HELL YEAH BLOOD UPON THE SNOW MENTIONED

honestly the suitors should’ve known they were fucked when Penelope issued the challenge bc not only does she say my husband’s old bow instead of my old husband’s bow (basically saying that she doesn’t actually want to remarry) but Jorge also has the emphasis on husband, reminding them and us that Odysseus is still out there

waiting

Okay but imagine Viktor getting a chance to show his undercity roots

They get locked out of the lab and Jayce is like fuck this is Skys day off and she has the extra key set how tf are we getting in and Viktor just starts picking the lock. Jayce hasn’t even gotten through his out-loud thinking process and Viktor already has the door open. He’s so confused. He even designed the door to not get broken into.

They go down to the Zaun markets for things they can’t find in Piltover and Viktor easily haggles down the prices to what they should be and not what they’re trying to charge Jayce. (He does pay full prices for people who actually need the money in Zaun).

Viktor easily charms people for information. Jayce needs help in the council with something and Hoskel is not being helpful at all. He can't go to the other council members. Viktor manages a meeting with him for coffee/drinks and he comes back two hours later with all the information Jayce would need. He had Hoskel eating out of the palm of his hand. He still has no idea how he did it.

Viktor trips people on purpose all the time. Some guy insulted him passing by at a gala and a few minutes later the man tripped and fell into the champagne fountain. Viktor didn't even change his facial expression, no one knew it was him except for Jayce. (Jayce was proud, thought it was funny).

Viktor can pick-pocket. (Sky can too). They have a game of "who can steal the most off Jayce" when they're all in the lab together. Mel has gotten in on it by giving them challenges like adding pins and stickers. Jayce is so confused. He is covered in pins and stickers. Someone help him.

Viktor has the street smarts in addition to his actual book smarts. He and Sky have helped to teach Jayce how to spot things like people getting ready to fight (the physical signs) who to avoid and why, how to get out of a spat in the bad parts of town, and how to use these skills in Piltover (avoiding drunk gala attendees, fighting outside of wine clubs).

Viktor can hold his own in a verbal spat. He's also got a temper when it comes to someone trying to break down his morals or is being just an outright ass. Once got into an argument with a store owner who was being ableist and downright insulting about him being from Zaun. He was gonna let it go but then the guy turned on Jayce and his family. Jayce had to drag him out. Viktor is now banned from the shop.

went to my best friend’s house last night and saw a little plushie dog and plushie cat that had been sewn together down the middle into a two-headed chimera. I said, “did you do that?” she said, “yes, I saved them.”

turns out at her old job when the last two plushies hadn’t sold and became deadstock, her boss told her to cut them up and throw them out. so she cut them each in half, preserved their heads, and then rebuilt them together.

cannot stop thinking about the way these little plushies were approached with the instinct of a Vampire or some sort of ancient god. “Let me save you [turn you into a monster].”

I just got The Art of Star Wars: The High Republic book, and there’s a quote from Ian McCaig I really liked.

“Here’s the thing about the Force — maybe it’s just my interpretation of it, but I thought it was something George [Lucas] told us back on The Phantom Menace: There was no light [versus] dark side of the Force. The dark side is part of the Force. What keeps it in balance is saying no to it, allowing it to do what it does, to warn and to frighten and to guide us through our dark emotions, and then you’re using all of the Force, not just one little piece, which is where the dark side always goes wrong. But what [the Jedi are] calling the light side is the entirety of the Force.”

I just like this because of the idea of some pretentious Sith going “we have embraced all of the Force while you pathetic Jedi sit around with your narrow-minded idea—“ and then there’s this guy saying “well ACTUALLY”

based on meme I saw

as much as i LOVE the storyboards and concept art of jayce having facial hexcorisation scars, i think the removal of it was justified from a narrative standpoint and even serves to make jayvik's ending all the more romantic

jayce falling into the ravine and being stuck there was all about stripping him of all his pride, ego, and possessions and humbling him so he can finally be selfish and do things for himself for once. he's beaten down to his very foundations and forced to reconsider what he truly values in his life and what's worth fighting for.

the facial hexcorisation scars would have added another layer of being forced to unlearn the instinct of caring about his outward appearance after being burdened by the duty of maintaining himself as the face of piltover, and would also mirror viktor's being loved despite his changing outward appearances that i love love love

however, i believe higher stakes were introduced with the removal of these scars. during the "you must go, jayce" scene, the audience is still put in a position to expect jayce could leave the rest up to viktor in favour of returning to a life in piltover and into the high position he already previously held. he'd be comfortable, he'd be celebrated, he'd be loved which was one of the aims and responsibilities of s1 mr. jayce people pleaser talis.

the implementation of the scars would have cemented the idea of "no going back" too clearly and would have made it possible to view "we finish this together" as a last resort choice, since it would have been more obvious that jayce is meant to have a doomed ending.

the truth is, jayce chooses to go with viktor in the end because it's viktor. it's literally canon. "all i want is my partner back."

it's not because there was no other choice, but rather despite the other options available to him that jayce ultimately sacrificed whatever good and comfortable life could have been waiting for him because what would it all be worth if it meant he had to give up viktor in exchange?

in every single timeline and in every single possibility, viktor chooses jayce. this we know. but it's thanks to the hesitation and uncertainty held over the audience that makes the ending of "jayce too, chooses viktor every time" all the more impactful and satisfying

"came back wrong" what about Came Back Afraid. You used to be brave. Too brave maybe, defying the odds at every turn, a fighter, cocky, playing with fire, first to throw yourself at the enemy. Until one day it all caught up to you. You came back, somehow, but now you know all too intimately how it feels to lose, to die, to be destroyed. Now you flinch and freeze and cower at the slightest provocation. Who even are you now if you can't be brave? The grave may have let you go, but the mortal fear still grips you tighter than ever.

Hey quick question, who’s on first?

Follow up: what’s on second?

MY SHAYLASSSS

finally caved in and drew them 🫶🏼

don't let me drown