SECURITY BREACH RUIN SPOILERS INCOMING!!!!

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Tips from a Beta Reading Writer

This one's for the scenes with multiple characters, and you're not sure how to keep everyone involved.

Writing group scenes is chaos. Someone’s talking, someone’s interrupting, someone’s zoning out thinking about breadsticks. And if you’re not careful, half your cast fades into the background like NPCs in a video game. I used to struggle with this so much—my characters would just exist in the scene without actually affecting it. But here’s what I've learned and have started implementing:

✨ Give everyone a job in the scene ✨

Not their literal job—like, not everyone needs to be solving a crime or casting spells. I mean: Why are they in this moment? What’s their role in the conversation?

My favourite examples are:

The Driver: Moves the convo forward. They have an agenda, they’re pushing the action.

The Instigator: Pokes the bear. Asks the messy questions. Stirring the pot like a chef on a mission.

The Voice of Reason: "Guys, maybe we don’t commit arson today?"

The Distracted One: Completely in their own world. Tuning out, doodling on a napkin, thinking about their ex.

The Observer: Not saying much, but noticing everything. (Quiet characters still have presence!)

The Wild Card: Who knows what they’ll do? Certainly not them. Probably about to make things worse.

If a character has no function, they’ll disappear. Give them something—even if it’s just a side comment, a reaction, or stealing fries off someone’s plate. Keep them interesting, and your readers will stay interested too.

Okay so I’m rewatching the Descendants trilogy and honestly, hot take, I love Chad. He’s such a prick but he’s funny and not in a “it’s funny to watch him get hurt” way but in a “his delivery is hilarious” way.

Also, I just got to the scene where Doug talks about Happy’s son and now I wanna see him.

Hot Take: The ‘Oh, I need more powers to be worth something’ plotline in Elite Force should’ve went to Chase instead of Bree

Miyagi-Do: Our fighting style resolved around focus and strategy, predicting our opponents moves to properly evade and counter-

Cobra Kai:

also hilarious that every sports movie ever has a scene where the main character is losing and either mad or frustrated about it which is causing them to lose before they calm down and lock the fuck in. focused. its a staple scene. and cobra kai says no. do NOT do that. aren’t you tired of being nice (you were never nice) don’t you want to go ape shit

Adrien Won't Go Speechless

(forgot the AO3 link)

Adrien desperately banged on the door of his padded cell. He needed to get out, but the nightmares were so intense, so surreal, so horrifying. Every couple of minutes, his mind would flash back to the desolate wasteland coated in the remains of Paris, holding the ashened corpse of Marinette and donning the unnerving white suit. He banged the door one last time before sliding to his knees and letting out a couple of tears. Plagg watched all of this from Adrien’s shoulder, a mix of pity and anger coursing through his mind. This was ridiculous! How could Gabriel do this to his own son! He had half a mind to atomize this entire building, but the power of the unsuppressed Cataclysm could destroy Adrien and Kagami along with it.

Suddenly, one of the walls to the room started to crumble. Plagg quickly jets to find somewhere to hide and Adrien looks at the weakening wall with concern. A fist made of smooth black crystal crashes through the wall, completely destroying it. Two blue feather daggers flew out of the resulting cloud of smoke at the speed of bullets, one of them impaling the camera in the upper corner, and the other impaling the camera in the middle of the alliance robot.

Recognizing the daggers, Adrien stood up and called, “Felix?” 

The cloud of smoke cleared as if on cue, revealing Argos stepping in through the hole. Behind him stepped a 9 foot tall humanoid figure made of smooth black crystal with no hair and a singular white eye on the center of its face. It wore what Adrien recognized as a gi similar to that of Su-Han’s, but blue and white instead of red and black. 

“Hello, cousin. I’m sure you’re happy to see me.” Argos said. 

Adrien looked at Argos with wary eyes as he asked, “What are you doing here?” As soon as the words left his mouth, the nightmare came back, bringing Adrien to his knees as he clutched his head. Argos rushed over to him and kneeled down next to him, putting an arm over his shoulder. “I’m here to get you and Kagami out of here.” Argos explained as he brought Adrien to his feet. 

Adrien began, “No, no I can’t go. Father-”

“Adrien, your father locked you here without a second thought. He took you away from your friends. He’s taken you away from your own true love. That man is despicable.” Argos scolded.

“You don’t know what he’ll do.” Adrien retorted.

Against all better judgment, Argos blurted out, “Adrien, your father is Monarch.”

Adrien’s eyes widened as he stuttered out, “W-what?”

The nightmares began intensifying again. Argos explained everything that’s been going on behind Adrien’s back, that his father has been the menace of Paris the entire time, that he’s the reason Nathalie is on her deathbed, that he’s been doing all of this to revive his mother, that an army of Miraclonized soldiers are attacking Ladybug at this very moment, and the one that shocked him the most, that he, Felix, and Kagami are sentimonsters. That’s why he felt like he could never disobey his father. That’s why he’s felt like a slave his entire life. 

Adrien’s eyes narrowed as he clenched his fist in anger. He tried to stand up but the nightmares intensified again. He looked at Argos and slid off his ring. He handed it to Argos and said, “Take thi-Take this to Ladybug.”

Argos asked, “What, why?” Before looking down at the ring and realizing what it was. Argos’ eyes widened as Plagg floated down next to Adrien and asked, “Kid?”

“I’m not strong enough to fight off these nightmares, but Ladybug is. I won’t be of any use out there or anywhere. I might as well stay here.” Adrien said.

Argos extended his hand to take the ring, but after a moment of hesitation, he changed his mind, instead closing Adrien’s hand around the ring and pushing it into his chest. “The world needs Chat Noir just as much as it needs Ladybug. I’m going to go get Kagami, but you need to fight the nightmares, you need to transform.” Argos said before turning to the sentimonster standing in the corner.

“Helio, follow me.” Argos said. The sentimonster nodded and the two began walking out of the room. Before the sentimonster left the room, it locked eyes with Adrien and gave him a supporting gaze with its singular eye. 

It then left the room, leaving Adrien and Plagg alone. Plagg said, “You heard him, Adrien. Transform. Please.” Adrien whimpered, “I’m sorry, Plagg, I ca-AAAAAAAAAAGH!” The nightmares got even more intense and surreal than they were before. Pain spread through the entirety of his head. He clutched his hair and closed his eyes, trying to bear the pain. Soon, it subsided and he opened his eyes to see that he was back in the wasteland, standing on the top of a building and looking down at the chaos. He saw himself kneeling down on the ground, holding the same ashened corpse. Confusion filled his mind as he looked to the right and saw a giant ripple of sea water making its way through Paris. 

Here comes a wave meant to wash me away, designed to start pulling me under. 

He watched the wave wash over the other him and coat the rest of the destroyed city.

Broken again, left with nothing to say, my voice drowned out in the thunder.

He blinked and found himself at the front steps of Francois Dupont. Adrien reeled back in shock as he watched himself running up the steps of the school. The other him stopped halfway and turned around to look at…Nathalie!? And then Adrien realized that this is one of his memories. As the familiar argument ensued, Adrien turned to see Master Fu laying on the ground. It felt good to see Fu again, he’d never even heard any more of Fu after Miracle Queen.

Try to resist, but I’m just isolated.

The other him ran down the stairs to go help Fu, and Adrien smiled. He was forever thankful for this moment. The moment that began the legacy of Chat Noir and granted him that small taste of freedom.

I can’t assist, so forget me and let me drown.

With another blink, he was taken to the front room of the mansion. His home. 

I wait in silence, hope on the horizon.

Adrien slowly trudged up the steps. He tried to feel the guard rail, but his hand just went right through it. He continued trudging as he looked at the picture of him and his father at the top of the steps. 

Let it be, don’t riot. It’s too late, just go lay there speechless. 

He walked towards his room door.

It’s paining, I feel my weak heart aching.

Adrien phases through his room door to spread his gaze across his wide and spacious bedroom. Many would’ve called this place heaven, but especially now, it and the rest of the mansion felt like another prison.

I hear her screams, m’lady. It’s my fate, so I’ll wait here speechless.

He blinked and found himself inside of the school. He saw another him walking to class with Nino, Marinette, and Alya walking with him.

Every order, arrangement, contract. 

Another blink and he was standing at the back of his full and lively classroom, watching the other his classmates talk excitedly. 

Said from the mouth of another. 

He slowly looked over the bright smiles of his classmates, and stopped when he saw the radiant shine of Marinette’s beautiful expression. 

Every scream from the selfishest quest.

He blinked and found himself in his father’s work room, facing the portrait of his mother.

To fruitlessly bring back my mother. 

He ran his hand across the painting.

Would she be proud of what he’s doing?

In the blink of an eye, he was taken to another memory, one of a much younger Adrien holding his mother’s hand while she laid on the bed and stared at the ceiling. 

Would she believe that this was for the best?

He was then transported to the top of another building, staring down at an undestroyed Paris. He looked to his left and saw Ladybug standing next to him. He looked down at his hands and realized he was Chat Noir. A cloud of smoke erupted from the bottom of the Eiffel tower and Ladybug started swinging towards it. A smile spread across Chat Noir’s face as he ran and leaped over the rooftops.

I can’t be silenced, can’t keep up this abiding.

He vaulted across the sky, feeling like he was walking on clouds.

Can’t tremble when he tries it. I will rise, no more crying speechless. Speechless!

He landed on the ground in the middle of a crowd of humanoid figures made of solid black energy. They rushed at him and started to battle them all.

So I’ll bleed, like those he came before me! I’m half of what the world needs! 

With one final attack, he knocked the last of the figures to the floor. The ground beneath him started to crumble.

Better late than to lay here speechless!

The ground crumbled, causing him to fall into a pitch black void. He twirled his staff above him to slow his descent. 

You can’t order me around, and I won’t back down and comply!

He landed on some invisible platform. 

I will take these rusted claws and cut these frayed and wethered ties!

Suddenly, all sound cut out as Chat Noir turned around and eyed a levitating blue string. It ran for miles and seemed to be connected to nothing, but something inside him knew what it was. It was a physical manifestation of the magical bond that linked him to his father, or rather, his father’s ring. His eyes narrowed as he held his hand up in the air and roared out, “Cataclysm!” 

Instead of the normal black bubbles, a solid mass of black energy formed in his palm. It grew, and twisted, and changed shape around his hand until it formed sharp claws radiating with destructive black light. He stared down the line swinging his claws at the string.

Hear the echoes screaming out!

The claws impacted the string and severed it completely. The moment the string was cut, Adrien was blasted back to real life. It felt like a myriad of strings had been detached from his body. All except one.

Plagg looked at Adrien with concern and anticipation. The young Agreste stood up, raised his fist in the air, and roared, “Plagg, Claws Out!” 

I won’t be silent! 

The kwami flew into the ring just as another Alliance robot rolled into the room. Green lightning crawled across his body, forming into his suit. Except it’s different from his normal suit. There are sharp silver accents over it, as well as thick black and neon green boots and gloves with clawed tips. His normal belt was replaced by what looked like a utility belt with a gold cat’s head shaped buckle, and attached to the back of this belt was a wider black rectangular tail-like attachment with a golden circle and neon green tassels at the end of it. 

Out there’s a life without you, and I’ll find it! It’s my fate, I won’t wait here speechless! Speechless!

Chat Noir raised his hand in the air and yelled, “Mega Cataclysm!” A pillar of black energy erupted from his hand, piercing through the ceiling. He lowered his hand, and the beam along with it. The beam acted as a sword as he pulled it in a circle and cut the building in half horizontally. 

I’m breaking, my freedom I’ll be taking, I’ll be there to help my lady! 

The top half of the building crumbled to debris. Chat Noir pulled out his staff and vaulted himself through the destroyed roof.

Cause I know that I won’t go speechless! All I know is I won’t go speechless! Speechless!

He vaulted into the skies as Argos and Kagami watched from the roof of a nearby building.

Over 800 TAG members marched on Netflix & delivered a petition demanding the AMPTP keep #animation jobs #union, agree to AI protections & more. Show the AMPTP that you #standwithanimation. Sign your name next to the people that make the shows you love.

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Members of The Animation Guild (TAG), IATSE Local 839, are facing unprecedented levels of unemployment despite animation outperforming on s

Cobra Konundrums Episode Idea 1

Sam: *bursts into Robby’s room* YOU!

Robby: Hmm?

Sam: Stop stealing my dad.

Robby: *takes long sip of ice tea*…no.

Sam: You son of a BITCH-

Robby: LET ME HAVE THIS!

SPIT YOUR SHIT🗣️‼️

The thing about Cobra Kai that’s so unfortunate is that it’s not a character focused show.

What I mean is, I think the writers approach things from a place of, ‘I would like X to happen, so we will make the characters get there no matter what.’ Rather than from a place of, ‘What would the characters do if X happened?’

And, yeah, some cool stuff happens in Cobra Kai, but so often at the expense of characterization. And in the process of getting to a certain place they leave no time to really explore these cool characters that they’ve made.

So many of these characters have such deep traumas and insights, but the audience never gets to see anything come of them. It’s all just left in the background.

And, possibly even worse, you end up with these 2 dimensional characters like Zara and Kwon who are just doing bad shit for the sake of doing bad shit (and I’m not even gonna touch on the racism aspect-that’s its own post). I’m not saying every antagonist needs a redemption arc, but the things they’re doing should make sense, especially if you’re going to kill one of them off. Like, if they had done ANYTHING to show that had Kwon had a different mentor things could have been different, that would have hit HARD. But instead the only real sadness is because he was a kid and Kreese brought the knife. It doesn’t hit the way it could have because Kwon was more plot device than character. He should have been a parallel to characters like Hawk and Kenny. Like, this is what they could have been had they not had the support they did to get them out of Cobra Kai. This is what happens when you let hatred lead you. Instead, asshole kid got stabbed 🤷‍♀️

And it’s just so unsatisfying to have all of these characters and never get to see the things they’ve been through get unpacked in a meaningful way.

It’s always episodes worth of conflict that they decide to gloss over in one line to get to the next thing. And it’s so underwhelming. You have these great moments of building only to have the world’s most pathetic climax.

Cobra Kai has great characters with interesting backgrounds if they’d ever follow through with the effects of those things.

Capitalism corrupts the mind

This is peak but it also reminds me of Every Witch Way

I held off surprisingly long but I caved in and made a fairy au