Author Archives: Sam

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sarashouldbestudying:

Oh yes, Young, abandoning your best scientist on a desert planet just because you don’t like him is definitely the way you’re gonna get everybody home. 

You watched Justice!!!

I had such a reaction when I watched this, literally screaming. Why? Because “we don’t leave people behind” that has been stargate command’s belief and practice since it started. I’m not sure whether it was O’Neill or Hammond that inspired it but it became protocol. It’s seen time and time again in SG1, in Atlantis, it’s what makes the SGC what it is.

I think Carter said it best in Heroes. “

You can’t ask airmen, soldiers, human beings to risk their lives without backup, without knowing that we would be there for them.” – they bring them home.

I mean this was supposed to be the core of SGU – or so I thought – the struggle and the journey to get home. I know Rush said later “It was never about getting home” but for most people on that ship I think it was.

Young going against that, Young not just leaving someone behind because he had to do it, but to leave them behind to die on purpose. That just went against everything that Stargate Command was supposed to stand for and Young is supposed to be held up as this ‘hero’, the representative of the SGC on Destiny and nope, just nope. I hope that if O’Neill ever found out that he would come down on Young like a ton of bricks. O’Neill never left anyone behind, even people he didn’t like, he risked himself because that is what you do – you don’t leave people behind.

It wasn’t because it was Rush that I was so mad, Young could have done it to anyone and I would have been appalled. The fact that it was Rush made it 10x worse because Rush knew more about Destiny than anyone. Leaving him behind meant that the next time the ship breaks – who’s going to fix it? Leaving him behind meant that if there are hostile aliens (and the crashed ship suggested aliens) Rush would be a prime source of information and the worst security leak possible.

Young just left him there. He had no supplies, no weapon and no way to dial the gate. It would have been kinder to have shot him because at least then he wouldn’t die slowly and painfully of exposure or dehydration.

I suppose the writers of SGU did a damn good job with this episode. I was so furious it immediately addicted me to the show. Before that I had been watching because it was Stargate and I thought I should, but I could only manage by employing a hefty supply of sarcasm and stupid comments (basically making fun of it). After Justice no more humor, the characters had finally got under my skin. I was so mad I went and wrote a 5k blogpost because it inspired me that much.

Anyway sorry I’ve gone on a bit. I always react strongly to the Justice episode. I also react pretty damn strong to Space and Divided (the next two) because they just follow on and yikes I could go on a lot about those and Young’s appalling leadership.

I hope you enjoy them!

Rumbaby God Parents!

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violetfaust:

still-searching47:

betsypaige22:

grace52373:

Emilie suggested Snow and Charming and I wish someone told her what Snow did because I doubt she would think they would be good God parents after putting Belle and her baby in danger so here is my list of better God Parents for the Rumbaby!

Ruby and Dorothy

Archie

Leroy

Granny

Mulan

I can’t think of anymore. Any suggestions or do you think I picked some decent ones?

Also petition for the so-called heroes especially Snow to get what they deserve 2k16!

I’m not going to criticize Emilie for her answer to this question……..but anyway…..

No Ruby – and not Dorothy when Belle has no idea who she is.

I’m Jewish and we don’t have Godparents, so I’m not even sure what responsibilities they have. I think Archie is really the only good choice because he cares about both Rumple and Belle whereas, as much as I love Granny and Leroy, they don’t like Rumple.

People choose godparents for different reasons. On this show I think godparents who would take care of the kid if something happened to Rumple and Belle would be a good idea. There’s a lot of getting sucked into portals going around.

The problem with picking someone is that nobody on the show really seems to like Rumple or view him as anything other than the big bad evil dark one which is so unfair. He’s so much more than that.

Also another problem is picking someone who will stay in the same realm as the kid – way too much realm hopping going on.

I agree that I think Archie would be a good choice if only because he would treat the child fairly. Whatever his views on Rumple or Belle, he would be good to the kid because it’s innocent. He wouldn’t blame the kid for the ‘darkness’ of their father.

I also think Mulan would be a reasonable choice if we could get her in the same realm. So far we’ve seen her as pretty non-judgmental. I think she would protect the kid, giving practical protection, advice and support, as a counter point to Archie’s care and understanding. She’s so unflappable, she just takes things as they come and she is good with people as we saw with her training of Merida.

Now three is usually traditional but thinking of a third is difficult. I think it has to be someone from the Charming clan. In event of catastrophe Archie would be the day to day guardian with Mulan a close second. However, given the position the Charming’s have, I think it would be a mistake to sideline them. Far better to give them an interest in the child.

On that basis which of clan Charming would be the best choice? I’m going to say Henry. I know he’s young but it’s purely an emotional pull. He is family, he’s be the kids nephew. If he cares for the kid, there’s nothing clan Charming wouldn’t do for Henry so they would – hopefully – then protect the kid.

Yup so in summary my picks would be Archie, Mulan and Henry.

I actually do not think Snowing would be a bad choice, provided they stopped leaving babies while gallivanting in other realms and were willing to treat the Rumbambino as a human rather than imp spawn.

However my first choice will always be Jefferson. He might be a WEE bit unstable but he’s one of Rumple’s few friends, he seems to like Belle, and he’s an incredibly devoted dad who will do anything for his child. Plus Grace would make a great big sister.

I forgot about Jefferson!

This is what I get for not double checking. Although Jefferson was only on screen a couple of times. We saw that he worked for Rumple but was there any on screen evidence he was a friend?I know it’s common in fanfic and I tend to believe it because Jefferson is cool. I do like Jefferson.

He is a good dad. Much like Rumple he did what he had to so that Grace could have a better life. Anyway, Jefferson is a possibility which takes the number of potential candidates to four. Unless I’ve forgotten someone else.

My rationale mostly was who would be responsible? I just don’t think that is Snowing. I’m not saying they are bad people. It’s just for one they show a scandalous disregard for anyone that isn’t their own (Maleficent’s kid for example) and two they frequently abandon their own kids for the greater good.

I read this Harry Potter oneshot once where James and Lily asked Peter to be godfather and not Sirius. When Peter asked why James said “we don’t need someone who would die for Harry, we need someone who would live for him. We need someone who would change his nappies, soothe his nightmares at 3am, help him with his homework when he’s older etc.”

It was that kinda thinking I was trying to apply. Who would look beyond the kids parentage and give them a stable home should Rumple and Belle not be able to do that. Who would put the kid first?

Hi! I was wondering if you could give a bit of advice. I’m a pretty new writer and I have a good idea for a fic I want to write. However, I don’t know if I have the skill to pull it off, but I wouldn’t want to ask anyone else to write it because it’s fairly complex and I have a certain way I want to go about things. Should I just go for it despite my doubts? And if so, do you have any good writing tips to share?

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standbyyourmantis:

woodelf68:

endangeredslug-deactivated20170:

Congratulations! So, you’re a new writer, but you’re understandably nervous because posting anything online is pretty daunting. Should you write it?

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Of course you should write it. And you are going to write the hell out of it and we are going to be in awe of you and your beautiful story and marvel at what you gave us. Most of us are really excited about new writers and fresh fic. We are always looking for more to read and I can name several people who
will flood your ask box come Tuesdays because they want more.

Because you’re going to do this thing.

I’m not sure about writing tips because I’m not a very confident writer (ask anyone who has been on the receiving end of one of my nervous rants), but what I do have going for me is an utter lack of shame and the complete willingness to jump right into something without thinking about it so I seem like I have it all under control. It’s all an illusion. I am a humbug.

Here is what I recommend:

  • Be brave. Be bold. Close your eyes and jump in.
  • Don’t be afraid to make mistakes or to ask for help.
  • Find a beta — someone to hold your hand or hit your ass with a cattle prod in turns. When you feel discouraged, keep going anyway (this is where the beta wielding cattle prod comes in). A good beta is worth their weight in gold.
  • Don’t compare yourself with other writers. It’s not a competition (except those times when it is).
  • Tag it so people can find it.

And, most important:

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(I have to take one of my kids to dance class right now, but if you want to talk more, then please feel free to do so. And keep an eye on this because there will be people weighing in with tips and such.)

First thing, the only way to get better at something is to do it, and keep on doing it. So you write this fic, and maybe you’ll surprise yourself, and you’ll be really pleased with the result. More likely, you’ll think ‘well, it’s okay, but it didn’t quite live up to what I had in my head’. That’s okay, too! Many artists and writers are never completely happy with their work. That’s where practice comes in – you write one fic, do your best, and then move on and write another. And your writing skill is only going to grow with each one. Plus there’s the fact, which I’ve heard other writers attest to, that the fics which prove to be most popular with readers are often the ones that writers have the most doubts about. Which goes to show you never know what is going to connect with your audience. For me, a fresh idea written by an okay writer is often more enjoyable than an idea that I’ve already read a thousand times written by someone with a much more polished style. 

I have a whole tag of writing tips! Some of it is stylistic and grammatical notes, but I’ve done some meta on the subject myself.

Absolutely write the fic!

Going to paraphrase the tagline from NaNo – “The World Needs Your Fic.”

Why? Because it’s yours. You have the story to tell and however you tell it, that is going to be right.

Now all the cliches. Everybody has to start from somewhere. The more you write, the more practice you have, the better you will get. You can fix a bad page, you can’t fix a blank page. Just write!

Most importantly have fun.

I’m serious about the last part because writing can be hard. It’s easy to get discouraged, to decide it’s all rubbish and that you want to quit. What keeps you going on bad days? It kinda has to be you. Write for yourself first and foremost. Write because you love writing and you have a story to tell. Write because you enjoy the journey as well as the end.

Write the fic you want to read and enjoy it. You can do this. Although I do warn you, writing is addictive, it’s impossible to just stop with one story. Once you open the floodgates yikes, the stories will just keep on spinning.

Have fun!

Scenes in episodes

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Chalk this up as something I secretly suspected, but never really noticed, when I was watching. There is a definite formula going on.

I just took three random episodes and totaled the scenes. They all had 24.

1×12 Skin Deep had 9 FTL flashback scenes, 14 in present day Storybrooke and 1 montage which flipped back between FTL and Storybrooke.

4×12 Darkness on the edge of town had 5 FTL flashback scenes, 6 with Rumple in New York and then the Queen’s of Darkness scenes, 12 in Storybrooke and 1 montage of many different Storybrooke scenes.

5×01 The Dark Swan had 9 in the enchanted forest, 14 in Storybrooke, 1 FTL flashback and 1 flashback to Emma as a kid.

Aside from there being a total of 24, there’s another pattern that Storybrooke always has the most scenes. Obviously I only checked these but I’m wondering if there were more FTL flashbacks in the early days, or if the flashback scenes are longer later so it’s the same amount just split differently.

It’s a little interesting.

Neal in season 5 (and 6?)

Posted on by

heddagab:

image

(Wake up love. It’s your time to shine!)

Before I continue on the actual meta I’d like to say that I created this because I had this idea, I saw the clues and because I believe Ouat is using the circular narrative, meaning season 6 will resemble a lot season 2 (and have elements from early season three and season one. If you notice, season 5 was resembling season 3 and at the very end it tapped into late season 2). In under no circumstances I want to toy with anyone’s emotions (I already did with my own but wth) so if you continue reading this, please bear in mind that it’s just things I notice. I might be right, I might be wrong (Tell yourselves I’m wrong and read this just for the heck of it)

Keep reading

I love this and I want this to be true. It could even happen possibly because didn’t Michael Raymond James recent show just get cancelled? Making him available.

However, one big roadblock in the way. When Neal died, wasn’t there a body? If he had somehow been magically poofed to another realm, wouldn’t he have died a bit like Griff did in the cells, by being surrounded by magical smoke and then disappearing? I still think that death was fishy, I thought the green smoke was a sign of Zelena involvement and I’m getting off topic.

So roadblock one – the body. Roadblock two – the author was imprisoned in the book at the time. It was said on screen by the apprentice or the sorcerer in the smoky cauldron, that while he was trapped he could only record and not change. So even if the author powers are seemingly pretty powerful and he could make it so Neal could leave a body, and respawn elsewhere, the author couldn’t at the time it happened.

I love all the parallels you found though. I do think that is brilliant. All that subtext really should lead to somewhere and wow you noticed a lot! I never notice half of this stuff, it’s very impressive. You got any other theory posts? I might have to have a look.

Even if this doesn’t happen on screen, I might just decide that it happens anyway because Neal deserved better and I want him back.

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Watching this after 2×05 The Doctor, it makes so much more sense. She singled Jefferson out.

She abandoned him in Wonderland, when it would have been so easy to have taken a nameless knight and then just killed him. Alternatively her dad was in the box, he might not have counted according to the hat, she could have nabbed some food and restored him back in the Enchanted Forest and they all could have gone home.

Then when the curse hit Jefferson was taken to Storybrooke. He was forced to remember when no-one else in town did, and he was still separated from his daughter because she had no idea who he was.

However, Jefferson is the one that offered her the hope that Frankenstein could revive Daniel. He was the one that gave her the idea, and then did what was necessary for it to happen. He brought Frankenstein to her, that butcher, who failed and essentially made her relive Daniel’s death.

He made her a promise which he then broke.

He stripped Regina of the last of her hope, he was the face that tipped her over the edge into truly becoming the evil queen. In turn Regina then stripped Jefferson of what mattered most – his family.

Now Regina made her own choices but at this point in her life she blamed everyone else for everything. I don’t blame Jefferson at all, he was just working under orders from Rumple anyway.

I wonder if Regina ever discovered this particular manipulation of Rumplestiltskin’s? That could perhaps be the reason why they went from mentor/student to the enemies they were in Skin Deep. It’s too bad Sebastian Stan is now a bigtime Marvel movie star, because we could do with Jefferson back on the show.

All-Stargate Dream Team

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There’s this cool twitter account called Stargate Command over on – well twitter and they just asked “What’s your all-stargate dream team?” Now my twitter is set to private and 140 characters is so not enough, so I will just answer that question for my own fun right here.

To be honest so far as teams go how do you beat original SG1? It kinda can’t be done so I’m going to build a team that doesn’t include any of the original SG1 because otherwise I would just want all of them.

Warning ramble under the cut.

That still leaves oh so many options. There’s Jonas, Cameron Mitchell or Vala who were actually SG1 team members. Then there’s other Stargate personnel such as Janet Fraiser, the four Lt. from Proving Ground: Elliot, Hailey, Satterfield and Grogan. There’s key people like Bra’tac, Selmak/Jacob or Martouf/Lantash. Rya’c, son of Teal’c, another one, or that Jaffa with the burned off symbol, any rebel Jaffa really. There were lots of cool Tok’ra over the years too.

There’s the SGA-1 team: Sheppard, McKay, Teyla, Ronan, Ford. Also from Atlantis there’s Major Lorne, Zelenka, Carson Beckett, Jennifer Keller, Lt. Cadman etc.

From Universe there’s Rush obviously, Scott, Greer, James, Varro, TJ, Young if I absolutely have to list him, Mr Brody etc.

How do you pick just one team?

I did sometimes wonder who would be the new SG1 when they said .. somewhere that Cameron got promoted to command the Odyssey. Teal’c and Daniel didn’t seem to be on active SG1 duty when they did guest spots in season 5 Atlantis and on Universe.

The fate of Atlantis when it crashlanded on Earth in the series finale is kinda unknown. I read one place that it got turned into a moonbase, I read somewhere else that it went back to Pegasus. From McKay’s guest spot on Universe I’m just going to say either Atlantis isn’t a factor, or the Milky Way is quiet enough that SG1 could be deployed to Pegasus.

New SG1 post series
Team Leader: Colonel John Sheppard
Science Officer: Captain Jennifer Hailey
Shooter: Ronan
Culture: Vala (doesn’t know it like Daniel, but knows the galaxy really well)

Another version could be:
Team Leader: Major Lorne (would likely need a promotion first)
Science Officer: Captain Hailey (yeah – again, but she is a good fit)
Shooter:

Rya’c (son of Teal’c)
Culture: A living Tok’ra (I’m sure there has to be one)

I’m splitting it down the roles the original SG1 had. If I ignored a certain element like for instance the culture requirement, then it could get a bit more fluid. Also, those ones were for post-series and so dead people weren’t eligible. Plus, the people on Destiny aren’t eligible on account of being on the other side of the Universe.

Say all-time, open to everyone, dead, other side of the universe or otherwise and forget roles, it’s just 4-5 people who would kick-butt out there. I’m actually having trouble with this because I just want to list all the scientists. However, there is no point in putting Rush, Zelenka and Hailey on the same SG team. Even if it is the scientists that save the day a lot.

All-time
– Dr Nicholas Rush (come on you knew that was coming)
– Selmak/Jacob
– Vala
– Ronan
(it occurs to me there are no military officers in this list, Jacob was a two star General but when he blended with Selmak he kinda wasn’t in the chain of command any longer)

Meh lack of military officers aside, that is my dream team of four. It could only be improved by adding Bra’tac and then yup the universe is going to be a safe place for sure.

Posted on by

freifraufischer:

Regina Mills is one of the greatest magical practitioners of her age.  Famous for using a sleeping curse.  She knows what he needs.  She leans forward… but stops herself.  Because while she may love him she’s certain he doesn’t love her.  After all how could he.  She’s the Evil Queen, rotten to the core, and she’s never been good enough for any of the people she’s loved.  Never been good enough to save them.  Never been good enough to save herself.

Urk, oh wow I’d not noticed that before but – so true! Oh man Regina’s expression is killing me, talk about heartbreaking. This makes so much sense. It fits with her character and yeah, wow. The OP really hit the nail on the head, so on point and really insightful.

It’s like one of those pivotal moments isn’t it? The sort that spawn the ‘what if?’ questions. What if she had pushed aside her fear and her self-loathing for just one second and tried true loves kiss on Henry?

Would the result have been failure because deep down she didn’t believe in herself? Would the result have been failure because her self-loathing was right and at this point Henry didn’t love her? (I don’t believe this one, she’s his mother and Henry always loved her even if they weren’t always close). Or what if the result had been success and it had woken him? What would the consequences of that have been?

A true loves kiss between Regina and Henry in the season one finale wouldn’t have broken the dark curse. However, Emma had her revelation and now believed. So the next challenge would have been trying to work out how to break the curse. What would that have meant for Rumple and amnesiac Belle? What would that have meant for dragon Maleficent and the vial of true love potion? What would that have meant for David attempting to leave town? (no-one can leave town – bad things happen).

Also to bring this back to Regina, as this is a Regina post, what would that have meant for her and Henry? She would have had indisputable proof in the strength of their mother/son bond. Henry would also have had the same confidence boost, he doubted that Regina truly loved him at this point. Would he have gone back closer to his adopted mother? After all, in the show he moved in with the Charmings and I don’t think he returned to live with Regina full time until 5A when Emma was the dark one.

Has there been any fics about this? Because I really don’t need another canon divergent what if WIP …

Time Travel – Fanfic Trope

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I don’t really see this on TV so much for obvious reasons because the universe has to be established, before someone can go back in time and want to change stuff. Zelena wanted to go for this but it never happened.

Last night I was wondering how people create angst because I don’t think I’m any good at it. I just want to bang people’s heads together and make them communicate and of course if they actually talk, then that usually fixes most things.

Then I couldn’t sleep and I started wondering about Rumbelle and True Loves Kiss in season 6, and how what if the consequences of that aren’t what we hope, but what could happen (worst case scenario I guess) based on their treatment on the show.

This could be a fic idea but it’s too sad I don’t want to write it. Major character death is something I usually don’t read because dead is dead, once it happens then there’s no fixing it and I like my happy endings.

————-

Step one, obviously the true loves kiss and this breaks the sleeping curse and the curse of the dark one. This would be an excellent starting point for their reconciliation, he would have proved beyond doubt that he loved Belle more than his power. However, it would render Rumple powerless and vulnerable.

Imagine then they come back to Storybrooke. They have a lot of reasons to do that, it’s their home. Neal’s grave is there, they both have family in town (though not family that cares about them) and well the show revolves around Storybrooke. Whenever they are out of town they fast-forward until they are back, and then do flashbacks to wherever they were. Except when they were in the underworld which was Underbrooke, so a little different.

Hook then finds out what Rumple did to Milah, throwing her in the river of lost souls. He could find out lots of different ways, maybe Henry writes the tale with the authors pen. Anyway, Hook’s default is revenge and it’s not exactly a great stretch to imagine him going after Rumple and now Rumple doesn’t have magic, Hook could finally kill him quite easily.

Emma and the Charmings would excuse it because it was Rumplestiltskin, he had done horrible things, he would likely do horrible things. What does it matter that the man was just crossing the street at the time? What did it matter that he was powerless? He was Rumplestiltskin, he was the dark one for centuries, he was the darkness and he wasn’t worthy of anymore chances etc. etc.

Belle is then pregnant and alone. I don’t imagine that they would care about her anymore now, than they ever did. However, as much as we would like Belle to yell and point out all the so-called heroes hypocritical failings, I don’t think she would. Mostly because I think she would realize that it wouldn’t change anything. They wouldn’t listen, they wouldn’t understand, they would just think she was being emotional and grieving. They would never believe that they were wrong, no matter what she said.

However, to ramp up the angst even more. I don’t think Belle would be able to stop helping the ‘heroes’ because she doesn’t do it for them. I think she does it because she genuinely believes it’s the right thing to do. That saving Storybrooke isn’t about the ‘heroes’, it’s about everyone else. The true qualities of a hero, forgiveness and compassion etc.

Belle would be all that baby had. If she went off to save Storybrooke and got herself killed ‘playing the hero’ then what would happen? She did what she believed was right and paid the ultimate price for it. Parents should be selfish, and leave the heroics to others but this show doesn’t do that. The Charmings are always abandoning baby Neal, Robin left Roland etc. It’s not a massive stretch to imagine it could happen.

What then? Belle would likely believe that no matter what the Charmings (and extended clan) thought of Rumple, that they would take care of a baby. However, they don’t exactly have the best track record with villains children – Maleficent and Lily anyone? I reckon that they would take the child, the ‘spawn of the dark one’, and dump it over the town line. They would take it far enough that it was found, it would be cared for and they just forget about it. Not their problem.

I wish that I believed that this was all ridiculous and it could never actually happen. Maybe I’m just a little cynical but I don’t think it’s all that out of character for anyone.

Right so when does the time travel come in? Well, it’s no fun spinning a plot like this, that has major character death because if they are dead, then they aren’t going to be reacting to what happened.

If Zelena raises baby Robyn, I could see that ending badly and turning her into wicked witch 2.0 who despises her mother, but who isn’t above taking a leaf out of her playbook – time travel.

I could also see Henry tracking down the Rumbelle child when he/she was 18 because they should know where they came from. To Wicked Witch 2.0 the Rumbelle child would be a good bargaining chip in the past. After all, time travel aside, he/she would be Rumple’s second born child and a convenient ‘extra’ to get rid of the contract still hanging over them in the past. Plus nobody knows more than Zelena what lengths Rumple would go to for his child, do you really think he would do much less for one torn out of time?

Cue a time portal opening back in Storybrooke (pick your season/moment) and 2.0 and a very pissed off Rumbelle child falling out. Bonus points if they drag some other grown up kids along, to yell at their parents for screwing them over so badly – hence why it’s a fanfic trope.

Could have this plot without the time travel at the end. That was just be majorly sad because there would be no fixing it. Rumple and Belle would be dead, their child abandoned to the welfare system, before getting a biased account of their parents and likely nothing else. For all Rumple’s apparent wealth in Storybrooke, I doubt that they would let the kid see any of it. Just misery all round, except for the Charming extended clan, who would lose nothing and everything would be alright in their world.

I’m a sucker for a happy ending and the “going back in time to scream at people” kinda makes for a happy ending. With communication could eventually become understanding, forgiveness and acceptance. Who knows, maybe seeing how their actions play out could even give the ‘heroes’ an outside perspective and make them change their careless ways.

SGU 1×07

Posted on by

sarashouldbestudying:

OMG Rush, you little manipulative shit, I love you so much <3

“A little bit of theater, always nice.”

That scene is one of my favorites, it’s just pure Rush. You are making me want to restart my SGU rewatch!

I got to Faith and stopped because Young makes me so mad, I can only watch when the house is empty in case I scream at the TV. Oh man, first time I watched Justice – yikes! You still have that to look forward to, in two episodes time.

You just prepare yourself 🙂