LIFE GOES ON (Part ONE) - 2019

Frozen 2 Spoilers:

Everyone’s talking about Idina’s amazing performances in Into The Unknown and Show Yourself, and the hilarious 80s music video, but I haven’t seen anyone talk about the breathtaking moment when the Northuldra people realize that the sisters are part of them and they form a spiral and start singing before chanting the opening lines that you hear in the beginning of the first film:

Chills. Literal chills.

(No pun intended.)

the best part of Far From Home was when Ned says Europeans love Americans and every single one of us Europeans in the theater laughed way harder than for any of the other more advanced jokes in the entire mcu

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(Source)

This is how all politicians behave, it’s just now people saw what they were saying. Keep up the fight!

In reference to this post, I do legitimately wonder what exactly Nick Fury’s expectations of Steve were.

Assuming his two primary sources for Steve Rogers Anecdotes were Howard and Peggy (and I think they were), there’s no way he would have gotten anything approaching an accurate account for who Steve was as a person.

I honestly don’t think Howard knew Steve well.  All his reminiscences are going to be fundamentally colored by the fact that, despite the epiphany he comes to in the S1 finale of Agent Carter (he says something like, ‘he was good before I got my hands on him, wasn’t he?’), Steve’s successes as Captain America are in part his successes because he helped make Captain America.  So all the stories Howard could tell Fury (and, sorry about your horrible childhood, Tony) are going to portray Steve in a very specific way, turning him into the ultimate war hero, the ultimate super solider, the ultimate weapon that Howard helped create.

I doubt Peggy’s telling a lot of truths either but for different reasons.  Or, well.  Peggy doesn’t lie about Steve, but there are certain things she doesn’t say about Steve.  Because everyone knows and mourns Captain America, but she’s one of a small handful of people who actually mourn Steve Rogers.  There are things about him she keeps private and safe for herself.

Like the fondue story?  I am positive that never made it into the global Captain America narrative.  I also don’t think it’s a story Tony or Sharon ever heard.  Howard doesn’t tell it because it’s not a Cap Story, it’s a Steve Story, and Howard’s far more interested in the former than the latter.  Peggy also doesn’t tell it because it’s a Steve Story, and the world isn’t owed any more of Steve Rogers than they already have.  They can keep Captain America, but Steve is hers.

But I honestly believe that if Nick got half a shot of whiskey in Colonel Phillips, he would spend literal hours dragging Steve Rogers through the mud.

“Rogers?  Biggest pain in my ass that ever lived, and that’s before Stark and Erskine got their god damn hands on him.  I’ve had a hemorrhoid or two tried to compete, but nope.  It was Rogers.

“That son of a bitch probably spent six weeks AWOL altogether thinking he knew better than me, the SSR, and all the Allied powers put together.  At the end of it, he’d come into my office, stand at attention, salute.  Then I’d maybe get one ‘yes sir, no sir’ out of him before he started arguing with me about whatever damn fool thing he’d just done.  Which, I shouldn’t have to tell anyone, is not how the god damned United States Army works.  Rogers never did manage to grasp that concept.

“Don’t ask me about vehicle requisitions.  I don’t even know how many cars those idiots wrapped around how many trees.  I finally had to order the motor pool to stop giving him motorcycles at all.  He kept throwing them at the enemy.  That worked for maybe a month.  He started stealing them, and I gave up.

“Once I ran into Barnes just staring at a wall looking whey-faced, terrified, and madder than a hornet.  So I said, “What did that captain of yours do this time?” and he says, “He charged a fucking tank,” and I say, “Of course he did,” and he says, “Dumb bastard wasn’t even wearing his helmet,” and I say, “I don’t understand how you kept that boy alive long enough to con his way into the army in the first place,” and Barnes says, “You’ve got no god-damned idea, sir, you really don’t.”

“You know Carter shot at him once?  I’ve never envied another human being so much in my whole life.

“Steve Rogers gave me most every grey hair on my head, don’t you let her tell you any different.  I had a full head of thick black hair in 1943; by ‘44 I looked like someone dropped a pound of drywall on top of me.  I aged a year for every hour I spent in Rogers’s company.  When I die, if the coroner doesn’t list my cause of death as Steven Grant Rogers, it’ll be god damned perjurous.

“I could have court-martialed that jackass on at least 16 separate occasions, and we wouldn’t have won the war without him.  God rest the son of a bitch.”

….so we have to assume that Fury never talked to Phillips I guess.

BUT OH GOD DO I WISH HE HAD

I literally don't care about anything when joining fandoms that have a large group of toxic, gatekeeping fanboys in it. Like, what are they gonna do? They gonna cry when I girl-ify their favorite male power fantasy character? They gonna scream in despair when I turn everything gay? Their misery sustains me. Their tiny little brains exploding when I mention how important female characters are to the main story in a non-objectifying way grants me 5 more years of life. I am a god.

My Top 10 Merthur Fan fics

This is a list of my favorite fan fics of the merlin x arthur pairing (my OTP) that I’ve read over the past couple of years. I strongly think these stories deserve to be shared as they, and their authors, are amazing. I want to give these authors lots of love as they clearly worked very hard on their stories. I also think the illustrator that is in a few of these stories deserves some love. Kudos to you all, and thank you all for being such talented, hard workers.

And like the cycle of the year we begin again

By: katherynefromphilly, @katherynefromphilly

Rating: Mature

Word count: 200k+

Summary:

For many long years Merlin waited. For the other part of his soul, for the other half of his life. He was born to serve Arthur. So that meant he was also born to wait. Even if it took a thousand years. Even if the wait seemed never to end. Until one day, suddenly, it did. Set after the Merlin Series 5 Finale “Diamond of the Day”. Canon Compliant. In Character. Arthur Pendragon Returns When Arthur stumbles from the Lake of Avalon 1,500 years after his death, he finds a world unlike the one he knew. Faced with the loss of everyone he loved, and the threat of impending prophecy, Arthur must quickly learn what it means to be not just a king, but the Once and Future King. Merlin does all he can to guide him in this journey, even as he struggles to hide his love for his king, and to conquer his fear of losing him again. Story includes sass, banter, horseplay, and True Love.

Student Prince

By: FayJay

Rating: Mature

Word count: 140k+

Summary:

A Modern day Merlin AU set at the University of St Andrews, featuring teetotal kick-boxers, secret wizards, magnificent bodyguards of various genders, irate fairies, imprisoned dragons, crumbling Gothic architecture, arrogant princes, adorable engineering students, stolen gold, magical doorways, attempted assassination, drunken students, shaving foam fights, embarrassing mornings after, The Hammer Dance, duty, responsibility, friendship and true love… This story was inspired by the thought of Prince William of Wales (and indeed the current Max Von Hapsburg) studying at the University of St Andrews; it is also, as the title suggests, at least a little inspired by the operetta ‘The Student Prince’.

Give the Dragon a Chilli

By: supercalvin, @supercalvin

Rating: Mature

Word count: 40k+

Summary:  

Aithusa might have been no bigger than a house cat but she was still a dragon. That meant wings, claws, and her own personal hoard, which in Aithusa’s case included soft pillows, fluffy socks, and much to Merlin’s chagrin, stolen pants. When Merlin found out that his winged ward had stolen a rather considerable pile of clothing for her hoard, he thought that it would be the end of any kind of friendship with his neighbor. But when Merlin met the victim of Aithusa’s burglary, he was pleasantly surprised to find Arthur, a man who had never in his life seen a dragon let alone a burglarizing one, and Cavall, a curious German Shepherd puppy who was quick to befriend the little white dragon. From there, it was only the beginning.

Shadowlord and Pirate King

By: Footloose

Illustrated by: mushroomtale, @mushroomtale-fanart

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 160k+

Summary:

A fast ship, a good crew, a treasure, a Clan to lead – that’s all Arthur Pendragon has ever wanted. He sits on the Council, he supports his father’s kingship, and he keeps an eye on the Imperial Conglomerate when they come too close to Pirate space. One day the Conglomerate infiltrates the Clans and poisons the King. Arthur must search for a cure to keep his father alive and the Clans from civil war.

An escape route, a sharp knife, a target, the shadows at his command – that’s all Merlin has ever needed. He fulfills his assignments, he uses the Sterling to sustain his once-royal House in their exile, and wages a private war against the Imperial Conglomerate. When he learns of an elaborate plot to assassinate him, Merlin does the opposite of what’s expected. He flees onto a Pirate ship. There’s a saying among the Pirates: that one’s fate is written in the stars. Destiny will always set to rights what has been made wrong. Arthur and Merlin know that they were meant for the other from the moment they meet. They can feel it from across the galaxies separating them. Nothing can stop them from being together or from fulfilling an ancient prophecy.

A Song From Far Away

By: polomonkey, @thepolomonkey

Illustrated by: mushroomtale, @mushroomtale-fanart

Rating: Mature

Word Count: 70k+

Summary:

When Arthur is captured by an enemy king intent on conquering Camelot, his future looks bleak. For Cenred commands not only a clutch of sorcerers but a fearsome dragon trained to do battle and wreak destruction. Then Arthur meets Merlin, a fellow captive whose magic has been bound to Cenred’s will. But can Merlin resist Cenred’s control long enough to help Arthur save Camelot?

Tributes

By: TheAvalonian

Rating: Mature

Word Count: 80k+

Summary:

It is the 57th annual Hunger Games, and Merlin Emrys stands at the Reaping ceremony with Guinevere Smith at his side, unable to hear the roar of the crowd over the ringing in his own ears. Because Merlin is about to face his best friend and twenty-two strangers in a fight to the death, where there can only be one victor. In a twisted game where death seems the only certainty, Merlin will find himself tested in ways no one could have ever predicted - and may even find himself fighting for more than just his own life as he enters into an unlikely alliance with Arthur Pendragon, the Career tribute poised to win it all. Merlin/Arthur AU, set in the Hunger Games universe.

Emrys Ascending

By: tricksterity

Illustrated by: mushroomtale, @mushroomtale-fanart

Rating: Teen And Up

Word Count: 110k+

Summary:

In the depths of the Crystal of Neahtid, Merlin sees the resurrection of Lord Voldemort, an event that will tip the balance of the world so far out that only he has the power to intervene and set it right, or stop it from ever happening. For that, he’ll have to pose as a student and attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The only problem is, he’s been chosen instead of Cedric Diggory as a Triwizard Champion, and there’s a recently reborn Arthur Pendragon in Gryffindor House.

No One Mourns Like the Wicked

By: asilentherald

Rating: Teen And Up

Word Count: 150k+

Summary:

After witnessing an anti-sorcerer hate crime, Merlin leaves his family in Ealdor for King Uther Pendragon’s capital city of Camelot, looking for safety and answers about his own magic. Instead he gets roped into a musical production of Wicked, a banned play by the King’s decree back during the Great Purge, being put on by none other than Morgana Pendragon. It’s the last thing he should do if he wants to keep a low profile in a city he knows is a powder keg, ready for the Great Purge renewed, but he finds more than enough reasons–Arthur Pendragon, co-star and all-around awkward arse, at least at first, among them–to try, dare I say it, defying gravity.

Pianos are made for Falling

By: Fishwrites

Rating: Teen And Up

Word Count: 100k+

Summary:

Arthur is a world class violinist, trapped in Sydney, Australia, by his fear of flying. In the wake of a mediocre concert, vicious critics and with barely a month to go before his next (hopefully reputation-saving) recital, Arthur is almost at breaking point. When his accompanist, Morgana, breaks her wrist in a car accident, Arthur is more or less doomed. And the story begins, when the Maestro at the conservatoire, Gaius Stresemann, recommends his protege Merlin Emrys to step in. Merlin, who plays by ear, as he pleases and really just wants to be a kindergarten teacher. Well. The story really starts six months previously when Arthur passes out drunk outside Merlin’s shoe-box apartment.

The Heart You Call Home

By: alby_mangroves

Rating: Mature

Word Count: 16k+

Summary:

Yet another autumn wanes and Merlin is tired. He wishes he could sleep through it, cover himself in leaves and hibernate until the world crumbles to dust, and he with it, the point of anything long since gone. And then, he finds a book whose author writes stories he doesn’t remember are his own.

My comments are under the cut 😊

And like the cycle of the year we begin again

Comments: This is my favorite Merthur fan fiction of all time!!! It relieved my grieving of the Merlin finale by giving me the series 6 I’ve been longing for. Merlin and Arthur are written incredibly well and in character. The banter between them flows beautifully. I love the original characters, especially Eleanor. It has both angst and fluff. It made me sob, and laugh, and smile. When the slow burn between our two main characters ends it’s such an immense relief and rush of emotion. I followed this story as each chapter was being updated and I just remember the anticipation of each chapter coming out, especially when chapters ended on cliffhangers. I can go on for ages about this, but I think I will end it here. This story is just pure beauty, honestly.

Student Prince

Comments: I love this! Not long after joining the fandom did I discover that many people had read and enjoyed this fic immensely. It is hilarious and adorable and great. Merlin and Arthur’s relationship develops in a very similar way to the canon, from disliking each other, to becoming best friends, and then falling in love. I love the modern twist on the canon. It is engaging and comedic and should be read by many.

Give the Dragon a Chilli

Comments: This story is freaking adorable and made me want a pet dragon. As both a dog person and dragon lover this fic made me weak. I love the world that was created so that it intertwines dragons, magic and the modern world. The angst written in the story is suspenseful. I fell in love with Merlin and Arthur’s pets, Aithusa and Cavall, right away. As well, on a personal note, when Freya’s character was introduced and has an incurable illness and goes to physical therapy, I felt very connected to her due to my own chronic condition and happy that I was being represented in a way. All in all, loved it. The whole thing is a pure cinnamon roll and a great read.

Shadowlord and Pirate King

Comments: Adventurous, engaging, and edgy. This story is a great blend of adventure, science fiction, and fantasy. I love the entire world that the author builds: Pirate space, the House of Shadows, and the White Legion. The artwork is stunningly beautiful and brings this story to life. This story is very engaging, full of adventure and romance, and there is never a dull moment. Love it!

A Song From Far Away

Comments: This made me cry many times over. I’ve read a variety of this author’s fics, and like this one they are often very sorrowful and intense but end on a lighthearted note. The mistreatment of Merlin is ghastly but makes it so much sweeter when Arthur comes along to help and love him. I wanted to kill Cenred throughout the entire thing for what he does to Merlin. The story is magical and very captivating, and the artwork is enchanting and wonderful (which isn’t much of a surprise since @mushroomtale-fanart did it and is incredibly talented).

Tributes

Comments: Merlin meets the Hunger Games! This was the first ever Merthur fanfic I read that hooked me into reading fan fiction. After reading and thoroughly enjoying the Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins, imagine my delight when I stumble across this. This story is great and does justice to both the Hunger Games universe and BBC Merlin. I love how the author writes the characters and keeps the readers starving for more. Each twist is stirring, and every character is interesting. It holds a special place in my heart.

Emrys Ascending

Comments: It’s a Harry Potter crossover, so obviously it’s amazing. But out of all the Harry Potter crossovers I’ve read, this one is my favorite. I love the fact that the author is able to intertwine Merlin with the Harry Potter universe so well. Merlin being a Hufflepuff, while not being canonical to what J.K Rowling said, is something I love (which may or may not be because I am a Hufflepuff as well). I also agree that Merlin has the characteristics of every Hogwarts house as said in this story. The fact that Merlin becomes a sort of mentor for Harry is really cool. This is an adventurous ride and sticks as closely to the plot of The Goblet of Fire as possible, while changing things up for Merlin. My favorite part of this fic is that Merlin and Arthur are able to reunite in such a heartwarming way, and of course the artwork.

No One Mourns Like the Wicked

Comments:  “No one mourns the wicked! Wicked! Wicked!” This story is very fun and got me loving the Wicked soundtrack, since I sadly could never get tickets. It’s comedic, magical, and has a great way tying the play in with the reality surrounding the characters. I love how it has many funny moments and yet deals with big issues. Whimsical, witty, and wicked.

Pianos are made for Falling

Comments: Poetry and love in music. I love pianist Merlin and his little budgies. I had a heart attack whenever his illness acted up though! Every time Merlin and Arthur fight I just want to tell Arthur about Merlin’s illness. The music of their duets flies off the page as you read it. It’s spectacular.

The Heart You Call Home

Comments: A heart-warming reincarnation fic with Arthur as a writer. You can feel Merlin’s longing and pain in the beginning as he’s waiting for Arthur to return. It’s quite emotional when they finally find each other. Also, the addition of Arthur’s dog Drake is adorable. This is emotional and stupendous.

A few Wangxian Fic Recs

I've been reading some good Wangxian stories lately; here are some fic recs for y'all.

Unstrictly Ballroom by Ariaste - Emotional story of pining and heartbreak with a backdrop of ballroom dance.

Straight Boy Wei Ying universe by raitala - Sweet, angsty story featuring ‘straight’ Wei Ying, pining Lan Zhan.

speeding up my heartbeat by plonk - Loved the characterization in this hilarious story of Wei Ying and Lan Zhan meeting at the gym. Gay AF.

The Arrangement by WriterGirlAR - Lan Zhan arranges to marry Wei Ying, and they fall in love.

mountains, we met by fruitys - A sweet, emotionally intense thriller where Wei Ying poses as a servant to help Meng Yao bilk Lan Zhan out of his inheritance.

The rest of my WangXian fic recs can be found here.

My GGDD fic recs can be found here.

smh smh you two….

Don’t let kids know your secrets!