Context:

This was a old post from 2020 talking about Minecraft and how I believe the story of the game is that its sucking in players form the real world with my primary evidence being from there books. this theory was flawed and almost impossible to read because i apparently hated grammar (Link to Post)

Theory (Updated 2024):

Here is the updated theory.
In the blocky world of Minecraft, players spawn in with nothing. The game doesn't even provide a tutorial on how to play; you simply learn by immersing yourself in the game.
In the book "The Island" by Max Brooks, our protagonist wakes up in the world of Minecraft (like Pommi from the amazing digital circus). He is fully aware of his origin from our world but remains oblivious to the fact that he is in Minecraft or what Minecraft even is. Throughout the story, he learns to survive in his blocky prison, mastering crafting and evading hostile mobs.
In 2020, the second book, "The Mountain," was released, where the adventurer encounters a mountain after sailing away from his initial location.

Theory:

I believe what's happening is that players are being digitally kidnapped and trapped in these "Minecraft worlds," each person forgetting who they are but retaining memories of their former lives. Over time, they adapt to their new environment, potentially encountering others, building together, and eventually becoming the "Ancient Builders."
It's a cyclical process: individuals get trapped, learn, discover previous constructions, contribute their own, and then repeat with a new arrival. When you first play Minecraft, you experience a sense of being lost and confused, mirroring the experience of the ancient builders, who navigated without tutorials.
Your contributions to the world become part of its history, akin to the builders before you. In servers like 2B2T, despite the rampant destruction and chaos, each block tells a story, gradually pieced together by new players. We ourselves will one day become the ancient builders.
Moreover, in the YouTube series "How We Make Minecraft," it's revealed that there exists a machine capable of integrating objects and people into the game, with the narrator getting stuck inside the game at one point.
One last intriguing point: in the 2023 Minecraft Live event, the entire presentation was set within the game itself. While this could simply be a creative choice, it might also hold some deeper significance (though likely just a creative choice).

Final thoughts:

since 2020 there are a whole lot of new books in the sires that I have not read yet
(Link to Books)
as well here is a link to the original 2020 post
(OG post)

This is in no way a suggestion or insistence that you must consume Wicked, the 1939 film, or any Oz any related media as part of any kind of "canon" or connected continuity. How you consume media is entirely up to you. Just some interesting tidbits I originally posted in the Wicked sub and I thought I'd share with you guys...
\**Preamble: A prequel is “a literary, dramatic or cinematic work whose story precedes that of a previous work, by focusing on events that occur before the original narrative”. It is just a word to describe the type of narrative Wicked and Oz the Great and Powerful are. Just like Journey Back to Oz and Return to Oz are “sequels” made by different production companies. It in no way connotes an “official” connection between legally distinct IPs. It is just a way to describe the function of the narrative.*
...Also, I am not a copyright lawyer, I'm not any kind of lawyer, nor am I making an accusation that anyone or any entity is infringing on the copyright or trademark of any other entities. That being said…
So, I have a theory that Wicked -- both Maguire's novel (Wicked: the Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West), 1995) and more so the musical (Wicked, 2003 Universal Stage Productions) -- solely functions as a prequel to the 1939 MGM film the Wizard of Oz(now owned by WB), and not that film's public domain source novel the Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. Let me explain...
Maguire started writing Wicked in response to the Gulf War, presumably starting around 1990 through its publishing date in 1995. The 1939 film had a big boom in 1989 for its 50th Anniversary resulting in deluge of promotional material -- including an animated TV show adaptation by DIC, where Glinda was redesigned to look like Barbie -- complete with long blonde hair!
Maguire's clever use of Oz characters passed scrutiny during publication in 1995 because the Baum novel had long been in the public domain… as well as Ted Turner arranging to sell the MGM catalog to WB, circa 1997, making the timing ideal for Maguire's novel to skirt any copyright/trademark scrutiny for using elements from the non-public domain film.
We know what happened next, the book was a raging success and soon it was popular enough to be optioned by Universal and turned into a stage musical (produced after film & TV productions with Demi Moore and Salma Hayek separately attached failed to materialize). The musical opened first in San Francisco for try-outs and then Broadway in 2003. And writers Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman liberally peppered even more direct homages and winks to the 1939 film into leitmotifs and other elements of the book, score, and staging.
But, Wicked has TOO many elements from the 1939 film, and NOT ENOUGH from Baum's original book, to merit it being called a prequel to the book (this is also true of Disney’s 2013 admitted attempt to cash-in on Wicked’s success, Oz: the Great and Powerful – which is even more egregious than Wicked, and ironic, as its own title is directly lifted from the 1939 film misquote of the book’s moniker of “Oz the Great and Terrible”).
So now, let's look at some of key differences between the book the Wonderful Wizard of Oz (WWoOZ) and its film adaption from 1939, and how Wicked (and that Disney rip-off - though I don’t want to have to keep mentioning that movie so just assume most of what I say applies there too) reinterprets these events and characters:

• In the book WWoOz it is established that there are four cardinal witches in the land of Oz. Dorothy vanquishes two unrelated Wicked Witches in the East (WWotE) and West (WWotW) as well as encountering the benevolent unnamed good witch of the North at the start of her adventure and a separate good witch, Glinda of the South, who helps her home in the end. MGM condensed the good witches into one character “Glinda the Good Witch of the North” as well as adding a subplot turning the Wicked Witches into sisters (providing Margaret Hamilton’s Witch more direct motivation to pursue Judy Garland’s Dorothy via the Witch’s presumed right to collateral inheritance of her sister’s shoes). Both Maguire and Disney follow the 1939 film’s continuity regarding these relationships making the wicked witches siblings, and Glinda the sole “good witch” in opposition to them.
• WWotW as depicted in Baum’s novel bears little to no resemblance to the green-skinned Margaret Hamilton in the 1939 film, and subsequently Maguire’s Elphaba. Oz illustrator W. W. Denslow, whom Baum worked closely with when designing the characters, depicts the witch as a hunched old hag with three pigtails and an eyepatch, tall brimmed hat, ruffed collar, coat and skirt. While MGM’s design team, led by legendary costumer Adrian, initially tested several looks for WWotW (including a glamorous sequined look inspired by Disney’s Evil Queen in Snow White). MGM screenwriter, Herman Mankiewicz (who expanded the role of the wicked witch from book to screenplay, and wrote several key lines for her including, “I’ll get you my pretty!”) insisted "witches should be ugly!" leading to Gale Sondergard's replacement of Magaret Hamilton in the role. But the severe all-black silhouette cast by Hamilton's witch is nothing like the silly witch of Baum's text and Desnlow's art. And Susan Hilferty’s stage designs for Elphaba retain the 1939 film’s silhouette and dark color palette.
• Speaking of ugly witches... while green skinned characters, like folkloric swamp-hag Jenny Green-teeth, were not unheard of (even some promotional material for Disney's Snow White has their flesh-colored Hag looking a jaundiced yellow) it is widely acknowledged Margaret Hamilton’s Witch is the first in popular culture, and certainly on film, to be depicted with green skin. Likely, inspired by Universal's 1931 Frankenstein), promotional material for which depicted the Creature with sickly green skin, and chosen to accentuate the technicolor process, broadcasting the Witch's “wickedness” as well as helping Hamilton's frightening face and spider-like performance stand-out against her black costume, MGM producers chose green copper-based makeup for Hamilton's witch. The 1939 film's success in popular culture lead green-skinned witches to be accepted as "canon" in the public zeitgeist and now from Halloween make-up brands and Looney Tunes' Witch Hazel), the green skinned witch is mainstream. But as Professor Marion Gibson, associate professor of Renaissance and magical literatures at the University of Exeter and an expert in popular depictions of witches, explains, before 1939 "there are a few images of witches – for instance, on Halloween postcards – with odd coloured faces (usually red/orange, surprisingly) but MGM's green-faced witch is the first to make a key feature of a completely non-human skin colour." Needless to say this film element of green-skin became a major plot point of Maguire's Wicked.
• Another difference in Baum’s WWotW is that she only had one eye, but that it "was as powerful as a telescope", and this is how she spies on her enemies. MGM was again inspired by Snow White's Queen, and popular imagery of fortune tellers, giving Hamilton’s Witch the ability to scry in a large crystal ball, which made for some of the most memorable visuals of the film, of her looming eerily over the heroes. Unlike Baum’s WWotW, Maguire’s Elphaba retains vision in both eyes, and inherits her film counterpart's scrying abilities (primarily using a blown-glass orb).
• Baum’s WWotW importantly carries an umbrella, not a broomstick, as a source of protection for her aquaphobia. She has no need for transportation, her location is limited to her castle in the West of Oz. MGM’s script, howvever, gave Hamilton’s Witch a means of transportation that had long been popular in witch mythology, a broomstick, involving her more directly in the narrative (as well as giving the Wizard a macguffin to send Dorothy after). Maguire also chose to make a broomstick a means of travel for Elphaba, and Stephen Schwartz's “Defying Gravity”, the centerpiece of the musical, which sees a scene not included in the novel, where Elphaba defiantly flies over the Emerald City in protest of the Wizard, cemented the broom’s icon status within the framework of the Wicked franchise.
• The Flying Monkeys in Baum’s novel have a rich backstory involving their enslavement at the hands of a sorceress named Gaylette. The monkeys’ terms of imprisonment require they obey three commands given by whomever possess a Golden Cap, which the WWotW owns and uses to capture Dorothy and her friends. Dorothy comes into possession of the Golden Cap after WWotW’s demise (similar to her inheriting the slippers) and is able to command the monkeys to her own benefit later in the book. The Golden Cap subplot was scrapped from the MGM film in favor of giving the witch a more ambiguous command over her uniformed simian air force (though it still appears in the final cut as a prop tossed by Hamilton's Witch to Nikko, the flying monkey). Maguire’s Wicked makes no mention of Baum’s golden cap, giving Elphaba a monkey factotum -- who cannot speak similar to MGM’s Nikko (In Baum's Oz all animals can speak perfectly, including the leader of the Winged Monkeys... more on that below) -- now called Chistrey. The monkeys are given a vivisection backstory in Maguire's novel and are a result of the Grimmerie’s levitation spell in the musical, but Elphaba’s willful command of the their legions, without the limitations of the Golden Cap, is much more reminiscent of MGM’s Witch than Baum’s.
• Famously the slippers Dorothy inherits from the WWotE in Baum’s novel are made of silver metal (sterling silver shoes were popular as decorations and sugar bowls in Baum's day). The Slippers in the 1939 film were famously changed to ruby, so as to be more eye-catching against the technicolor yellow road. After some initial designs, MGM designer Adrian landed on the iconic red sequined pump seen in the film. in Maguire's work he is very careful not to make the famous slippers silver or ruby, and instead they are made of beaded glass, which has sentimental value to Elphaba's family, and utilizes the film’s sibling backstory to motivate Elphaba. The beaded glass slippers, in the musical referred to as "jeweled", refract multiple colors, notably a fiery red glow, again skirting copyright while paying homage to both the ruby slippers and silver of the Baum book. Susan Hilferty’s choice of silver sequined pumps for the musical, given a red special lighting cue at a crucial moment, distinctly resemble Adrian’s 1939 design.
• Dorothy is a young child of roughly seven or eight years old in Baum’s novel and its illustrations. In Maguire’s take on the character she is depicted as a husky teenager prone to cloying musical outbursts. Teenage Judy Garland was famously derided at MGM for her weight, especially filming Oz, with Louis Mayor allegedly calling her his “little hunchback”.
• Animals in Oz in Baum’s text are all Imbued with the power of speech. Toto himself is able to speak in the land of Oz (revealed in the fifth Baum book), as well as a myriad animals from our world who travel to the Land of Oz, who all gain sentience upon entering the fairy land. In the 1939 film, the Lion is the only animal that appears capable of speech, while other animals that appear, like Toto, birds, horses, cats and monkeys, are all incapable of human vocal communication. Maguire’s text relies heavily on the implication only some Animals (signified by capitalization of the word) in Oz can talk, their subjugation by the Wizard playing huge role in the plot of both Maguire’s book and the musical adaption.
• While sharing some similarities with Baum's Oz geography, 1939 film has a distinct layout for their Oz which is covered in great detail in very few lines of dialogue. In Munchkinland Glinda says "That was her sister--the Wicked Witch of the East. This is the Wicked Witch of the West. And she's worse than the other one." That establishes Munchkinland in the East of Oz, later we can place the Wicked Witch's castle in the West, with the Emerald City presumably in the center of Oz, while Glinda is from an unspecified "North". Funnily enough, those areas of Oz featured in the 1939 film are the same areas of Oz Maguire’s Wicked novel primarily deals with, namely Munchkinland (Nest Hardings), Emerald City, and the West (Kiamo Ko) and North of Oz (Shiz). Maguire also eschews Baum’s Glinda’s native Quadling Country in the south of Oz in favor of time spent in the North (the one land of Oz we never visit in Baum's first book). Maguire's Quadling Country (a backwater quagmire) shares none the colorful geography of Baum's Quadling Country -- which in WWoOZ is full of porcelain towns, jungles, mountains, and Glinda's majestic palace.
• Boq, a character indeed invented by Baum, plays a much less significant part of the novel Wicked than he does in the musical (in the musical he is composite of several novel characters), and his function in the novel the WWoOZ is very similar to that of the Munchkins featured in the 1939 film (he hosts a party celebrating the East Witch's death that Dorothy attends while staying at his home overnight on her journey down the Yellow Brick Road). He and the subplot featuring the Tin Woodman's backstory appear as trivial vignettes with little actual influence over Elphaba’s overall character arch in both the novel and musical.
• And while the inclusion of Elphaba using wolves, crows and bees to attack Dorothy and her friends is a point in Maguire's favor (but only applies to the novel, not the musical) it also has little significance over the elements from Baum’s book he leaves out in favor of the 1939 film’s continuity of a broom-riding, green-skinned witch after her sister’s collateral inheritance. And let us not forget that 1939's Witch also uses bees as a threat..
• But what I find most telling is that none of the witches in Baum’s novel directly interact with one another (later novels in the Oz series withstanding). The famous confrontation between the two witches in Munchkinland was entirely a fabrication of the 1939 film’s screenwriters. The musical’s entire premise, and a large portion of the novel’s, relies on the idea that these two opposing witches shared some past which informs their conflict in that scene, but that moment is solely a product of the 1939 film.

I think it is very important to view Wicked (especially the musical) as intended... as a revisionist adaption of, and prequel, to the 1939 film (and not Baum's book). In Wicked, Dorothy's journey of self discovery -- finding wisdom, love, and courage through community and questioning authority -- is subverted through Elphaba's journey -- where wisdom, love, and courage come at great personal cost, and questioning authority means also becoming a target of that authority's wrath. Whereas Dorothy returns home in the end, Elphaba must go into exile in the musical (and she is ding dong dead in the book).
By the end of the 1939 film Dorothy is literally transformed -- excellently visually expressed through her full glamour makeover - curtesy of the Wizard's employees - and adornment in her fallen enemy's fabulous footwear. The 1939 narrative in psychoanalytic terms is one of adolescent Dorothy being chided and ignored in Kansas -- she is without the protection of the adults around her, and therefore subjected to trauma at the hands of threatening Older Female and left vulnerable to the advances of a dubiously intentioned Conman. She learns the importance of embracing the power of appearances ("Are you a good witch or bad witch?.... only Bad witches are ugly.") therefore earning the protection of the adults who once ignored her. In turn she is able to utilize traits inherited from those adults to finally assume assume her full power, vanquishing the Older Female threat and rendering the Conman impotent.
Elphaba and Glinda similarly grow from children ignored -- Elphaba subject to rejection and bullying without the protection of her family or peers, and therefore vulnerable to machinations of a threatening Older Female and the advances of a dubiously intentioned Conman. She then learns the power of embracing appearances ("pink goes good with green") but, this being a subversion of the Oz narrative we see that in embracing her unconventional appearance (the skin she was born in and an outfit literally designed by Glinda) she further alienates herself from protection. While Glinda's journey of superficial beauty equating to goodness, also subjects her to persecution from the Older Female and Conman.
Through traits inherited from one another, and their enemies -- Elphaba uses the Wizard's methodology of deception and flim-flam to fake her death and win her freedom, while Glinda quite literally uses Morrible's own words against her in her defeat -- they are both able to assume full power vanquishing the Older Female threat and rendering the Conman impotent.
In the musical's Finale, a reprise of both "For Good" and "No One Mourns the Wicked", we have been made the whole show to ask ourselves the question "was she a good witch or a bad witch?" Then the audience watches a well intentioned, but woefully incompetent leader, ascend to power under the monicker "Glinda the Good" while the arguably more qualified person has their "death" celebrated, only to be mourned in secret.
The line, "who can say if I have been changed for the better, but because I knew you I have been changed for good" ties together the the concept of metaphorically wearing the traits of those we've known and encountered, loved ones and enemies alike. Like a well worn hat or pair of ruby slippers, we cloth ourselves in the intelligence, love, courage, and even the wickedness and deception of those we encounter.
Wicked tends to suggest truth is subjective. Goodness or wickedness, beauty and ugliness, whether someone is a "traitor or liberator, thief or philanthropist" is all subjective. The Wizard's malleable grip on truth ("Elphaba, where I'm from we believe all sorts of things that aren't true we call it history!") is ultimately inherited by Elphaba and Fiyero in the end ("It's not lying! It's looking at things another way") as well as Glinda ("Good news!"). Much like Dorothy's journey leaves her with the knowledge that her heart's desires lie in her own self fulfillment, Elphaba and Glinda are left knowing that their potential, good or bad, has always been theirs to posses.
Maguire used something called "fair use doctrine", technically publishing Wicked as a parody (which does not always mean a comical work). It was well within his legal right to do so. The musical tiptoes the lines he walked a little more, but ultimately Wicked being "legally distinct" from the 1939 -- but still using more elements from that movie than the public domain book -- is still a legal use of the characters. However, I think the way Maguire skirted copyright is incredibly clever, and I find it wild that such a popular franchise as Wicked has basically used legal gray areas to bring a rainbow of color to Oz, all while claiming use of public domain versions of characters, and clearly mining the trademarked versions of those characters for most of their inspiration.
Various Oz media has used elements of the 1939 film without voiding copyright. For example the 1982 anime film has red slippers, and 1972's Journey Back to Oz features a green skinned witch Mombi. And the 1939 film itself borrowed elements from numerous previous adaptations of the Oz story from silent and animated films to stage plays). The history of Oz is always evolving with each new iteration and how the story was told one hundred years ago isn't always going to be how we tell it in the future.
Just know, how anyone chooses to interpret the "canon" of Oz, or relate to any specific piece of media -- for example finding continuity between various adaptations, etc. -- is entirely up to them. Oz is a place that supports diversity, creativity, and inclusion! But if you're gonna be a witch, a green one is a good one to be!
TLDR: Wicked does not function as a prequel to the book by L. Frank Baum, but only serves as a prequel to the 1939 film, starring Judy Garland. This is evident because the Witch in Baum's book isn't green, doesn't ride a broom, only has one eye, no sister, and never interacts with Glinda (who is an amalgamation of two separate characters).

How to Balance Your Medical School Application with Studying for the MCAT

Written and edited by the MCAT Self Prep Tutoring Team
Home of the Free MCAT Prep Course
I often joke that medical schools are only looking for the skill that matters most for future doctors: the ability to jump through arbitrary hoops. Like it or not, medicine has a lot of hoops. For those of us who want to be a doctor, the MCAT will not be the last standardized exam that we take (the STEP exams are even longer). Nor will our application to medical school be the last time you will put your heart and soul on a page to be evaluated by strangers.
Yet despite the hurdles down the road, this is not to downplay the difficulty of getting into medical school. It’s emotionally exhausting. And requires lots of work! But I hope I can also highlight the importance of multitasking when it comes to doing difficult things. For those taking the MCAT the same year that they apply to medical school, you will need to balance studying, writing your application, and getting letters of recommendation. In this article, I’ll explain the best way to balance all of this – and if you’re interested in one-on-one application support, our admissions consultants would be glad to help!

1. Understanding the application timeline

One common mistake that I see in students is not understanding how the application process works and how to take advantage of the opportunities that it allows. The AMCAS application for MD schools typically opens in the beginning of May (the AACOMAS application for DO schools has a slightly different timeline but the principles still hold true). This means you can start inputting grades, scores, and essays if you wish. However, you cannot submit your application for processing until around June 1st (dates vary year to year). You will want to submit your application as soon as possible, as the medical school application process is rolling. Rolling admissions means that spots for interviews and acceptances are limited and you will be competing against more applicants for fewer spots later in the cycle.

2. Signing up for the right exam date

For most students, I recommend taking the MCAT between April and the end of May (last time to still be in the first wave of applications) for the cycle that apply for medical school OR between July and August the year before you apply. Taking the test over the summer with minimal or no classes allows you to compress your study timeline, however you may be taking the test without some prerequisites for the MCAT. I personally would recommend taking the MCAT after you have completed the core classes necessary for the MCAT (biology, chemistry, organic chemistry, biochemistry, physics etc). Make sure you will also have enough time to complete our FREE MCAT prep course. Once you’ve picked a date, understand that it will take about a month for you to get your score back. So why could you take the MCAT at the end of May and still be in the first wave of applications? The rule is simple: you do not need to have your MCAT score before you submit your application. You only need to have your score before your exam is sent to medical school admissions committees.
Here’s where it can get a little complicated. If you take the MCAT May 25th for example, you will get your score back around June 25th. So you could take the MCAT on May 25th and then apply without knowing your score on June 1st. Well that seems silly, how will I know which schools I am competitive for when I don’t know my score? To get around this dilemma, you can only apply to 1 school that you know you will apply to no matter what your score is (your respective state school). Then the AMCAS system will take about 2 weeks to process your application (this processing time gets longer the later you submit your application). So your application gets hypothetically processed on June 15th. But here’s the rub: AMCAS will hold your application until approximately July 1st (depending on the year) before sending your application to medical schools. So I could take the MCAT May 25th, apply June 1st, get my score back June 25th and then have 5 days to decide which additional schools I want to add. The important thing is that there will be no way of schools knowing whether you added them on June 1st or June 26th. All they will see if that your application was sent to them in the first batch of processed applications.
Ok so now that you’ve decided on an ideal date, you still need to sign up. Due to COVID, most people signing up for spots in 2021 will do so on February 15th. Spots tend to fill up quickly once they are released, so we recommend following the AAMC MCAT twitter to ensure you sign up as soon as they are released. The calendar for all possible exam dates and their score release dates can be found on the AAMC’s website. Seats fill up early, and some students end up traveling hundreds of miles because they registered a little too late. However, it’s better to take the exam on the day that works best for you rather than take the exam on a wrong day in your ideal location.

3. Writing your application while studying for the MCAT

For your primary application, you will need to write a 5400 character essay about why you want to go to medical school as well as 10-15 shorter essays on the various activities that you’ve participated in. For most students, I recommend starting your application near the beginning of the year that you apply. So why start early? While this may seem like overkill, this strategy is best suited for writing about the deeply personal passions and experiences that have motivated you to pursue medicine. I recommend starting your personal statement early so that you can come back to this essay with fresh eyes again and again.
Start by writing a few paragraphs about 3-5 experiences that made you want to pursue medicine. Then put it away for two weeks. When you look at your essay again after those weeks, it may occur that some of the experiences were more important than others. Maybe the flow of the story isn’t quite right. Make major or minor changes and let it sit again for two more weeks. By repeating this process, you will be able to focus on the forrest and not the trees. You can always worry about grammar and your writing style as you get closer to your deadline. For now, just focus on the bigger picture narrative that you hope to convey. All in all this process should only take two to three hours every other week. Start to devote 2-5 hours a week in your last month to write your activity essays and polish your personal statement (additionally, this process could be spread out over a longer period of time as well). Remember that most admissions committees view your grades and score as a benchmark to see if you would succeed academically at their school. Beyond that point they care more about who you are as a person and how you will improve their student body.

4. Organizing the rest of your application

Between asking for and following up with letters of recommendation, writing essays, finding medical schools, and managing secondaries and interviews, the year that you apply for medical school requires intense organization. I would recommend either creating your own spreadsheets or using the MCAT Self Prep medical school application course. Either way you need some form of organization or else it will be easy for important pieces of your application to fall through the cracks. If this feels overwhelming, you can always ask for help from an admissions consultant. However, we are also here to help you succeed purely through self prep. This early in the year, you should mainly focus on building relationships with 4-8 individuals who you could potentially ask for a recommendation. You want these people to get to know you on both a professional and personal level. They should be able to vouch for your work ethic, character, and ability to succeed in medical school. They should also be able to write about how they know you on more than just a superficial level.
As the year progresses, I will keep you updated through blogposts about the steps you need to take to maximize your chances of acceptance. But for now, stay organized, keep studying, and start thinking about the 3-5 most meaningful experiences that made you want to be a doctor. If you are feeling overwhelmed, please reach out for a FREE consultation with me or another tutor. We can help with the MCAT or admissions consulting. Due to the help of MCAT Self Prep and my ability to craft a compelling narrative for my application, I ultimately was accepted into 6 of the top 10 medical schools—including Harvard! Let us know if there is anything we can do to help you!
Warm regards,
Theo
Theo scored a perfect score (528) on the MCAT and has been accepted at Harvard, UPenn, Columbia, UCLA, and other top 10 medical schools across the country.

I want to thank u/Historical_Ad5238 for reminding me about this.
December 2019, FIG Backers recieved feedback regarding a Survey we all filled in regarding what is important to us regarding Homeworld and what we would like to see.
Do you think they delivered?:
Fig survey results and your megalithic impact on development!
Hey everyone,
Now that we’ve had some time to compile, sift through, and think about all the survey results from the initial Fig campaign, we want to share back some of the findings and how it’ll impact the ongoing development of Homeworld 3.

About making video games

First, let’s talk a little bit about the nature of game development. Put simply, game development is a business with infinite ideas and limited time, funding, and human energy. Given those inputs, it’s gigantically important to prioritize a development team’s efforts if a game’s going to ship, let alone ship at high quality. Trust us when we say that we could craft beautiful spaceships forever, but at some point, a call needs to be made that we’ve got enough spaceships and it’s time to get on with designing, engineering, QA’ing, and all the rest of the work (audio, dialogue, marketing, localization, etc.) that comes with releasing an ambitious title into your waiting arms.
That’s a hugely simplified example, but the point is that your feedback will help us make those priority decisions. We’re excited to share this part of the sausage making with the community because most game developers simply don’t— because it can be ugly. Prioritizing one piece of the game to make it truly great often means letting another part be only fine or even cut from the game. That means your feedback and our vision will meld into what not only needs to be in the game, but what needs to be great in the game. We hope this process demonstrates respect for the franchise and continues earning your confidence over the course of development.

Your feedback and how it shapes the game

Characters

It was important to us to find out how important characters, factions, and ships truly are to the fans of Homeworld, and we received a ton of awesome feedback - some of it expected, and some pleasantly surprising!

• We all know Karan S'jet is an integral part of the Homeworld flavor, so instead we wanted to look at what faction identity means to you. The good guys won out, with the Hiigarans, Bentusi, and Progenitors coming out on top - far ahead of the pirates, and even the Taiidan. We believe this shows us just how important the role of emotional connection is, and it's something we want to focus on further with the hope that we can re-create that same unique connection you have built with the Bentusi and Hiigarans alike.
• More surprisingly, it appears that ships are just as important to you as characters, with the Mothership coming a close second to Karan for most important narrative elements.
• What with the visual immersion of Homeworld being so exciting for you, as well as your love for the ships, we've been busy creating amazing new ship designs that will build a strong sense of character and identity.

Story

Homeworld's story has always been its bread and butter, but we wanted to get a better idea of what this means to you. The survey responses were a great help - not only to clarify our direction, but to inspire us the way Homeworld has inspired all of you.

• We believed that the narrative was absolutely integral to the franchise - and you overwhelmingly agreed. The single-player experience is something we always planned to focus heavily on, and it gives us huge confidence to hear and read this is what you want too. What makes this comforting from a production perspective is that prioritizing single-player has always been the case for Homeworld development.
• We have been looking closely at previous Homeworld games to really get an idea of the core elements that make it so unique. We also asked you what the most important themes were in the franchise, and the top answers were: exploration, redemption, and exodus. We agree, and we are working hard to craft a narrative that really speaks to the true Homeworld experience - and to all of you.
• As part of the survey, we asked you what narrative elements spoke to you the most. Among the top were monoliths, which told us that you found environmental storytelling to be not only exciting, but a fundamental part of the Homeworld experience. We aim to take this franchise further than ever before, and we're excited to share that we've been busy building massive interactable environments using monoliths that will truly immerse you in the universe and the story.

Gameplay

We wanted to get an idea of how the gameplay in Homeworld spoke to you. As a non-traditional, 3D RTS, the game doesn't mirror many others - and we feel it's important to know what drives your wish to keep playing.

• We were curious to see how important certain gameplay features were to your experiences - and what we found was a love of strategic and thoughtful playstyles, such as salvaging and cloaking. We’re thrilled to hear that, because we’re working on several super exciting features that are too early to discuss in detail today, but we know you’re going to love!
• As we push interaction with the environment further, we are realising the amazing gameplay implications this has. Combined with the ballistics system we are building, it will offer the player even more strategic options in gameplay, as they use the environment itself to take cover and hide or gain an advantageous position over their enemy. We are also exploring new ways to navigate through the 3D environment using object-relative movement. For example: Click the underside of an asteroid and your ships will position beneath it. Click on the top-side and that’s where they’ll take cover. It should unlock new tactics while still feeling intuitive on the mouse.
• As mentioned earlier, you feedback on the importance of single-player experience and story is loud and clear. We want to be clear too: Our first priority is making an amazing Homeworld single-player experience. While we are focused on the core campaign, we are also looking at what that means for multiplayer. We believe that by crafting an alternate game mode we can bring the game to new levels. As such, we have been exploring how best to bring this experience to you. We have some exciting ideas in the works that we’ll talk about later in development!

Wrapping up

There’s a lot more to this survey than what we’re sharing today. The rest we plan to discuss alongside meaningful updates to the game itself. Speaking of which, we plan to share updates with you once a quarter for the remainder of the game’s development. Things will probably pick up in pace during the final year ahead of the game’s release, but for now we need to spend most of our time heads-down and building the foundation of Homeworld 3. Please leave your thoughts and feedback on the post below. We’ll have more to share in 2020. Have a great holiday! This is Fleet Command, signing off.
-Homeworld 3 Development Team

Okay, so we are going to be publishing an annual anthology in a limited edition of 500 hardcover copies, with the stories, poems and other art/writing to be taken from several different communities and from different prompted opportunities, one of which will be the monthly contest winners from our brand new contest!
There will be plenty of details leading up to the first of many different ways to get into that publication, and check back to find out the process, deadlines, rewards, and how you are going to become a published writer sooner than you thought!
There will be two groups that can enter, and there are rewards that include:

• social media badges

-special recognition on our website, subreddit flair, and a featured interview in our email newsletter, as well as other promotion that gives attention to your work.
-certificate of recognition
-cash prize(from $25-$500!)
-swag(t-shirt, button, stickers and other cool stuff)
-the other cool stuff to be announced soon!
We will select a short story, a poem/Prose/lyrics piece, and a piece of artwork every month. These will be from two groups - ages 6-17 and ages 18+. They will be published online and in the annual anthology, which will be released in January of 2025 .
We will also have an annual contest that selects the cover art from the previous 24 winners from the twelve months prior to it's publication, as well as a Novel/Novel in Progress that will be considered for publication as well as win a $500 cash prize.
The monthly contest will reward each winning entery with $25 for the 6-17 year old age group and $100 for the 18+ age group.
Guidelines, deadlines, and how to enter free of charge will be announced shortly. This is a collaborative effort between this subreddit, ECES, LLC, and Gurl Think Tank. We are working with other potential sponsors at this time and we will provide as much information as possible prior to opening the submission portal.
You don't have to be a member of this subreddit, but it will be helpful should you desire the feedback and the most up to date information on this and other contests that we plan to offer.
This is not a drill! Stay tuned for the first monthly contest and get to work on something that you think will be a winner 🏆!!!

AB why has this snark page not lost traction? - All 4 of you don’t take ACCOUNTABILITY. The massive amount of us were able to create a “safer” space for people to voice concern. All you guys did was block and bully.
AB why have former Adora, Mel & Co members THRIVED when people went separate ways? - They took responsibility for the mistakes they have made. Funny again how accountability is common answer.
AB why does NO ONE have any sympathy for you? - You are sick fucking human being who has taken advantage of a transwoman, who you yourself deemed “special” and has ISOLATED this transwoman from her community.
AB how in anyway are you the victim? - You’re not. You have been a disgusting predatory human being that uses people mental health issues to put them in very dark fucked up places.
AB why are you calling Andy every name under the sun? - Oh yeah you CANT CONTROL OR GAS LIGHT THE NARRATIVE. Andy has never ONCE made a claim that she has never done anything wrong and she’s made mistakes. You got caught ONCE AGAIN for being a piece of shit. How absolute dare you to try and spin narratives about her when from the START she wanted to get these issues addressed and go back to advocating.
It blows my fucking mind how this subreddit could’ve died out after a month if people took the accountability and just did even the bare minimum to improve.
I’m sorry yall but the message AB left in the BFS discord are really serious red flags of someone who needs to be away from people who are vulnerable.

Classic Literature: 1. "The Hanged Man" in T.S. Eliot's "The Waste Land" (1922): - Reference: Eliot's influential modernist poem references the tarot card "The Hanged Man" in the context of spiritual crisis and renewal. - Significance: The card symbolizes sacrifice and surrender, echoing themes of transformation and rebirth explored in Eliot's work.

1. "The Magician" in Somerset Maugham's "The Magician" (1908):
   • Plot Element: Maugham's novel revolves around an occultist and magician named Oliver Haddo, inspired by the tarot card "The Magician."
   • Symbolism: The character embodies the archetype of the Magician, using mystical powers and symbolism associated with the tarot card to drive the narrative.

Contemporary Literature: 3. "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern (2011): - Tarot Influence: The novel features a magical competition between two illusionists, and tarot cards are used as a divinatory tool by one of the characters. - Symbolic Elements: Tarot motifs, including the Fool's journey and card readings, contribute to the atmospheric and mysterious setting of the story.

1. "The Raven Cycle" Series by Maggie Stiefvater (2012-2016):
   • Character Incorporation: The character Ronan Lynch in this series is associated with tarot cards, particularly "The Magician."
   • Narrative Impact: Tarot symbolism is interwoven into the character's development, reflecting themes of power, transformation, and the manipulation of reality.

Magical Realism: 5. "Like Water for Chocolate" by Laura Esquivel (1989): - Tarot Spread Structure: Each chapter in this magical realist novel is introduced with a tarot card, setting the thematic tone for the narrative. - Symbolic Significance: Tarot cards serve as a creative and symbolic framework, guiding readers through the emotional and magical journey of the protagonist.

1. "The House of the Spirits" by Isabel Allende (1982):
   • Tarot Readings: The novel includes scenes where characters engage in tarot readings, providing insights into their destinies and influencing the unfolding events.
   • Symbolism: Tarot cards become a symbolic and mystical element, enhancing the magical realism inherent in Allende's storytelling.

Dystopian Fiction: 7. "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood (1985): - Tarot Imagery: Tarot cards, particularly the deck known as the "Jezebels Tarot," appear in the novel as a forbidden and subversive element within the dystopian society. - Resistance Symbolism: The use of tarot cards symbolizes resistance and individual agency in a repressive regime.
From classic literature to contemporary works, tarot cards have served as powerful symbols, narrative devices, and sources of inspiration. Their presence in literature often extends beyond mere divination, delving into themes of fate, transformation, and the complexities of human experience. As a rich tapestry of symbolism, tarot continues to weave its way through the realms of imagination and storytelling, adding layers of meaning to literary narratives.
Fantasy and Magical Themes: 8. "Good Omens" by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett (1990): - Prophecy and Tarot: The novel incorporates tarot cards as part of the prophecies, and the card "The Tower" plays a significant role in the narrative. - Humorous Twist: Gaiman and Pratchett infuse humor and irreverence into the use of tarot cards, blending fantasy and satire.

1. "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern (2011):
   • Magical Setting: Beyond using tarot cards as a divination tool, the novel features the Le Cirque des Rêves, a magical circus where each tent is inspired by a tarot card.
   • Atmospheric Influence: Tarot symbolism enhances the enchanting and mysterious atmosphere of the story, contributing to the novel's magical realism.

Mystery and Detective Fiction: 10. "The Hound of the Baskervilles" by Arthur Conan Doyle (1902): - Tarot Card Allusion: The novel contains a reference to a death card that could be interpreted as resembling a tarot card. This adds an element of mystery and foreshadowing to the narrative.

1. "Foucault's Pendulum" by Umberto Eco (1988):
   • Tarot Conspiracies: Eco's complex novel delves into conspiracies and secret societies, incorporating elements of tarot symbolism as characters explore esoteric mysteries.
   • Intellectual Exploration: Tarot cards become part of the intellectual and symbolic tapestry in a narrative that explores the boundaries between reality and imagination.

Science Fiction: 12. "Snow Crash" by Neal Stephenson (1992): - Tarot as Code: In this cyberpunk novel, tarot cards are used as a form of code for a virus that plays a crucial role in the plot. - Futuristic Integration: The novel explores how ancient symbols, like those found in tarot, can find new meaning in a futuristic, technology-driven world.
Romance and Relationship Dynamics: 13. "The Lovers" by Vendela Vida (2010): - Tarot Theme: In this novel, the protagonist becomes involved in a project where she creates a deck of tarot cards to explore themes of love and relationships. - Personal Journey: Tarot becomes a tool for self-discovery and reflection on romantic relationships, adding a unique twist to the exploration of love in the narrative.
In literature, tarot cards emerge as versatile narrative tools, blending seamlessly into various genres and themes. Authors employ them for foreshadowing, symbolism, and to explore the complexities of human existence. Whether in the realms of fantasy, mystery, science fiction, or romance, tarot cards contribute to the richness and depth of storytelling, offering readers a glimpse into the mystical and symbolic dimensions of the human experience.
Historical Fiction: 14. "The Eight" by Katherine Neville (1988): - Quest for a Chess Set: The novel weaves a complex narrative involving a quest for a mystical chess set, with each piece representing a tarot card. The tarot cards play a central role in unraveling the mysteries within the story. - Symbolic Elements: Tarot cards are intricately linked to historical events and characters, providing a symbolic framework for the unfolding adventure.

1. "The Shadow of the Wind" by Carlos Ruiz Zafón (2001):
   • Tarot Card Readings: The novel features a mysterious character who conducts tarot card readings, offering insights into the destinies of the main characters.
   • Atmospheric Symbolism: Tarot cards contribute to the atmospheric and gothic elements of the narrative, adding layers of mystery and intrigue.

Coming-of-Age Narratives: 16. "The Raven Cycle" Series by Maggie Stiefvater (2012-2016): - Tarot Card Symbolism: Tarot cards, especially "The Magician," play a significant role in the character development and coming-of-age themes of the series. - Personal Growth: The use of tarot reflects the characters' journeys of self-discovery, empowerment, and understanding their places in the world.
Philosophical Exploration: 17. "The Castle of Crossed Destinies" by Italo Calvino (1969): - Silent Characters: In this experimental novel, characters communicate solely through laying out tarot cards to tell their stories. The tarot becomes a visual language, and the narrative explores the interconnectedness of stories and destiny. - Symbolic Interpretation: The novel delves into the nature of narrative, choice, and fate through the lens of tarot symbolism.
Memoir and Autobiography: 18. "M Train" by Patti Smith (2015): - Personal Reflections: In her memoir, Patti Smith reflects on her life, travels, and creative process. Tarot cards appear as a recurring motif, offering glimpses into the author's introspective and spiritual moments. - Intuitive Guidance: The author uses tarot as a tool for personal reflection and guidance, highlighting its role in her creative and spiritual journey.
Literary Criticism: 19. "Tarot as a Way of Life: A Jungian Approach to the Tarot" by Karen Hamaker-Zondag (2001): - Psychological Exploration: This non-fiction work explores tarot from a Jungian perspective, delving into the archetypal and symbolic dimensions of the cards. - Integration with Jungian Psychology: The author uses tarot as a means to explore the collective unconscious and the psychological aspects of the human experience.
Tarot cards continue to be a rich source of inspiration for authors across diverse genres. Whether as a narrative device, a symbolic tool, or a means of philosophical exploration, tarot's presence in literature enhances storytelling by tapping into the mystical, psychological, and symbolic facets of the human condition. As authors weave these archetypal cards into their narratives, readers are invited to explore realms of meaning, mystery, and self-discovery.

For the folks who engage in personal narrative style storytelling (whether it's purely storytelling or connected to your brand/work/product) where you're required to get a little vulnerable, how do you decide what's an important piece of vulnerability that should make it into your speech? What are the pros and cons of being open and vulnerable on stage after all is said and done?
Do you usually have a goal in mind when sharing something vulnerable? (self-expression, audience connection, etc.) How do your audiences usually respond?
I know vulnerability is a relative term but I'm curious if there are common experiences among people who often have to speak publicly about topics that might be personal.

The sentence is “But the white fury of the Northmen burned the hotter, and more skilled was their knighthood with long spears and bitter.”
The closer you look at Tolkien's writing, the more you find in it. This sentence contains 21 words: I am going to spend a lot more than that on it, considering it from two different angles.
First, the substance. The paragraph of which this is a part describes with great vividness Théoden's culminating triumph, when he and his household troops routed a numerically superior force of Southron cavalry, and he himself killed both their leader and their standard-bearer. But Tolkien does more than tell what they did; in this sentence, he explains why they won this fight. In fact, he gives three separate reasons, which can be neatly labeled in terms of standard military doctrine:
“But the white fury of the Northmen burned the hotter” – The morale of the Rohirrim was better than that of the Southrons. Remember Sam's speculation about the warrior killed in Faramir's ambush, that “lies or threats had led him on the long march from his home” when he would “really rather have stayed there in peace.” Tolkien may have intended readers to remember the hint that the Haradrim were largely a conscript force.
“And more skilled was their knighthood” – The Rohirrim had better training. As we already knew; the extreme professionalism of an elite unit of Riders was established at their first appearance:

With astonishing speed and skill they checked their steeds, wheeled, and came charging round. Soon the three companions found themselves in a ring of horsemen moving in a running circle, up the hill-slope behind them and down, round and round them, and drawing ever inwards. …
Without a word or cry, suddenly, the Riders halted. A thicket of spears were pointed towards the strangers; and some of the horsemen had bows in hand, and their arrows were already fitted to the string.

“With long spears and bitter” – The Rohirrim had superior weaponry. The previous paragraph said that the Haradrim carried scimitars as their primary weapons. The spears of the Rohirrim obviously outreached these; if the Riders handled them as well as they did their horses, they must have inflicted a high proportion of casualties in the first encounter, disrupting the enemy formation and further shaking their morale.¹
To sum up: Tolkien conveys in a few words that Théoden's men won this fight, not because they were the Good Guys, but because they were the product of a superior military culture. As is apparent throughout his narratives of combat, Tolkien had a firm grasp of a lot (not all) of the basic principles of warfare.² As he shows here.
That's the substance. Now the style. Tolkien has more than one style. Many styles, in fact; but everything he wrote falls on one side or the other of a clear divide. Duality is built into the structure of LotR, since it arises from The Hobbit, and the whole point of that book is the contrast between Bilbo with his late-Victorian attitudes, and the archaic world of heroic legend into which he is arbitrarily pitchforked. The contrast, originally comic in intent, is maintained throughout the longer work; in fact, from one perspective it is the main point. What we see through the eyes of any hobbit is filtered through a modern sensibility resembling our own. When the impersonal narrator takes over, we suddenly see events at a vast distance, and the style takes on a quality for which “elevated” is as good a name as any.
What is different about the elevated style? An offhand answer would be that Tolkien adopts an archaic vocabulary. But he very rarely does this. None of the words in our sentence is unfamiliar to a native speaker. (Though “bitter” is presumably intended to mean “sharp,” which is not a sense assigned to it in dictionaries.) The real difference is that verbiage that would strike us as “modern” is purged. In the next chapter, when our point of view switches to that of a hobbit, we are told that “To Merry the ascent seemed agelong, a meaningless journey in a hateful dream.” The narrator, speaking as if from the pages of an ancient chronicle, would not use the modernism “meaningless.”
The real hallmark of Tolkien's elevated style is that he feels free to deviates from the standardized word order of contemporary prose (as he points out in Letters 171: “[I]f mod[ern] E[nglish] has lost the trick of putting a word desired to emphasize (for pictorial, emotional or logical reasons) into prominent first place, … so much the worse for it.”
In our sentence, Tolkien makes free use of the license he has granted himself. Modern convention requires that the noun that is the subject of a phrase come before the verb: Not “More skilled was their knighthood” but “Their knighthood was more skilled.” And adjectives that modify a noun without the intervention of a verb – what grammarians call “attributive” adjectives³ – normally precede the noun. Thus the contemporary rule would dictate “long bitter spears” rather than “long spears and bitter.” Putting the two together, “their knighthood was more skilled with long bitter spears.”
By deviating from modern practice, Tolkien reinforces the sense of great historical distance described above. But his main reason for framing the sentence as he does is its rhythm. “More SKILLED was theiKNIGHThood with/LONG spears and/BITter” scans as verse according to traditional metrical analysis. A “foot” made up of an accented syllable followed by two that are unaccented is called a “dactyl.”⁴ It was a commonplace of classical poetic analysis that dactylic rhythm was especially appropriate to evoke the rhythm of – horses galloping! Which is why Tolkien manipulates his word order to produce dactyls. (There is another instance of this in the previous paragraph: “his knights came about him, and Dernhelm was with them.” Also there the repeated “m” sound evokes the drumming of hooves on the earth.)
1, If you do not already know it, the blog at this link, run by a professional military historian, should convince you of this:
https://acoup.blog/2020/06/19/collections-the-battle-of-helms-deep-part-viii-the-mind-of-saruman/)

1. Which leads me to wonder – I believe that before the cavalry arm became obsolete near the end of the 19^th century, sabers had generally displaced lances, in spite of the reach advantage of the longer weapon. If so, why? Somebody here knows the answer.
   
2. “Skilled,” in the preceding phrase, is an example of a “predicative” adjective: "They were skilled."
   
3. From the word for “finger,” because the first bone of a finger is longer than the other two.
   

I think I'm prone to making "musical mood boards" in my head, in the sense that I listen to a lot of instrumental music, and I'll often think of a scene, person, character, scenario, etc., for which a certain piece would make a perfect score. It's like fan-casting an OST. This happens especially prevalently with wangxian (because brainrot obviously), and I just wanted to share a few pieces of music here that I LOVE and can't stop thinking about and want to share.
"The Legend of Ashitaka" by Joe Hisaishi (this specific performance especially): Would make SUCH a good Yiling Laozu theme. I get chills every time I listen to it. It's so eerie, ominous, reverant, frightening, overwhelming and otherworldly, it truly makes you feel like you're in the presence of something immensely uncanny and powerful, like a god. And the main melody in itself, the "Prince Ashitaka" motif in itself, feels like it could make a fitting leitmotif for WWX in general. That simple little melody feels light and majestic but also wistful, troubled and like it holds a story, which all fits my image of WWX.
"Memory" also by Joe Hisaishi: I know we already have official renditions of it in the fandom, but in my head, this piece is a perfect representation of the song Wangxian/Wuji. It works as a duet, and I wish I could actually hear what it would sound like with a flute playing the main melody rather than the cello lol. It's a little sad, mournful, pained, but at the same time also conveys so much hope for the future, and contentment and love and acceptance. It's so wistfully beautiful that you can't help but feel touched by it.
Bonus: "The Frozen World" by Emilie Simon. (Not an instrumental, but I'll slip it in here bc it's the only non-instrumental song I've got on my "moodboard"): A perfect representation of LWJ, or Wangxians relationship, as they develop. LWJ's icy exterior being melted by this sun that entered his life, and what's hidden underneath is a sea of emotion that's stronger than anyone anticipated. I love it. It even feels cathartic just to listen to it. You can feel/hear the exact moment the ice breaks and the current comes to life and water rushes forward.
I honestly get so excited about this stuff, I'd love to hear it if anyone else has instrumentals which they think could fit into the MDZS narrative somewhere, whether it's for a certain scene, character, relationship, or anything like this. Getting others' suggestions on this feels like seeing different painters' artistic interpretation of the same subject, and that's always so interesting. It's like experiencing the story and its characters all over again, every time. Hit me!!

it's a silly episode, as many RTD season openers and early season episodes are - but its greater theme of "abandoned children fighting fantasy come to life" is a gorgeous piece of narrative awareness that foreshadows the coming season (The Doctor and Ruby - abandoned children - fighting the unreal become real)

Coming off of Grand Masters, this season started off a little slowly—but by the end, we got some real standout Lego models!
This list is not necessarily formed around how well the builds fulfilled a challenge or met its criteria (although sometimes these factors did come into play), but rather more around how much I liked the builds purely as showcases of creativity, artistry, and skill.
So, here are my 10 favorite builds from AU Season 6, in order from least to most favorite:
#10 – Dianne & Shane's "Yellow Fishing Giraffe" (Ep. 11): While the character was a little blocky, I really liked its bold yet kooky presence, and I am appreciative of Dianne & Shane fully embracing their given color.
#9 – Dianne & Shane's "Final Frontier" (Ep. 12): Despite the notable flaws in execution, the concept and story of this piece are totally awesome and rather epic. If they had managed to achieve a higher aesthetic and technical standard here, this entry would have been a winner.
#8 – Peter & Ida's "Iron Neck" (Ep. 8): I quite enjoyed this work on a conceptual level: they were the only team to offer a full, life-size interpretation of their sport, and I applaud that unique, humorous point of view.
#7 – Ben & Eric's "Jet Pack Hockey" (Ep. 8): A fully fleshed-out diorama, boasting a specific, cohesive style and loads of action and detail. I love the bright, futuristic look and the complete narrative illustration of the sport.
#6 – Felix & Annalena's "Dragon and Castle" (Ep. 1): The idea is conventional, but the rendering is immaculate. Felix & Annalena would go on to repeat this large-creature-in-a-smaller-world structure a few times, but I think this first instance was overall their most refined and coherent.
#5 – Peter & Ida's "Cupcakes & Stand" (Ep. 4): Exquisitely replicated cupcakes! I most admire the clever solution they came up with to mimic the paper wrappings.
#4 – Peter & Ida's "Reaching for the Stars" (Ep. 1): Such a cute, creative story! The penguin and rocket are strong focal elements, and the surrounding wave and smoke are very well constructed and composed to help elevate the whole scene.
#3 – Felix & Annalena's "Suitcase & Wool" (Ep. 4): Their chosen objects had a lot of intricate components, but the Lego copies captured all of them extremely well. In particular, the suitcases are perfectly rendered, and the knitted yarn showcased some inspired technique.
#2 – Dianne & Shane's "The Joker" (Ep. 10): A spot-on encapsulation of their assigned villain, and a super compelling vehicle. In a season that did not feature much motion or mechanisms, this lively chattering-teeth design stood out as the best example of such.
And my #1 build...
#1 – Krystle & Michelle's "Artist Studio" (Ep. 12): I am still a little shocked by how incredible this piece turned out...never could I have imagined a mere brick wall could be so effective! And even though most of the individual elements were straightforward, they all came together with such synergy to present the most beautifully inviting and engrossing space—all accomplished, not to mention, at remarkable scale. Pure magic, indeed!
Honourable mentions:

• Krystle & Michelle's "Retro Movie Night (Living Room)" (Ep. 9)
• Krystle & Michelle's "Harley Quinn" (Ep. 10)
• Dianne & Shane's "The Wizard of Oz + Action" (Ep. 3)
• Felix & Annalena's "Blue Lizard" (Ep. 11)

Tell me your favourites from Australia vs. the World! 🇦🇺🇺🇸🇩🇪🇩🇰🇫🇷

TLDR; I was not very lucky with finding hand cannons or ?Acq, but the only time I was in any mortal danger was when I entered Tomb:3 and Mennas was there.
Edit: no idea where the link to the morgue is that I added so here it is: https://crawl.xtahua.com/crawl/morgue/Turgomorgue-Turgor-20240522-171300.txt
Ever since Coglins got added I knew I had to get a 15 rune win with a dual handcannon wielding Merry Goblin. I failed because only a single hand cannon generated during this game. Luckily it was the Mule. And perhaps even more luckily: with a hand cannon and a sling you can wear chain mail and still get the attack delay to go below 10 AUT. But I am getting ahead of myself.
In the early game I got shafted 3 levels on D3 and was already thinking about if my next character would be a Coglin again or if I should play something else. But the trek back up was relatively easy and on D4 I found Hepliaklqana. A ring mail with rElec and rPois on D6 gave me the resistances I would need for Lair and the S branches. After that the entire middle game was smooth sailing. The only thing missing was a hand cannon or 2 but I was sure I would find one, either lying around or from a scroll of acquirement I was sure to find at some point (Narrator: he didn't find any scrolls of acquirement).
Spider and Swamp are definitely possible to do with only slings, but it can get a bit tedious. I got into the habbit of breaking of engagements early and making sure my ancestor, who I made into a hexer, always had full HP before I continued exploring. At lvl 14 I chose a gizmo with regenHP+ and regenMP+ and also rF+ and Will+. I can't even remember the other choices but the gizmo with regen is the one I usually gravitate to.
After clearing Lair, Spider, Swamp, Orc, D:15 and V:4 I was surprised at still being alive and not having a single hand cannon or ?Acq. I decided to see if Elf:3 had either while starting to train translocations to give me more escape options. After carefully clearing Elf I finally saw a handcannon among the loot and was chuffed it turned out to be the Mule. Backblast is extremely usefull for ranged characters. Much later I would get into the habit of precasting Passage of Golubria when I noticed high threats and positioning myself so that the backblast would push me into the portal. Anyway, with my first hand cannon found and a stack of scrolls of weapon enchantment, surely I would find a second one sooner or later (Narrator: He didn't find any more hand cannons).
The Depths were pretty easy. Nikola, Sojobo and Mara were felled as if they were simply high HP popcorn and I was getting pretty confident. Then i found a treasure trove asking for 7 scrolls of fog. I had just read the post by someone getting a treasure trove filled with hand cannons as a coglin so I was pretty excited. It was the worst treasure trove I ever entered and I don't think I used anything I found in there.
For my 3rd rune I entered the Abyss. I thought I had a nice easy rune on Abyss:3 but reading the morgue I realize I actually went to Abyss:5 before I found it. I decided to clear down to Zot:4 next and took the dragonskin cloak off Tiamat's corpse. Slime was next. The Royal Jelly got killed by a confused Azure Jelly while I was reading a scroll of immolation and the resulting explosions cleared most of the spawned jellies but also my ancestor. Vaults:5 was a bit harder to clear but by that time I had great evocation skills (something like 13) and the condenser vane. Also the phantom mirror works great with the hexer ancestor from Hep. Just wait till it hastes itself, then idealize it and use the phantom mirror. Huge DPA and more chances for (mass) confusion or sleep.
Now we get to the point where I feel the game really begins. Any character I get this far I cannot just win, I have to go for 15 runes. Good thing this was my intention all along. Pan was pretty easy. My ancestor was using antimagic quickblades by now and it made fighting pan lords a lot easier. I had to reset the fight with Lom Lobon a few times due to him healing himself and I tried to avoid Cerebov entirely but ended up killing him on some random Pan level. I started training shapeshifting in Pan and before I was done with all 5 runes I could use death form. I used that for most of the rest of the game.
Hell was a pita and I ended up working off severe stat drain in pan and the abyss twice. I was getting close to 20 skill in evo, partly due to the +3 apt but also because i bought a manual of evo in Orc boosting it to +7 apt, so the horn of Geryon was useable. I only ever summoned 1 hostile beast. I had a lot more trouble dealing with titzimitls, iron giants and shard and caustic shrikes than with any of the lords of Hell.
Finally it was time for Tomb. Tomb:1 and Tomb:2 were pretty standard. I read ?tele untill I got to the correct part to go down to Tomb:3 and started blasting. The Mennas appeared. I had a spectator at the time and they remarked that the silence they casted came at the perfect time, jsut as my ancestor was about to die. She died and I could not cast any spells or read scrolls to get out of a situation that was rapidly getting worse:

106533 Tomb:3 HP: 9/217 [mummy priest/divine providence (14)] 

At that point I was working my way to a dispersal trap, being chased by Mennas and an army of Tomb dwellers. I was lucky enough that the resulting teleports placed me at the edge of the silence and I could get out, cast Passage of Golubria and take the portal to the treasure room with the figurine of a zig in it. I used it and entered the Ziggurat and was safe after killing a single caustic shrike.
After a few zig levels I decided it was time to finally finish this game and I portalled around Tomb until every enemy was gone. I found the sanguine gem while I was doing this, completely to my surprise as I am not a very fast player, either turnwise or realtime.
Zot:5 was once again a piece of cake compared to Tomb or the Hells with the help of Tirgar my ancestor and plenty passages of Golubria. The way back up to the surface was uneventful.

Description: The painting “Trust The Science ?” is an anonymous interpretation of the events, powers, and figures that make up the current reality humanity is facing. The following is a detailed description of the painting and all its symbolism. This is a one of its kind piece of art giving the owner an opportunity to own a piece of history. Checkered Floor The Masonic Checkerboard is one of the most important symbols for it is used in ritualistic ceremonies. This is used because black and white is a symbol for duality, or the base of consciousness. Base consciousness is important, because it is where all other states of mind arise. Lament Configuration From the original story the Lament Configuration, symbolizes the gate to hell. To whomever opens it, is promised unearthly pleasures which may differ from person to person. In the original story Pinhead says “Angels to some. Demons to others.” Epstein Island Temple The famed blue and white striped temple located on Epstein Island has become all too popular with the emergence of the criminal cases of Jeffery Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. The temple is said to be modeled after Hammam Yalbugha which was a public bath house built in 1491 where people could get massages. Jeffery Epstein used massages to invite underage girls into his mansion. The Epstein / Maxwell tandem also used their influence to gain control of prominent, powerful people in science and politics. Trump Hotel Including the Trump Hotel in this painting was meant to symbolize the duality that is presented to society in politics. Red vs. Blue. Good vs. Evil. Divide and conquer. Donald Trump’s presidency from 2016-2020 was sold to the American people as the opportunity to drain the swamp of a corrupt leadership and political class and bring about prosperity for the USA. Instead the world is heading in the direction of a continued push for a world without borders, globalism and top down commufascism. Trump was likely working for the same shadow government he was pretending to eliminate which was a form of Kayfabe. Either that or the people he was up against were too powerful. Egyptian Pyramids The Egyptian pyramids are one of the greatest mysteries of mankind and symbolize hidden knowledge that is either intentionally kept classified from the public or still unknown. The structures do however certainly contain the principles of complex geometry which can be worked out when you analyze the dimensions. Whoever built them clearly wanted to be sure that humans discovered these concepts and when you understand that then they become extremely logical structures. In order for a species to be intelligent it is fundamental that the species is aware and able to demonstrate mathematical principles across a wide range of complicated concepts. Pizzagate Comet Pizza is a pizza place owned by James Alefantis, who is the former gay boyfriend of David Brock, the CEO of Correct The Record. It has been the venue for dozens of events for the Hillary campaign staff. John Podesta has had fundraisers there for both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. John's brother and business partner Tony Podesta has his birthday party there every year. Pizzagate was the claim that the DNC connected elites and trafficked children using code language in WikiLeaks emails. 2 CNN producers directly linked in the emails years ago have recently been charged demonstrating the conspiracy theories were never wrong. SARS-COV-2 The virus is symbolic of the lengths that the ruling elites will go to control and manipulate society while keeping power for themselves at the expense of the general population. The irony of Dr. Fauci announcing that there will be a ‘surprise’ outbreak in the area of infectious diseases for the upcoming administration when speaking prior to Trump’s presidency is a great place to start for any investigator of truth. The Covid-19 ‘pandemic’ has radically transformed society and continues to shape the future of the human experience and its evolution into a transhuman species with the rise of AI and robotics. Saturn Saturn = Chronus = Jehovah = Satan On the north side of Saturn is a storm in the shape of a hexagon. The star of Rempham is two interlocking triangles with a hexagon in the middle. One triangle points up. The other points down. These represent divine feminism and divine masculine as well as "as above, so below". The hexagon in 3 dimensional form makes a cube. The cube is the object of worship and also ties back into the aforementioned cube in the center of the painting. They make it a black cube. It's called a tetragrammaton. It's on a phallactory Jews wear on their head. It's in the United Nations meditation room. It's walked around Mecca. Before there was light, there was darkness. It’s possible that there’s some sort of esoteric knowledge relating to Saturn that’s passed down through secret societies, and that it could represent a brand of Satanism that is really just an understanding of the science behind religion, our higher self, inter-dimensional exploration and other knowledge that would give a group of people the upper hand on everyone else. That’s why the knowledge is safeguarded in secret societies and the like. Mask The classic light blue mask made famous by the ongoing Covid-19 ‘pandemic’. A symbol of obedience and a tool to continue the illusion of the narrative. Formally, the forced mask was used by slavers and slave masters across the continents to prevent enslaved people from eating readily available agricultural products (sugar cane, beans, fruits, or vegetables) while working on the plantations. However the primary function of forced masking was to implement strong senses of speechlessness and fear, inasmuch as the mouth was at the same time a place of muteness and a place of torture. Slave masters’ forced masking was effective at cutting communication between enslaved people. Masking proved to make slaves feel less like humans and more like cattle because covering faces will prevent sharing emotions and thus stagnate or prevent the development of relationships. It has been documented that many slaves in the ancient Arab world were forcibly masked for their entire lives (aside from meal times) starting during their early childhood. Apply that information to modern times as you see fit. PfizeAmerican Flags Big Pharma is the #1 Lobby in the USA and outspends Big Oil by more than 2:1. We do not live in a capitalist nation anymore, we live in a corporate-government cartel where the government uses a carrot & stick model to both subsidize companies and threaten them with fines/legal action, in return - those companies act as a quasi-government cartel that act in lockstep in order to take away your rights under the guise of private companies taking action, when in reality they are married to the government. The current ‘pandemic’ highlights this strategic criminal conspiracy and thus was symbolized by the American flag flying next to a flag with the logo of Pfizer; a company that was fined $2.3 billion for illegal marketing. The largest fine in corporate history right before the ‘pandemic’. TRUST THE SCIENCE “Trust the science” is just one of the examples of modern propaganda being used to carry out the ‘pandemic’ agenda. The ruling class uses short phrases like this to convey a very simple message that is easy for the unquestioning public to understand. It is code for “don’t question authority” and has nothing to do with actual science. It's entirely faith based as this "science" is the new religion. Which is ironic since the entire point of science is to debunk faith based stuff and give answers to reality. They've just replaced the pope/whatever with Fauci. To quote Dr. Robert Malone: “This is the most intrinsically anti-science global organization ever implemented in the history of modern man. The closest historical approximation to this monstrosity is the Catholic Church during the Spanish inquisition. When this history of this ‘pandemic’ is written, the combined effect of the Trusted News Initiative and autocratic national and international public health leaders will be documented as being responsible for massive excess human suffering and loss of life due to suppression of the discussion and dissent which is critical for the modern scientific process to accurately discern evolving truth and inform effective public policy decisions. This must stop, before yet more avoidable, unnecessary suffering and loss of life accrues.” QR Code Blood Under the guise of health the ruling class is using propaganda to gain the consent of the public for top down surveillance capitalism where human data is the new oil. The end goal is a cashless society so every purchase is tracked and recorded. All in the name of safety and security through the use of vaccines and digital vaccine passports utilizing QR code technology to further gain complete control of humanity. Full Spectrum Dominance as they say.They have used the current 'free' market of crypto to allow the young people to buy in, to get a little bit of money and once most have profited on this new paradigm of currency they will slowly roll it all into the Central Bank Digital Currency Systems. What was offered as the ticket to freedom and the end of central banks will quite literally be the exact opposite. Much like all the original claims made by crypto they are patently false. Then you will have new smart cities where everything you do will be traced, your ID passport will not only work as your bank account ledger but your ability to access stores and other amenities. Vaccines It is clear in the messaging that the vaccine was never to be denied. The sales pitch to vaccinate the entire global population so that society could get back to normal was nothing more than a bait and switch. Dangling freedom in front of people for compliance only to be met with the same conditions as prior. Humanity is now undergoing a large-scale experiment where MRNA technology is being tested giving the ruling class the opportunity to play god and open the doors for future DNA altering experiments. UFOs From Area 51 to project bluebeam aliens and UFOs have always been an object of fascination. Including them over the pyramids also represents a popular theory that aliens might have played a part in the building of the Egyptian pyramids. Project BlueBeam is the theory that a one world government will be assembled around a false flag alien invasion which will actually be carried out by the government, who have fleets of reverse engineered craft at their disposal. It's actually pretty plausible and it's been predictive programmed in quite a few blockbuster movies. This could be the next stage after the ‘pandemic’ agenda has run its course. Ace of Hearts The Ace of Hearts represents the House of true heart. It means the happiness and prosperity of people living in this house. This card often stands for a breakthrough in feelings, declaration of love or a wedding. For a married person, Ace of hearts is an omen of abundance in the house and happy family life. This artist chose to include this card to represent the destruction of what this card represents, the home, the family unit, love and prosperity for humanity as humans are being objectified for their data rather than growing as free-spirited people. Facebook/Twitter Facebook and Twitter were online platforms that were initially created as a place for discourse and to bring humanity together. As these platforms grew in size, they also grew in power and influence. They have the ability to propagate narratives that fit their objectives and goals. They can now remove people from their platforms that go against their narrative and promote those that share similar views. They have been captured. These corporations are no longer working as businesses looking to turn a profit. They are actively working with each other, and other nefarious actors to disrupt and destroy western civilization. This is WW3. It isn’t being fought between nations, but rather between we the people and these quasi-national entities. Nuclear weaponry was used to fuel fear in the past. Now information is being used in the same manner. Sickle Fuaci = Sickle. Fauci is an Italian surname and is derived from the Sicilian word for "sickle. What tools are used in a Harvest? A sickle.Who uses a sickle? A Reaper of harvest. Being aware allows us to realize there are zero coincidences here. What group does he harvest? Those that were blinded by their fears. Those that hide behind their masks and project their fear upon others rather than looking inside themselves. Some call them NPCs, drones or AI consciousness. Much like dark ego shadow selves. This is very much a spiritual realm and it’s purging itself of it’s shadows. Covid is much like a program. Shadows Evaporate! Dr. Fauci The artist of this painting recommends reading the book titled “The Real Anthony Fauci” for a complete overview. However, Fauci is the highlight of this painting as he is the literal face of the ‘pandemic’ serving up the agenda of those above him while pretending to follow science. Fauci re-legalized the gain of function research for viruses (which should be a crime against humanity, it opens the door for biological warfare) after funding the Wuhan laboratory. They even ran the evidence on the corporate news stations and as far as is known there was no major push for him to resign. The modern Dr. Mengele is still sitting pretty in his ivory tower, ferret-face and all, while humanity has to deal with the hell he helped create. Octopus Tentacle The tentacle coming out of Fauci’s ear is representative of the Octopus Syndicate. The tentacles that touch every industry in the world. Just from Klaus we have a fabricated global warming agenda led by Al Gore, a child trafficking operation protected by a honey pot scheme conducted by the Epstein/Maxwell daughters, and the agenda 201/2030 plans being pushed by his business with Bill Gates and IMF/Bilderberg leaders that they own. “With George Sorros playing the boogie man defense by funding all sides of race, gender and sexism - MeToo, Antifa, BLM, gay trans push -- all funded by one source. And the Waltons/Koch playing offense by enslaving hundreds of millions, destroying the job market, keeping everyone as wage slaves, fighting each other over scrapes -- keeping them uneducated and malnourished.. And the Sackler family getting everyone addicted and sick from drugs. Killing more people from their cartel of pills and SRRIs. Ladies and Gentlemen, The Octopus Syndicate. Everything wrong that's going on.” All Seeing Eye The Eye Providence or the “all seeing eye of providence” is a symbol that depicts an eye surrounded by a triangle representing the eye that looks over humanity. It's completely a Masonic symbol. Benjamin Franklin was a Mason and worked with the artist who designed the Great Seal. The "Eye of Providence" is an iteration of the "Blazing Star".The original concept was an eye within a 5 pointed star, but was adapted to the Radiant Triangle.The oldest version of the Radiant Eye dates back to the seal of Scottish Mason Sir Robert Moray.The Eye itself has its origins in Egyptian symbolism. Right eye was a symbol of Sun god Osiris, which is why the three in one capstone is radiant. Matrix " You have to understand, most of these people are not ready to be unplugged. Many of them are so hopelessly dependent on the system they will fight to protect it" -Morpheus The matrix background of the painting is in reference to the Matrix movies. There's stages to the awakening out of the matrix. Step one: learn everything is a lie, feel a compulsion to tell the world and the people closest to you. Realize they want to hear none of it. Watch most turn into agent smiths when confronted with such information. Step two: Think that you can change the system if you go to enough rallies or meet enough people, post enough information, and present the evidence. Step three: After going down enough rabbit holes you realize this is a metaphysical game. That the game masters know this and have grafted the system to make sure you stay in it. Step four: Study yourself, study the ancient texts, try to understand the matrix, focus on yourself, stop caring about literally anyone else on your path up the mountain and out of the Matrix. World Economic Forum The Great Reset is the World Economic Forum’s proposal for post-Covid economic recovery. The initiative calls for an equitable and sustainable rebuild. Capitalism as we know is hitting a wall. In 2019 prior to the Covid-19 ‘pandemic’ the repo-markets collapsed in the USA. All asset classes are in massive bubbles, interest rates are at 0, unemployment is very high everywhere. The ruling class is trying to save themselves. They want to remain at the top of this predatory capitalism system where the mass is exploited and those at the top live off interests on their investments, and covid and the great reset is the idea they came up with. 

The Sin
By JWT and Paublo Hildago
Narrator: Hearken, for the ensuing words shall be spoken in the common tongue of our present age, so that those partaking in the art of creative penmanship may comprehend and grasp their essence. I am aware, I am aware, such a choice may be deemed historically incongruous. Yet, it is to be known that Stanley Kubrick, the esteemed master of his craft, did not grace the presence of JWT nor Paublo Hildago with his inspired counsel.
Scene 1
Hear ye, I beseech thee, let us partake in the reading of the psalms together.
All: [In Unison] Amen.
Preacher: Verse of the Day: Psalms 128:1-2. Blessed are all who hold reverence for the Lord, and who tread the path of obedience unto Him. The fruits of thy toil shall nourish thee; blessings and prosperity shall be bestowed upon thee.
All: [In Unison] Amen.
Preacher: [With great anger] AND NOW, WE SHALL CAST OUTTTTTTTT THE UNFAITHFUL! LET FIRE AND SUFFERING DESCEND UPON THEM!
All: [Screams out of pure horror]
All: [In Unison] He who holds the entire creation within His grasp!Preacher: Oh God! Put an end to the unfaithful! I implore thee! Bring it to an end!
All: [In Unison] AAAAAAAMMMMMMMMEEEEEENNNNN
Scene 2:
Narrator: And lo, we find ourselves amidst the idyllic vista of a modest hamlet nestled within the verdant embrace of the southern woodlands of the Holy Roman Empire. In this place, the flames of righteous retribution engulfed the transgressors, casting their sins into the public square. 'Twas a realm that stifled liberty, shackling the boundless spirit of creation, and, above all, held no discourse on matters of Neurodiversity and Mental Health. Those who harbored hidden affections for their own gender endured the harshest torments life could offer within these walls. Should a child be plagued with a speech impediment or sway in rhythmic motion, they were branded as otherworldly intruders and left to their fate, forsaken within the depths of the woodland. And now, it is time to acquaint thee with the progeny of the village's esteemed landlord, residing within a towering fortress, the grandest of all edifices that pierce the heavens.
Landlord: My son, thou hast reached the tender age of seven. I am hereby casting thee out.
Alaric: What? Why?
Landlord: 'Tis the law and decree that children must depart upon their seventh year.
Alaric: But I am not yet of an age!
Landlord: Cease thy impudent words, thou sinful offspring! Now begone! Immediately!
Alaric: [Retreats to his chamber, concealing his cherished doll.]
Alaric: It seems I am destined to wander the streets alone. I must conceal my affection for cuddling dolls, for it is deemed a sinful act for boys. Oh, what a wretched existence I lead! The cacophony within the cathedral overwhelms my senses, and I am subjected to the lashings of stern fathers throughout the day.
Servant: [Bursts into Alaric's chamber.]
Alaric: [Swiftly hides his beloved doll.]
Servant: Son of the saint, art thou well?
Alaric: Uh, yes. Yea, indeed I am. I merely did not anticipate thy sudden arrival.
Servant: I shall announce my presence henceforth. Know that the saint wishes thee gone ere The Swan feast arrives. Make haste, for an angered saint bodes ill fortune.
Alaric: Yes, yes, I shall hasten. Verily.
Alaric: [Mumbles to himself regarding the hiding place for his doll.]
Servant: What dost thou speak?
Alaric: Naught, naught, 'tis nothing.
Landlord: [From the distant hall] Where art thou? I hunger!Servant: I must make haste myself. Farewell for now. [Closes the massive medieval door behind her.]
Alaric: Oh, where shall I conceal thee? Ah, here. [Wraps the doll in a cloth.]
Landlord: [enters the chamber] The Swans hath arrived! Art thou prepared?
Alaric: Aye, verily! [Flees from the castle, venturing into the bustling streets, clasping the doll swathed in cloth]
Scene 3:
Alaric: [Whispering to himself] Fear not, my dearest companion. We shall find solace amidst this chaos, away from the prying eyes and judgmental gazes. We shall create our own haven, a sanctuary where we can be free to be ourselves.
[Alaric scours the streets for a suitable location, his heart pounding with anticipation. He stumbles upon a secluded alleyway, hidden from the sight of the townsfolk.]
Alaric: Ah, this shall serve as our humble abode, my friend. [He sets down the cloth-wrapped doll gently.] Now, let us begin.
[With fervor and determination, Alaric collects discarded straws, twigs, and bits of fabric, meticulously arranging them to form the walls of his makeshift home. He weaves the straws together, intertwining them with delicate precision, creating a sturdy structure.]
Alaric: Each straw represents a fragment of my spirit, a piece of my longing for acceptance. Together, they shall form a fortress that shields us from the world's cruelty.
[As he continues his work, Alaric's hands move with a sense of purpose, his eyes gleaming with a newfound hope. The sound of laughter and merriment from the nearby festivities fills the air, but he remains focused on his task.]
Alaric: There, the walls are complete. Now, a roof to protect us from the elements.
[He constructs a roof using more straws, carefully interlocking them to form a sheltering canopy.]
Alaric: With this roof, my cherished companion, we shall be shielded from the rain and the storm. No longer shall we fear the wrath of the heavens or the disdain of those who refuse to understand.
[Alaric steps back, admiring his creation. His eyes glisten with a mixture of pride and vulnerability.]Alaric: Our humble dwelling may be made of straws, but it is a testament to our resilience, our determination to find solace in a world that rejects us. Here, within these fragile walls, we shall find refuge and embrace our true selves.
[As night falls and the moon casts its gentle glow upon the streets, Alaric carefully retrieves his cherished doll from the cloth.]
Alaric: Come, my dearest friend, let us rest. We have built our sanctuary, and now we shall find peace within its embrace.
[Alaric settles down in his straw home, cradling the doll in his arms. The weight of the world lifts from his shoulders as he drifts into a serene slumber, surrounded by the embodiment of his dreams.]
Alaric: [Whispering softly] Goodnight, my cherished one. In this haven of our own making, we are free.
[The scene fades away, leaving Alaric and his beloved doll, protected within the fragile walls of their sanctuary, as the world continues its oblivious march outside.]
Scene 4:
Hear ye, hear ye! The sun ascendeth, casting its golden rays upon the slumbering village. Alaric awakeneth from his peaceful slumber, his heart brimming with eagerness for the day ahead. Little doth he know that fate hath a cruel twist in store for him.
Alaric: [Stretching and yawning] Ah, what a glorious morn it is! Today shall be a day of mirth and revelry. Perchance I shall encounter kindred spirits who comprehend the beauty of acceptance. [As Alaric emergest from his humble straw abode, he is greeted by a sight that filleth him with wonder. The streets are bedecked with colorful banners and streamers, and the air is abuzz with the lively melodies of minstrels tuning their instruments. 'Tis a masquerade, the grandest event the village hath witnessed in years.] Alaric: A masquerade? How splendid! I must partake in the merriment and lose myself in the enchantment of masks and garbs. 'Tis the perfect occasion to forsake hardships and embrace the felicity that life can bestow.
[Alaric maketh his way through the bustling streets, his eyes wide with excitement. He beholdeth people of all ages, clad in elaborate attire and adorned with masks that veil their true visages. Laughter and mirth fill the air as they dance and twirl with elegance and abandon.] Alaric: [Smiling] 'Tis truly a magical spectacle. It warms my heart to witness such unbridled joy. I shall immerse myself in the festivities and let the music sweep me away.
[Alaric joineth the whirling dance, his movements fluid and graceful. He loseth himself in the rhythm, his worries and fears melting away with each step. The masked revelers welcometh him, their countenances concealed behind masks, creating an aura of mystery and liberation.] Alaric: [Laughing] Oh, how liberating it feeleth to dance without judgment, to be a part of this masquerade wherein true identities are hidden. Here, I am free to be myself, to revel in the happiness that hath eluded me for so long.
[The hours passeth like minutes, and Alaric danceth with newfound companions, his spirits soaring higher with every twirl. But as the night groweth darker, the atmosphere starteth to change. The revelers, fueled by drink and the anonymity of their masks, becometh rowdy and heedless.] Alaric: [Concerned] What doth transpire? The joyous revelry hath taken an unsettling turn. Have they forgotten the essence of this masquerade, the spirit of acceptance and camaraderie?
[Alaric attempteth to distance himself from the agitated crowd, but his efforts are in vain. A group of drunken revelers, their masks twisted into sinister grins, spot him.] Drunk Reveler 1: Behold this oddity! A lad dancing alone? Let us bestow upon him a taste of our revelry! Drunk Reveler 2: Aye! Teach him a lesson about true merriment![The group encircleth Alaric, their laughter turning into jeers and taunts. They commenceth pushing and shoving him, their blows landing with cruel force.] Alaric: [Crying out in pain] Cease! I beseech thee, I mean no harm! I am here but to celebrate and find solace!
[But his pleas fall upon deaf ears. The revelers continueth their assault, their masks now embodying the malice concealed within.] Alaric: [Bruised and battered, struggling to speak] Why... why is there so much suffering in this realm? Why can we not embrace one another, regardless of our differences? Life is an unyielding cycle of anguish and woe... an endless struggle.
[With each word, Alaric's voice groweth weaker, his spirit crushed by the harsh reality that hath befallen him.] Alaric: [Whispering] Life... life is replete with suffering... and... and I am naught but a vessel to bear its weight.
[As Alaric lieth upon the ground, his body bruised and broken, the revelers scatter, leaving him alone in the darkness. The masquerade persisteth, oblivious to the suffering it hath caused.] Narrator: And so, in the aftermath of the masquerade, Alaric findeth himself once more confronted by the harshness of reality. The sanctuary he had built with hope and resilience lieth in ruins, shattered by the cruelty of fate. As he lieth there, battered and bruised, his soliloquy reverberateth through the empty night, a poignant reminder ofthe struggles that accompanyeth the human experience.
[The scene fadeth to black, leaving Alaric alone, his body curled up in pain, his spirit grappling with the profound truths he hath come to understand.]
Scene 5 Bread Hallucinations
Alaric: Hey! I need a living
Breadman: Oh yeah scram peasant
Alaric: No! I need it please! You will commit a sin if you do not have me
Breadman: [Thinks for a moment] Ok, I will do it
Alaric: God bless you!
Breadman: You will sleep in the back of my hut.
Alaric: Ok thanks
Breadman: You can open your bag now.
Alaric: [Stutters a lot] Oh not now, something important is in it.
Breadman: Ok a little weird but not complaining
The Townspeople: AHHHHHHHh! Cowgirl Dolls!
Breadman: You deserve a puck in the face little boy!
Alaric: NO! No sir!
Breadman: Yes [Punches him]
Napator: Oh poor Alaric! Oh poor Alaric!
Scene 6: The Catching of the sins
The Knights: It’s the knights! Open Up
Alaric: AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!
The Knights: Is that a doll?
Ordeal by fire
Ah he is not important anyway
I love cuddling with my cowgirl doll
END PLAY

I'll caveat all of this with the fact that I binged 2 straight seasons; so there's certainly a level of interest and addiction to the mystery of the show. So there's that. And, really, this is my being upset with myself for not having the discipline to just turn it off.
I'll also say that Josh Brolin, Imogen Poots, Will Patton, and Tamara Podemski did a phenomenal job bringing to life what is an extremely tired, predictable, frankestein'd amalgamation of a number of shows that have already been done. The (very) few truer "western" parts of the show are frankly what keep it remotely engaging.
Now onto what's really grinding my gears...and apologies in advance as a lot of this is not MECE, and overlaps a bit with itself.
1/ The plotline. Painfully unoriginal. Truly - this is just a "multiverse" spin on Yellowstone. With less connective tissue or relevance than say Interstellar. This is truly one of the cases where you really are better off reading the Wiki and avoiding hours of literally nothing happening, except a couple of great scenes with the aforementioned actors. 1 scene each should do it though -- it's going to be the same thing over and over again from each of them. The real problem here - is that we're strung through a ton of episodes and time just to show us how the world works. The longer you take to show us, the more convinced I am that you don't know what you're doing, writers, and you're just winging it as you go. The real plotline -- with August/Royal -- is actually OK (even though it's basically Interstellar), but it's just way too forgotten in showing us how "craaaazy" this world is.
2/ The narrative weaving and call-backs. Other than a single, highly teased twist in the first season that you slowly, slowly, slowly wait for across 8 hours, there is very little continuity in the show. Plot twists and new lines of plot are forced in with little-to-no interesting narrative, nor any explanation to it. Despite this, it's painfully obvious what's happening, yet they continue to tease it out. It's also wildly evident that the show creators thought there was no chance for a season 2, as evidenced by how little set-up there was for any future seasons.
3/ The build. There's no twist in Season 2. I must say -- I am ashamed I watched it. Painful, unoriginal, and absolutely no impact on the end vision.
4/ The "ore". What a cheap explanation with little to no boundaries. Again, semi-ripping off of another concept of "spice". They effectively constantly change its abilities/properties to fit whatever plot holes they need fixed. The writers are running out of good ideas and have to leave themselves massive gaping holes of plot tricks to later on decide to invent something and act like it's been there the whole time.
5/ The time travel convenience. I'll hold my breath on going in on this one until maybe there's some logical explanation as to why they travel to very convenient/specific time periods when they jump in the hole (maybe some greater force pulling the strings?). But as it stands now, it seems ridiculous that magically they all just happen to end up at the exact point that the plot needs them to be. Perry at pre-Trevor night; Perry at young Royal time; Royal at the future (maybe this was intentional, but everyone else's reactions did not seem it)...But wait! Now Joy gets to experience it and she goes to...a part of her family heritage? Oh, but no, wait -- there's Royal! There it is.
6/ The writing and cheap plot tricks. I've referenced this already in all the other pieces, but it warrants being said again. It's a terribly written show. And I mean truly, truly terrible. The dialogue is mediocre at its absolute peak, and lazy on average. So much of it is built in here to tease out "properties" and "functions" of this world and the time-traveling, but it's all just a little too convenient. The whole set-up is to show to us in Season 3 how multi-verses interact with each other. Just cut to the chase, and get on with the actual plotline.
Maybe a hole will pop up nearby any future viewers so they can jump in and just tell the writers that this should actually just be a movie, and actually think and condense the plot.
Where do you disagree?

05-22-2024 REVISION: Hey Everyone, I posted a truncated version of this the other day, but I kept ruminating and wanted to expand a little further, clear up some ideas, as well as address some of the feedback I initially got. I ended up basically rewriting the original post with enough new information I figured it would be worth it to delete the original, and share the idea again, but more succinctly. So if you already read some of this, I think I provide enough new information it is worth the re-read, but if not I apologize for wasting your time. And if you have not yet read it, please enjoy. Also, this is in no way a suggestion or insistence that you must consume Wicked, the 1939 film, or any Oz any related media as part of any kind of "canon" or connected continuity. How you consume media is entirely up to you.
\**Preamble:* A prequel is “a literary, dramatic or cinematic work whose story precedes that of a previous work, by focusing on events that occur before the original narrative”. It is just a word to describe the type of narrative Wicked and Oz the Great and Powerful are. Just like Journey Back to Oz and Return to Oz are “sequels” made by different production companies. It in no way connotes an “official” connection between legally distinct IPs. It is just a way to describe the function of the narrative.
...Also, I am not a copyright lawyer, I'm not any kind of lawyer, nor am I making an accusation that anyone or any entity is infringing on the copyright or trademark of any other entities. That being said…
So, I have a theory that Wicked -- both Maguire's novel (Wicked: the Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West), 1995) and more so the musical (Wicked, 2003 Universal Stage Productions) -- solely functions as a prequel to the 1939 MGM film the Wizard of Oz (now owned by WB), and not that film's public domain source novel the Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. Let me explain...
Maguire started writing Wicked in response to the Gulf War, presumably starting around 1990 through its publishing date in 1995. The 1939 film had a big boom in 1989 for its 50th Anniversary resulting in deluge of promotional material -- including an animated TV show adaptation by DIC, where Glinda was redesigned to look like Barbie -- complete with long blonde hair!
Maguire's clever use of Oz characters passed scrutiny during publication in 1995 because the Baum novel had long been in the public domain… as well as Ted Turner arranging to sell the MGM catalog to WB, circa 1997, making the timing ideal for Maguire's novel to skirt any copyright/trademark scrutiny for using elements from the non-public domain film.
We know what happened next, the book was a raging success and soon it was popular enough to be optioned by Universal and turned into a stage musical (produced after film & TV productions with Demi Moore and Salma Hayek separately attached failed to materialize). The musical opened first in San Francisco for try-outs and then Broadway in 2003. And writers Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman liberally peppered even more direct homages and winks to the 1939 film into leitmotifs and other elements of the book, score, and staging.
But, Wicked has TOO many elements from the 1939 film, and NOT ENOUGH from Baum's original book, to merit it being called a prequel to the book (this is also true of Disney’s 2013 admitted attempt to cash-in on Wicked’s success, Oz: the Great and Powerful – which is even more egregious than Wicked, and ironic, as its own title is directly lifted from the 1939 film misquote of the book’s moniker of “Oz the Great and Terrible”).
So now, let's look at some of key differences between the book the Wonderful Wizard of Oz (WWoOZ) and its film adaption from 1939, and how Wicked (and that Disney rip-off - though I don’t want to have to keep mentioning that movie so just assume most of what I say applies there too) reinterprets these events and characters:

• In the book WWoOz it is established that there are four cardinal witches in the land of Oz. Dorothy vanquishes two unrelated Wicked Witches in the East (WWotE) and West (WWotW) as well as encountering the benevolent unnamed good witch of the North at the start of her adventure and a separate good witch, Glinda of the South, who helps her home in the end. MGM condensed the good witches into one character “Glinda the Good Witch of the North” as well as adding a subplot turning the Wicked Witches into sisters (providing Margaret Hamilton’s Witch more direct motivation to pursue Judy Garland’s Dorothy via the Witch’s presumed right to collateral inheritance of her sister’s shoes). Both Maguire and Disney follow the 1939 film’s continuity regarding these relationships making the wicked witches siblings, and Glinda the sole “good witch” in opposition to them.
• WWotW as depicted in Baum’s novel bears little to no resemblance to the green-skinned Margaret Hamilton in the 1939 film, and subsequently Maguire’s Elphaba. Oz illustrator W. W. Denslow, whom Baum worked closely with when designing the characters, depicts the witch as a hunched old hag with three pigtails and an eyepatch, tall brimmed hat, ruffed collar, coat and skirt. While MGM’s design team, led by legendary costumer Adrian, initially tested several looks for WWotW (including a glamorous sequined look inspired by Disney’s Evil Queen in Snow White). MGM screenwriter, Herman Mankiewicz (who expanded the role of the wicked witch from book to screenplay, and wrote several key lines for her including, “I’ll get you my pretty!”) insisted "witches should be ugly!" leading to Gale Sondergard's replacement of Magaret Hamilton in the role. But the severe all-black silhouette cast by Hamilton's witch is nothing like the silly witch of Baum's text and Desnlow's art. And Susan Hilferty’s stage designs for Elphaba retain the 1939 film’s silhouette and dark color palette.
• Speaking of ugly witches... while green skinned characters, like folkloric swamp-hag Jenny Green-teeth, were not unheard of (even some promotional material for Disney's Snow White has their flesh-colored Hag looking a jaundiced yellow) it is widely acknowledged Margaret Hamilton’s Witch is the first in popular culture, and certainly on film, to be depicted with green skin. Likely, inspired by Universal's 1931 Frankenstein), promotional material for which depicted the Creature with sickly green skin, and chosen to accentuate the technicolor process, broadcasting the Witch's “wickedness” as well as helping Hamilton's frightening face and spider-like performance stand-out against her black costume, MGM producers chose green copper-based makeup for Hamilton's witch. The 1939 film's success in popular culture lead green-skinned witches to be accepted as "canon" in the public zeitgeist and now from Halloween make-up brands and Looney Tunes' Witch Hazel), the green skinned witch is mainstream. But as Professor Marion Gibson, associate professor of Renaissance and magical literatures at the University of Exeter and an expert in popular depictions of witches, explains, before 1939 "there are a few images of witches – for instance, on Halloween postcards – with odd coloured faces (usually red/orange, surprisingly) but MGM's green-faced witch is the first to make a key feature of a completely non-human skin colour." Needless to say this film element of green-skin became a major plot point of Maguire's Wicked.
• Another difference in Baum’s WWotW is that she only had one eye, but that it "was as powerful as a telescope", and this is how she spies on her enemies. MGM was again inspired by Snow White's Queen, and popular imagery of fortune tellers, giving Hamilton’s Witch the ability to scry in a large crystal ball, which made for some of the most memorable visuals of the film, of her looming eerily over the heroes. Unlike Baum’s WWotW, Maguire’s Elphaba retains vision in both eyes, and inherits her film counterpart's scrying abilities (primarily using a blown-glass orb).
• Baum’s WWotW importantly carries an umbrella, not a broomstick, as a source of protection for her aquaphobia. She has no need for transportation, her location is limited to her castle in the West of Oz. MGM’s script, howvever, gave Hamilton’s Witch a means of transportation that had long been popular in witch mythology, a broomstick, involving her more directly in the narrative (as well as giving the Wizard a macguffin to send Dorothy after). Maguire also chose to make a broomstick a means of travel for Elphaba, and Stephen Schwartz's “Defying Gravity”, the centerpiece of the musical, which sees a scene not included in the novel, where Elphaba defiantly flies over the Emerald City in protest of the Wizard, cemented the broom’s icon status within the framework of the Wicked franchise.
• The Flying Monkeys in Baum’s novel have a rich backstory involving their enslavement at the hands of a sorceress named Gaylette. The monkeys’ terms of imprisonment require they obey three commands given by whomever possess a Golden Cap, which the WWotW owns and uses to capture Dorothy and her friends. Dorothy comes into possession of the Golden Cap after WWotW’s demise (similar to her inheriting the slippers) and is able to command the monkeys to her own benefit later in the book. The Golden Cap subplot was scrapped from the MGM film in favor of giving the witch a more ambiguous command over her uniformed simian air force (though it still appears in the final cut as a prop tossed by Hamilton's Witch to Nikko, the flying monkey). Maguire’s Wicked makes no mention of Baum’s golden cap, giving Elphaba a monkey factotum -- who cannot speak similar to MGM’s Nikko (In Baum's Oz all animals can speak perfectly, including the leader of the Winged Monkeys... more on that below) -- now called Chistrey. The monkeys are given a vivisection backstory in Maguire's novel and are a result of the Grimmerie’s levitation spell in the musical, but Elphaba’s willful command of the their legions, without the limitations of the Golden Cap, is much more reminiscent of MGM’s Witch than Baum’s.
• Famously the slippers Dorothy inherits from the WWotE in Baum’s novel are made of silver metal (sterling silver shoes were popular as decorations and sugar bowls in Baum's day). The Slippers in the 1939 film were famously changed to ruby, so as to be more eye-catching against the technicolor yellow road. After some initial designs, MGM designer Adrian landed on the iconic red sequined pump seen in the film. in Maguire's work he is very careful not to make the famous slippers silver or ruby, and instead they are made of beaded glass, which has sentimental value to Elphaba's family, and utilizes the film’s sibling backstory to motivate Elphaba. The beaded glass slippers, in the musical referred to as "jeweled", refract multiple colors, notably a fiery red glow, again skirting copyright while paying homage to both the ruby slippers and silver of the Baum book. Susan Hilferty’s choice of silver sequined pumps for the musical, given a red special lighting cue at a crucial moment, distinctly resemble Adrian’s 1939 design.
• Dorothy is a young child of roughly seven or eight years old in Baum’s novel and its illustrations. In Maguire’s take on the character she is depicted as a husky teenager prone to cloying musical outbursts. Teenage Judy Garland was famously derided at MGM for her weight, especially filming Oz, with Louis Mayor allegedly calling her his “little hunchback”.
• Animals in Oz in Baum’s text are all Imbued with the power of speech. Toto himself is able to speak in the land of Oz (revealed in the fifth Baum book), as well as a myriad animals from our world who travel to the Land of Oz, who all gain sentience upon entering the fairy land. In the 1939 film, the Lion is the only animal that appears capable of speech, while other animals that appear, like Toto, birds, horses, cats and monkeys, are all incapable of human vocal communication. Maguire’s text relies heavily on the implication only some Animals (signified by capitalization of the word) in Oz can talk, their subjugation by the Wizard playing huge role in the plot of both Maguire’s book and the musical adaption.
• While sharing some similarities with Baum's Oz geography, 1939 film has a distinct layout for their Oz which is covered in great detail in very few lines of dialogue. In Munchkinland Glinda says "That was her sister--the Wicked Witch of the East. This is the Wicked Witch of the West. And she's worse than the other one." That establishes Munchkinland in the East of Oz, later we can place the Wicked Witch's castle in the West, with the Emerald City presumably in the center of Oz, while Glinda is from an unspecified "North". Funnily enough, those areas of Oz featured in the 1939 film are the same areas of Oz Maguire’s Wicked novel primarily deals with, namely Munchkinland (Nest Hardings), Emerald City, and the West (Kiamo Ko) and North of Oz (Shiz). Maguire also eschews Baum’s Glinda’s native Quadling Country in the south of Oz in favor of time spent in the North (the one land of Oz we never visit in Baum's first book). Maguire's Quadling Country (a backwater quagmire) shares none the colorful geography of Baum's Quadling Country -- which in WWoOZ is full of porcelain towns, jungles, mountains, and Glinda's majestic palace.
• Boq, a character indeed invented by Baum, plays a much less significant part of the novel Wicked than he does in the musical (in the musical he is composite of several novel characters), and his function in the novel the WWoOZ is very similar to that of the Munchkins featured in the 1939 film (he hosts a party celebrating the East Witch's death that Dorothy attends while staying at his home overnight on her journey down the Yellow Brick Road). He and the subplot featuring the Tin Woodman's backstory appear as trivial vignettes with little actual influence over Elphaba’s overall character arch in both the novel and musical.
• And while the inclusion of Elphaba using wolves, crows and bees to attack Dorothy and her friends is a point in Maguire's favor (but only applies to the novel, not the musical) it also has little significance over the elements from Baum’s book he leaves out in favor of the 1939 film’s continuity of a broom-riding, green-skinned witch after her sister’s collateral inheritance. And let us not forget that 1939's Witch also uses bees as a threat..
• But what I find most telling is that none of the witches in Baum’s novel directly interact with one another (later novels in the Oz series withstanding). The famous confrontation between the two witches in Munchkinland was entirely a fabrication of the 1939 film’s screenwriters. The musical’s entire premise, and a large portion of the novel’s, relies on the idea that these two opposing witches shared some past which informs their conflict in that scene, but that moment is solely a product of the 1939 film.

I think it is very important to view Wicked (especially the musical) as intended... as a revisionist adaption of, and prequel, to the 1939 film (and not Baum's book). In Wicked, Dorothy's journey of self discovery -- finding wisdom, love, and courage through community and questioning authority -- is subverted through Elphaba's journey -- where wisdom, love, and courage come at great personal cost, and questioning authority means also becoming a target of that authority's wrath. Whereas Dorothy returns home in the end, Elphaba must go into exile in the musical (and she is ding dong dead in the book).
By the end of the 1939 film Dorothy is literally transformed -- excellently visually expressed through her full glamour makeover - curtesy of the Wizard's employees - and adornment in her fallen enemy's fabulous footwear. The 1939 narrative in psychoanalytic terms is one of adolescent Dorothy being chided and ignored in Kansas -- she is without the protection of the adults around her, and therefore subjected to trauma at the hands of threatening Older Female and left vulnerable to the advances of a dubiously intentioned Conman. She learns the importance of embracing the power of appearances ("Are you a good witch or bad witch?.... only Bad witches are ugly.") therefore earning the protection of the adults who once ignored her. In turn she is able to utilize traits inherited from those adults to finally assume assume her full power, vanquishing the Older Female threat and rendering the Conman impotent.
Elphaba and Glinda similarly grow from children ignored -- Elphaba subject to rejection and bullying without the protection of her family or peers, and therefore vulnerable to machinations of a threatening Older Female and the advances of a dubiously intentioned Conman. She then learns the power of embracing appearances ("pink goes good with green") but, this being a subversion of the Oz narrative we see that in embracing her unconventional appearance (the skin she was born in and an outfit literally designed by Glinda) she further alienates herself from protection. While Glinda's journey of superficial beauty equating to goodness, also subjects her to persecution from the Older Female and Conman.
Through traits inherited from one another, and their enemies -- Elphaba uses the Wizard's methodology of deception and flim-flam to fake her death and win her freedom, while Glinda quite literally uses Morrible's own words against her in her defeat -- they are both able to assume full power vanquishing the Older Female threat and rendering the Conman impotent.
In the musical's Finale, a reprise of both "For Good" and "No One Mourns the Wicked", we have been made the whole show to ask ourselves the question "was she a good witch or a bad witch?" Then the audience watches a well intentioned, but woefully incompetent leader, ascend to power under the monicker "Glinda the Good" while the arguably more qualified person has their "death" celebrated, only to be mourned in secret.
The line, "who can say if I have been changed for the better, but because I knew you I have been changed for good" ties together the the concept of metaphorically wearing the traits of those we've known and encountered, loved ones and enemies alike. Like a well worn hat or pair of ruby slippers, we cloth ourselves in the intelligence, love, courage, and even the wickedness and deception of those we encounter.
Wicked tends to suggest truth is subjective. Goodness or wickedness, beauty and ugliness, whether someone is a "traitor or liberator, thief or philanthropist" is all subjective. The Wizard's malleable grip on truth ("Elphaba, where I'm from we believe all sorts of things that aren't true we call it history!") is ultimately inherited by Elphaba and Fiyero in the end ("It's not lying! It's looking at things another way") as well as Glinda ("Good news!"). Much like Dorothy's journey leaves her with the knowledge that her heart's desires lie in her own self fulfillment, Elphaba and Glinda are left knowing that their potential, good or bad, has always been theirs to posses.
Maguire used something called "fair use doctrine", technically publishing Wicked as a parody (which does not always mean a comical work). It was well within his legal right to do so. The musical tiptoes the lines he walked a little more, but ultimately Wicked being "legally distinct" from the 1939 -- but still using more elements from that movie than the public domain book -- is still a legal use of the characters. However, I think the way Maguire skirted copyright is incredibly clever, and I find it wild that such a popular franchise as Wicked has basically used legal gray areas to bring a rainbow of color to Oz, all while claiming use of public domain versions of characters, and clearly mining the trademarked versions of those characters for most of their inspiration.
Various Oz media has used elements of the 1939 film without voiding copyright. For example the 1982 anime film has red slippers, and 1972's Journey Back to Oz features a green skinned witch Mombi. And the 1939 film itself borrowed elements from numerous previous adaptations of the Oz story from silent and animated films to stage plays). The history of Oz is always evolving with each new iteration and how the story was told one hundred years ago isn't always going to be how we tell it in the future.
Just know, how anyone chooses to interpret the "canon" of Oz, or relate to any specific piece of media -- for example finding continuity between various adaptations, etc. -- is entirely up to them. Oz is a place that supports diversity, creativity, and inclusion! But if you're gonna be a witch, a green one is a good one to be!
TLDR: Wicked does not function as a prequel to the book by L. Frank Baum, but only serves as a prequel to the 1939 film, starring Judy Garland. This is evident because the Witch in Baum's book isn't green, doesn't ride a broom, only has one eye, no sister, and never interacts with Glinda (who is an amalgamation of two separate characters).

Are wa tenshi no koe!

"End of Summer — Rain — Loss"

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Comment of the Day!!

Vaadwaur was so hype at the confirmation of child death!! Poggies!!

What do you think the little Feathers are? We are going to have more dead kids than an Irish Catholic orphanage at this rate.

JustAnswerAQuestion picked the worst possible vtuber to quote in front of normies!!

I quoted Bilbo's birthday party speech when I graduated from grad school...it didn't go over well.

Mecanno had their big brain cap on today for trying to piece together the true Haibane origin. How much of Nemu's story is a lie!?

The other thing is obviously Nemu’s story. So… how much of that was by Nemu and how much of that was taken by the original source. Supposedly only the beginning was taken from the source, but why would Nemu suggest the Haibane are god’s failure at creating something similar as himself? That is somehow simultaneously disrespecting the Haibane - her own race - while also stating the rather arrogant claim that god is like the Haibane. Unless there is a hefty dose of information taken from secondary sources, then I have a hard time believing Nemu came up with that. But this not just being Nemu’s story would make it’s inclusion in the series likely mean that that is actually kinda what is going on (probably not 100%, but sorta along those lines) and that the Haibane are here because they are related to god. Given those circumstances, I can see why the Haibane Renmei would want to take good care of them . but it doesn’t explain anything about not letting them or anybody really out of town…

I hope RadSuit feels bad for himself!!

I want Kuu to take that stupid hat off.

QotD

• Please say something nice about Kuu.
• Which Haibane would you most like to have as a roommate?
• Tell us an embarrassing story from your past, anything will do~
• Should Kuu have gotten another episode...? Narratively or whatever? Does anyone else feel it's a bit too sad for her to have only gotten half an episode dedicated to her!?
• In our hypothetical Kuu episode what would you like to have done with her? Make up an activity, setting, or war crime for us to play with her!
• Feel free to skip this question if it's uncomfortable for you. Can you remember someone's behaviour changing in the days or weeks before they left? If you're uncomfortable remembering the people, animals are also valid.

Abyssbringer's "What is the thematic purpose of this scene corner!!"

Aleph saw through the Haibane's lies!! Never believe the sleepy librarian!

The explicit framing of the Haibane as a mistake is really sus, but it simultaneously describes them as being closer to god. How should one feel, then, to be like a god that makes mistakes in everything he does?
It also seems weird that, according to the myth, the Haibane came first, but it's strongly implied in the show that they are reincarnated humans. I'm guessing the Association vets all the books that they let into town so the girls would never see a creation myth that doesn't align with the Renmei agenda

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If you strain your ears, you can probably hear it.

Gonna get semi-serious for a moment, because I've been kinda putting on MST3K in the background lately, and I put on Final Sacrifice a few times, which made me go down a bit of a rabbit hole of curiosity behind it. Final Sacrifice is like the forbidden fruit of MST3K. The episode one guy doesn't want us to see, and yet the more he cleanses it, the more desire builds for us to watch.
So I fell down a small rabbit hole to figure out just what the whole deal was with this film, and the forbidden nature behind it, and while there's no definitive answer, there's plenty of other plausible answers. Most likely, either Tjardus Greidanus is super protective of this film, or super embarrassed. And honestly, that's a real shame that any explanation has made him go to extremes to hide this film from the world. And that's not just the MST3K episode, the actual film is near impossible to find, online, DVD, Video Cassette... it's a real shame this is the case, because even if Mr. Greindanus is George Lucas Star Wars Holiday Special level ashamed of the Final Sacrifice, it's nothing to feel the need to hide from.
I'm a hobby writer, and while I won't go out of my way to say how incredibly talented I am or whatnot, I've written enough pieces to know that my earliest work was not at all something I'm super proud of. There's a multitude of reasons, but it just highlights my starting days as a writer, and shows how far I've come since then. And Greidanus is no different. This could have been a one and done project for him, but he's since become a very well established director of looks like in both narrative projects and documentaries. He has a lot to be proud of, even if Final Sacrifice isn't one of them. And to go out of his way to hide it I think it's just kinda detrimental.
Whether or not he looks at Final Sacrifice in a favorable light, it highlights an important journey in his filmmaking career, and to deny that part of him is to deny his growth as a filmmaker. We here in the MSTie community might laugh about beer on the sun or how delicious Troy McGregor father is, but one thing I love about MST3K is that while we laugh, there's always this respect and love for the film we're having fun with. There are films this series has lampooned that are honestly some guilty pleasure for me. I will die on this hill, Santa Claus Conquers the Martians is full of charm, and Final Sacrifice is no different. You can tell that the film is full of heart, even if it has plenty of flaws.
The fact that Greidanus is denying that part of himself, and worse yet, refusing to let anyone even potentially watch that film just does his character, and his work a disservice. I know for a fact that a lot of people would love to see this unriffed film in its entirety, be it ironically or unironically. I'm once again just kinda reminded of my early work as a writer. While I won't direct people over to it, I won't take it down or hide it, because it's just a small part of my writing journey. There's nothing to be ashamed of. I laugh at how silly a lot of it is, and take a small amount of pride that I have improved. I really wish Greidanus would feel the same, and hope one day he will.
Mr. Greidanus... I don't know if you peruse these boards or communities or whatnot, but if you ever come upon this... be proud of your work. No matter how horrible it might be. No matter how much some might laugh at it. You've grown as a director. No one starts perfect. There's no logical reason to want to hide this from the world.
Sorry for the wall of text. Just kinda felt the need to get serious for a moment.