#benny audios

[willowandlily]

'Men. Ugh. Just For Once I'd like to meet someone who doesn't think with his knuckles or his balls. Just Once. *sigh*'

Bernice do you know how incredibly real you are?

[swinging-stars-from-satellites]

this is a Jack McSpringheel appreciation post like to appreciate Jack McSpringheel reblog to appreciate Jack McSpringheel

[alyona11]

7/bubblegum sea for benny?

She’s sleepy

[madfanboy]

'sup, Chaotic Dumbass, which is your favourite episode of the Bastard Man show, also known as Bernice Summerfield

What's up you memey shit? And honestly, it's always gonna be Oh No It Isn't! because like,,,everything about that story is perfection.

[aethira]

so i’m finally reading the Benny anthology Life During Wartime, and oh my god, i don’t even care that the entity in Fear of Corners was likely not intended to have anything to do with Pandora (book came out before the galli episode where she gets put in brax’s head) but seriously it’s definitely Pandora. 

“Irving, I think we both know that you’re not the only one who’d make a suitable host for me. Of course, you’d never take the chance and see if you could best me in a battle of the wills. You know you lack the mental capacity to keep me safely under control, knowing that at any moment I could pummel your consciousness into submission and exploit you like a puppet. You wouldn’t want to risk that, would you? But at the same time you know you no longer have a choice. When your silly little friends finally understand what’s really going on, what are you going to do? Run away again? You make me laugh, time fool.”

[swinging-stars-from-satellites]

@therogueofblood said where's the essay so here it be

Jack McSpringheel is a trope break. or maybe more accurately, an archetype break.

in fiction there's this very prevalent character type that's essentially "cocky dude with snarky attitude who's actually a huge softie and is using a confident persona to hide insecurities" and I'm not complaining about it bc there's a reason it's such a popular trope, but it's very interesting to see (hear, whatever) a character who fits that box but just... slightly to the left.

because the thing that strikes me most about Jack is that he's cocky and sassy, he's also a softie in his own way (that scene in Curse of Fenman my beloved), but he's NOT insecure. at all. he's actually very confident and is the only one of the Legion fam who didn't have much of an existential crisis over the mess the Epoch and Avril had each pulled with their memories/lives -- even in the first stories we hear him in, Benny and Ruth are both trying so hard to figure everything out and put all the pieces together, but Jack is just "yeah so, this is happening. i'd like to do something about it." and he's honestly very chill about the whole thing.

basically, even with all this stuff going on, he seems really confident in his identity (to the point that he's the one to reassure Ruth about hers in Curse of Fenman; yeah, i know, that was partly Gary Russell being Gary Russell but also it's a really interesting characterization moment for both of them) and it's really cool.

(additionally, the theme of identity forms the centerpiece to the entire Legion arc and I kinda love it lol)

also, re: my previous post about Jack being the backbone of the Legion fam, i say that bc of some conversations had with @fortes-fortuna-iogurtum where we were talking about the tensions and individual relationships between the whole group, bc they're dysfunctional as heck for a good long while. everybody has this tension between them: bennybrax because of timeline shenanigans, Peter's just generally closed off to everyone (except Brax, oddly enough, which is an entire other essay, but basically he's a lot less hostile to Brax than he is literally everyone else), we never really hear Brax and Ruth directly interact but i get the impression she's slightly unsure about him?, and all of it means that as a collective group, it's just.... A Hot Mess.

but. i find this really interesting and also slightly hilarious. everybody gets along with Jack (for the most part). and it's 100% because of his dumb, cocky personality. he's literally THEE most non-judgemental character i've ever come across and because he seems very flippant -- while also noticeably caring about his friends despite that -- it sets everybody at ease.

he's not scared off or hurt or offended by how prickly Peter is and i feel like Peter (begrudgingly) respects that on some level -- they actually work REALLY WELL together and we love to hear it

actually HMS Surprise is a really good story where it comes to the characters (oh, huh, i just looked and it's written by Alexander Vlahos. neat) and i love how much it goes to show that Jack's attitude is Not a mask in any way, because he makes no attempt to hide it when he's freaked out. he's actually very genuine, which is another reason he's oddly disarming. (he's lowkey like Narvin where you're like "this is not the type of person i would expect to trust with my deepest secrets but somehow i do??")

also he's kinda the exact type of person Brax needed at his point in his arc bc he's just been yeeted from everything he knows by the alt!Burner and is just trying to build a new life for himself/his new partly accidental family?? and Jack is just like "cool i really don't care abt your scary past or anything i'm gonna throw mad shade on you for ridiculously petty things anyway *proceeds to fall down stairs*" and yeah his rapport with Brax is the funniest thing but also adorable bc my angsty Time Lord garbage fire has a Friend™ (and also it's hilarious. why do i feel like this is how EoG!Brax got treated by the Deca all the time)

and then, i mean Benny acts constantly annoyed at him but i think she really just likes having someone to talk crap about and with XD also back to HMS Surprise, bc if you couldn't tell i heckin love that audio, they actually do care about each other, it's just in that very sibling-y bicker-y way.

TL;DR when i say "Jack is the backbone of this family" what i mean is that because everybody individually has a fairly healthy relationship with him that doesn't necessarily involve or require any of the others, he becomes the centerpoint of the group and almost in a way holds them all together just by virtue of being a nice dude with a fun personality.

and when i say "Jack is a trope break" i just mean that it's really nice and refreshing to have a character with That Specific Peronality Type who's not actually angsty or burying hidden insecurities or w/e (*side-eyes Lance from Voltron Legendary Defender*). and again, to clarify: i don't have any issue with those kind of characters, but sometimes it's a bit too predictable?

in conclusion- *holds up Jack* I just think he's neat :)

[swinging-stars-from-satellites]

ok ok ok so I've already spent some time giggling over these with @fortes-fortuna-iogurtum and @theladyjojogrant but i feel obligated to share

i was looking at the details on the Bernice Summerfield: New Frontiers boxset and clicked over to the "backstage" tab and guys.

the backstage photos are HYSTERICAL. like look at these:

who is this threatening woman in front

Ayesha is tiny?? she so Smol

Lisa's thing with her glasses-as-a-headband will never cease to be adorable

but seriously i'm scared of that one lady

the lighting looks like a bad family portrait

the height difference between Lisa and David tho

Thomas Grant's eyes are screaming for someone to help him

i feel like Scott Handcock (i think that's Scott...?) is going to attack me also the matching striped shirts are sending me rn

the angle makes this look like David has a very long arm

as Gurt pointed out to me, Georgia and Miles are both very clearly posing in-character here

everyone else is Not

awkward writers in cast photos will never not make me cackle hysterically the dude looks like it's a mug shot

David what are you doing. you look like a shy child. (ok but for real he looks so awkward this boi is too tol)

IN CONCLUSION: I have been laughing for hours

[swinging-stars-from-satellites]

well, since you ask...your favourite Brax moment? :)

early on in Reborn when they're coming up to the alt!Gallifrey and Brax tells Leela "I wish you could see this"

alternatively, that scene in Tears of the Oracle where Benny finds out about the Mary-Sue and is starting to freak out and Brax keeps trying to hold her hand.