" with kurt during the dance with somebody ep + hummelberry were actually college roomies) but it does seem like blaine & rachel coordinated some nyada assignments together, also blaine cheered her up in s6 when she was in her flop era !! doesn't seem like she kept too close contact with him after he & kurt broke up though because she didn't know about blaine and karofsky dating when she spoke with kurt later on

MERCEDES AND BLAINE WERE ROOMMATES. so much lost potential there like they could've been Peak "this is my boyfriend sam and this is his boyfriend blaine" energy... that one scene where mercedes walks in on a million lit candles in the apartment and immediately goes like "BLAINE?" but blaine was literally guiltless in that endeavor... also mercedes invited to the bachelor chalet ❤️

brittany - weirdly hostile and friendly with blaine at the same time. they were hanging out during lunch together and blaine asks how santana is?? they also performed "shout" and couple other fun numbers together & she kissed him on the cheek during "heroes"... they also made out in a made-up glee script (WHY 😭). blaine & artie arranged & choreographed ULTIMATE CAMP "boys/boyfriend" to cheer brittany up !! brittany banned hair gel from prom and then made fun of blaine's hair?? also asked if blaine was born in america during the s4 elections arc 💀 anderpierce going head to head as president candidates during elections would've been interesting but she was paralleled to sam instead... although i DO have to thank her for giving us the blaine & sam pres/vp duo ^_^

kitty & artie had apparently invited blaine to go out bumper bowling with them but he declined because he didn't want to be a third wheel (sam voice Fifth wheel). when tina pokes fun at blaine's very obvious feelings about sam during "against all odds" kitty smacks her on the arm and says "shut it" LOLL there's a lot of snark between her and blaine, with comments from kitty like "SOMEONE'S manstruating" or "no one reads show choir blogs, just you blaine" or blaine saying in his time capsule "kitty, who’s kind of a bitch but we kind of love her" ?? also anderwilde appearing as the dirty dancing + twist duo in the pro-twerking presentation 😭

the marley and blaine "i may have a juicebox" anderson relationship is a little scant, but seems friendly !! that one time mr. shue kept shutting the glee clubbers down when marley wanted to suggest one of her original songs for regionals, blaine put together a meeting and they tried out her songs ("all or nothing" blaine & marley duet ^_^) also that one scene where marley's like "we should light up sparklers INDOORS" blaine's like 😕🥰 about it in response LOL also there's this little moment in "chasing pavements" where blaine guides marley to the center of the stage when she was singing in the wings <3 and a shot in "diva" where marley's trying to fix his hair and blaine acts all diva-like. crumbs truly

unique & blaine have that fun little rapport going where she talks about her fake boobs LOLL like there's that scene and there's also the scene where she's like "you might need some woman parts to help you sell that" to him and hands him padding right out of her shirt 😭 also that OUTRAGEOUS scene where unique's like "say i'm a girl" and ryder is kind of just squirming standing there. but blaine turns to ryder with eyebrows raised like slay king

sorry quinn, i can't remember anything beyond that one time blaine said "looking good fabray" as he passed her in the hallways after she donned the cheerio uniform in s3

the ranking itself is a little fuzzy by the end just because like. it really is all crumbs LOL blaine canonically has maybe 3 friends and he married one of them but i can STILL DREAM...

#blaine anderson #i am not tagging everyone.#glee #ask #anonymous

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hukkelberg · 10 months

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Chapter 11

Bridgerton shot Cressida a hard look but did not say anything. Instead, he turned quite deliberately to Kate and Penelope and murmured their names in greeting.

Kate nearly gasped with glee. He’d given Cressida Cowper the cut direct!

“Miss Sheffield,” he said smoothly, “I hope you will excuse us as I escort Miss Featherington in to dinner.”

“But you can’t escort her in!” Cressida blurted out.

Bridgerton gave her an icy stare. “I’m sorry,” he said in a voice that said he was anything but. “Had I included you in the conversation?”

Cressida shrank back, obviously mortified by her outburst. Still, it was beyond irregular for him to escort Penelope. As the man of the house, it was his duty to escort the highest-ranking woman. Kate wasn’t sure who that happened to be this evening, but it certainly wasn’t Penelope, whose father had been a mere mister.

Bridgerton offered Penelope his arm, turning his back on Cressida in the process. “I do hate a bully, don’t you?” he murmured.

Kate clapped her hand over her mouth, but she couldn’t stifle her giggle. Bridgerton offered her a small, secret smile over Penelope’s head, and in that moment Kate had the oddest feeling that she understood this man completely.

But even stranger—suddenly she wasn’t so certain that he was the soulless, reprehensible rake she’d taken such comfort in believing him.

“Did you see that?”

Kate, who, along with the rest of the assembled company, had been staring openmouthed as Bridgerton led Penelope from the room, his head bent to hers as if she were the most fascinating woman ever to walk the earth, turned to see Edwina standing next to her.

Chapter 12

A man with charm is an entertaining thing, and a man with looks is, of course, a sight to behold, but a man with honor—ah, he is the one, dear reader, to which the young ladies should flock.

LADY WHISTLEDOWN’S SOCIETY PAPERS, 2 MAY 1814

This whole moment is one of my favourites, for obvious reasons. I'll be the first to admit that I don't actually know the extent of Penelope's relationships with the other Bridgertons besides Eloise in the books, and how that impacts the portrayal in the show, because while I do see her being in the background of a lot of familiar scenes, like when Daphne and Simon visit Bridgerton House (1x08) or Anthony declares the family's all there and should go to the races (2x02), I don't think a lot of them have actual personal relationships with her specifically as her own person and not just Eloise's friend.

Which is fine, but it does bring the motivation behind actions like this one in The Viscount Who Loved Me into question. Why did Anthony step in? And I have not read this book either, I'm only speculating, but I do believe that it was entirely selfless for him—or, rather, Anthony making use of his power consciously, all for the sake of honor whilst eschewing propriety. Whistledown points it out as that too, and I think that Penelope also sees it for what it is, and is thus warmed by the gesture because it is ultimately, in story, for her.

Because you could make the case that he likes Kate and with her being around, it's a way for him to show off, even if he does it unconsciously. At an extra textual level, you know that this is one of the things that is meant to frame Anthony as a good love interest, and also, as we see in the next chapter, it's also one of the plot points that will prompt Kate to change her views on Anthony. But I like that it's a character revealing moment as well as a strategic decision, and yet Anthony doesn't necessarily, in his own mind, think of it like that. It's just a thing he must do, because he is one positioned to do so.

And I find it really interesting because I don't recall any moments that show!Anthony has that serve the same purpose of establishing Anthony's honour as something that is good and desirable, rather than constraining to him.

#i know we didnt have it bc it might've been a possible conflict of interest #or perhaps it was just a characterization difference #particularly if they're doing the whole cowper sophie thing #but i still deserved to see it #maybe they'll change it to Colin in s3? id despair but its fine #hukkelberg.exe has stopped working #bridgerton #anthony bridgerton #if anyone has any thoughts on Anthony's characterization....... do tell

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comedydealer · 11 months

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Do you love love? Do you appreciate occasionally misguided but ultimately earnest and devoted garbage? We do, here at ComboFans - it ranks even higher up above our love for the dork knight, the caped crusader - BATMAN. We’re playing Batman: Vengeance: a tremendously underappreciated and misunderstood style-fest of glee and punching. It’s likely the best realisation of the Batman: The Animated Series vibe outside of that dashing cartoon itself, and I love it and have loved it since youth - And it’s time to see if IT MATTERS....or if this cruel and dark world of Batman will beat my brain in and squish it out of my gooey weak gamer guts. Only you can see the answers....with this highly-edited funny little video. But we do recommend timestamp 45:35.......

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spaceorphan18 · 1 year

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I don't really get the Will hate either. I didn't love him as a teacher but I don't think the character did enough to warrant this kind of hate. I mean, it's McKinley. Noone's normal there, lol. And really, I've had bad teachers. This guy didn't even rank. If nothing else, he usually at least had good intentions, for the most part.

As for the episode where Kurt's dad was in the hospital, I think the writers might have been on crack because the only two people who were behaving appropriately were probably Sue and Puck. 😂 Everyone else seemed to have lost it completely, including Emma Pillsbury, even by Glee standards.

This is interesting - I'm guessing you read some of my meta about Grilled Cheesus?

I'm not a huge fan of Will, tbh. But I think that it's more about writing intentions more so than the character himself. (And I like Matthew Morrison fine - and think he got the short end of the stick.) Will ended up being tied up in a lot of the original themes of the show -- mainly a lot of the 'what it is to be a real man' rhetoric the show tried hard to do and the residue of lost hopes and dreams - as an older person giving up on his dreams of being a performer. I don't like that they saddled a teacher with that - as it's a pet peeve of mine when people say that teachers are failed at whatever profession they're teaching -- those are not good teachers.

(I don't think Will's a good teacher either - but again - the writing is to fault at that.)

And Will has the issue that he never seems to be able to learn and grow -- they always have to have him making dumb mistakes due to the writers not being able to find new ways to give him conflict, and it makes him feel weaker than everyone else who is growing around him. I suppose not helping is the fact that the show moved away from telling his story and moved on to telling stories about the kids.

Ultimately, Will isn't the /worst/ but he was one of the weakest written characters on the whole show.

Meanwhile, oof, I suppose it is a whole other can of worms to talk about how this show dealt with religion. It wanted to play both sides without being offensive and I don't think it really worked. There doesn't need to be /sides/ in the first place, but I suppose that's a discussion for another day.

Thanks for stopping by!

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nubianamy · 1 year

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Top 10 of my fic

Thank you @beshrew-my-very-heart for tagging me in this. I love hearing you talk about your work, and our collab work is very dear to my heart.

Rules: List your "top 10" (or up to 10 if you haven't written that many) fics ranked by kudos on AO3. Are you surprised by what's most popular to your readers? Then, under a cut, provide your ranking of your personal top 10 fics (with explanations if you want!), and then tag a few fellow writers.

Top 10 AO3 fics according to kudos (out of 166 total works):

Only Held By Gravity (Teen Wolf Stanny soulmates, 939 kudos)

Fasten You to Me (Teen Wolf Sterek fantasy, 852 kudos)

Glasses, Coins, and Golden Rings (Teen Wolf Sterek historical fiction AU, 549 kudos)

We Might As Well Close Our Eyes (Glee Fuckurt teen BDSM, 447 kudos)

Until It Hits You In the Teeth (sequel to Only Held By Gravity, but with more polyamory, 380 kudos)

Those Magic Changes My Heart Arranges (Glee Puckurt teen theater series, part 1)

Searching For Words (Hawaii 5-0 McDanno one-shot, 275 kudos)

Emergence (Teen Wolf Allison/Stiles/Scott horror, 269 kudos)

Time in a Tapestry (Glee Puckurt what-if, 229 kudos)

Glitter on the Front Porch (Glee Puckurt-to-Fuckurt fluff part 1, 217 kudos)

I am not at all surprised that my Teen Wolf stories top the list, because that fandom is ridiculously loyal—but check it out, #1 is a RAREPAIR, Danny/Stiles!

I will say technically #2, a Sterek fantasy oneshot, has had more kudos because it was taken down in 2015 for including quotes of too many Beatles lyrics. The podfic also has its own following!

I am very proud of #3, set during the Civil War; that was a big stretch, but a fun one to write.

#4 is our first Glee story, and that's a collab with someone who's even more prolific than I am (and a much better writer).

#5 is the sequel to #1 but was only recently completed.

#6, another Glee story, is the first in a trilogy I'm very proud of, with lots of theater references and canon compliance for most of the story.

#7 is my first McDanno fic, but really hit a chord in the H50 fandom. I worked very hard to get Danny's character voice right, and it was satisfying to know I was able to achieve that.

#8 is another Teen Wolf rarepair, this time with a real horror backdrop, and that was also a good challenge for me, as I love horror fiction but had never written it.

#9 is a collab with one of my dearest friends and cowriters, @knittycat99. We always meant to continue writing the next part of the story, but life does intervene!

#10 is the first in a very adorable Puckurt fluff series.

Read under the cut for my recs!

10 of my fics I wish people would read:

The French Drop is based on the heist film Sneakers from 1992. It stars Robert Redford and Ben Kingsley. God, I love this movie, and I absolutely had to write this story, because they needed a happy ending, or as close to a happy ending as I could give them.

Auld Acquaintance is a collaborative D/s Puckurt written by myself and @beshrew-my-very-heart. It was a challenge to ourselves to see if we could write something short and complete, and we did! (Of course, we are now writing the much, much longer sequels.)

Dancing Through the Same Noise is a Glee Puckurt-to-Fuckurt patterned after an episode of How I Met Your Mother. It started light and funny and quickly got very serious. It has the advantage of having beautiful art (it was so beautiful that I purchased the original watercolored pen-and-ink sketch from the artist and had it shipped across the world to me).

So Tyrannous and Rough in Proof and A Trivial Comedy for Serious People are parts #2 and #3 of the These Magic Changes Puckurt series. I finished the series fairly recently, but I hope more Glee readers will go back and reread the whole thing, because I think it really hangs together very well.

Blue Rubber Band is a Puck-focused Puckurt AU one-shot based on a Regina Spektor song. It's about drug addiction and homelessnes, but is ultimately a hopeful story. There is also a podfic.

Gold Mine is a Glee Dave/Puck what-if story that is unbelievably sweet, sexy, and romantic—and monogamous and vanilla! I am really fond of it, mostly because canon totally supports this pairing and I think they would have been great together.

While We Got the Chance to Say is part of the enormous Glee Donutverse, but I think can be read as a stand-alone pretty well. It's a BDSM-flavored polyam love story focusing on Kurt and Adam Lambert (no, not Elliott Gilbert!). If you've ever wondered about the Donutverse and you would like to give it a try, this is a very glittery introduction.

Family First is a Glee Kurtofsky futurefic one-shot which I wrote during the two days of the 2020 election. It does deal with cancer and contains minor character death, but Dave's character arc centers around his friendship with Finn and the whole Hudson-Hummel family.

the soul slakes its thirst in fearless draught is a Finn/Dave/Kurt futurefic patterned after Cyrano DeBergerac. It is very romantic, with a smutty followup chapter.

Lucky Connection is a Dave/Finn story based on a Hallmark movie, so you can imagine just how sweet and romantic it is. There is zero smut, but a happy ending.

BONUS: the only fanvid I have ever made was completed a few weeks before Cory Monteith's untimely passing, so it is somewhat bittersweet, but I am still very proud of it.

I will tag @pterawaters, @knittycat99, and @flinchflower, but if you are a fanfic writer, consider yourself tagged too!

#fanfic survey #fanfic writing

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blacklinks01 · 27 days

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Unlocking the Secrets of Rummy Glee: A Comprehensive Guide to Mastering the Game

Introduction

Welcome to our comprehensive guide to mastering the game of rummy glee! Whether you’re a novice looking to learn the ropes or a seasoned player aiming to refine your skills, you’ve come to the right place. In this guide, we’ll delve into the intricacies of Rummy Glee, providing you with expert tips, strategies, and insights to elevate your gameplay to new heights.

Understanding the Basics

Before we dive into advanced strategies, let’s ensure everyone is on the same page by covering the fundamentals of Rummy Glee. At its core, Rummy Glee is a captivating card game that combines elements of strategy, skill, and luck. The objective is simple: to form sets and runs of cards and ultimately be the first to empty your hand.

Card Setup

Rummy Glee is typically played with a standard deck of 52 cards. Each player is dealt a hand of cards, with the remaining deck placed face down on the table as the draw pile. A discard pile is also formed, with one card face-up for players to draw from or discard to.

Basic Gameplay

The gameplay revolves around players taking turns to either draw a card from the deck or the discard pile and subsequently discarding a card from their hand. The primary goal is to form melds, which can either be sets (three or four cards of the same rank) or runs (three or more consecutive cards of the same suit).

Advanced Strategies

Now that you’re familiar with the basics, let’s explore some advanced strategies to give you a competitive edge in Rummy Glee.

Strategic Discarding

One key strategy in Rummy Glee is strategic discarding. As you play, pay close attention to the cards your opponents are picking up and discarding. By observing their moves, you can gain valuable insights into their hand composition and adjust your own strategy accordingly. Additionally, be mindful of the cards you discard, as you don’t want to inadvertently aid your opponents in forming melds.

Manipulating the Discard Pile

Another advanced tactic is to manipulate the discard pile to your advantage. If you notice a card that would be beneficial to your opponents, consider holding onto it rather than discarding it immediately. By controlling the cards in the discard pile, you can disrupt your opponents’ plans and increase your chances of success.

Calculated Risks

In Rummy Glee, knowing when to take calculated risks can make all the difference. Whether it’s drawing from the deck in hopes of completing a crucial meld or holding onto a high-value card for strategic purposes, don’t be afraid to take calculated risks when the potential rewards outweigh the potential consequences.

Mastering the Art of Rummy Glee

Becoming a master of Rummy Glee takes time, practice, and dedication. By incorporating the strategies outlined in this guide and honing your skills through regular gameplay, you’ll be well on your way to achieving success on the virtual or physical Rummy Glee table.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Rummy Glee is a captivating card game that offers endless opportunities for strategic thinking and skillful play. Whether you’re a casual player looking for some entertainment or a competitive enthusiast aiming for victory, mastering the art of Rummy Glee is an immensely rewarding endeavor.

Read More : https://rummyglee.app/

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jedijourneys · 1 year

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What is this blog?

I am a part of a roleplay guild on SWTOR called The Jedi Order, and I’ve decided to document the journeys of my characters. Each character will have their own tag, for those interested in following along. This is a side-blog, by the way. So if you see screenshots you’ve already seen before on my main blog, worry not!

Below, you can learn more about each character.

#Kallia - A simple girl from Tatooine, who helped her family with mechanic work on various craft, including small star-ships. After pirates devastated both her homestead and the nearby village, Kallia is rescued by the Jedi, where it is soon discovered that she is force sensitive. As such, she is offered a place within the organization. Kallia trains as a Guardian in the hopes of protecting others from the pain that she had been forced to endure.

#Korrin - A petty criminal from his home-world of Glee Anselm, this Nautolan spent much of his early life running from law enforcement, and struggling to survive with what little his family could provide. Eventually separated from his family, Korrin ultimately ended up mixed in with a far more serious bunch of criminals, pirates, in fact. After a raid gone wrong, Korrin rejects the group and flees to Tatooine for refuge, far from his home. He is inevitably discovered by the Jedi, and brought into the Order.

#Akadul - A fierce and vicious Sith, Akadul was raised within the Empire, and within the dark cult as well. He served as an Acolyte, growing in both skill and power, eventually rising through the ranks. Akadul would never make it to the Dark Council, though. During a mission to Nar Shaddaa, he is interrupted by two Jedi, a padawan and his master. After nearly killing the padawan, the Jedi Master ultimately struck a critical blow, capturing the Pureblood. He ultimately agrees to accept the light, and train within the Jedi Order.

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jwscrobbles · 8 years

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TOP 100 SONGS SCROBBLED FOR 2015

Ok. Here we go. Another year. Another 100 songs. 2015 was a different year for me. A year of changes. More changes than I’d like. More changes than I want. But curveballs keep life rolling along. Music is always a mainstay but instead of being ahead of the trend, music was more reflective this year. As usual, some standbys: Ellie Goulding, Maroon 5, Disclosure, Florence and the Machine. Some return to form: D’ angelo, Teedra Moses, the Bird and the Bee. Some newbies: Tori Kelly, Alina Baraz, Alessia Cara. And the ubiquitous: Taylor Swift, Kendrick Lamar, Adele, . But for me, there were a handful of acts that summarized 2015. 1) THE INTERNET I had a friend introduce me to their music in 2013. And I really enjoyed them then. So when I found out they were releasing a new album in 2015, I was anticipating a really fun venture. But Ego Death is a display of what is missing in music now. The Internet plays more so with a smooth 90s sound that truly feels current now. There’s no trap or ratchet. It’s all instrumental. And they feel more like what the Brand New Heavies could be if they embraced more hip hop now. Ego Death landed them their first Grammy nod. And although, I find NARAS to be too arbitrary, here’s one I think they really got right. 2) LIANNE LA HAVAS This is just a consequence of coming along just at the right time. Her debut in 2012 was a great beginning for the British R&B chanteuse and but I can only admit that I had a solid few faves from that album. But her follow-up seems richer. Not just in sound, but in theme. La Havas is more astute at being young, while truly characterizing life experiences She seems to capture the most simplistic of feelings with vast descriptors that just seem to describe the depth of the feelings in her songs. Whether “What You Don’t Do”, “Unstoppable”, “Good Goodbye” – I feel her revelations more. And it appears her critics have too. 3) EMPIRE I can legitimately say that as much as I loved Glee, I downloaded a handful of songs to play and scrobble. You can see in previous years’ lists. I think there are only maybe two that have been ranked. But this year, Empire takes the cake. There are multiple songs that I listened to from that show and it appears that there are two in the list now. PS. I didn’t know Jussie Smollet was as talented as he is. That leaves two more acts for me that overwhelmingly define the year. 4) In 2012, it seemed as if there was this current R&B triology of acts that were heavily embraced. Frank Ocean seemed like the critical darling that was pushing for mass appeal and Miguel was the mass appeal artist who was seeking that critical acclaim. And in the conversation was an act who was always mentioned for his underground, internet mixtape appeal but wasn’t able to breakthrough as much. Enter 2014. After a concerted effort to play from the underground arena to the major label system and landing some big wig producers, he was able to develop an ongoing buzz. He released “Often” which is completely NSFW but actually trends harder into his drug-adled milieu of sexual debauchery and emotional void to create some buzz for a return. Then, he duets with Ariana Grande (of all people) to get some mainstream exposure. This after release a collab with Sia and Diplo that was officially released for a Hunger Games soundtrack in 2013. And then, he goes back to the soundtrack playbook with a very aptly crafted, seductive song for Fifty Shades of Grey. And then a former internet underground sensation dominates a year on pop radio. I honestly would never have believed if someone told me in 2012 that The Weeknd would be a massive pop star of all things. And more importantly, with that the same center-of-the-earth well of emotional void. The Weeknd can ultimately say he bested that 2012 competition after all. 5) Lastly, I will say this. I am one of those die-hard fans who really thought that my girl had moved out of the country and left the industry all together. But she came back. And she did outside of the label system. But not only did she come back, she came back to a form that I had missed from her for over a decade and a half. Janet Jackson returned this year with an album that I believe picked up where The Velvet Rope left off. Whereas TVR was an introspective album, exploring the ability for her comfortable in her feelings and her beliefs, Unbreakable is more of the album that cements who she is. Instead of looking inward, this album looks outward into the world and even her current place in it. I can’t put it any other way but to say I love this album. And in typical Janet form, she, Jimmy, and Terry crafted songs that are quintessentially her thoughts but are open to interpretations to what she could be referring to. The album is rich in expression, sound, and feeling. At times, she can seem like a messenger, a sage, a big sister, and a wiser friend. For the first time in awhile, Janet has put out an album that really seems fully-actualized and feels like her on her own terms. That what has always made her great and what makes Unbreakable solid. And yes, there are points in that album that just seems to truly connect with my life. On that note, it’s another year. Another 100 songs and dates first scrobbled. Yes, I’m a dork and I live my life this way daily. 1) The Weeknd EARNED IT 1/25/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waU75jdUnYw 2) MNEK THE RHYTHM 1/10/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fYeiGeuTFA 3) Nicki Minaj/Drake/Lil Wayne ONLY 1/6/2014 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXtsGAkyeIo 4) Janet Jackson NO SLEEEP 6/22/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_t0ffY3JvE 5) Florence + the Machine WHAT KIND OF MAN 3/11/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgeKHTcufLY 6) Jidenna/Roman GianArthur CLASSIC MAN 4/12/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsiN0W15w0U 7) Empire Cast YOURE SO BEAUTIFUL 2/27/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHhrPeaAir8 8) Nicki Minaj/Drake/Lil Wayne TRUFFLE BUTTER 1/17/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pzqe-yJWmLk 9) Wale/Jeremih THE BODY 1/26/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQMMI8itli8 10) D'angelo and the The Vanguard REALLY LOVE 12/16/2014 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVsQwJfWzoI 11) Jamie Foxx/Chris Brown YOU CHANGED ME 4/18/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I26EwcssMbY 12) Take That THESE DAYS 12/21/2014 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I43R3jIFE74 13) Usher/Juicy J I DON'T MIND 1/11/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jWBYKvQjO8 14) Gorgon City/Jennifer Hudson GO ALL NIGHT 12/3/2014 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtHxT0gndjU 15) Miguel/Wale COFFEE 5/13/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Z55sZ2oVY4 16) Taylor Swift/Kendrick Lamar BAD BLOOD 6/6/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcIy9NiNbmo 17) The Weeknd CAN'T FEEL MY FACE 6/13/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEI4qSrkPAs 18) Jill Scott FOOL'S GOLD 7/11/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoEKX0CniNY 19) The Dream/TI THAT'S MY SHIT 1/25/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_PwH3Wk78w 20) Wiz Khalifa/Charlie Puth SEE YOU AGAIN 4/20/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgKAFK5djSk 21) Maroon 5 SUGAR 4/2/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09R8_2nJtjg 22) Taylor Swift STYLE 2/10/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CmadmM5cOk 23) Ellie Goulding LOVE ME LIKE YOU DO 1/17/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJtDXIazrMo 24) Maroon 5 THIS SUMMER'S GONNA HURT 5/28/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wa64gOwuIyE 25) The Internet UNDER CONTROL 8/8/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrR42BTa9iM 26) Lianne La Havas WHAT YOU DON'T DO 8/11/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNLkD8QEnAM 27) Major Lazer LEAN ON 7/3/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqeW9_5kURI 28) Alessia Cara HERE 8/14/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKp2CrfmVfw 29) Jeremih/J Cole PLANES 9/11/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8iekPcUqm4 30) Sam Sparro HANDS UP 9/20/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZESzGGm29c 31) Disclosure/Lorde MAGNETS 9/28/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_KfnGBtVeA 32) Alina Baraz/Galamatias CAN I 9/29/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1A_F4LJYCPo 33) MNEK MORE THAN A MIRACLE 4/29/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Chl3PqVjngU 34) Demi Lovato COOL FOR THE SUMMER 8/14/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=il9nqWw9W3Y 35) Tove Lo TALKING BODY 1/23/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzRyxGBGiAE 36) The Weeknd THE HILLS 6/7/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzTuBuRdAyA 37) Disclosure/Sam Smith OMEN 8/9/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fB63ztKnGvo 38) Janet Jackson UNBREAKABLE 9/4/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfBL5HPS_jA 39) Kylie Minogue/Garibay/Sam Sparro IF I CAN'T HAVE YOU 9/20/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnOHPzNEX5k 40) Drake 10 BANDS 4/15/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bl7yo8IVE5I 41) Kendrick Lamar KING KUNTA 3/25/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRK7PVJFbS8&index=1&list=RDhRK7PVJFbS8 42) Kendrick Lamar ALRIGHT 7/15/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-48u_uWMHY 43) Beyonce 7/11 2/3/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4YRWT_Aldo 44) Calvin Harris/Ellie Goulding OUTSIDE 1/6/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9NQFACZYEU 45) Janet Jackson/Missy Elliot BURN IT UP! 1/25/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QvdrmRphjc 46) Florence + the Machine SHIP TO WRECK 6/13/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9v8jLBrvug 47) Ciara I BET 2/18/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okGcksYM0N8 48) Ella Henderson GHOST 1/11/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tA8AfQaUnXM 49) Katharine McPhee LICK MY LIPS 8/24/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0MV4JjkXpQ 50) Drake HOTLINE BLING 1/11/2015 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxpDa-c-4Mc 51) B.O.B./Trey Songz NOT FOR LONG 1/10/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mjlzq-e2NE4 52) Mark Ronson/Bruno Mars UPTOWN FUNK 11/15/2014 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPf0YbXqDm0 53) J. Cole WET DREAMZ 4/2/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCGV26aj-mM 54) Ariana Grande ONE LAST TIME 2/28/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPgEgaPk62M 55) Tink MILLION 8/14/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHHcJWvYs1w 56) Nick Jonas CHAINS 2/10/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8UX2bbCHJw 57) Nick Jonas LEVELS 9/3/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taViGR5VT1U 58) Drake HOW ABOUT NOW 1/10/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhpcZ78Dl1s 59) Passion Pit LIFTED UP (1985) 4/2/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeINWQDg7zg 60) TV on the Radio HAPPY IDIOT 1/7/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OaKVy-FlaUA 61) Jhene Aiko SPOTLESS MIND 2/17/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaF-pGyKaOg 62) Rihanna BITCH BETTER HAVE MY MONEY 7/28/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3eAMGXFw1o 63) Pitbull TIME OF OUR LIVES 1/20/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTXJQ5ql5Fw 64) Mark Ronson/Kevin Parker DAFFODILS 4/21/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OWkLF2HLp0 65) Giorgio Moroder/Kylie Minogue RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW 2/2/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gZ-11-kOSQ 66) J. Cole APPARENTLY 12/17/2014 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRaFMlZ1YHA 67) George Ezra BUDAPEST 3/4/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHrLPs3_1Fs 68) Robin Thicke MORNING SUN 7/18/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-7gr8QvRbc 69) Ne-Yo/Juicy J SHE KNOWS 2/8/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fk1ZO_980DI 70) Toro y Moi EMPTY NESTERS 4/21/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsY22N5D9UY 71) Omi CHEERLEADER 7/3/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGflUbPQfW8 72) J Cole NO ROLE MODELZ 8/15/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBe6fFejsPU 73) Ciara DANCE LIKE WE'RE MAKING LOVE 7/25/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fw_crqWYBCM 74) Teedra Moses GET IT RIGHT 8/13/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeO1Rv2XQXs 75) The Bird and the Bee WILL YOU DANCE? 6/4/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flbce8yaBao 76) Jessie Ware WANT YOUR FEELING 1/6/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwR3xtzu6Rw 77) Sam Smith LAY ME DOWN 2/17/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaMq2nn5ac0 78) Jhene Aiko LYIN KING 10/13/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6C92rXXHxG8 79) Hailee Steinfeld LOVE MYSELF 10/18/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMpFmHSgC4Q 80) Disclosure BANG THAT 6/6/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nZStMpEDio 81) Empire Cast KEEP YOUR MONEY 6/2/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mY9dMc82rvU 82) Ty Dolla $ign/Charli XCX/Tinashe DROP THAT KITTY 4/21/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqtunQ4yd30 83) Drake ENERGY 8/30/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LnBvuzjpr4 84) D'angelo and the The Vanguard SUGAH DADDY 12/16/2014 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vo3RAH0zLlU 85) Ellie Goulding ON MY MIND 10/19/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H202k7KfZL0 86) Banks BEGGIN FOR THREAD 1/25/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Twix375Me4Q 87) Tinashe ALL HANDS ON DECK 7/10/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxUdFQ6N_OI 88) Kygo/Parson James STOLE THE SHOW 7/29/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgfcToAjfdc 89) Adele HELLO 10/25/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQHsXMglC9A 90) Nicki Minaj THE NIGHT IS STILL YOUNG 5/18/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvN5h9BE444 91) Chris Brown LIQUOR 10/27/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKErmFliQG0 92) Tori Kelly NOBODY LOVE 5/18/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPX3qz1ve7M 93) Tori Kelly SHOULD'VE BEEN US 8/4/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aE2drlA8vf8 94) Taylor Swift WILDEST DREAMS 11/2/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdneKLhsWOQ 95) Taylor Swift BLANK SPACE 11/27/2014 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-ORhEE9VVg 96) Lady Leshurr QUEEN'S SPEECH 9/27/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyodeHtVvkA 97) Calvin Harris/HAIM PRAY TO GOD 5/18/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FOBxcluXdk 98) Beach House SPACE SONG 9/9/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBtlPT23PTM 99) Echosmith BRIGHT 5/13/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMAzstG5O7E 100) Janelle Monae/Jidenna YOGA 4/21/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OkB6p_FZAw

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sagevalleymusings · 2 years

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Thor: Love and Thunder - Praising with Faint Damnation

I have this really bad habit. I like consuming all of a thing. I’ll eat the whole bag of potato chips, cheat to get all 151 pokemon, and if I start a movie, I have to finish it, even if I hate it. I’ve watched a lot of bad movies this way. I absolutely regret turning Artemis Fowl back on after I got eight minutes in and realized it was trash.

Marvel movies bank on this kind of collectible habit. They’re fan films for people who are already fans of a longstanding genre. They can reliably assume that anyone who’s watched three of their movies is planning on watching all of them. I think a lot of Phase Four’s steam is relying on this momentum. Black Widow was forgetful. Spider-Man: No Way Home was a desperate nostalgic plea. Doctor Strange had poor CGI and a frustrating plot. I personally liked Shang Chi but it received critical reception. The shows have not been bad. Or at least… some of the shows some of the time have not been bad. I don’t think I’ll be able to re-watch Wanda knowing how Doctor Strange: Multiverse of Madness plays out. It makes the redemption arc of WandaVision meaningless. I’m struggling to get through Moon Knight. Falcon and the Winter Soldier felt very queer bait-y.

My point is that I think Marvel fans are becoming divided rapidly. I’m not the only person who’s growing increasingly critical of Marvel. I say all this to justify my feeling that Thor: Love and Thunder is not as bad as the critics are painting it.

I am happy to be critical of Marvel movies. I have definitely succumbed to burnout with these movies. But Thor: Love and Thunder is ranking below Dark World right now and that’s just undeserved. In fact, I would say that Love and Thunder is even a pretty decent movie - except for the part where it takes place in Phase 4 of the Marvel Extended Cinematic Extravaganza.

I want to end on a high note so let’s start with the things I didn’t like. Others have already said that it’s disappointing. Everyone loved Thor: Ragnarok so Waititi made it Thor: Even More Ragnarok. It’s too much with the gimmicky jokes and one-line gags. The comedy parts of the movie don’t give the serious parts enough breathing room.

I’ve also heard that the movie itself is ultimately meaningless, because it takes back all of the weighty deaths by the end of the movie. Everyone lives, just this once. But that means that the movie simply doesn’t have the weight that it should.

I agree, but I think a compelling rebuttal can be made for both these points.

I have a couple of critiques myself outside of this. Firstly, and no one is going to like me for saying this…

Taika Waititi likes to laugh at fat people.

Depending on which small corner of the internet you tend to run in, you may have even seen this coming. Everyone in fat activism was worried that Waititi was going to montage away the fat suit, and, yes that did happen, but I could be talked around on this point. I think Waititi almost, but not quite, manages to turn that montage into a character flaw. After defeating Thanos, Thor becomes obsessed with fitness to the point of detriment for a normal person. He spends all his days doing nothing but exercising and meditating and waiting for people to ask him to come save the day. That’s not healthy, and I think the movie is trying to fold that kind of unhealthy behavior in its “love saves the day message” - Thor becomes a dad by the end of the movie. But the fact that so much of this movie is given so little weight means that the message doesn’t quite land.

For example, I’ve read interviews now of Hemsworth and his wife, who said that the amount of bulking up he needed to do was painful, and neither one of them was happy with the new look. It isn’t natural. He’s even more muscly than he was in the previous movies. I look back at footage of Thor in Love and Thunder and he’s so jacked it looks painful to move. I’m just sad.

But then there’s a scene where he gets his clothes ripped off and all the women faint in glee. Thor’s body is as unhealthy as it was when he was eating junk food and drinking - yes, really. Overexercising can cause a whole host of symptoms including straining your heart. But where fat Thor was shown with comedy and disgust, buff Thor is shown with lust and praise. If Waititi was trying to make a point about unhealthy coping mechanisms, it fell flat.

The thing I take umbrage with more is the fact that Melissa McCarthy cameos in this movie at all. She’s literally only there - shoved into an unflattering cosplay - so we can go haha fat people. This is not the first time a production of Waititi’s has had a haha fat people moment. In fact, I would argue that Thor: Ragnarok had the exact same haha fat people moment. I can’t help but notice that Matt Damon looks quite a bit more trim in his reprisal as Actor Loki.

I don’t like having to put up with Waititi’s haha fat people moments. It’s really boring. But much like any of his haha fat people moment’s, it’s also just the one scene, and then we can move on. So let’s move on. I’m suddenly realizing that Waititi has a bigger problem.

Women.

There are only two named female characters in Thor: Ragnarok - Valkyrie and Hela. Valkyrie is playing a useless drunk, which is at least a new and different way of making women useless on screen, and Hela is a villain. Come to think of it, a lot of Waititi’s productions have very few women, and the women that are there serve a narrative role for the men starring in the production. I suppose I don’t necessarily expect a lot of women in a show about pirates, but I do think it’s extremely telling that the majority of women in Our Flag Means Death for almost the whole series can be described most easily by their relation to other people. Jim’s foster mother, Stede’s wife, Ed’s mother. Spanish Jackie is a notable exception but Spanish Jackie is in less than half the show.

It is by no means everything. JoJo Rabbit had strong and assertive female protagonists. Reservation Dogs has a great ensemble including girls.

The thing is, Love and Thunder’s portrayal of women is so bad that it had me reflecting on Waititi’s other work. The narrative revolves primarily around men, and there are women in their lives, but they play supporting characters. This is also true of… probably 90% of male directors 90% of the time. So I wouldn’t necessarily critique Waititi for this. After all, if you have one main character, probably most of your cast can, ultimately, be described in terms of how they relate to that main character. I could just as easily describe Thor: Ragnarok as Thor fighting Thor’s sister over control of Thor’s people, and fighting alongside Thor is Thor’s brother, Thor’s co-worker, some random lady who used to work for Thor’s dad, and a rock monster.

So women having some kind of relation to the other characters in the narrative isn’t actually an issue… until it’s their only character trait.

And that brings us to Love and Thunder. Love and Thunder has some of the most obvious fridging I’ve ever seen in a modern movie. It’s so bad it has me questioning the female representation in Waititi’s other productions. I know they got Jane having cancer from the comics but… why is Valkyrie even there? She spends the whole movie looking uncharacteristically sad and tired except for when she’s fighting, and literally says that the reason she’s fighting is because she wants to die. That’s depressing as hell.

And at the lowest point of the movie, Gorr is literally hiding and revealing these two women in an effort to get Thor to reveal the macguffin. They’re literally being used as silent props to motivate Thor into action.

And after that, Thor tells the womenfolk to stay behind and look after the house while he goes off to be the breadwinner.

And of course people are crying - yeah but Valkyrie is injured! Which, sure, is true. But the film is the one that made that choice. And they didn’t do a good enough job dwelling on the fact that Valkyrie got injured because she’s fighting recklessly in an effort to die in battle to really give that scene the weight it needed.

This movie could have made different choices that didn’t make it seem so much like fridging. It could have given us more time with Jane and Valkyrie, explored their characters in a way that let us actually see who they are. Instead we got Korg telling us what Valkyrie’s motivation is.

My last minor point that no one seems to mention is the casting of Love. I am a little uncomfortable that all three of Hemsworth’s children are cast in this movie. In fact, Hemsworth’s wife and brother are also in Thor: Love and Thunder. In some ways I get it. You need a bunch of kids for the child kidnapping scene, your children are there anyway, you cast your children. Bale, Portman, and Waititi all volunteered their children for the movie. But there’s something a little unnerving, I find, when actors cast their children in roles where the role is also them playing their child. For starters the child didn’t choose this, and depending on the age it might be difficult to keep those lines separate between fantasy and real life.

Love is especially egregious because it’s a big role, but there is something a little off about having your kids be the kids in the movie. Is it better than parents of poor families essentially auctioning their children off to become breadwinners? Probably. But I think it remains to be seen what kind of an impact being the child of a Marvel-level superstar will do to a kid. There’s probably no ethical way to have children in a movie, ultimately..

I could spend a lot longer on why I thought the movie was weak, but most reviews I’ve read are pretty critical, so I’d like to say some positive things to balance it out.

As Thor’s story, this is pretty weak, but as Gorr’s story, there’s a fairly strong narrative arc there. Gorr hits a serious low point very on, so much so that he becomes a villain. He learns through the Necrosword’s magic that in order to reach Eternity, he needs some kind of weapon that can harness a bifrost and right now there’s only one of those - Thor’s axe Stormbreaker. So he devises a plan to obtain Thor’s axe but quickly becomes outnumbered and changes tactics. He decided to capture a bunch of children to lead Thor to him rather than try and overpower him from the start.

For Gorr’s character, this is a mistake, because it allows him a moment of weakness. He doesn’t feel good about capturing these kids because they remind him of his daughter, who his mind has crystalized on. And of course it has, that was an incredibly tragic moment. Gorr is entirely justified in his actions at the start of the movie. His entire population was destroyed, and as he was praying in desperation to Rapu who was completely oblivious to his pleas. His daughter dies. He stumbles upon Rapu’s domain - called there by All-Black - and gets into a confrontation where Rapu, in a fit of rage, is about to kill him.

Gorr reaches out to All-Black the Necrosword in desperation, in a bid just to survive. He kills a complacent, greedy, loathsome god who let an entire people be destroyed. In a different movie, Gorr would be a hero.

But that’s not the movie we have, and in this movie, there may be a glimmer of longing for the daughter he lost enough that Gorr isn’t entirely unsympathetic, but he’s still unambiguously the villain for most of the movie, and the screen portrays it as such.

His uncharacteristically sympathetic nature isn’t the only thing at odds. Thor: Love and Thunder is a comedy but Gorr is perhaps the most frightening villain we’ve had in the MCU. And that’s saying something, considering Phase 4 seems to be ramping up the supernatural creepy factor with Scarlet Witch and Moon Knight. Those creepy shadow hands coming into bedrooms to steal children could easily be dropped into a much more serious horror movie without blinking an eye.

It’s almost discordant with the rest of the movie, a fun romantic comedy romp, and I can see a version of this that’s more effective where that discordance is the point.

After all, Gorr isn’t the villain. The Necrosword is. Gorr is just a sad dad lashing out in pain, who only took up the sword in question - which is stated to have brainwashing powers - because his life was in danger. Gorr is a victim.

And we see that in the end, because the MCU finally - finally! - has a sympathetic character that’s redeemed in the end. He still dies, but he’s allowed to win. Thor stops fighting. You win. Make your wish. Gorr is so close to the finish line that Thor literally can’t stop him now - rushing him would just have Gorr reaching out to his wish in desperation. Instead, he tries to talk him around, reminds the recently freed Gorr that killing the gods was never his wish in the first place. His wish - which once had been denied - was for his daughter to live.

And so we see the parallel here. Gorr got what he wanted right at the very beginning, but the path it took to get there had him going through the worst of himself to get there, and he didn’t come out of the other end unscathed.

That’s a compelling story. Much more compelling than anything else Thor: Love and Thunder has going on. I wish it were in a better movie.

What I would have done differently to improve this movie:

There’s one thing I think would have fixed a ton of the tone issues and mischaracterizations that would have made this the fun romp people wanted after Thor: Ragnarok.

Make it bad on purpose.

I know I’m losing the precious little audience I have left (hi one person!) so hear me out. Thor: Love and Thunder starts off with Korg giving a kind of poor description of previous events, catching us up to speed on what has happened both in previous movies we may not have seen, and in between movies. His voice as the narrator pops up only a couple of times.

I’m not saying it should necessarily pop up a lot more, but a couple of fourth-wall breaking, especially in particularly tense scenes, would have lightened the tone in a way that didn’t make it feel as flippant.

For example: Gorr shows up to harass the kids, and the kids are scared but it’s told in such a goofy way that we kind of have to take the villain a little less seriously. And also there’s, just towards the very end, almost a glimmer of pity. Because he’s obviously thinking of his daughter. And he’s sad about that, and I get that.

But like. This guy captured a wagon full of kids and is now deliberately scaring them. This guy sucks.

But let’s imagine that instead, right before Gorr shows up in the wagon to torture those kids, we hear Korg’s voice say something stupid like, “Gorr’s just trying his best. Here he is trying to make sure his hostages are at least comfortable.” and *then* the whole scene plays out exactly the same.

It would give the scene a completely different tone. It would be so much more relatable. All of a sudden this guy isn’t trying to scare those kids - he’s being sincere, trying to engage with them on their level. He’s just now incapable of doing it because he’s been corrupted. That’s sad. Like, really sad. It makes me sympathize with a character who has done horrible thing.

A couple of scenes like that thrown in to demonstrate an unreliable narrator would soften the bad parts of the movie, because I, the viewer, could assume that when things like fridging Jane and Valkyrie happen, that’s just Korg telling his version of events to make Thor seem extra cool, but that doesn’t mean that’s what happened.

We even see an example of this in the movie we got! When Korg is montaging Thor and Jane’s previous relationship, we see Jane waiting for Thor to leave in the middle of the night while she pretends to be asleep, then leaving a note, and then leaving.

But when we catch back up with Jane later, she says that the reason she left a note was because Thor wasn’t there.

The way that Jane says it implies that Thor had been gone for a while. Which is of course not what we see. Is Jane lying? Or is this simply the only obvious example that the entire movie is told from a biased perspective on purpose?

A much more subtle scene is shortly after this, when Jane asks if Thor has a girlfriend. It’s said in a way that feels very out of place. Why is Jane suddenly wearing that helmet and flipping her hair like she’s a schoolgirl? This feels like an immature man’s version of how they would want this conversation to go, not like a sincere portrayal of how a director thinks this conversation would actually go. And I know that Waititi is better than that in some of his other works. So is this really a flaw of his writing, that his female characters are this much of a caricature? Or is this supposed to read as a bit artificial, because it’s a story being told by Korg?

If I’m being honest it’s probably more of the former than it is the latter, but if choices had been made to lean into the latter, it would have improved the movie overall. Making the movie bad on purpose would make the movie less bad.

And, too, I think it would have been the only thing that could have saved it from Sequel Syndrome.

The main flaw of Thor: Love and Thunder is that it’s the fourth Thor movie and the 29th Marvel movie. None of the Marvel movies post Endgame have been good. How could they be? Endgame was a conclusion so epic it needed an entire movie to set it up. Frankly, I think Infinity War is the far superior of the two. I saw that movie opening night and the energy when characters started dying left and right and then the movie just ends was absolutely palpable. No one was expecting Marvel to pull something like that. And for a brief moment, because nothing like this has ever been done, you think that maybe, just maybe, Marvel was really going to kill off half their cast. And ultimately they didn’t because the entire plot of Endgame was reversing the consequences of Infinity War in a way that was emotionally satisfying. I think they did a pretty good job of it. But there were some loose threads that, in the messy process of Phase Four’s journey to tie those threads up, has been pretty unsatisfying. It would have been better to start fresh with a mostly new cast - to skip the growing pains of Phase Four entirely.

The entire point of Phase Four is to move the game pieces from where they ended in Endgame to where they’ll begin in Kang the Conqueror. We’ve already seen Kang, we know this is where they end up. But there’s a big difference between the movies now and the movies then.

Phase One and Two movies were standalones. The Avengers film concluding them was more like a fun team mashup than a genuine conclusion of a grander plot. That started to change in Phase Three. Phase Three knew they were part of a larger plan but were given breathing room. Phase Four is controlled. SpiderMan’s movie had a specific end goal in mind - Peter Parker is alone. How we get there doesn’t matter but that has to be how it concludes. So you get these unbelievable characterizations from people we think we know very well at this point. WandaVision has a satisfying conclusion that Doctor Strange reneges on. Love and Thunder teases the introduction of Jane Foster as the Mighty Thor then kills her off in the same damn movie. Black Widow takes place in the past. Loki is a fun and interesting show where the main character does exactly zero character growth. This is post-Avengers 1 Loki we're talking about, acting more like post-Infinity War Loki.

Speaking of Loki, let's come back around to the critique that the deaths in L&T don't stick.

Exhibit A is the show Agents of Shield, constructed entirely around fan fervor that Phil Coulson not die. In fact Infinity War and Endgame killed off then resurrected trillions of people. It is a comic staple that deaths don't stick.

In this particular movie, I also think it's a bit disingenuous. After all, this isn’t Supernatural. Each person dies and is “brought back” for a specific reason. The death of Gorr’s daughter is his entire motivating force. He’s about to win and destroy an entire universe full of gods when he’s convinced by Thor to resurrect his daughter instead. Just that one simple wish.

It’s the kind of wish we would see from an Avenger, really. I’m reminded of parallels from previous movies - Hawkeye’s revenge fugue, the soft plea of Natasha Romanov to “let me go,” Iron Man’s conviction that they had to try to fix the world but only by bringing everyone forward because he didn’t want to lose his daughter, Steve Rogers choosing to stay behind for Peggy. These simple, quiet, individual narratives make up a lot of the tapestry of motivating force behind our protagonists. It’s strange and discomfiting when that same narrative makes up our villain’s stories too. Wanda just wants to be with her children again, and is prepared to pay any price. Gorr wants to avenge his daughter. Where is the line between good and evil?

I think this movie is the first one to say there is no line. Gorr is a good person who was originally motivated by just means. It was being brainwashed (grief or depression) that was his undoing, and when that source of poison in his mind was removed, he went back to the simple motivations he had at the start, and resurrects his daughter.

That’s a really satisfying conclusion to Gorr’s narrative arc. Trading his life for his daughter’s is the noblest thing he can do in this scenario. His daughter becomes a symbol that people are, all of us, good by nature. And the bad that we do is often a product of trauma or desperation. Punishing that trauma and desperation isn’t actually the way to defeat it. Love is.

Not all the time. Some of the time people are Zeus - so privileged and in their own ego that they stop seeing others beneath them as people the way that they are people. Zeus is, in some ways, a villain in this movie. The hyper violent attack at Omnipotence City and splashes of golden blood spattered everywhere feels out of place because we’re used to thinking of things in this color palette as good, just, protagonistic. Zeus is surely the good guy. But he imprisons our protagonist, humiliates him in public, and prevents him from saving a dozen children. Zeus is acting as a villain.

I saw someone make a point that by killing Zeus, we’re drawing a direct parallel to Gorr - Thor is becoming a godkiller which harkens back to a far less mature version of himself responding in an overly hotheaded manner to a situation. But is that actually what happened? Thor only kills Zeus after Zeus kills Korg. He’s avenging. It’s literally the name of the game for Thor. Is our protagonist’s behavior in any way different to what we have seen them do against Thanos? Against Gorr’s shadow monsters? Against dozens of owl monsters at the beginning of the movie?

We don’t actually see Zeus die, and in villain language, that means he isn’t dead. It’s not at all strange that Zeus comes back in a cameo at the end to threaten Thor with vengeance.

Lastly there’s Jane Foster, who enters Valhalla. The article I read argued that by seeing Jane immediately again, we the audience don’t feel the weight of her loss the way we would otherwise, and maybe that’s true, but I don’t think something like this is a good argument for a character that can’t stay dead. After all, we see examples like this all the time in movies, comics, and TV shows. The first example that comes to mind is a bit silly but bear with me - Hocus Pocus. Thackery Binks dies, almost immediately comes back as a ghost, and then walks off into the sunset to spend eternity with his sister. We feel the character’s grief and get a different payoff of believing that this character is in whatever passes as heaven for this universe.

For this one I would argue we don’t really need it. We already saw Jane dissolve into stardust, we know she’s a god. Including Valhalla in the end credits does a specific different thing: it introduces the concept of Valhalla as a place that exists which we might see again in the future. And that is a pretty poor reason to bring Jane back for a cameo with Heimdall.

Ultimately I didn’t think Thor: Love and Thunder was a very good movie. But I don’t think it’s the worst Thor movie. I think if this movie had been dropped into Phase One, people would have thought it was groundbreaking. But because it’s in Phase Four, it feels like a rehash.

I can also see the movie this could have been if it had trimmed some things, or made slightly different directing decisions. There are definite flaws and definite weaknesses, but I appreciate that they actually redeem the villain.

#spoilers #thor: love and thunder #movie reviews #everything is feminism #mild fatphobia

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miasswier · 4 years

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miasswier’s ultimate glee ranking: no 1

1: The Quarterback

Written by: Ryan Murphy, Ian Brennan, and Brad Falchuk (with special assistance from Lea Michele) Directed by: Brad Falchuk

Overall Thoughts: This episode is not number one because it’s my all-time favourite. It’s not number one because I watch it again and again. It’s not number one because my favourite characters have storylines, or because the music is particularly incredible. No, this episode is number one because I have never seen Glee get anything so damn right. The whole way this episode is structured is emotionally devastating, an incredible catharsis for both the actors and the fans. It’s been years, and I still weep watching it. There’s a reason it’s the highest ranked episode on IMDB, and the most well-known. I’ve always said that when Glee does things right, it does them right. This was completely and totally right.

What I Like:

The choice to focus on six characters, while still giving everybody else a little bit of something to do. I find Glee is always at it’s best when it keeps the focus small, while still allowing for the ensemble elements to bleed in. Getting to specifically watch Kurt, Santana, Puck, Will, and Rachel’s grief process was gutting, but worked so perfectly.

This is one of the most genuine episodes of Glee, in terms of acting, because a lot of what is being seen is not actually acting. It’s the actors grieving, and it packs such an emotional punch.

That scene where all the newbies are putting stuff around Finn’s locker and Kitty says “this is kind of cheesy” and Rachel says “no it’s not, it’s beautiful” is so fucking powerful.

Honestly, every scene with Rachel in it is so goddamn powerful. I always watch and feel so much respect for Lea Michele for doing this.

The scene with Kurt, Burt, and Carole is also a stand-out for me. It does frustrate me a little bit that they tried to re-write the history of the iconic and really important scene from “Theatricality” (though not enough to list it as a negative to this episode), but it works in the context because that’s how things happen. When somebody dies, you want to see the best in them, and that often causes you to change the way you viewed things before (and Burt’s realization that it was less about Finn and more about himself is like, ouch). But really, Carole is the one who steals the scene. She makes me sob so damn hard. The emotion is so raw. I’m tearing up just thinking about it.

The end scene with Will crying over the jacket was the absolute perfect way to end the episode. We finally get to see everybody grieve, and it feels (not to reuse words, but) cathartic. He held it in all episode long, but couldn’t any longer. We don’t have to either. We don’t have to be strong. We can hurt, and we can express that hurt. It’s okay.

What I Don’t Like:

The scene with Tina in Emma’s office always struck me as poorly thought out. Mainly because it’s the only scene Jenna Ushkowitz really gets in this episode, and she isn’t really allowed to show her grief, because they wanted to make at least one attempt at humour in this episode, and obviously it had to be made at Tina’s expense.

This isn’t about the episode itself, but ever since all the MS stuff happened, I feel very little emotion watching Puck’s scenes in this episode. Usually I can separate Puck from MS, but because this episode is so raw, and so much more the actors than the characters, I have a hard time sympathizing with him. But like I said, this is not as much about the episode as it is about my own personal feelings about that situation.

The fact that this episode had to be made at all.

Songs:

Seasons of Love: An amazing way to star the episode.

I’ll Stand by You: I’m so thankful that they reprised this iconic Finn song, and that they had Mercedes do it. I remember when this episode came out, people were confused about why Mercedes was singing it, but I think it made sense. Mercedes and Finn were always closer than people seemed to believe.

Fire and Rain: It does make me a little sad that this is the only thing Sam and Artie get to do in this episode, but I feel like their moment (especially Sam’s) comes more in “City of Angels”, and this is powerful enough to forgive them not having a larger role.

If I Die Young: This scene is so gutting. For some reason, I always think of this vs “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” and it’s just… fuck me. It’s so emotional.

No Surrender: I always felt this was the weakest number in this episode, and, well, as I’ve already said, I have a bit of a hard time with the Puck aspects of this episode.

Make You Feel My Love: Fuck, this song. The second I hear the opening chords I start crying. I’m a fucking mess. Absolutely heartbreaking and raw as hell. So incredibly done by Lea Michele. Fuck.

Final Thoughts: I know it’s a bit of a sad episode to end the ranking on, but every time I considered putting an episode higher up than this one, I couldn’t do it. This is the absolute best episode that Glee has ever put out. They did absolute justice to both Cory and Finn, and it’s devastating to watch, but also cathartic as hell (I’m sorry I keep using this word) and just overall incredibly well done. Bravo, Glee. Bravo.

#ultimate glee ranking #I DID IT YALL #I ACTUALLY POSTED ALL OF IT #goddamn

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