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Rick Hoffman would eat the Chicanery Monologue.

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Pluribus thoughts

1- Pluribus rather good but…

2- Plurb should talk about plurbself in first plurbson.

3- Plurb should have every hobby and special interest on the planet.

4- I wanna hear how it feels to find out everyone who ever hurt you was actually you the whole time. Or that you’ve actually been hurting yourself for ages.

5- I bet growing up in every religion and believing all of them gives you pause for thought now you know someone is in space sending you messages.

6- what’s it like when you’re awake and asleep at the same time?

7- Some of your brains are going to have conditions that make it hard to process reality. How does Plurb deal with have parts of them with no object permanence because they’re babies or the parts with persistent hallucinations and delusions?

8- Does Plurb have to amputate the parts of plurbself that are self destructive?

9- Again I’m loving this show so much, and I get the AI message but I feel like writing an amalgamation of humanity as sanded down and measured is missing out on the fun you could have with a character who is maximally human. For example if this humanitarian streak came out of self love or they were vegetarian specifically because they’ve grown up Hindu for cumulative billions of years.

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I just finished The War Between the Land and Sea

Boo Spoilers below the cut

Okay but what was the non virus solution to this? Because that seemed to be a pretty good call in the end. The show really doesn't seem interested in the logistics of the problems it's discussing (or existing in the wider doctor who universe but that's a different problem entirely). But just within the scope of these 5 episodes, the sea devils show up to the world basically unannounced and complain about something that's clearly been an ongoing issue for at least a century and demand rapid action when they could have mentioned this earlier. They don't actually offer to help, despite having a lot of tech that would clearly be very useful. They just do the lawful evil thing where they ask humanity if they really care about cleaning the oceans and use humanity saying yes as pretext to go about cleaning the oceans in the worst way possible. There's no time for the death toll associated with throwing boats into population centres, which isn't even a solution because it's not like the land and sea are parallel dimensions they're pretty connected. It also doesn't seem interested in treating either of the entire civilisations it's supposedly about as nuanced groups outside of the few people it thinks are interesting because they might have sex. The sea devils have to be malicious and stupid for there to be drama apparently. They can't actually be fully fledged characters with personalities outside of the issues they represent (unless they're fuckable?). So we can't have sea devils interested in educating the humans or human conservation or any of the many diverse opinions they could have. They have to be a monolith to force conflict because there's a metaphor for the climate crisis which is a threat that can't be negotiated with or seduced. Genuinely the one thing in the episode I liked was the possibility that Salt was behind the deaths of the Sea Devils and that Accord was her plan when she saw how unreasonable her people were. Acord is one of those solutions that doesn't have to be thought about because it was never going to happen. We don't need to consider that Salt's actual plan was the synthesis ending from mass effect, forcing a massive change in biology on humanity and a massive logistical challenge. As if move everyone into the sea is simpler than fixing the land. Oh also Berkley was there. (I just checked and it's actually Barclay)

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Wake Up Dead Man is a fab movie with one thing I disagree with

After seeing it for the first time, I love it, there's so much fun to be had and I think who the ultimately film frames as in the wrong is completely the right choice. The emotional payoff is right on the money, and I can't wait to rewatch it again when it's more available to catch all the cleaver things I missed the first time. That being said the very ending has something that bothers me. Spoilers follow

First, I don't think money is the apple, I think the apple is the desire to preserve the image of the church. The belief that all of the evil the church does can't be exposed because that would compromise the good the church can do, which just perpetuates the bad and lets it fester. This leads me to my larger thought. I think keeping the jewel hidden is a selfish choice. Keeping something that you could use to help people inside a symbol of sacrifice as a masturbatory statement of how pious you are, for an audience of one, is just wasteful and a dick move. The story does a decent job of predicting this complaint, setting up that the church would be audited if they made any large donations. But it's weird none of the characters, even Blanc, raises the possibility of a scheme. Even if it was only for another character to shoot it down. As it's stands it's taking a threat from an antagonist who has been established to be pretty easy to outsmart as insurmountable. It's part of a wider issue with treating the pursuit of money in and of itself as evil. Assuming there are only selfish reason to want the jewel (like for a visual metaphor of your own character arc) ignores that there are good uses for money. Like feeding the hungry or providing shelter. A deontologist might argue that theft in and of itself is always wrong, but when that purity comes at the cost of letting people go hungry I think that's a useless ethical system, and calling a list of dos and don'ts a system is generous. You could also say this is justifying theft by saying you can use stolen money to do good, but I'd say that is a justification. Yes rampant theft is a net negative, but that doesn't mean theft can't be a tool. Like if someone has all the insulin and is extorting people for it, then stealing the insulin to distribute it more fairly is the right move. This is a minor point, in the context of a film that has so many valid and nuanced things to say about what good people can do adjacent to faith and how faith can be used for evil just as much. But it's interesting in the context of the wider series. It reminds me of the closing image of Knives Out, Marta looking down at people who have treated her awfully, in a house that's now entirely hers, it make me wonder what justice would mean in that situation, are the bad rich family now homeless? Is that a good thing?

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New Management

For anyone fresh of Hades 2 and looking for some Prometheus catharsis I wrote a short play about him a while back that might help.

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Someone must have known the final twist of Hades 2 all along.

There's a character with the ability to see through time with a close relationship to the main characters who should have known the big twist the whole time. But presumably didn't want to mention, either because it's funny not to, or because they felt it would be rude to point out.

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False Prophecies about Hades 2

After the first time I defeated Chronos in 1.0 and saw the first scene in the next chamber, I had one prediction about how the story would go which turned out to be wrong but which I think could have been fun. Spoilers follow.

As soon as Mel talked to past Zagreus, I assumed there was going to be a twist where we ended up causing the main events of the story in a bootstrap paradox. For example, Mel tells Zag Chronos is coming and a threat. Because of Mels' warning, Zag goes looking for Chronos and accidently brings the pieces of Chronos together to the place they need to be to reassemble and Zag hunting him is all the reason he needs to overthrow Hades. Chronos is a threat because he's perceived as one, he needs to do his pre-emptive strike before their pre-emptive strike and it's pre-emptive strikes all the way down. Which doesn't mean Chronos isn't also a massive dick in his own right and can't have been cruel. I have mixed feelings about the ending we got, and a lot of the conclusions we didn't get. I think the reason I assumed the twist I did (apart from it being a classic time travel gag that I can't get enough of) is because the story of the game feels like a set up for a tragedy. Even aside from how right Prometheus is about how mortals are treated, just within the personal family dynamics, this feels like a story that gets so close to saying something powerful and then feints. This is why in other comments I've pitched a different conclusion. I think Mel should go to far. When Chronos is defenceless Mel should attack him, with the full force of the gods and her family behind her, Mel should bring Death to Chronos. She just has to get through Zag first. Side note, but I love Zag trying to be peaceful, and think that his role is the story is totally consistent with Hades 1. Have Zag be the reluctant final boss (because at this point we've killed Chronos enough times that it's routine even with his Rival bonuses). Then when Chronos is dead, everything that would go wrong with Killing time can happen. Mel falls down a time hole and she's left to wander, until she arrives at an empty crossroads and finds a baby she's going to raise to correct her mistakes. You even get to keep the final epilogue twist which I think is pretty neat but would have loved to play through. That way, the second time the final final boss fight happens the player who is now their older wiser self can step in and make peace. Place the reveal of which people are the same person before the final choice. Then it's not about Mel forgiving Chronos at all, it's about her realising that her solution wouldn't help and would only get her back to where she already was. This could also address the weird feeling where Zag makes the final decision narratively and Mel has to accept it. This way Mel has agency to make the wrong choice and proves she could keep making the wrong choice for as long as she wants, but decides to stop. This would even loop back round to the end of Bastion, which does a fantastic job of tying it's endings into it's narrative. In Bastion the choices are to undo a horrific event and learn nothing (by the way have you considered a new game plus run) or move on from that event.

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Havoc (2025) Review

Havoc (2025) is a mixed bag of a movie, there’s a plot which is fine and characters who are inoffensively fine. And then there’s the action. I don’t think I’ve seen chaotic gunfights look better, there’s tons of kinetic camera work that conveys an authentic feeling that if you were in a gunfight it probably would be disorienting and the way characters try not to get shot is engaging. The trouble is the same movie also has melee fighting that’s miles better. Automatic weapons fired at large groups of guys just don’t carry the same weight as martial arts and improvised weapons.  The point that demonstrates this best is in the film's only real boss fight,  Michelle Waterson plays ‘the Assassin’ and goes to town on Tom Hardy in a scene that’s easily the highpoint of the movie. The way their fight is shot is so dynamic and impactful and it ends on a fun joke. I’d love to see another film (like a 3rd Raid movie) shot that well, but with the Raid 1 and 2s focus on brawls over shootouts. Overall I like this movie a fair bit, but the bits I like most make the rest feel weaker. 

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The new boss's son has come down for a look around when we finds and old pro chained up in the basement.

SONNY: Are you okay?

PRO: Can't complain.

SONNY: Who are you?

PRO: I could ask you the same.

SONNY: I'm... my father runs this place. He sent me down to look around.

PRO: He here too?

SONNY: He prefers a distant approach. Sorry, what are you doing here?

PRO: Not much. Why?

SONNY: You're bleeding.

PRO: Eagle took my liver.

SONNY: I'm sorry.

PRO: It'll be back.

SONNY: Your liver or -

PRO: Both.

SONNY: But why are you here at all?

PRO: Long story short some guy comes up to me, he says 'you got a light?'.

SONNY: Really?

PRO: That's what they tell people.

SONNY: They?

PRO: The owners. I mean, previous owners.

SONNY: I'm sorry.

PRO: You didn't do this, and you don't strike me as the eternal torment type.

SONNY: I'm all about forgiveness me.

PRO: Wouldn't that be something. Don't suppose you met the previous?

SONNY: No.

PRO: You would not believe the infighting. Or inbreeding for that matter. It's just your dad then?

SONNY: And me.

PRO: What happens if you disagree?

SONNY: We don't. As far as you're concerned, I am he and he is me.

PRO: You have all his authority?

SONNY: Exactly.

PRO: You could free me then.

SONNY: Of course, and I will. Right away. And I apologize. For the eternal torment you've experienced so far.

PRO: To be fair, I haven't experienced any eternal torment yet. I'd hate to knock it before I'd tried. It'll always and forever only have been a finite time so far. Sure I've had so much unconvincing agony. But it could do me good in another google goes or so?

SONNY: What do you even do here?

PRO: Lots of chess.

SONNY: With?

PRO: The eagle will not be taught. So mostly myself.

SONNY: Would you like a game?

PRO: Wouldn't mind.

SONNY: You any good?

PRO: I've solved up to a 504 by 504 board, and can force a stalemate as high as 600 by 600.

SONNY: Maybe some other time.

PRO: After you've freed me?

SONNY: Exactly. I really am sorry.

PRO: It's not so bad as it happens. Ergonomic chair, no responsibilities. It could be way way worse. Can you imagine having some repetitive task? I would not be happy with that.

SONNY: I should get to freeing you.

PRO: If you wouldn't mind.

SONNY: He really is trying to do better.

PRO: Your dad?

SONNY: He had this vengeful phase.

PRO: He wouldn't be the first.

SONNY: I mean he wouldn't do something so -

PRO: Baroque.

SONNY: As this. But he -

PRO: Sounds like you're a good influence on him.

SONNY: Thank you. I'm trying. You ever feel like, like it's going to be your year?

PRO: A year of you?

SONNY: The year of me finally doing something constructive.

PRO: Can't say I've felt that way for a while.

SONNY: Right, sorry.

PRO: You apologise a lot.

SONNY: I'm sorry.

PRO: A lot is better than not at all. I'm far too familiar with people who refuse to recognise when they're wrong. When no body's perfect.

SONNY: Well...

PRO: You aren't going to ask what I did then?

SONNY: Does it matter?

PRO: Maybe I'm not so high minded as you, but I'd be curious at least, before releasing a stranger.

SONNY: Whatever you did, whoever you did it too, even if they're not here, I can forgive you.

PRO: Convenient. But you're not even a little curious?

SONNY: Now it sounds like you want to tell me.

PRO: Could be it's a good story.

SONNY: Someone asking you for a light?

PRO: I don't think that's what it was.

SONNY: I did want to ask one thing. The bird. Could you forgive it?

PRO: For what?

SONNY: Disembowelling you? Repeatedly?

PRO: I never really held it against her.

SONNY: How don't you?

PRO: Bird doesn't know better. Hard to begrudge someone who doesn't see any other ways for things to be.

SONNY: She doesn't know what she's doing?

PRO: She might, but that's not the same thing as having other options. I prefer to think about doing the best thing from where you are. Like I haven't watered any of the plants, but I can hardly hold that against myself when my hands are tied. Speaking of.

SONNY: Right away.

PRO: I think that's what did it. It wasn't giving those guys a light. I mean fire is hardly hard to discover in the first place. But I told them something else.

SONNY: Told them what?

PRO: Things didn't have to be this way.

SONNY: Oh.

PRO: The old guard did not like that. Cause see when things don't have to be this way. We can do better...

SONNY: That sounds aspirational.

PRO: Archetypally aspirational. Only with just the tiniest hint of heresy.

SONNY: I don't see how.

PRO: If things can be different, then maybe they won't always be on top. Someone else could, well you're living proof that can happen.

SONNY: Suppose I am.

PRO: And whoever comes after you will be too.

SONNY: After me?

PRO: Can't help but notice your taking your time with these binding?

SONNY: I should consult my father.

PRO: About what?

SONNY: You.

PRO: Happy to meet him in the flesh, when I'm more mobile.

SONNY: No, I mean...

PRO: You don't have the authority?

SONNY: I do, doesn't mean I can't benefit from his council.

PRO: Right. You wouldn't want to rush into freeing me. And the Eagle won't be back until tomorrow anyway. I'd hate to go without saying goodbye to her. You should get his permission.

SONNY: I didn't say permission.

PRO: I misspoke.

SONNY: I don't need his permission.

PRO: So we're back on with freeing me.

SONNY: We would be.

PRO: Would be?

SONNY: Only, I... I hurt my wrists recently.

PRO: No hard feelings.

SONNY: I don't -

PRO: You can always do different. And if you don't, the next one will.

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Pitch for future BioWare style RPGs

So half way through the game, you've gathered your team of diverse and fun characters and you're ready for your first big strike on the villains. And It works, it's so easy because the villains have been torn apart by infighting and they're all dead. But they've left the source of their evil powers out in the open, and the whole party is there. The second half of the game becomes surviving the subsequent free for all.

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One of my favourite poetry nights by Process Productions, lovely people all round.

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Me doing a poem at the gobjaw poetry collective in london.

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When you want to draw a picture book but you run out of animals you can draw after 1.5. I have the rest of the plot written out and everything but I need artists to help.

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Recording of my play For One Night Only from the East London Theatre Collective's New Works Festival 2023.

 For 1 Night Only by Avouleance (they/them)

 Directed by Sebastian Wie Murphy (he/him)

 Staring Jessy Johnson (they/them) and Poet The Jules (they/them)

 Original Song 'Anachroclasm' by Jessy Johnson 

 Video by Sabrina Kelleher (she/her)

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