Attack on Titan- Episode 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 thoughts
For @survivorjace
I caved...!
Episode 8- Quite liking Tommy at the moment and Armin is shaping up. I think he should be more a strategist rather then an actual soldier. Love that team work attack he devised. I had a feeling that Titan was Eren but how was he controlling it?
Episode 9- Levi reminds me a lot of Eren. Forgot all about his group until this ep reminded me. Eren being inside that Titan was so disturbing, reminds me of Steve Alten’s MEG when Jonas was inside the Megaldon and saw the chewed up remains of his old commander. So that bizarre dream Eren had in episode 2 was real? Nice touch of continuity there. So WHAT is in that basement?
Episode 10- I really liked how this ep showcased the strengths of our three main characters. I’m glad Armin finally saw his worth too. I was intrigued before with Pixis so I hope we get more on him.
Episode 11- So the Titans were created to unite mankind in a common goal? Hope to learn more. Kinda reminds me of Ozymandias in Watchmen. I just want to know what’s in the basement. I liked that Pixis pardoned soldiers who wanted to leave but at the same time rallied them up.
Episode 12- So why did Eren lose control? Is it tied to his emotions or something? The show is good at giving you hope and despair at all times.
Episode 13- Nice conclusion, but also in showing the after affects of war. Hopefully now we’ll finally see what’s in the basement.
Hello @survivorjace! I’m your CS secret valentine! It was a lot of fun getting to talk to you over the past few weeks. I sincerely hope you like the Enchanted Forest AU fic I’ve prepared for you <3
Note: I realized I stupidly set them in spring/summer when it should’ve been winter so enjoy the Enchanted Forest ~love~ holiday I just made up.
*
Mornings with her cousins are grand, especially when her parents are out of the kingdom and it’s just the four of them at the breakfast table.
Not so much when it’s Leo’s favourite holiday.
“Happy Middlemist Day!”
Everyone at the table groans, save Anna, share the same groan as Leo walks in and announces his greeting, carrying a bowl of food.
“Nobody cares, Leo,” Emma says flatly, spooning food into Henry’s mouth. Her brother flicks a bit of oatmeal at her, bringing a laugh out of her son.
“See? My nephew is the only one with sense in this household.”
“Ahem,” Anna interjects. “I happen to be very fond of this particular holiday.”
“Nobody cares, Anna,” Elsa replies from beside Emma, now bringing a laugh out of Leo.
Their red-headed cousin sticks her tongue out at her and picks at her sausage. “You don’t have to be so cynical. It’s a nice day to find someone or something to love.”
“I love being single,” Elsa declares.
“Okay, not you, but most of us have some sort of appreciation for romantic love.”
“Love is fake,” Emma asserts.
This time, Leo gasps. “My own flesh and blood. I cannot believe.”
Emma flicks her own oatmeal back at him before turning back to feeding Henry, who is very much amused by the situation in front of him.
“Smug little baby,” Leo observes. “What does he know? He’s two.”
“Babies are awfully smart,” Emma says, bristling. “He just - doesn’t have the skills to communicate the way we’re designated to.”
“Yeah, yeah, whatever. Anyway, I have a date tonight.” He waits for Elsa and Anna’s teasing chorus of ooh’s to finish, waving his hand nonchalantly before continuing. “He’s very cute. So I can’t come to the meeting with the pirate you hired, Emma. Sorry.”
The sudden reminder jolts her, but she forces herself to stay neutral and instead sigh, not entirely disappointed. “It’s fine. It won’t take long, anyway.”
“Who hires a pirate to hide something?” Anna wonders. “Aren’t you afraid he’ll just steal it?”
Emma has to keep reminding herself that they assume Killian and her have only met once. “I offered him a quite a bit of money. Trust me.”
“My apologies but,” Elsa says, “you’re nuts. And my sister nearly married a man thirteen minutes after she met him.”
Needless to say, a total of three people ended up getting flicked with oatmeal that morning.
*
She doesn’t like waiting.
But it’s been one month and four days exactly since she’d last seen him, and she tells herself if she can push herself through that, she can wait half an hour more for his ship to dock.
It’s nearing sunset as she waits, watching Henry chase after butterflies and shake the rattle Belle had brought him as a birthday gift. He ran through the meadow as fast as his two year old legs could carry him, the rocks at the edge of the hill acting as a boundary for when he went too far. She’d told Belle to go back to the castle, preferring to spend the little time she’d been able to procure over the last few hectic weeks with her son.
Also, she needed to meet him alone.
Her hands twist the seashell pendant on her necklace as the soft breeze pushes her hair in front of her face. It’s hard to tell what she’s feeling at the moment. Nervousness, for sure. Excitement? She’d be embarrassed to feel more than what was necessary.
This is stupid, she thinks, for the thirtieth time that day. Her default answer for when it was difficult to articulate something.
“Mom!” She looks down at her son, jumping on the balls of his feet and holding up a middlemist flower, looking proud of himself and anxious to get more. She laughs at the irony and accepts, kissing his face and letting him run off after a hummingbird.
People often asked if she hoped he would be like his father. It’s been a year since his death, but the constant questions and queries of their private life was enough to fill seven more.
Being mindful of her reputation,, Emma would smile, nod, and say she hoped so. He already has his colouring and his eyes. Emma would also want him to be brave, strong and wise, just like his father had been, because of course someone with only those noble qualities was worthy enough to marry the Crown princess.
(It’s not like Rumplestiltskin had threatened her parents and her land.)
(It’s not like Emma had been forced by duty to take Baelfire as her husband in the first place.)
(It’s not like Emma ever loved him.)
He had died in a carriage accident, of all things, after a run-in with bandits. The kingdom had mourned, and expected her to do the same. To most, her neutrality (the demeanour she’d mastered in her short time as the monarch) seemed like suppressed despair. Surely she was devastated after the loss of someone so dear to her.
But a part of Emma, now unbound from a promise she had been forced into keeping, feels nothing but relief.
In a way, she’s unhappy that Henry will not only have to grow up without a father, but grow up hearing nothing but praise about him. She couldn’t tell her son her true feelings. God knows how much his heart would break.
She would have to live a lie for the rest of her life.
A ray of orange light hits her face and she decides she needs to get Henry home soon for dinner, and is about to pack up and resign that he wasn’t able to make it when a black-clad form appears from behind the rocks.
Emma collects herself and surveys him. He’d exchanged his black vest for a red one (not that she’d noticed) and his hair was fairly longer (not that she’d noticed) than from when she’d last seen him in April. Eyes lined black and a fair amount of jewelry than most people would wear. The hook in replacement of his left hand gleaming. Devastating eyebrows.
This is stupid.
The flower slips out of Emma’s hand and she struggles to compose herself, He gives her a grin and climbs over the rocks, eyes flitting to Henry sitting on the grass attentively studying the hummingbird.
“Well, I really wasn’t expecting company, your highness,” Killian says by way of greeting, strolling up to her, one hand on the strap of the bag he was carrying.
She rolls her eyes. “I’m sure you can make room for my toddler, captain.”
“Depends. Two year olds do tend to be talkative.”
“Bird!” Henry shouted at that moment, leading a huff out of Emma and a chuckle out of Killian.
She licks her dry lips. Memories of a dark alley and smoke and lips fill her mind, not quite suppressed despite her immense attempts to do so over the past few months. “How was your journey?”
Why did you take so long? she wanted to ask.
“I spent a few weeks in jail.”
“What?”
He laughs nervously, scratching the back of his neck. “It’s not the first time, don’t worry.”
She’s stunned at his nonchalant demeanour. “Well - did - how did you get out?” She manages to sputter. “What were you in for?”
Which she really could’ve answered herself, given his long list of crimes, but she accepted his shrug and “wrongly accused, for once. A jewelry store was looted, and we were the only questionably-dressed sailors in the area.”
She shakes her head. The last thing she had in mind was a run in with the law enforcement.
(Which was ridiculous, really. She was dealing with a criminal here.)
“How did you get out?”
“Smee broke me out three weeks later,” he answered, rolling his eyes. “You would’ve thought it’d take a pirate less than that to pick a damn lock.”
“Are you talking about Smee or yourself?”
“That wounds me, your majesty.”
She allows herself to laugh. “Did you find - Henry don’t go there!”
Henry’s finally decided there’s a better world beyond the rocks and has his hands gripped on the stone, jumping as far as his legs would let him. Emma’s not too worried - the rocks are taller than him - but she runs anyway. Hook manages to get there first, picking him up and carrying him away from the boundary as Henry gives a yell and struggles to escape.
“Henry!” She says to her son, exasperated. “What did I say? Rock-,” she points to the rocks. “Bad.”
That brings a snort out of Killian as Henry gives her a sheepish look.
“Oh, for god’s sake, he’s two,” she snaps.
“Rock bad,” the pirate nods earnestly.
She shoots him a flat look, noting Henry’s look of curiosity at the stranger holding him, hands reaching for his necklace. Killian shoots him a smile. “You’ve got a rebellious little lad over here, Emma.”
Emma. He’d last whispered her name that one night in the alleyway. She nearly blushes at the memory.
Henry picks at KIllian’s seashell necklace, much like the one he’d given her as a gift three months ago. “Shell,” her son says, looking pleased with himself.
Hook laughs, the red of the setting sun making his eyes sparkle. “That it is.”
Emma can’t keep a soft smile off her face, even as a thread of panic ran down her chest. He’d spent all of this morning talking about the gardener and her tulips. Now he wouldn’t be able to talk about anything other than the seashell-wearing tall man down by the meadow.
A queen seen with a thief? They’d assume the worst.
(And “worst” was for them to decide. Her brother would never let her live it down.)
“Okay,” she says suddenly, jarring even herself. “May I have my son back?”
Hook’s smile melts at her tone, and neutrality takes over his expression as he hands Henry back, amid soft protests from the younger child. “I talked to the tailor that you wanted,” he says, his voice lacking the joking manner it had before. She regrets it suddenly, but her feelings were the hardest to run away from.
(And thus, the hardest measures had to be taken.)
“He gave me the pouch but I had to give him all your gold.”
“Right.”
“I did! I gave some of mine, too.” He rolls his eyes. “Greedy little git. Anyway, he gave me the pouch, in which I put your pendant. It’s safe now, so you can rest.”
Emma gives a sigh of relief. “Thank you, so much.”
“All in a day’s work for a man indebted to the Crown.”
Right. He was only doing this because she’d saved his life.
And like that, something in Emma’s chest melts as well and they fall silent, the only sound the breeze that made the grass flutter and the distant calls of villagers.
She swallows. “Well, I should get-”
“Princess Emma!”
She turns her head and sees Belle running towards them, basket and skirt in her hand. The panic suddenly stabs her in the chest, and her breath catches in her throat.
Oh, god. This is the end.
“It’s nearly dinn-oh, hello.” She stops suddenly when she sees Killian, eyebrows scrunching and eyes darting between Emma and him, taking note of the situation. She makes up her mind and focuses back on Emma, who was trying not to pick up her skirts and run away. “It’s nearly dinnertime, and your parents are wondering where you are, and Henry must be hungry-”
“You’re right,” she realizes. The panic crashes back down and guilt fills her heart instead. “Would you take him? I’ll be there shortly.”
Belle nods, taking Henry, and gives one last curious look at Hook before smiling at Henry and striding off. Emma gives him a small wave, smiling softly, before Killian’s voice brings her back to the shore. “I should leave.”
She turns to him as he looks away and picks up the flower she’d dropped from the ground. It’s hard to read him at the moment. Sheepish? Yes. Embarrassed? She hoped not (but wouldn’t blame him if he was).
“Thank you,” she says again, trying to cover for their lost sense of direction with gratitude. “Truly, it-” He gives her an expectant look, thumb running down the leaf of the flower. She exhales, finishing her sentence. “It means a lot to me.”
He reaches out instead of replying, taking her hand and placing the flower on her palm. His fingertips brush hers as he closes it over the stem, leaving tiny, phantom sparks that travel up her wrist and arm. She really should’ve worn a long-sleeved dress today.
“It was nothing,” he answers quietly.
She smiles ironically. “You went to jail. Doesn’t that account for anything?”
“Told you, it wasn’t my first.” The grin is back, albeit a little subdued. “You should go eat. You family is waiting.”
They were.
And so Emma kisses him.
The panic and guilt and excitement that had pursued her the past few months suddenly resurrects and drives her forward, all thoughts of reputation and other nonsense flying out the window as she finally, does one thing for herself and only herself.
(Oh, and for Killian too, she guesses.)
She releases his lapels once a good amount of heavy breathing has passed, knowing she’s mirroring his stunned expression at what had just occurred. And Emma, being Emma, gives only a sheepish grin.
“Happy Middlemist Day?”
*
After, when it’s nighttime and a few hours after answering two dozen questions about the horrendously-handsome-and-possibly-dangerous (he looked very dangerous Emma) leather-clad man who Henry couldn’t stop babbling about (you couldn’t have everything), he sneaks in through the balcony with no more than three middlemist flowers.
“Seriously?” Emma’s only half exasperated, a laugh escaping her. “I have an entire garden.”
He gives her an impish grin, leaning over to peck her cheek as he sets the flowers down. “I needed an excuse to be walking down the castle path.”
She raises an eyebrow.
“They think they’re for Elsa.”
She laughs, pulling him in and shutting the balcony door.
Episode 1- Such a powerful opening. I love the animation and cinematography. The scene where the warriors came home from the failed attack on the Titans was powerful. How the only thing they had left for a mother of her son was his arm. And then the leader breaking down saying they haven’t been able to learn anything about the Titans. I found it interesting how the young are the ones who aren’t content and realize they need to make plans and such beyond the walls and for ttacking the Titans. while the adults are the ones who are trying to ignore everything and hope things remain the same.
The ending though, the Titans breaking in (these things are pretty creepy with their blank faces disturbingly grinning), the death of Eren’s mother, such a visceral way to end the episode.
Episode 2- I really like how this episode showed how people all react differently when in fear or terror. Some get angry, others run, others go mad etc.
I’m starting to get a feel for the characters, I think I like Mikasa best, she’s kinda badass, lol, she always knows what to say and seems pretty tough, I like Eren’s determination I think that will keep him going, not entirely sure what to think of Armin yet.
It seems there’s more then one type of Titan and I’m looking forward to learning more about them.
I really like how this episode showed all the effects of war- food shortages, using civillians as conscript soldiers.
@survivorjace, I saw your comment about OUAT and I wanted to add my thoughts about it (without piling on to an already lengthy post. LoL). Hope you don’t mind me quoting you here:
I go back and forth on OUaT–I still love my otp and the writing for them is still solid (in my opinion) but this season was mostly boring. There was way too much Regina/Evil Queen, and the stuff with Belle and Rumple was unpleasant.
See, this is the very reason Once likely won’t be making it on my ‘tv disappointments’ list - because the writing for why I tune in is still as solid as it’s ever been (like you, this is where I put the in my opinion addendum, LoL). I make no secret about why I started watching this show and why I continue - I tuned in for Killian Jones/Captain Swan, and that’s why I’m still here.
The rest of it? It’s cannon-fodder. It doesn’t matter to me if it’s good or not. Because regardless of whether or not it is, it was never what drew me into the show. So if the stories going on around Killian, Emma, and their relationship are doing well, it’s a bonus, if not, then nothing’s changed. It’s why if something upsets me with Regina or Rumple or anything else in the moment, I have my salt fest about it, and then move on and never worry about it again. Because where I’m sitting, Killian is still the best developed character on the show, getting arguably some of the best material across the full character spectrum, he’s still given the strongest storylines, and his relationship with Emma is rock solid and has enough context to show it’s going endgame. I’m sitting pretty.
As long as they continue down that tried and true path that they have yet to actually stray from (again, IMO), I’m golden. I’m not gonna let myself get bogged down by the stuff that wasn’t even a blip on my radar when I started watching. Everything I started watching this show for is still right there in front of me, doing the things I want them to be doing, and the things I’ve come to love from this show since getting into it (things like Killian’s other relationships, like Captain Charming and Captain Cobra) are also doing well, then... Once is going just fine for me.
(Also, I’ve always been a selective Once watcher, meaning - when I rewatch episodes and stuff, 99% of the time, I’m watching what I like and don’t bother with any of the rest ever again. The number of times I have to watch things I don’t like is, at most, one time - when I watch the episode air. And I know that’s the price *I* choose to pay watching episodes premiere. It’s par for the course, navigating around what I consider to be minutia).
Episode 5- What the f#$?! I was going to say I was underwhelmed for a battle episode but those last few minutes. Holy shit! I also loved learning more about Titan mythology in this episode, why do they give off so much heat, why do they regenerate. Hope we learn more soon. The generic Titans seem to be getting smarter now which makes things even more intense. It was cool to see Eren be the one to get Mikasa going in this episode.
Episode 6- Wow, Mikasa’s backstory. Still stuns me to know end that even when humanity is in a crisis that people choose to do such cruel things. And who knew Eren was the one who motivated Mikasa to fight. Really enjoyed it but it did kinda feel at odds with how Eren’s character was established. I liked the touch of him giving her the scarf though.
Episode 7- I liked that Mikasa didn’t give up in the end and she helped motivate the others. What is with that one Titan attacking others though? Gah, I just want to watch more and more!
Episode 3- I like Eren’s resolve best about his character, I think it gives him strength. I like how the training also showed us different characters who will probably become key characters and how people want to become soldiers for different reasons not just fighting the Titans. I wonder when Eren’s dad is going to appear though, that seems to have been dropped.
Episode 4- So a lot of these soldiers in training are just doing it so they don’t have to fight ultimately? It makes sense but still it’s sad.I loved how Mikasa was top of class and how we now have a group beyond him, her and Armin. How did that Titan seemingly just appear at the wall? This episode had a hell of a cliffhanger, I really can’t wait to see how they fight them now.
