Obsessed With The Fact That Howl Movingcastle Is, Like, The Ideal Portal Fantasy Protagonist. He's A

More thoughts on the rest of season one:

Raina keeps talking about what she and Skye will become even way back here.

A guy stabs May and she later uses the same knife on him, just like with Izel later.

The contrast of Quinn hugging Skye to shoot her again more effectively with Coulson cradling her body hurts.

Garrett doesn't realize that all the kerfuffle is because Hydra has revealed themselves until Skye decrypts the signal.

When Coulson locks May up in the cage, you can see Ward trying to figure out if she's Hydra too. He's so confused for a minute, and it's hilarious to me.

Speaking of Ward, Raina tells him how she would manipulate him if that's what she wanted to do and then immediately follows up and does it, but he totally falls for it.

I forgot how intense (and ridiculous) Fitz's one-sided grudge against Tripp is. The Moby Dick bit is great.

Daniels tells Audrey something like, "I'm a monster, but you can save me," which is interestingly similar to how Ward is treating Skye in these episodes.

Speaking of which, the cello continuing to play over Skye discovering Koenig's body is amazing.

Skye says May left because she didn't care at all, but it's the opposite—she cares too much.

While they're talking by the pool, Jemma says Fitz will never have to find out what it would be like if she were Hydra, but thanks to the Framework, she will have to see him that way. Poor babies.

Garrett sarcastically tells Deathlock/Mike that he loves him right before a cut to Fitzsimmons in the pod.

Coulson says Skye was compassionate, not weak, when she chose not to let Ward die, whereas Garrett calls any sign of compassion in Ward weakness. It really hammers home how much of a difference it makes who finds you.

I've recently started rewatching Agents of Shield with my sister who hasn't seen it before, so here are some rewatch-inspired thoughts about the first half of season one:

The Bus Kids are all such babies! Especially Skye.

May gets knocked out in each of the first two episodes. It's definitely taking her a moment to readjust to fieldwork.

So many Shield water bottles.

Even though I know what Ward actually is, he still makes me like the version of himself we see here.

May and Coulson's one-sided conversations are amazing.

I honestly can't remember. Did Ward's younger brother die in the well? The flashes we see aren't super clear.

Interesting that Coulson tells Skye that there was a little girl in Bahrain, but he doesn't mention that she died.

I'd never realized that we get a glimpse of the carvings during Coulson's flashbacks of being revived.

Speaking of which, I thought looking at the carvings was what triggered his instinct to carve, but the drawings on the whiteboard in Eye Spy don't seem to set him off.

I love the way that when Coulson is kidnapped, he doesn't say the "Previously on" or "We'll return in a moment" bits. I remembered that from later seasons, but it's a nice touch to start it now.

rb to tell ur mutuals ur fond of them

Something I wish we got a little more of was Coulson comforting/encouraging Fitz??? That dynamic was played out a little bit, yes, but I feel like there's something there.

The way how Coulson would clasp Fitz shoulder as he was on the verge of tears, and in s4 when Coulson laid his forehead on Fitz' head telling him it was gonna be alright, and how he held Fitz' forearms as he was spiralling after coming out of the Framework....

Do you think Coulson was imitating what his father did for him when he was little? Comfort through physicality? I'd like to think so...

But also, Coulson has to know about Fitz' dad and how he left. He's gotta know there's a sort of hurt there. Maybe he feels the need to step in a little bit and show him what a real father is like? That it's okay to not only break, but to also be gentle.

Listen, season 6 of AoS may overall be a bit of a low point when compared to season 5 and 7, but at least it delivered some BANGER episodes

"Fear and Loathing on the Planet of Kitson" and "Inescapable" I shall love you forever

Boy, reading this on Easter really makes you feel some kind of way

Fingon is the archetypical hero. He does great deeds of valor and daring, notably Maedhros’ rescue and rushing out to defeat Glaurung. He is not terribly afraid of consequences, which is wonderful when he is the only one he’s responsible for. His talent is forging ahead and inspiring everyone to follow him.

Fingolfin is the archetypical king. He is the one that holds his people together across the Helcaraxë and brokers peace with Maedhros after he’s rescued. He’s incredibly aware of every possible consequence, which is wonderful when he’s responsible for a whole kingdom. His talent is uniting everyone and inspiring them to move forward together.

When Fingolfin dies, he acts as the hero, not the king. He tries to borrow his son’s talent for incredibly inadvisable stunts, but it isn’t in his nature. He believes the Noldor are doomed, and thus dies in despair fighting Morgoth because he does not see another path forward, only defeat.

When Fingon dies, he acts as the king, not the hero. He tries to borrow his father’s talent for forging political unity, but it isn’t in his nature. The Nirnaeth’s forces are disunited from their conception to their defeat, and Fingon dies full of hope fighting Morgoth because he does not see any other path forward, only victory.

Fingolfin’s legacy was despair, though he left a lasting blow against Morgoth. Fingon’s legacy was hope, though he did not so much as touch Morgoth.