Hi before I was diagnosed with an underactive thyroid, I had developed gastritis that was diagnosed by the hospital, my blood tests came back and was given thyroxine, that has made my stomach pain excruciatingly painful I was streaming in agony i could not talk well and my IBS flared up at the same time, I could not breathe, this lasted from 3 am till 7:30 am and the pain did not let up, my stoles have been a green colour, I went to the doctors the day after and the was told the thyroxine causes acid reflux that increases my pain levels, that i have to ride it out and the green stoles are normal, that if I do not take these pills then it will be life theatherning for me if I don't take them and could die etc due to heart failure I have told my GP all this.
I have since cut out 80% off all foods and will not eat ultra processed foods, I have cut out all red meats, including pork (bacon sausages and any fried foods) along with many other foods, including any acidic fruits, and sugar free chocolates etc, I do not smoke or never drink alchihol as I avoid it in over 4 years, and even more so since passing my driving exam, I even stopped anything to do with keto or low carb foods, so far the pain is still there but not as server as it was but its uncomfortable, and even though I have been given stomach tablets and take antacids every 4 hours but not at the same time as the thyroxine.
I cant walk far like going to the park with the children caused me to cramp in my stomach, the thyroxin tablets that stomach cramps can last up to two weeks so I am hoping it will settle down afterwards as my body is still to adjust with the meds, its hard to sleep at night because of this.
I am under review by the GP.

To say we had reservations about going to Coco Bongo is an understatement. The Google Reviews are littered with stories of theft, terrible service and unbearable queues, and with such a high price tag we came very close to skipping this one.
Ultimately we decided to bite the bullet and bought the regular tickets (the cheapest option) and we are relieved we did - it ended up being an incredible night unlike anything we've done before! That said, I think the key to making the most of your experience at Coco Bongo is all about expectations; here are a few things that helped us / we wish we had known before going:

1. Queuing up pre-show: For regular tickets you will need to navigate the queue to get into the venue. Our online ticket said check in at 9:45pm, but the official show does not start until 11pm. We arrived at 9:30pm and were near the front or queue. By 10pm the queue for regular ticket holders was about 100 yards, and they were only letting in half a dozen regular ticket holders every 5min. I'm not sure if any of those people missed the start of the show but regardless it pays to get in early as you get quick access to the bar before it gets busy, and can find a good spot to stand. There is a good preshow pumping up the crowd until the real show starts so you won't just be standing around.
2. Online tickets + ID: We bought tickets through the website - if you do this make sure you go to the "Reservations Desk" before queuing up for the start of the show. They will check your emailed tickets and ID (photo of passport is fine) and then give you your wristband. My partner tried to go get the wristband while I held our spot but we needed to swap as the tickets were in my name.
3. Finding a good spot to stand: Be prepared for the floor to get packed - you will want to find a good spot early on for as for the first half it can be difficult to move (we were there on a Saturday, one of the busiest nights). When you go in there is a centre stage and another stage hidden behind screens above the bar (i.e., an elevated stage). I recommend standing on the left hand side of the centre stage as you enter. This way you will be close to the bathrooms, and the bar. Do not stand too close to the bar as you will not be able to see the stage above it.
4. Drinks: We were able to go to the bar and order several rounds of drinks throughout the night. There are also service staff walking around who are dedicated to premium ticket holders which some regular attendees were able to bribe. However we had no trouble getting drinks from the bar so didn't bother with that. There was only ever one person in front of us for drinks. Each time we would order a Tequila soda and a Tequila shot (insurance if the former was more soda than Tequila). It is important to stay hydrated as it is a long show and you are on your feet the whole time. We tipped our bartender 50 pesos each time and ordered from the same one for each round - this helped us get priority at the bar, the drinks were strong, and we could order multiple drinks at once.
5. Food: It is included in the ticket, and people complain that it's terrible / hard to find, but did you really come to Congo Bongo for the food? Eat a big dinner to line your stomach before the show and then have some late night street food when you come out.
6. Clothing: Girls, do not wear heels. Guys, do not wear long pants or long sleeved shirts.
7. Show structure: The show is divided into several sets, with 5-10min dance breaks between each one. Time your bar runs and bathroom trips accordingly - if you don't mind missing a particular set you can avoid queues by going just before the set ends. The official show finishes at 2am and then a DJ comes out for the final 45min. We had low expectations for the quality of the performances but the set pieces are surprisingly well done and the dancers were tight on their marks.
8. Regular vs Premium tickets: The biggest drawback for regular ticket holders is there is no seating, so be prepared for that. That said, if you like to dance then the floor is the place to be! We had an absolute blast being close to the centre stage and in the thick of it all. It is harder to see the main stage but in my view the best part of the show is the acrobatics and there is something special about looking up at the acrobatics high above you only for them to come tumbling down just a few arm reaches away. At one point security prepared us all to duck down to avoid being hit! For some people this might be too much, but for us it added to the crazy spectacle of the show. That said, if you do not like to dance then you are probably better off being seated. We saw a few people on the floor that stood still the whole time in complete misery. On the flip side, we also noticed several people in the balconies looking longingly at the dance floor, so choose your ticket accordingly (I assume those people could have come down to the floor but I guess they wanted to make the most of what they paid for).
9. Overall: This is a very unique experience and if you go in knowing what to expect and with the right attitude you'll have an amazing time! If you like to dance and you're prepared not to sit for a few hours I would say regular tickets are the way to go!

The Profit Code Local OTO
https://timebusinessnews.com/the-profit-code-oto-1-to-5-otos-links-here-hot-bonuses-upsell/
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/profit-code-oto-1-5-otos-links-here-hot-bonuses/
https://www.reddit.com/EmojiReview/comments/140jm2y/the_profit_code_oto_1_to_5_otos_links_here_hot/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3
When I first started learning how to make money online, I found that you take different training courses, and most of them were just complete enough to crap and some of them. You think yeah there's something in this now there are certain people who create training courses, and there is something in that without blame, my own trumpet, I'm one of those I like to create training cultures that actually teach you what I do that gets results and then, If you follow that and you take action, you're going to get results, it's as simple as that, because I just teach you what I do now. Another person who does that is James, Fawcett and James has just released the profit code and the profit code. What I like about this is this: is a system that's going to enable you to get about 300 per day, possibly more, possibly less, but in reality I think you can actually achieve that if you take the training and apply what's in there and that's the important Thing as well, you know when we're starting out, we buy training and we might think well I'll, come back to that when I've got time. Do me a favor, make sure that you make time to take any training that you buy when it comes to making money online and you follow it through.
The Profit Code Local OTO
https://timebusinessnews.com/the-profit-code-oto-1-to-5-otos-links-here-hot-bonuses-upsell/
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/profit-code-oto-1-5-otos-links-here-hot-bonuses/
https://www.reddit.com/EmojiReview/comments/140jm2y/the_profit_code_oto_1_to_5_otos_links_here_hot/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3
You take action, you implement it and then you'll see the results. So I've always said that if anyone takes any of my training, my info training courses, like the affiliate directive, breakthrough VIP. If you teach, if you, if you do what I teach in there, you will get results because I teach you what I'm doing and that's the same for the profit code. What James is doing here is he's lifting the lid on a simple hack that he's discovered that he's been tweaking for the last few months. That'S just working now all right!
The Profit Code OTOs Linka
So then, he's taken all of that and he's recorded the training step by step to show you exactly what you need to do from the beginning to the end, newbie friendly doesn't matter if you've never done any of this before doesn't matter if you've never had any Success before you just start at the beginning, and you work your way through all right and that's what I love about these info courses, that I know that I can recommend this and if you actually do what's inside, you'll get results and you'll. Thank me for that. All right so we're here on the sales page at the moment - and it says five minutes of work is produced now 300 plus per day in stupid, simple affiliate commissions join now and learn how to replicate our success in the next 60 seconds. Now the bullets say virtually unknown brand new method with full training. That'S important works for both newbies and experienced marketers, and that's true as well, and that's what I like about this stuff because I go through the training.
I think yeah, that's good! I'M going to do that. You know - and I've been doing this for a while. So it's nice for me to learn stuff as well: instant access to the method in just 60 seconds. No hard work required brand new method working right now, so simple, a 12 year old could do it all it takes.
The Profit Code OTO AIUpsell
Is 30 minutes to get profit code up and running, get results or would give you every penny Benny every penny back with a smile, and then you can come through as always take a look at the sales page. You'Ve got the usual stuff on there, but I've I've got some lovely bonuses for you. First of all, let me show you my page, and I can show you oh so this is um. I'Ve just been through the members area. This is a screenshot of the members area here and it you know it's the usual the usual kind of members area.
The Profit Code Local OTO
https://timebusinessnews.com/the-profit-code-oto-1-to-5-otos-links-here-hot-bonuses-upsell/
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/profit-code-oto-1-5-otos-links-here-hot-bonuses/
https://www.reddit.com/EmojiReview/comments/140jm2y/the_profit_code_oto_1_to_5_otos_links_here_hot/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3
You'Ve got the different sections. There'S multiple videos in each one short and sweet to the point. Just you know, gets the training done all right. If you buy through my page and you click on any of these green buttons here, you're gon na get this beautiful bonus bundle that I've got a few, so you're going to get the all-new Titan Ai and all the available upgrades. So that's Titan, AI affiliate, one plus all the available upgrades breakout code 2.
, plus all the available upgrades and profit Pad Plus profit Pad, Plus all the available upgrades. So let me show you what they are uh, so the first one is Titan AI. It says, exposed AI powered profit sites flood our bank accounts with Commissions in just three simple clicks: it's making us 1747 daily passively. Here'S how you can replicate our passive profit sites in just 23 minutes, I'm giving you Titan Ai and all the available upgrades very, very valuable bonuses. These guys all right.
The Profit Code OTO Bonuses
Next one is the breakout code, 2.0 new, improved one clicker blast about 1432 dollars straight into our accounts. New case study and trading reveals little known breakout act, that's making James 58k monthly you're going to get the breakout code, plus all the available upgrades free of charge. All right free of charge, affiliate one, it's making us 2767 daily passively. Here'S how you can replicate our success in just three easy steps: affiliate one is actually one of the training courses that James himself recommended that I take.
The Profit Code Local OTO
https://timebusinessnews.com/the-profit-code-oto-1-to-5-otos-links-here-hot-bonuses-upsell/
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/profit-code-oto-1-5-otos-links-here-hot-bonuses/
https://www.reddit.com/EmojiReview/comments/140jm2y/the_profit_code_oto_1_to_5_otos_links_here_hot/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3
If you guys asking asking him about certain way to make money online - and he said you know, go for affiliate one, so I've got your affiliate one and all the available upgrades all right. Profit pad profit pad our Plug and Play breakthrough, loophole profit system that regenerates our income day after day. It makes us 1, 866 daily passively. Here'S how you can replicate our success with three simple clicks: you're going to get profit pad and all the available upgrades all right. So you need to jump on this as soon as possible because of the kind of up the kind of bonuses I've got you here, which is four full funnels, it's worth about four thousand dollars.
The Profit Code OTO Product Overview
I am strictly limited on how many I can give away all right. So jump on this jump on the profit code as soon as you can and grab it when you go through the funnel. If you see upgrades in there that you like the look of just bear in mind that because you're buying through me, you've got these four other complete products and other upgrades, so you're you're thousands of dollars ahead. So if you do fancy some of the upgrades, you you've got great value in the entire bundle here, so the profit code upgrades are something you should seriously consider. What I always say is if we know as a vendor when we're putting together an offer like this.
The Profit Code Local OTO
https://timebusinessnews.com/the-profit-code-oto-1-to-5-otos-links-here-hot-bonuses-upsell/
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/profit-code-oto-1-5-otos-links-here-hot-bonuses/
What we do is we look at? How can we make it better for the buyer because we tend to put as much as we can into the front end and keep the price as low as possible to encourage as many people to jump on board and then with with the optional upgrades? We'Ll look at what could add real value. What would make it easier and faster and that's what we do with the upgrades so consider those when you come through the profit code funnel and as always, if you've got any questions, please do. Let me know, in the meantime, go and grab this as soon as you possibly can, because my bonuses are going to fly and the profit code is a winner gets a big thumbs up from me.
So that's it from me I'll speak to you soon. Take care all the best
The Profit Code OTO Review
The Profit Code Local OTO
https://timebusinessnews.com/the-profit-code-oto-1-to-5-otos-links-here-hot-bonuses-upsell/
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/profit-code-oto-1-5-otos-links-here-hot-bonuses/
https://www.reddit.com/EmojiReview/comments/140jm2y/the_profit_code_oto_1_to_5_otos_links_here_hot/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3

The Profit Code Local OTO
https://timebusinessnews.com/the-profit-code-oto-1-to-5-otos-links-here-hot-bonuses-upsell/
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/profit-code-oto-1-5-otos-links-here-hot-bonuses/
https://www.reddit.com/EmojiReview/comments/140jm2y/the_profit_code_oto_1_to_5_otos_links_here_hot/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3
When I first started learning how to make money online, I found that you take different training courses, and most of them were just complete enough to crap and some of them. You think yeah there's something in this now there are certain people who create training courses, and there is something in that without blame, my own trumpet, I'm one of those I like to create training cultures that actually teach you what I do that gets results and then, If you follow that and you take action, you're going to get results, it's as simple as that, because I just teach you what I do now. Another person who does that is James, Fawcett and James has just released the profit code and the profit code. What I like about this is this: is a system that's going to enable you to get about 300 per day, possibly more, possibly less, but in reality I think you can actually achieve that if you take the training and apply what's in there and that's the important Thing as well, you know when we're starting out, we buy training and we might think well I'll, come back to that when I've got time. Do me a favor, make sure that you make time to take any training that you buy when it comes to making money online and you follow it through.
The Profit Code Local OTO
https://timebusinessnews.com/the-profit-code-oto-1-to-5-otos-links-here-hot-bonuses-upsell/
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/profit-code-oto-1-5-otos-links-here-hot-bonuses/
https://www.reddit.com/EmojiReview/comments/140jm2y/the_profit_code_oto_1_to_5_otos_links_here_hot/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3
You take action, you implement it and then you'll see the results. So I've always said that if anyone takes any of my training, my info training courses, like the affiliate directive, breakthrough VIP. If you teach, if you, if you do what I teach in there, you will get results because I teach you what I'm doing and that's the same for the profit code. What James is doing here is he's lifting the lid on a simple hack that he's discovered that he's been tweaking for the last few months. That'S just working now all right!
The Profit Code OTOs Linka
So then, he's taken all of that and he's recorded the training step by step to show you exactly what you need to do from the beginning to the end, newbie friendly doesn't matter if you've never done any of this before doesn't matter if you've never had any Success before you just start at the beginning, and you work your way through all right and that's what I love about these info courses, that I know that I can recommend this and if you actually do what's inside, you'll get results and you'll. Thank me for that. All right so we're here on the sales page at the moment - and it says five minutes of work is produced now 300 plus per day in stupid, simple affiliate commissions join now and learn how to replicate our success in the next 60 seconds. Now the bullets say virtually unknown brand new method with full training. That'S important works for both newbies and experienced marketers, and that's true as well, and that's what I like about this stuff because I go through the training.
I think yeah, that's good! I'M going to do that. You know - and I've been doing this for a while. So it's nice for me to learn stuff as well: instant access to the method in just 60 seconds. No hard work required brand new method working right now, so simple, a 12 year old could do it all it takes.
The Profit Code OTO AIUpsell
Is 30 minutes to get profit code up and running, get results or would give you every penny Benny every penny back with a smile, and then you can come through as always take a look at the sales page. You'Ve got the usual stuff on there, but I've I've got some lovely bonuses for you. First of all, let me show you my page, and I can show you oh so this is um. I'Ve just been through the members area. This is a screenshot of the members area here and it you know it's the usual the usual kind of members area.
The Profit Code Local OTO
https://timebusinessnews.com/the-profit-code-oto-1-to-5-otos-links-here-hot-bonuses-upsell/
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/profit-code-oto-1-5-otos-links-here-hot-bonuses/
https://www.reddit.com/EmojiReview/comments/140jm2y/the_profit_code_oto_1_to_5_otos_links_here_hot/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3
You'Ve got the different sections. There'S multiple videos in each one short and sweet to the point. Just you know, gets the training done all right. If you buy through my page and you click on any of these green buttons here, you're gon na get this beautiful bonus bundle that I've got a few, so you're going to get the all-new Titan Ai and all the available upgrades. So that's Titan, AI affiliate, one plus all the available upgrades breakout code 2.
, plus all the available upgrades and profit Pad Plus profit Pad, Plus all the available upgrades. So let me show you what they are uh, so the first one is Titan AI. It says, exposed AI powered profit sites flood our bank accounts with Commissions in just three simple clicks: it's making us 1747 daily passively. Here'S how you can replicate our passive profit sites in just 23 minutes, I'm giving you Titan Ai and all the available upgrades very, very valuable bonuses. These guys all right.
The Profit Code OTO Bonuses
Next one is the breakout code, 2.0 new, improved one clicker blast about 1432 dollars straight into our accounts. New case study and trading reveals little known breakout act, that's making James 58k monthly you're going to get the breakout code, plus all the available upgrades free of charge. All right free of charge, affiliate one, it's making us 2767 daily passively. Here'S how you can replicate our success in just three easy steps: affiliate one is actually one of the training courses that James himself recommended that I take.
The Profit Code Local OTO
https://timebusinessnews.com/the-profit-code-oto-1-to-5-otos-links-here-hot-bonuses-upsell/
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/profit-code-oto-1-5-otos-links-here-hot-bonuses/
https://www.reddit.com/EmojiReview/comments/140jm2y/the_profit_code_oto_1_to_5_otos_links_here_hot/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3
If you guys asking asking him about certain way to make money online - and he said you know, go for affiliate one, so I've got your affiliate one and all the available upgrades all right. Profit pad profit pad our Plug and Play breakthrough, loophole profit system that regenerates our income day after day. It makes us 1, 866 daily passively. Here'S how you can replicate our success with three simple clicks: you're going to get profit pad and all the available upgrades all right. So you need to jump on this as soon as possible because of the kind of up the kind of bonuses I've got you here, which is four full funnels, it's worth about four thousand dollars.
The Profit Code OTO Product Overview
I am strictly limited on how many I can give away all right. So jump on this jump on the profit code as soon as you can and grab it when you go through the funnel. If you see upgrades in there that you like the look of just bear in mind that because you're buying through me, you've got these four other complete products and other upgrades, so you're you're thousands of dollars ahead. So if you do fancy some of the upgrades, you you've got great value in the entire bundle here, so the profit code upgrades are something you should seriously consider. What I always say is if we know as a vendor when we're putting together an offer like this.
The Profit Code Local OTO
https://timebusinessnews.com/the-profit-code-oto-1-to-5-otos-links-here-hot-bonuses-upsell/
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/profit-code-oto-1-5-otos-links-here-hot-bonuses/
What we do is we look at? How can we make it better for the buyer because we tend to put as much as we can into the front end and keep the price as low as possible to encourage as many people to jump on board and then with with the optional upgrades? We'Ll look at what could add real value. What would make it easier and faster and that's what we do with the upgrades so consider those when you come through the profit code funnel and as always, if you've got any questions, please do. Let me know, in the meantime, go and grab this as soon as you possibly can, because my bonuses are going to fly and the profit code is a winner gets a big thumbs up from me.
So that's it from me I'll speak to you soon. Take care all the best
The Profit Code OTO Review
The Profit Code Local OTO
https://timebusinessnews.com/the-profit-code-oto-1-to-5-otos-links-here-hot-bonuses-upsell/
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/profit-code-oto-1-5-otos-links-here-hot-bonuses/
https://www.reddit.com/EmojiReview/comments/140jm2y/the_profit_code_oto_1_to_5_otos_links_here_hot/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3

Hello! In this post I'll tell you all about Factorio and why I want it. I am unfortunately not able to get this game for myself but hopefully there's a kind soul in this sub who can buy the game for me. Please excuse any spelling mistakes as English is not my first language.
About Factorio
You play as a character known only as the engineer. You crash land on an alien planet and the objective is "simple". Build a rocket and escape the planet. With only a pickaxe in hand you start off by mining ores, chopping trees and crafting transport belts and inserters by hand. Labs are used to research new technology and are fueled by science packs. Soon, you'll be able to make machines that mine ores or craft things for you. At the start of the game, things are mostly powered by coal but in a short time you'll be able to research and craft steam engines and boilers which turn water and coal into electricity. Everything in your base creates pollution and unfortunately, on this alien planet are, aliens. So called "biters" that have hives which absorb pollution to create more biters. more hives and evolve. You'll be able to defend yourself with a wide range of defenses such as turrets. Gun turrets, flamethrower turrets, laser turrets or artillery turrets all of which need ammo that can be crafted manually or automated. Later on, you'll be able to research modular armor customizable with personal laser defense, energy shields and more. You can also customize your world to your liking. You can completely disable enemy spawns or have them surround you right at the start of the game.
Factorio also supports multiplayer. Players can solve problems and build massive factories together, or they can go against each other in a PvP mode.
Why do I want Factorio?
Well, for starters, because it is an IMMENSELY satisfying game. With more than a 100,000 positive reviews on Steam, it has endless replayability, tons of QOL features, large overhaul mods like Krastorio 2 or Space Exploration for even more hours to sink into the game. It is a very polished game and you could find a bug in the fabric of reality before finding a bug in Factorio. I can easily see myself pour more than a 100 hours into the game. I also played the free demo for Factorio and after a couple of minutes, it got me hooked. It scratched an itch that I have not felt for YEARS after looking for many games to play. The only thing I was wondering when playing the demo is: how the hell haven't I found about the game earlier when it's so popular? It's an extremely well executed game and I'd have an absolute blast playing it.
Here is the link for my Steam Account and here is the link for Factorio. Thanks for reading and I hope you have a great start/rest of the day!

(Note: this is the second half of the story. Will link the first half shortly)
The two teens both looked toward the front of the room. There was a gray sphere. Hovering in the doorway.
But if you asked Marc, it was an annoying gray sphere. And it hovered in the doorway like an absolute rustnut.
Marc wasn’t sure where on the sphere to level his disdain. The whole dumb surface was the same all over. It was a series of interconnected, translucent hexagons. Stupid yellow lights blinked sporadically across its many faces—for no apparent rhyme or reason—perhaps just to further annoy Marc.
An electronic voice called out from the sphere. “Did I hear muuuuuusic?” he asked. “Before that last plasma burst?”
Marc shot Sid a glare that could kill. But the big blue alien didn’t back down.
“Last impression. Remember?” he told Marc before going toward Tōn-E with a brimming, sharp-toothed smile and arms extended. “Tōn-E! Glad you could make it! Come on in.”
On the inside, Marc cringed. He mostly tried to forget that Tōn-E walked (hovered?) the same Levels as them. Tōn-E represented the most self-destructive habits of the Outpost. The only features of the city indifferent to survival.
But Tōn-E was all too real. He entered the room like a ghost in a nightmare.
“I am also happy to be here,” he said. The faces of his sphere randomly lit up as he spoke. “I otherwise had no plans for tonight. Because the planet is set to explode.”
“Yes, I’ve heard,” Sid joked.
“I approximate it will only take a few more—hold on. What is this??”
Tōn-E spun slowly in the air. The side previously facing Sid rotated toward the ceiling. When it reached the top, a spotlight shot toward the ceiling—right where Sid’s door had slotted in.
The spotlight stretched horizontally across the door until it resembled a straight line. This line swept back and forth across the raised door. It moved as if he was cleaning it.
“I don’t believe it!” Tōn-E said. “What an exquisite painting. A remarkable addition to your growing and ever-expanding portfolio, Sid.”
Tōn-E finished his scan of the painting. His expanding spotlight shut off. And he re-centered himself to face Sid.
“Aww, shanks,” Sid said. Each of his right arms latched onto the bends of the left ones. “You really think so?”
“Of course! There are colors here I’ve only seen named in the logs. You have tastefully incorporated /#FF00FF: a color our ancestors previously referred to as ‘magenta.’”
“Yes! That’s right! I was going for ‘magenta!’ You really think I did it?”
Marc looked down to hide his face. He rolled his eyes. Magenta. He would have loved to tell Sid how much he liked it too. But Marc had spent his years surviving, not studying colors in old, useless historical archives.
Sid and Tōn-E continued their snooty, pretentious discussion.
“I made it mixing legblee blood and just a liiiiiiittle bit of groundwater,” Sid said.
“That was a very clever! Allow me to save your painting to my internal memory.”
“Really??” Sid’s cheeks greened a little.
“Yes, I will review at a later time when I am both unable to view the original but would still like to once again be inspired by your clever and skillful hands.”
“Tōn-E, I—I don’t know what to say. Thank you.”
Marc simmered in his anger. Stupid Tōn-E. Always ruining things. Making them about him and his dumb, endless archives.
“I am perhaps only more impressed by your chosen ensemble! Do my eyes perceive veritable Lenorkian armor?”
The talkative orb whooshed toward Sid. It began revolving around him like an annoyingly-attached moon. As his exo-orb hummed excitedly, Tōn-E rattled off his useless knowledge of antiquated armor.
“Snorp-resistant spiked shoulder caps?!” He spun around Sid’s midsection. “Triple-layered chest plates?!” He dropped closer to the floor. “Anti-gravity shin guards made from the rare lenorkium alloy?!”
Tōn-E giggled as he orbited Sid. His laugh disturbed Marc. It sounded like a space rat being strangled in the bowels of an undersea air vent.
Sid could hardly keep up with Tōn-E’s flying. But he looked happy with the attention. “Yeah! I’m told this suit was built for the Frost Ring wars,” he said. “It never got used.”
Marc continued to not engage. He slunk deeper into his shawl, folded his arms, and sighed.
“I don’t believe it!” Tōn-E said.
He backed off from Sid, flying back toward the doorway. He turned on his spotlight once again. It now stretched over Sid’s body. “Saving! Saving!”
Sid wasted no time posing for the occasion. He flexed all four arms and gritted his snaggling teeth. His irises turned a deep red and his two small horns protruded from his forehead. Tōn-E was overjoyed. “I did not think I would ever have the chance to record your agitated state,” he said.
I’ll show you an agitated state, Marc thought to himself.
“I’ve got a relic you’re going to love,” Tōn-E said. His tiny sphere filled the cave with noise. But it wasn’t Tōn-E’s usual metallic voice. The sound came from another species entirely.
“GwwwwwwuuuhhhAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRR!”
His orb played an intense, ear-shuddering roar. The recording may have been slightly fuzzy, but Marc knew the source. It was unmistakably Lenorkian.
And like the gears in a drill, something appeared to “click” inside Sid. His eyes widened. His armored chest expanded. And he joined in. But Sid’s roar was… authentic.
“HRRRRRRRRRGAAAAAAAAHHHHH” he blasted out of mouth. Marc’s entire rib cage vibrated uncomfortably.
It spooked Marc. Igniting some primal desire to escape a dangerous predator. That was a feeling he never felt around Sid. He didn’t like it.
Sid himself even looked embarrassed for a second. Something he’d kept suppressed had slipped out. But Tōn-E turned up the volume on his recording. And with a cautious smile of someone nervously breaking a rule, Sid matched it. And then some. The two bellowed together. It was enough to make Marc queasy, although it was unclear whether it was due to the vibrations or Sid bonding so much with Tōn-E.
The roaring continued. Their talking continued. Tōn-E went on about Sid’s armor some more and his people’s valor and the hardship his ancestors must have faced.
“Usually I keep this stuff stashed away,” Sid said to Tōn-E in his soft normal voice. His horns had retracted, and his eyes had returned to normal. “These are shameful pieces of our history. Truly. And with a people I never really fit in with. But tonight, it just felt right to wear it, you know?”
“I understand completely,” Tōn-E said. “It is in these end times that we gravitate toward those traditions that were so much of what made us feel alive in the first place.”
The statement made Marc want to hurl. He didn’t want to entertain such stupid notions. But the gremlin rotated to him next.
“Hello Marc! Did you find any good junk today? Any new additions to your scrap pile?”
Marc seethed. “I didn't scavenge today, Tōn-E. There wouldn't be any use. It's the end of the universe.”
“That surprises me. Humans love their junk and doodads.”
“Yeah well, we don’t have to cling to the past, do we? Not like that ever saved anyone.” He hugged his wrapped arms even tighter, tilting his body away from Sid and Tōn-E. His cold shoulder ended the conversation.
Sid picked it back up. “So Tōn-E, do you, uh… drink?”
As it turned out, he did. Tōn-E accepted a cup of fludge. He held it with a robotic arm—one that had suddenly extended from his exo-orb. Tōn-E’s orb whirred as the center of his “face” sprouted a grotesque, needle-like proboscis. It poked outward like a long nose.
This straw extended into the cup he held. Tōn-E sipped the fludge like an insect sipping nectar (whatever those two things were; the Archives were spotty).
Sid waited with anticipation. Then Tōn-E’s sphere shuddered. The fludge must have reached the insufferable little creature on the inside. “Scrumptious!” he said.
Marc sighed quietly to himself. For some reason, he thought the night would have made a turn for the better if Tōn-E had hated it.
“Two for two!” Sid pumped three victorious fists into the air. He grinned as Tōn-E’s straw dipped into the cup once more. The straw made a little slurping sound.
“My taste buds are tingling!” Tōn-E said.
But the big cup was too much for him to finish. He returned the mostly-full drink to Sid. And his robotic straw receded to his exo-orb. Sid of course finished the cup, slurping up the remaining pool of fludge.
“So…” Sid said. He wiped his mouth. “Should I put some tunes back on?” He pointed over his shoulder to the idle vent. Then he looked across his two guests for an answer.
Marc shrugged. He didn’t care about anything anymore. Next to Marc, Tōn-E bobbed excitedly.
“Oh, yes!” he said. “One reads about concepts such as scales and measures, but it is entirely different to actually experience them with one’s own body!”
What body? Marc thought to himself. And what were the other things Tōn-E had mentioned? Something about… measuring… dragons?
He studied the cave floor while Sid skipped to the vent.
“That’s what I’m talking about!” Sid said. “Get those Level 7 legs ready!” He tugged at the creaking cover once more.
It came off easier this time. With a pop! the storm above returned to the cave. Its natural melody filled the room.
“Woooooooo!” Sid raised his hands again and walked back toward the other two.
Tōn-E mimicked him with two twig arms.
But the music didn’t have the same magic as before. The beats were stale. And Marc found himself unable to ignore the sting of the sand pelting his face. He lifted his shawl over his mouth. His voice was barely audible.
“I’m sitting this song out,” he said.
The other two didn't seem to hear him. They were facing each other, waving their arms sporadically against the air current.
Marc didn’t care. He grabbed his unfinished drink from the kitchen. Then he searched for a place to sit.
He found a couch, just in front of the dancing aliens. As he took his seat, his bottom started to sink into the sofa. The tarp covering the couch crinkled.
He tried guessing the material underneath it. Clay, maybe? He pondered the question while watching Sid and Tōn-E figure out dancing without him.
“This is how Marc was doing it before!” Sid said to Tōn-E. His four arms fanned across the breeze.
But he got everything wrong. His arms whipped around the wind, not with it. And he was thinking too much about his next move, as evidenced by his scrunched brows. But the greatest offense of all was his midsection: his hips and legs stayed in place—as if someone had threatened them.
A part of Marc wanted to get up and show him how it was done. But another part wanted to see Sid fail. Realize the effort was futile. Give up on bonding with Tōn-E. And kick the Sphere of Useless Facts out of his house.
“Am I doing it right, Marc?” Sid asked while each of his arms flew in a different direction.
“You look great!” Marc replied. He took a long sip of fludge.
Tōn-E, on the other hand, did his best to replicate Sid. He waved his skinny arms erratically. It almost made Marc laugh; Tōn-E looked like he’d been set on fire.
But in all, the whole thing was awful. A bad impression giving birth to an even worse impression.
And they didn’t seem to be enjoying it much either. Despite Marc’s glowing endorsement, Sid and Tōn-E danced themselves to the brink.
Sid kept losing his balance. He tried to keep up with the music but flung himself too hard in any one direction. And every time he made a misstep, he’d let loose an acidic snarl. Tōn-E grew frustrated as well. Every few seconds, he simply froze. His exterior lights would blink red in error. As Marc had hoped, the two “painting pals” quickly ran out of steam.
The dancing halted altogether. A tired Sid returned to the vent and hoisted the grate back onto the vent’s mouth. The music stopped.
“I’ll just turn it down for a minute,” he said. He adjusted a dial on the grate. The metal slits creaked open. And a muted sandstorm flowed through them.
The music reflected the overall energy in the room: depleted. Sid secured himself two more cups of fludge before joining Marc on the tarp couch.
Tōn-E followed his lead. The little troll took a seat too, which meant hovering over the last open spot on the other side of Marc.
The boys took a minute to relax on the couch. They sat quietly while the plasma storm above the Outpost boomed and cracked.
Well, Sid and Tōn-E relaxed. They chugged down another couple cups of fludge and floated quietly over the couch (respectively). Meanwhile, Marc continued to be annoyed. He considered stepping outside and climbing to Level 1. Offer himself to the plasma storm a few hours early. The non-stop hum of Tōn-E’s exo-orb goaded him further.
Brrrrrrrrr!
Did it really have to make that noise?
Marc didn’t think the afternoon could get any worse. And then it did. Because Tōn-E’s insufferable humming suddenly quieted. And that only could have meant…
“Oh!” Tōn-E exclaimed, “I know what we can talk about!”
Marc braced for impact. His nails dug into his knees.
Don’t you dare, he thought.
“I read the most interesting fact about cats today!” Tōn-E started.
Not again, Marc thought. Absolutely NOT again. His fists trembled with rage.
“Did you know cats were the central deity across ten different ancient civilizations? The trend started with humans, of course, but the religion quickly spread across the galaxy as interplanetary travel became more widely available.”
“I actually didn’t know that,” Sid said, entertaining Tōn-E’s ridiculous theory. “Where did you find that?”
“The Archives! They have somewhat documented this phenomenon. You see, it was a common practice to capture footage of cats, even in their sleeping state. They were so important to these cultures that even the most mundane moment yielded significant reason to capture and worship them. If you want to see, I can—”
Marc had had enough. He slammed his cup down on the floor and flew off the couch.
“—SHUT UP. SHUT UP ABOUT CATS!” he shouted. He swung back around to face the other two. “CATS AREN’T REAL TŌN-E! AND THEY WERE NEVER REAL!”
“That’s enough, Marc!” Sid clenched his teeth.“Don’t start this.”
Marc returned fire, “I didn’t start anything; that was YOU. Going behind my back! Inviting more of these… fairy tales!”
His emotions overwhelmed him. He didn’t know whether to yell more or start crying. He did both.
“It’s the end of the universe!” he said as tears streamed down his face. “We can’t keep clinging to the things that brought us to this point in the first place! All these stupid traditions are the reason no one’s even here with us now! IT KILLED THEM ALL! And anyone stupid enough to keep believing in them is—"
“—I said THAT’S ENOUGH!” Sid growled. Marc didn't care.
“NO!” he said. Then he looked back at Tōn-E. “NONE of what you’re seeing in the Archives is real! The data is corrupt! It’s ALL CORRUPT! And CATS are just another dumb fairy tale to keep people like you going, while…”
He ran out of steam. He realized there was no more “going.” In fact, there was no time remaining in the universe for anything. But that didn’t diminish his animosity and anger toward the world. He glared down at the gray sphere. His chest heaved.
Meanwhile, Sid kept a cooler, bluer head. He too looked to Tōn-E, but with compassion in his eyes.
Tōn-E didn’t immediately respond to either. The only sound in the room came from his exo-orb. Well, the exo-orb plus the ladle on the counter, which suddenly blooped into the big pot.
All eyes were on the atypically quiet alien, whose hexagonal faces began to light up.
“I suppose,” his voice trailed, “that cats may not have been real after all. You said it yourself: records are foggy. They’re all from thousands of years ago...” He sighed. Tōn-E’s lights transitioned to a new blinking pattern. “And I also suppose… that I should have been more mature about interpreting error-prone information in the Archives…”
“It's okay, man,” Sid said. “I like that you dream big.” He reached across the couch to place a comforting hand on Tōn-E. But Tōn-E floated out of reach.
“I understand my presence here is probably upsetting,” he said. “You two have a special bond. I should not have interfered with it in its last moments. I will go.”
“No, Tōn-E,” Sid said. Each pair of his hands met in front of his chest “Please stay. You have every right to be here too.”
“I should go,” Tōn-E said. “I will spend the rest of the evening focused on real things. And because I will no longer be here, I suppose it will be the perfect opportunity to review Sid’s art so I can feel inspired for the end times.”
He slipped between Sid and Marc toward the doorway.
“No, don’t!” Sid called after him. “We should do this together.”
But Tōn-E had already vanished outside.
The Lenorkian, hand extended, waited for Tōn-E to come back. But the floating sphere did not reappear in the doorway.
And that was when a low trill emanated from the couch. It was coming from Sid’s his chest. He looked up at Marc, glaring. He bared his pointed teeth. His horns reappeared. And his eyes flushed with scarlet pigment.
Yuh-oh, Marc thought. About half his prior anger evaporated. Fear of a fight took hold.
Marc didn’t exactly dislike his chances. Lenorkians may have been stronger, but Sid wasn't a fighter. Marc was.
But Sid stuck to his morals.
“GET OUT!” Sid shouted.
Marc reflexively jumped out of reach. The short hop sort of ruined his show of anger. But he was still boiling mad. After all, fifty percent of him hadn't abandoned the cat grudge.
“Fine!” he shouted back. “Have fun exploding alone.” He whipped away to the exit.
The party was finished now. He almost stopped and went back for his fludge. But he didn’t want it anymore either. He just wanted a nice end of the universe with his friend. And now the end of the universe was ruined.
At least the apocalypse outside was behaving predictably. Marc stepped into the adjacent cave corridor. He surveyed the damage outside, looking through the long, horizontal gap in the cave wall. As the experts had predicted, the plasma storm took its toll.
The canyon glowed eerily bright, despite it being evening time. The wind howled as it raced through the canyon. And the cliffs around the gorge flashed white and pink as the storm charged with electricity, preparing to make its final jump.
Lightning cracked toward the ground. Some of the bolts hit the opposing cliff, sending rubble deep into the gorge. A gentle tremor rumbled in the ground beneath him.
The plasma storm overhead only creeped further around the planet. As the canyon brightened, shockwaves coursed through the entire city. They threw Marc off his feet again. He hit the ground.
Behind him, thunderous clacking erupted. The sound of falling rocks filled the corridor. He flipped over to see what explosion had thrown him.
It was bad. He stopped breathing. Because he could no longer see Sid’s home. All he saw was a pile of rubble.

Race Information

• Name: Great Ocean Road Running Festival - Half Marathon
• Date: May 21, 2023
• Distance: 21km / 23km
• Location: Apollo Bay, Australia
• Website: https://greatoceanroadrunfest.com.au/
• Time: 2:53 (21.1km) / 3:09(23km)

Goals

Goal	Description	Completed?
A	Finish?	Yes
B	Sub 3h	Yes

Splits

Mile	Time
1	I am a moron. Didnt even know this was a thing.

Training

A group of friends take part in the Great Ocean Road running festival each year. A few opted for the 6km or 14 but most chose the 23km. As a spry 31-year-old, I was brimming with an audacious belief in my own invincibility, a sentiment fueled by an intoxicating cocktail of youthful arrogance and a naively optimistic faith in my dormant athletic abilities. Flashback to that one glorious day I decided to sign up for a half marathon without having ever subjected myself to any form of formal training. Oh, the folly of it all! The idea seemed as bright as a neon sign in a dingy dive bar, lighting up my brain with the thought that surely, the regular trek between my couch and fridge would have prepped me sufficiently for the 21.1 kilometers of asphalt that lay ahead. Little did I know, I was about to embark on a punishing odyssey of sweat, tears, and perplexing questions about why all these people had camel-like humps on their backs.
Reality, that formidable party crasher, finally made its grand entrance two weeks before the event. It dawned on me that perhaps the herculean task of conquering a half marathon required a bit more preparation than a daily sojourn around my workplace. So, laced up and full of fiery resolve, I set out on my maiden voyage - my first run in nine years. There I was, huffing and puffing through a modest 3km, my lungs shrieking out in protest, and my mind coming to the frightening realisation of the task that lay ahead. With the tenacity of a stubborn mule, I persevered, collecting a grand total of 27 kilometers over a grueling fortnight. It wasn't the recommended half marathon training plan by any means, and the gap between my actual preparation and the upcoming event yawned wider than the Grand Canyon. But, true to my initial hubris, I was undeterred, believing that sheer willpower and my incredible talent of cramming at the eleventh hour would somehow translate to running prowess. It was a leap of faith that would have made Evel Knievel wince.
My final run, a modest but ambitious 6.5km, commenced with a spring in my step but ended with a mysterious sensation in my hip flexors that could only be described as a warning from my body. It was as if my muscles were murmuring in some cryptic biological Morse code, "Buddy, we didn't sign up for this." Over the following days, the cryptic murmurs evolved into a persistent nagging ache, like a petulant toddler pulling at my pant leg, making each step feel like I was wading through a quagmire of discomfort. My running aspirations were suddenly replaced with a simpler, more primitive goal - walking without grimacing. It became apparent that even a jovial trot to catch the bus was a mission impossible soundtrack away from a full-blown hip rebellion. Thus, the cruel joke was on me: instead of a rigorous last-minute training regime, I found myself in an unintended taper, hobbling around and fervently hoping that rest, ice, and sheer denial would heal me in time for the impending race. The irony was thicker than a bowl of oatmeal, and significantly less appetizing.
Despite my misadventures, I was nothing if not relentless. Waving the white flag just wasn't my style. The prospect of backing down felt akin to conceding defeat, and so, like a cowboy stubbornly mounting a bucking bronco, I decided to ride out the storm. At the unholy hour of 3:30am, I stirred from my uneasy sleep, my resolve as ironclad as my hip flexors were questionable. Driving to meet my friends, I was greeted by the inky black pre-dawn and a collection of unspoken questions, "Was I a fool for pressing on? Did I have what it took?" Yet the quiet camaraderie and the electric anticipation in the air quelled my doubts. There, amongst the quietly crashing waves on the rock face, decked out in my running gear that felt more like a warrior's armour at this point, I was ready. Ready to face the daunting half marathon, ready to test the limits of my resilience, and more than anything, ready to prove that my audacious endeavor was not the lunacy that, on multiple occasions, it appeared to be.

Pre-race

Pre-race preparation involved 6 weetbix, a gummy worm, and some ibuprofen to take the edge off. Knowing the pain that lay ahead, I simply tried to work out a gait that would allow me to finish and tried not to exacerbate the pain.

Race

Look, it was dreadful. With the starting pistol's blast, the collective rush of adrenaline, and the sea of determined faces all around me, I put my best foot forward into the ocean of asphalt. The race was on! My hips, however, were less enthusiastic about the ordeal. From the get-go, they delivered their protestations in no uncertain terms, like disgruntled tenants raising a ruckus. Each stride felt like an uphill battle, my muscles screaming louder with every kilometer. By the time I had hit the 5km mark, my body was staging a full-on revolt. The persistent sting had escalated into a searing hot protest, like fireworks going off in my hip flexors. Grudgingly, I conceded to my body's pleas for mercy, slowing my pace to a walk. The pride of the warrior within me crumbled a bit, but I wasn't ready to throw in the towel just yet. The race was far from over, and if I had to walk, limp, or even crawl to that finish line, I was going to get there, come hell or high water.
As I trudged along the breathtakingly beautiful Great Ocean Road, my appreciation for the scenery was tempered by the symphony of discomfort my body was orchestrating. Majestic cliffs and rolling waves framed my torturous journey, their beauty a stark contrast to the sheer physical adversity I was enduring. The azure expanse of the ocean matched only by the limitless pain that held me in its unyielding grip. Every single step sent a jolt of agony through my protesting hips, each stride akin to walking barefoot on a path of hot coals. To add to this, a wicked stitch wove itself into my side, a cruel embroidery of distress. My knees, too, joined the chorus of complaints, throbbing with a rhythmic intensity that could have kept time for a marching band. As the kilometers dragged on, exhaustion cloaked me like a heavy, wet blanket, making every step feel like I was fighting against a strong undertow. The crisp sea air and the stunning tableau of the Australian coast were marred by the storm of pain brewing within me, a tumultuous tempest that I was determined to weather.
In the throes of this epic saga of endurance, I was not alone. My comrades-in-arms, two stalwart friends, shared in the agony of the quest, their trials and tribulations echoing my own, albeit to a far lesser extent. We trudged on, bound by the shared misery of our circumstance and the collective strength of our determination. Our conversation, typically rife with jovial banter and witticisms, had now taken on a new cadence: the cadence of survivors. We talked less, saved our breath, and let the simple act of being there for one another speak volumes. The synchrony of our suffering became a strange source of comfort, a reminder that we were in this together, come what may. Counting down the remaining kilometers became our mantra, the numbers a lifeline that tethered us to the ultimate goal. Every time we announced a kilometer conquered, it was a small victory snatched from the jaws of the Herculean beast that was the half marathon. Our journey was one of grit, grimace, and grunts of effort, an odyssey punctuated by the enduring power of friendship and the human spirit's unwavering resolve.
Like Icarus who dared to flirt with the sun, I had challenged the impossible and, in doing so, singed my metaphorical wings. Yet, unlike the tragic Greek hero, my tumble was met not with a fatal end but with the sweet taste of victory, albeit laced with the bitter tang of exertion and pain. My strides, whether they were apprehensive trots at the start or the painstaking shuffles towards the end, all culminated in the glorious moment of crossing the finish line. The official timer sneered a final verdict of 2 hours and 53 minutes for the half marathon, and 3 hours and 9 minutes for the added punitive kilometers - a time that made me slower than 92% of the pack. That statistic did little to dampen my triumph. For it was not in comparison to others that my victory lay, but in the audacity of taking on a task so monumental, in the defiance of pain and odds, and in the resilience to keep going when every fiber of my being screamed to stop. I had run a race that was so much more than just a half marathon. I had run a race against myself, against my limitations, and came out on the other side battered, bruised, but oh so gloriously alive.

Post-race

The race's aftermath found me in a two-week waltz with a limp, my body a living testament to the fierce battle fought and won. I weathered a sea of concerned inquiries from friends, family, and co-workers who had the combined look of awe and 'I told you so' in their eyes. But underneath the lingering aches and shared commiseration was a newfound spark of determination. My body may have been temporarily out of commission, but my spirit was invincible.
Far from being a deterrent, the ordeal has ignited a fire within me, as if the grueling half marathon was merely the spark needed to set ablaze my dormant potential. I find myself not cowed by the experience, but eager, excited even, to push my boundaries further. With the ghost of the race looming behind me, a quiet echo of my past recklessness and current grit, I am ready to throw myself into the fray once more. But this time, with wisdom on my side and a resolve forged in the crucible of the Great Ocean Road, I stand ready to see what feats I can truly achieve when I properly set my mind, body, and spirit to the task.
It was the beginning of a new chapter, one that was filled with promise, potential, and an utter absence of preparation. Next up: Melbourne Marathon. See you mongrels there!

‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ is finally here. Find how to watch Miles Morales's highly anticipated animated superhero film Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse online for free.
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Animated Film! Here are options for downloading or watching Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse streaming the full movie online for free on 123movies & Reddit, including where to watch Miles Morales's latest adventure movies at home. Is Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse 2023 available to stream? Is watching Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse on Netflix, HBO Max, Disney Plus, Peacock, or Amazon Prime? Yes, we have found an authentic streaming option/service.
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Miles Morales returns for the next chapter of the Oscar winning Spider-Verse saga, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. After reuniting with Gwen Stacy, Brooklyn’s full-time, friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is catapulted across the Multiverse, where he encounters the Spider Society, a team of Spider-People charged with protecting the Multiverse’s very existence. But when the heroes clash on how to handle a new threat, Miles finds himself pitted against the other Spiders and must set out on his own to save those he loves most. Anyone can wear the mask – it’s how you wear it that makes you a hero.
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After a grueling five-year-long wait, Marvel fans everywhere will finally be able to return to the animated multiverse with Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. The upcoming sequel's predecessor requires no explanation, as Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse not only ensnared audiences and critics alike but also caught a prestigious Oscar win with a Best Animated Feature award. With "New York's one and only Spider-Man," Miles Morales (Shameik Moore), now becoming a household name, fans of the first film eagerly awaited the day they could see young Miles swing into the Spider-Verse again.
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Thankfully, the wait is almost finally over, as Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse will return to screens soon. This time Miles will not only be reunited with Gwen Stacey (Hailee Steinfeld) and Peter B. Parker (Jake Johnson) but he'll also be introduced to an entire multiversal society of Spider-people created and led by a particularly pessimistic variant of Spider-Man 2099 (Oscar Isaac). Though some of the other variants in this secretive organization view Miles as a nuisance more than anything else, they'll have to learn to put those apprehensions aside if they hope to save the multiverse from an all-new terrifying threat. As the release date for the sequel to one of the most celebrated Spider-Man films ever made crawls closer and closer, here is precisely where and how you can watch Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse when it premieres this Summer.
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If you’re like just about everyone else on the planet who saw Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse in 2018 and loved it, you’ve probably been waiting for the sequel. You won’t be waiting long, as Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is finally coming out in 2023, a full five years later. It’s been a long wait but by all indications the film is going to be a blast for fans of comic book movies, Miles Morales’ version of Spider-Man, and this new animated franchise featuring the iconic webslinger.
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Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is one of the most highly anticipated animated superhero films of 2023. Serving as a sequel to the critically acclaimed Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018), this upcoming installment promises to continue the exhilarating adventures of the Spider-Verse. Fans from all around the globe are eagerly awaiting its release. In this article, we will provide you with all the essential information on the film's release date and how to watch it online from any country, ensuring you don't miss out on this exciting cinematic experience.
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This is especially true for many superhero films, which are often tied directly to specific streaming services. Disney+ and HBO Max - now rebranded as MAX - often house the new streaming releases for the MCU and DCU respectively, usually releasing anywhere between 1–3 months after theatrical release. However, with a film like Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, the situation is slightly different given Sony's lack of a dedicated streaming service, here's where to watch and stream Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse online.
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When Is the Release Date for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse?
When Is the Release Date for Spider-Man: Across thMiles, Gwen, Peter, and several dozen other Spider-people will be swinging into action when Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse premieres on Friday, June 2nd, 2023. This almost undoubtedly gives Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and The Flash a run for their money as the biggest superhero movie event of the Summer. Spider-Verse?
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Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse had its world premiere at the Regency Village Theatre on May 30, 2023, and is scheduled for theatrical release in the United States on June 2, delayed from an initial October 2022 date because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Where To Watch Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Online:
As of now, the only way to watch Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is to head out to a movie theater when it premieres on June 2, 2023. You can find a local showing on Fandango.
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Otherwise, you’ll just have to wait for it to become available to rent or purchase on digital platforms like Amazon, Vudu, YouTube or Apple, or become available to stream on Netflix.
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Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
How to Watch Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
There's been no official announcement regarding Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse's streaming release date, though we know it will eventually be released on Netflix, rather than Disney+ or HBO Max.
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In terms of which of the streaming giants Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse will be released on, Netflix will house the film upon its streaming debut. While again, Sony does not have its own dedicated streaming service, a deal was struck in 2021 between the studio and Netflix. The deal, stating that Netflix would stream Sony's films after theatrical release, was penned for 5 years meaning Across the Spider-Verse is part of the arrangement.
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While Sony's Spider-Man content is also streaming on Disney+, due to the collaborations between Sony and Marvel Studios in recent years, Across the Spider-Verse will be a Netflix release. While the deal struck between Marvel Studios and Sony may extend to this film, Disney+ is only allowed to begin streaming Sony's Spider-Man releases upon their release on Netflix. As a result, Netflix will be the first streaming service that Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse will be available on after its theatrical release.
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Because it’s airing on FX, you can of course fire up Into the Spider-Verse via FX Now. But in addition, the animated flick is streaming on both fubo (which offers a free trial and has cord-cutting plans starting at $74.99/month; sign up here) and DirecTV (which also offers a free trial and has cord-cutting plans starting at $64.99/month.
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Is Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse in Theaters?
Not only was Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse the subject of rave reviews, but it also pulled in some gargantuan levels of cash at the international box office, with a final tally that quadrupled the film's ninety-million dollar budget. With incredible success like that, it's only natural that Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse would also be taking advantage of a theatrical release. That is the case, as the upcoming film will be exclusively available in theaters when it premieres on June 2nd, 2023.
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When Will Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Be on Streaming?
The Spider-Man franchise is in a pretty interesting place regarding streaming. The various films of Sony's franchise have typically been scattered across multiple services. That said, following a historic deal between Sony and Disney, the many stories of Peter Parker and beyond are now available on Disney+. This includes the original Sam Raimi trilogy, the first Amazing Spider-Man film, and, starting mid-May, Spider-Man: Homecoming and Venom. Notably absent from the Disney-streaming platform so far are The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Spider-Man: Far From Home, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, Spider-Man: No Way Home, Morbius, and most significant of all, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
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Some of the films are not currently available on the service because Sony has pre-existing partnerships with Starz, as that's where most of the absent films are available to stream. That is except for Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, which is instead only streaming on Fubo TV and FX Now.
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If Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse comes to Disney+ before Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse's theatrical run concludes, that would make the House of Mouse's service a likely contender for a streaming release. However, Sony has also historically partnered with Netflix for streaming releases. Up until recently, that's where Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse was available to stream, and Sony still brings their other big releases to the service, like Bullet Train and The Woman King.
​
When will Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse be streaming on Netflix?
Sony Animation’s big new Spider-Man movie is about to hit theaters and will be headed to Netflix (at least in the United States) later this year. For a prediction as to when and a bit more about the new movie, here’s what you need to know.
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As we covered in 2021, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse will be headed to Netflix as the service gets both Sony’s animation and live-action content via a first window deal struck in April 2021.
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The deal stipulates that all Sony theatrical movies come to Netflix in the first window, which at a minimum, is 120 days after its theatrical release date. If it arrives exactly 120 days after, it’ll be streaming from September 30th, 2023.
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With that said, given how big this movie is, we may see it release a few weeks after the fact. Either way, we expect the movie to be available between late September and November 2023.
​
Will Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Be Streaming On Netflix?
Yes, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is coming to Netflix approximately in December 2023.
​
In 2021, Sony and Netflix signed a five-year deal that gave the latter exclusive first-pay-window U.S. streaming rights for Sony Pictures titles after their theatrical and home entertainment windows. Fans can expect to watch Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse on Netflix six months after the film’s theatrical release, thus in December 2023. The date seems reasonable considering that Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse dropped on Netflix on June 26, 2019, six months after its U.S. release on December 14, 2018. The pay-one window usually begins about nine months after a film’s theatrical release, but it might start earlier in particular cases.
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Will Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Be On HBO Max?
No, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse will not be on HBO Max since it’s not a Universal Pictures movie. Last year, the company released its films in theaters and on the streamer on the same day. However, they now allow a 45-day window between the theatrical release and the streaming release.
​
Will Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Be Streaming On Disney+?
Yes, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is also coming to Disney Plus approximately in 2025.
​
Once the pay-one window runs its time and Netflix’s exclusive rights expire, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse will be available on Disney Plus. The pay-one window might last as long as 18 months, which means it will be a while before Disney Plus subscribers can watch the much-anticipated sequel. Unlike in other countries, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse isn’t yet available on the Disney-owned streamer in the U.S.
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American fans will have to wait until 2024 to watch Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and at least until 2025 for its sequel. We will update this post once there is an official Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Disney Plus release date.
​
Is Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Available On Hulu?
Viewers are saying that they want to view the new Marvel's animation movie Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse on Hulu. Unfortunately, this is not possible since Hulu currently does not offer any of the free episodes of this series streaming at this time. It will be exclusive to the MTV channel, which you get by subscribing to cable or satellite TV services. You will not be able to watch it on Hulu or any other free streaming service.
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How to Watch Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Online For Free?
Most Viewed, Most Favorite, Top Rating, Top IMDb movies online. Here we can download and watch 123movies movies offline. 123Movies website is the best alternative to Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023) free online. We will recommend 123Movies is the best Solarmovie alternatives.
​
There are a few ways to watch Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse online in the U.S. You can use a streaming service such as Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime Video. You can also rent or buy the movie on iTunes or Google Play. You can also watch it on-demand or on a streaming app available on your TV or streaming device if you have cable.
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When Will Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Be on DVD and Blu-ray?
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse will likely be coming to DVD and Blu-ray around the same time as the streaming release. With theatrical films, on average, coming to streaming sooner than ever (usually ninety days after theatrical release), we'll likely see Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse get a DVD, and Blu-ray release no later than Fall 2023.
​
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Cast and Characters
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse was written by Dave Callaham, Phil Lord and Chris Miller and directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers and Justin K. Thompson. It stars the following actors:
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The following cast members are confirmed to provide their voice talents for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.
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Shameik Moore as Miles Morales / Spider-Man
Hailee Steinfeld as Gwen Stacy / Spider-Woman
Brian Tyree Henry as Jefferson Davis
Luna Lauren Vélez as Rio Morales
Jake Johnson as Peter B. Parker / Spider-Man
Jason Schwartzman as Jonathan Ohnn / the Spot
Issa Rae as Jessica Drew / Spider-Woman
Karan Soni as Pavitr Prabhakar / Spider-Man India
Daniel Kaluuya as Hobart “Hobie” Brown / Spider-Punk
Oscar Isaac as Miguel O’Hara / Spider-Man 2099
Greta Lee as Lyla
Rachel Dratch as the school counsellor
Jorma Taccone as Vulture
Shea Whigham as George Stacy
Andy Samberg as Ben Reilly / Scarlet Spider
What is Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse About?
Returning with many of your favorite characters, including Gwen Stacy/Spider-Woman, Peter B. ParkeSpider-Man, and of course Miles Morales as our primary Spider-Man, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is set one year after the events of the previous film. Miles (Shameik Moore) is coming into his own as Spider-Man when he is unexpectedly approached by Spider-Gwen (Hailee Steinfeld) with an extraordinary opportunity. Does Miles want to help a team of Spider-People, led by Spider-Man 2099 (Oscar Isaac) protect the multiverse from the terrifying threat of a man known as The Spot (Jason Schwartzman)?
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Obviously, Miles is going to say yes, setting him up for an adventure that will expand this movie’s concept of the multiverse in every possible way. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse promises tons of new characters and worlds, without losing sight of what people have come to love about this particular Spider-franchise.
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Miles Morales has become a massively popular Spider-Man, and you can be certain he’ll be at the center of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’s chaotic blend of action, comedy, comic book aesthetics, and large-scale science fiction. It seems more likely than not that Across the Spider-Verse will be the biggest animated release of 2023.

I figured I would get this started with good old Chex mix bold, One of the most popular snack mixes around. Not my favorite out of the Chex mix universe, but definitely the most common.
Let’s get this out of the way first, my ingredient rankings. 1. Rye chips 2. Bread sticks 3. Dark Chex 4. Light Chex 5. Circle pretzel 6. Square pretzel
I don’t think that’s anything too crazy, although it does seem like a lot of people I know sleep on the rye chips. I literally buy them by themselves and just snack on them so #1 by far for me. Dark Chex > light Chex because they have more flavor and more crunch. Pretzels are my least favorite snack so they go to the bottom.
Let’s talk combos baby!! Naturally, pretzels are my least favorite so most of my top combos do not include them. I’ll go over some of my other favorites before telling you my go to best combo.
The pig in a blanket- Breadstick+circle pretzel+2 dark Chex+1 light Chex: 7/10 The problem with pretzels is that I just feel like they overwhelm the bite. They really take over and I would prefer the main star to be something else, but I do really respect this combo. The breadstick fits inside the pretzel and the dark Chex bring the flavor. Circle pretzels are less volume than squares so it really isn’t bad. These pretzel combos are really just my go to when I run out of rye.
The sticks 2 breadsticks+1 rye+1 light: 8/10 The breadsticks are beasts. And you pair it with a rye it’s just blasting with flavor. Add in a light Chex just for the volume and wow. This one is a killer. The problem is the lack of breadsticks in the bag. There’s not enough to be hitting this combo a lot.
Good ole Chex: 6/10 3 dark+1 light Let’s be real the majority of the bag is Chex, so when I’m just eating those it’s always three dark and 1 light. The darks bring the crunch and flavor and it seems to me like the perfect ratio is 3 to 1.
Pretzel fingers: 5 circle pretzels This isn’t really a combo but it is how I will get rid of most of the circles. Putting 1 on each finger and then eating them off is just a classic go to way to enjoy them.
Sandwiches A sure fire way to get rid of the squares pretzels is just to make sandwiches. I’ll quickly just rate ever sandwich Square pretzel+2 breadsticks+square pretzel: 8/10 Square+2 dark+square: 6/10 Square+light Chex+square: 5/10 I would never waste a wonderful eye on a pretzel sandwich
I will definitely post more with other combo reviews but this seems good for now. And the moment you’ve all been waiting for… my personal favorite combo.
The 1 rye+1 breadstick+3 dark+1 light: 9.5/10 I mean this is just a blast of flavor with the rye and TRIPLE dark. The rye is still the star of the show even with all the Chex. The breadstick adds it’s beauty while the light Chex adds it’s volume. This is 100% the best combo I’ve found. To my, the best bites are always going to be rye heavy.
It’s really unfortunate how little breadsticks and ryes we get in the bag because it totally limits our comboability. Be sure to leave your favorite combos in the reply’s and I’ll try them out. Happy eating 😃 ✌🏻

Anyone who has anything negative to say about the Tribit Blast here I see gets downvoted to oblivion. I noticed this as I saw all the positive reviews and purchased one and it is indeed a great speaker, especially considering the price point. That said, my biggest gripe is the volume adjustment...lowest volume is too loud for me at tmes, which renders the device useless. Speaker is great outside of the weight (too be expected for the good performance) and the volume adjustment.
Thinking about buying a PB 310 for my usual needs and keeping this for when on the move.

Featured:
Proof
Since i get maxxed out on these posts, I am only posting NEW material here today. [GO HERE PMS] for my total inventory.
Grading. Grades are approximated and used to price point the coin. If you see something on a coin that you believe alters the grade, send a chat and, let's discuss it. In previous posts, I have had absolutely NO extra space to get wordy as you get cut off at like 40,000 some such characters. With the spreadsheet links, I can now get into more details about a coin, but not Im going to retroactively adjust descriptions.
Details, cleaned or polished means this coin will not likely grade and refers to the most obvious examples. That does not mean that one that is not designated as such will grade. I do not consider a dipped coin a details designation. Cleaned to me means there are cleaning lines, and often in the eyes of a grading company it is a matter of degree. Most mid-1800s proof coins have cleaning lines that are straight-graded. Typically I do not designate a coin with modest cleaning lines as cleaned or other minor detractors that MAY hold back a straight grade but instead, place a lower price on it. Many of these raw coins will not straight grade. Again, Im only going to call out the obvious examples, and we can discuss any coin you need more info on to make a decision. If you are planning on submitting your coin, please ask if I think the coin will grade. Early copper for instance is notorious for environmental damage yet the coin is still attractive for the type set collector. Again if you are planning on getting a coin graded or even just want more confidence about it, let's review the coin under a microscope and even UV light, etc, video.
I use "Making the Grade" Third edition primarily to estimate grades and PCGS Photograde secondarily. I also use the narrow definition of Scott travers when calling a coin uncirculated (no breaking in luster on the high points). Often, I have a coin slabbed in my PC that serves as a comparison. BU to me means a very choice example of an uncirculated. MS62-MS66. IF YOU ARE NOT happy with your purchase SAY SO. Don't be shy. Full refunds for coins that do not meet your expectations are encouraged.
Shipping is $4-$15.
Venmo, Zelle, CashApp, PPFF. No notes. ECHECK, Wire. Credit Card add 3%
Carrier Pigeon cash delivery also accepted
Half Cent
1804 Crosslet 4/ Stems $105
1829 VF30 $115 (very nice for the grade)
Flying Eagle 1C
1857 VF30 $90
1858LL VF30 $90
Indian 1C
1873 Open 3 VG+ $38 This is a darker brown with a steel like finish, i shot the photo for detail which makes it look lighter in color)
Half Dime
1836 VF25 $120
1844 F $38
1872 VG10 $35
Nickel
1866 With Rays F15 $84 (type set necessity)
Seated Dime
1842O VF35 $225 (really an XF, but Im trying to be nice bc of the steep XF price jump) Grey VF35 $280, XF $400 light damage on the breast area that blends in with the drapery)
1887 VF $20
Roosie
2018S Rev Proof70 first day NGC $30
20 Cent Silver
1875S AG 3.5 $90 (G4 is the photograde grade, for those of you wanting to see a PCGS absurdity, Its an AG3 using "Making the Grade" Book. So, I priced it at AG3. But you could argue the G4 grade and win if referencing photograde which would make this a fabulous deal)
Washington
1932D $55
Half Dollar
1873 Motto Above Eagle F15 (needed for a type set) $90
Morgan (PL refers to the coin demonstrating watery mirrored fields, not necessary that it would earn the designation if graded)
1879S BUPL-1 $100
1879S BUPL-2 $100
Morgans Blast BU $85 ea or $80 ea two or more
1880S BUPL-1
1880S BUPL-2
1880S BUPL-3
1880S BUPL-4
1881S BUPL-2
1882S BUPL
1883O BU
1885O Toned BU $85
1885O Frosty BU
1886 BU+-3
1886 BU-2
1886 BU-1
1886 BU-4
See Spreadsheet link for Pics of the below
1878 7TF Rev '78 UNC $100
1878 8TF XF45 $85
1878 8TF AU $120
1878CC Mid AU $290 (below bid)
1878S AU $55
1878S BU $95
1879 XF40 $38
1878 CC XF45 $220
1879 UNC $62
1879CC F $375
1879o XF Cleaned $36
1879O XF45 $45
1879S UNC $80
1879S BUPL-1 $100
1879S BUPL-2 $100
1879S MS64+ $110
1880CC VG Rev of 79 $220
1880CC G/VG $175
1880S BU+ $90
1881CC MS65 $950
1881S BU $65
1882CC $165
1882 S AU58 $55
1882S AU $43
1883 AU $45
1883CC VF30 $175
1883o UNC $55
1883O UNC $60
1883O UNC $60
1883S XF $95
1884S F $45
1885S VG10 $45
1885S AU/MS $220
1886 O VG10 $33
1886S MS62 $500
1887 UNC$50
1887 UNC $60
1887o AU $36
1887S AU58 RevPL $100 (bid $125)
1888o UNC+ $50
1888S XF $120
1888S UNC $400 (below ms60 bid)
1889 F $33
1890 CC AU+ details Obv Cleaned $250 (gray AU50 $375, au55 $450)
1890CC $170
1890o BU $70
1891 F details $35
1891 VF30 $38
1891 UNC details (rub mark on cheek) $50
1891 CC VG cleaned $125
1891CC F $150
1891 CC XF $240
1891O XF $100
1892 VF30 $70
1892 XF $60
1892 XF $120
1892 AU58-UNC $300 (bid ms60 $500)
1892 AU58 NGC$310
1892 CC F-Cleaned $240
1892 O G $29
1893 XF $320
1893 CC VG10 $525
1893CC VF $650
1894O XF $50
1895 O VG10 $525
1896 UNC 8 $60
1896 O F $38
1896S VF$130
1896S XF40 $400
1897 UNC Cleaned $45
1897 O F $34
1897S XF45 $45
1897S XF Det $40
1898 UNC $55
1898O BU $75
1898S VF $60
1899O UNC $55
1899S AU Mid AU $300
1900 UNC $52
1900S AU58 $320
1901 S G $48
1902 AU55 $80
1902S AU $275
1903 XF Detail $36
1904 AU
1904 UNC $140
1904 UNC $140
1904S $45
1921 AU $33
1921 AU+34
1921 BU $45

Terminal Velocity is an arcade combat flight simulator developed by Terminal Reality. Released in 1995, Terminal Velocity was one of those games that came packaged with everything. Buy a new video card? Get Terminal Velocity. Subscribe to a gaming magazine? Probably came with a demo disk. Bought a hamburger at McD's? Hey your napkin is a copy of Terminal Velocity!
We play as an unnamed fighter pilot on Earth in the year 2704. The alien alliance, which we had been a member of, turns on Earth and starts a war for mysterious reasons. It's up to defend Earth from the invaders and try to figure out what happened to have our allies suddenly turn on us.
Gameplay consists of piloting a powerful starfighter around shooting down enemy fighters. Our advanced fighter is capable of turning on a dime, instantly boosting to high speeds and can take a beating, even colliding with terrain and surviving. We travel from planet to planet blowing up our enemies, navigating tight tunnels and occasionally blowing up larger enemies.
The Good
There's something about picking up old arcade shooters that really appeals to me. There's bare minimum plot here but that's okay because all I want to do is chase down enemy star pilots and blow them up while the industrial/electronic sound truck pumps dopamine right into my brain. Getting a new weapon upgrade which allows me to plow through enemies even faster as I dive into tunnels or do all kinds of flips and turns in the air is amazing.
The controls are really smooth. It's like playing Doom with noclip on, being able to move around and do anything. Most flight sims have, y'know...inertia and having to maintain flight speed and realistic turning. This plays more like open air Descent where you can stop and start moving at will, hover in mid-air and then hit your afterburners and zoom off. It's mayhem from start to finish and I love it.
The Bad
Runs into the same problem I have with a lot of arcade shooters. Eventually the gameplay loops gets incredibly stale. Another level, fly in a straight line to each group of enemies, shoot them down, rinse and repeat. The missions bleed into each other such that none really stand out. The complete dearth of a plot or story prevents anything from tying together in a meaningful way. Gameplay never evolves so the 10th mission is basically the same as the first mission.
The Ugly
It has not aged well graphically. The blocky textures make it difficult to tell what anything is especially when stuff starts blowing up. Every canyon looks the same, going through tunnels it's hard to tell when/if you're about to run into something, the skybox is just fog on 90% of levels. However, it's like...23 years old and an early era 3D game so it's hard to blame it.
Final Thoughts
I had a lot of fun playing this for a few hours. Not just for the nostalgia factor but coming to a stop, spinning in all directions blasting off shots. I get to pretend I'm the Last Starfighter for a few seconds and it makes me giddy. It did get stale pretty quick though. I stuck with it, but around mission 5 or so I could have quit and wouldn't really have missed much. Still, was fun for an afternoon.
Thank you for reading!
Interesting Game Facts!
Terminal Reality has an...interesting history. Let's just say that one of their canceled games, "Demonik" is the game featured in Grandma's Boy. To think it all got started with a game about blowing up space aliens...
100 reviews in 100 days (Day 82)

Featured:
Proof
Since i get maxxed out on these posts, I am only posting NEW material here today. [GO HERE PMS] and [ HERE for Clad] for my total inventory.
Grading. Grades are approximated and used to price point the coin. If you see something on a coin that you believe alters the grade, send a chat and, let's discuss it. In previous posts, I have had absolutely NO extra space to get wordy as you get cut off at like 40,000 some such characters. With the spreadsheet links, I can now get into more details about a coin, but not Im going to retroactively adjust descriptions.
Details, cleaned or polished means this coin will not likely grade and refers to the most obvious examples. That does not mean that one that is not designated as such will grade. I do not consider a dipped coin a details designation. Cleaned to me means there are cleaning lines, and often in the eyes of a grading company it is a matter of degree. Most mid-1800s proof coins have cleaning lines that are straight-graded. Typically I do not designate a coin with modest cleaning lines as cleaned or other minor detractors that MAY hold back a straight grade but instead, place a lower price on it. Many of these raw coins will not straight grade. Again, Im only going to call out the obvious examples, and we can discuss any coin you need more info on to make a decision. If you are planning on submitting your coin, please ask if I think the coin will grade. Early copper for instance is notorious for environmental damage yet the coin is still attractive for the type set collector. Again if you are planning on getting a coin graded or even just want more confidence about it, let's review the coin under a microscope and even UV light, etc, video.
I use "Making the Grade" Third edition primarily to estimate grades and PCGS Photograde secondarily. I also use the narrow definition of Scott travers when calling a coin uncirculated (no breaking in luster on the high points). Often, I have a coin slabbed in my PC that serves as a comparison. BU to me means a very choice example of an uncirculated. MS62-MS66. IF YOU ARE NOT happy with your purchase SAY SO. Don't be shy. Full refunds for coins that do not meet your expectations are encouraged.
Shipping is $4-$15. Venmo, Zelle, CashApp, PPFF. No notes. Credit Card add 3%
Half Cent
1804 Crosslet 4/ Stems $105
1829 VF30 $115 (very nice for the grade)
Flying Eagle 1C
1857 VF30 $90
1858LL VF30 $90
Indian 1C
1873 Open 3 VG+ $38 This is a darker brown with a steel like finish, i shot the photo for detail which makes it look lighter in color)
Half Dime
1836 VF25 $120
1844 F $38
1872 VG10 $35
Nickel
1866 With Rays F15 $84 (type set necessity)
Seated Dime
1842O VF35 $225 (really an XF, but Im trying to be nice bc of the steep XF price jump) Grey VF35 $280, XF $400 light damage on the breast area that blends in with the drapery)
1887 VF $20
Roosie
2018S Rev Proof70 first day NGC $30
20 Cent Silver
1875S AG 3.5 $90 (G4 is the photograde grade, for those of you wanting to see a PCGS absurdity, Its an AG3 using "Making the Grade" Book. So, I priced it at AG3. But you could argue the G4 grade and win if referencing photograde which would make this a fabulous deal)
Washington
1932D $55
Half Dollar
1873 Motto Above Eagle F15 (needed for a type set) $90
Morgan (PL refers to the coin demonstrating watery mirrored fields, not necessary that it would earn the designation if graded)
1879S BUPL-1 $100
1879S BUPL-2 $100
Morgans Blast BU $85 ea or $80 ea two or more
1880S BUPL-1
1880S BUPL-2
1880S BUPL-3
1880S BUPL-4
1881S BUPL-2
1882S BUPL
1883O BU
1885O Toned BU $85
1885O Frosty BU
1886 BU+-3
1886 BU-2
1886 BU-1
1886 BU-4
See Spreadsheetlink for Pics of the below
1878 7TF Rev '78 UNC $100
1878 8TF XF45 $85
1878 8TF AU $120
1878CC Mid AU $290 (below bid)
1878S AU $55
1878S BU $95
1879 XF40 $38
1878 CC XF45 $220
1879 UNC $62
1879CC F $375
1879o XF Cleaned $36
1879O XF45 $45
1879S UNC $80
1879S BUPL-1 $100
1879S BUPL-2 $100
1879S MS64+ $110
1880CC VG Rev of 79 $220
1880CC G/VG $175
1880S BU+ $90
1881CC MS65 $950
1881S BU $65
1882CC $165
1882 S AU58 $55
1882S AU $43
1883 AU $45
1883CC VF30 $175
1883o UNC $55
1883O UNC $60
1883O UNC $60
1883S XF $95
1884S F $45
1885S VG10 $45
1885S AU/MS $220
1886 O VG10 $33
1886S MS62 $500
1887 UNC$50
1887 UNC $60
1887o AU $36
1887S AU58 RevPL $100 (bid $125)
1888o UNC+ $50
1888S XF $120
1888S UNC $400 (below ms60 bid)
1889 F $33
1890 CC AU+ details Obv Cleaned $250 (gray AU50 $375, au55 $450)
1890CC $170
1890o BU $70
1891 F details $35
1891 VF30 $38
1891 UNC details (rub mark on cheek) $50
1891 CC VG cleaned $125
1891CC F $150
1891 CC XF $240
1891O XF $100
1892 VF30 $70
1892 XF $60
1892 XF $120
1892 AU58-UNC $300 (bid ms60 $500)
1892 AU58 NGC$310
1892 CC F-Cleaned $240
1892 O G $29
1893 XF $320
1893 CC VG10 $525
1893CC VF $650
1894O XF $50
1895 O VG10 $525
1896 UNC 8 $60
1896 O F $38
1896S VF$130
1896S XF40 $400
1897 UNC Cleaned $45
1897 O F $34
1897S XF45 $45
1897S XF Det $40
1898 UNC $55
1898O BU $75
1898S VF $60
1899O UNC $55
1899S AU Mid AU $300
1900 UNC $52
1900S AU58 $320
1901 S G $48
1902 AU55 $80
1902S AU $275
1903 XF Detail $36
1904 AU
1904 UNC $140
1904 UNC $140
1904S $45
1921 AU $33
1921 AU+34
1921 BU $45

Just got off Celebrity Infinity and sitting in airport. Thought I would add my 2 cents since there are always a lot of questions 😃
I was somewhat apprehensive about the ship due to some reviews of her condition and the food.
She is an older ship and she does have her nicks and scratches. I would agree she needs some updating and a face lift. However, the ship was absolutely immaculate with constant cleaning by the crew. We had an Oceanview cabin that was beautiful. Appeared to have new cabinetry and carpet. No issues in bathroom and ample storage throughout. IMO none of the cosmetic issues impacted the cruise in a negative way. If some peeling paint and dents affect your cruise, that’s on you.
The MDR was fantastic. We ate most meals there. The portions were normal sized and the quality was outstanding. We never left hungry and enjoyed everything. The buffet had a ton of options and a lot of variety every day. It didn’t knock my socks off but it was good.
We did do the Chef’s table with wine pairing. It was otherworldly and worth every penny. 6 courses with wine pairings. The chef and sommelier came out before each course to discuss. We received a beautiful cookbook and all pictures. I would totally recommend
Departed from Barcelona and we were there 3 days. We did La Sagrada and Gaudi park. Visited the La Boqueria market and ate a ton of tapas. Stayed on Las Ramblas because it was close to the port but a little loud.
Embarkation was a breeze. Checked out early and arrived at the port well before our time. We were onboard immediately and in our room within 15 minutes and our bags came in about 2-3 hours
There was a ton of activities daily if one chooses to participate. Crew interacted with us daily. We only had 2 out of 10 sea days so we chilled and did a few wine classes. We did not go to shows but I heard the aerial one was awesome. We have seen ibroadway before, which was playing and is good. They also had a singer, Shane H., who did two shows and performed here and around the ship who was phenomenal and a blast. I honestly do not understand why people say it’s boring. It’s also not a “floating geezer home” as I had read. Ages from 40’s-80’s. Also, as usual, great shipmates and we had so much fun with lots of different people.
Also, they were short staffed, BUT there were sommeliers and uniformed officers helping to take orders, clear tables and help out. We never waited very long.
In terms of drinks, there were maybe two or three wines by the glass and two or three cocktails under $10 which is covered by classic. Don’t know about beers because I don’t drink beer a lot.
I’m going to do a separate shore excursions post since we had so many and they were so good.

Just got off Celebrity Infinity and sitting in airport. Thought I would add my 2 cents since there are always a lot of questions 😃
I was somewhat apprehensive about the ship due to some reviews of her condition and the food.
She is an older ship and she does have her nicks and scratches. I would agree she needs some updating and a face lift. However, the ship was absolutely immaculate with constant cleaning by the crew. We had an Oceanview cabin that was beautiful. Appeared to have new cabinetry and carpet. No issues in bathroom and ample storage throughout. IMO none of the cosmetic issues impacted the cruise in a negative way. If some peeling paint and dents affect your cruise, that’s on you.
The MDR was fantastic. We ate most meals there. The portions were normal sized and the quality was outstanding. We never left hungry and enjoyed everything. The buffet had a ton of options and a lot of variety every day. It didn’t knock my socks off but it was good.
We did do the Chef’s table with wine pairing. It was otherworldly and worth every penny. 6 courses with wine pairings. The chef and sommelier came out before each course to discuss. We received a beautiful cookbook and all pictures. I would totally recommend
Departed from Barcelona and we were there 3 days. We did La Sagrada and Gaudi park. Visited the La Boqueria market and ate a ton of tapas. Stayed on Las Ramblas because it was close to the port but a little loud.
Embarkation was a breeze. Checked out early and arrived at the port well before our time. We were onboard immediately and in our room within 15 minutes and our bags came in about 2-3 hours
There was a ton of activities daily if one chooses to participate. Crew interacted with us daily. We only had 2 out of 10 sea days so we chilled and did a few wine classes. We did not go to shows but I heard the aerial one was awesome. We have seen ibroadway before, which was playing and is good.They also had a singer, Shane H., who did two shows and performed here and around the ship who was phenomenal and a blast. I honestly do not understand why people say it’s boring. It’s also not a “floating geezer home” as I had read. Ages from 40’s-80’s. Also, as usual, great shipmates and we had so much fun with lots of different people.
Also, they were short staffed but had sommeliers and uniformed officers helping to take orders and clear tables. There was not a long wait for anything and we were at 75% capacity
In terms of drinks there are only two or three wines by the glass and two or three cocktails $10 or under which is covered by Classic. Idk about beers because I didn’t order any or look
I’m going to do a separate shore excursions post since we had so many and they were so good.

"Now," he whispered, "I deliver death."
That is where I broke, the preceding battle, culminating in this cliffhanger, wore me down. I am a binger by heart and habit, and despite spending the last year or so practicing portion control (of all kinds) dutifully reading slowly, able to experience multiple works and to read them more deeply for the pacing, I decided to indulge this once. IDK If I'll do so again, but for just this once, follow this first-timer's unjaded eyes through their breathless, awe-stricken, confused sprint across the last ninety pages of this book. Without further ado...

Epigraph

An excerpt from Faces of Darujhistan written by Maskral Jemre. The gods of Darujhistan and their faces will play extensive roles symbolically throughout the impending climax. It briefly describes the ceremonies we'll see in passing through various characters, and there's something haunting about receiving a glimpse of how the festivities ought to go and what it is that they mean.
Also, if this is the passing of winter to spring, where is Gennebakis, exactly? If the top of the continent is tundra, then Darujhistan would be much further south, (which we know) so somewhere similar to North America? Is Darujhistan in Texas?

Chapter 20

The chapter that broke me, one near unbearable buildup of pressure before the dam breaks. Here, it all begins to unfold.

Epigraph

An excerpt of T'Matha's Children by Heboric. It mentions the "the matron's//blood like ice" This feels like an allusion to the goddess of Darkness, with the Tiste Andii being cold, and all. Beyond that, it "brought light into dark and dark into light" so given the alleged history between Light and Dark, that works. Was this perhaps the creation of the Warren of Shadow? In which case, the "children of chaos" would be... the Hounds? Who knows!

The Chapter Itself

Murillio is off to confront Kruppe, musing on the turning of the Cycle of the Age. The Year of the Five Tusks, which we've been constantly reminded it is, is now giving way to the Year of the Moon's Tears. The names bear significance according to the Seers, with the god Tennerock's tusks, Hate, Love, Laughter, War, and Tears, signifying the nature of the coming Years. The device was a gift by some guy named Icarium, whom Mammot believes to be of Jaghut blood. Evidently, the Jaghut were skilled in mechanical prowess and possibly gifted enough to predict a thousand years ahead. Moon's Spawn has arrived, after all.
He collides with Kruppe, who drops a series of masks. The rotund mage informs his dear friend that his other ear friend, Lady Simtal, has invited him to attend the Fête. That they've never met is ironic, but irrelevant to Magnanimous Kruppe, friend to all. This whole interaction is fantastic, with Kruppe dropping many distractions, such as his mentioning five strangers without naming the fourth, or a series of cantrips, while Murillio dodges them as best he can. He confronts Kruppe point blank about being Lady Simtal disguised the Eel. Kruppe sighs, and modifies the courtier's memory, buying himself free reign for the night.
As Baruk waits for the Eel, he discusses attending the fête with Anomander Rake, who as elected to attend as the High Alchemist's +1. Many members of the Council and the T'orrud Cabal will be in attendance, and Rake wants an opportunity to meet/observe his allies. It'll also put him in the epicenter of the most likely place of Convergence on Genabakis. Rake learns of the new year's title, and correctly guesses Icarium's involvement, as he's evidently produced similar wheels elsewhere. This has quite a few implications, given that this person is evidently traveling with at least one god. They receive news that the Eel will reveal himself to them that night, (although Baruk as much as gives away that he's guessed the truth) as well as Mammot's recovery. The High Preist of D'Riss was able to get away with minimal difficulty and casually mentions that he's aware of the drama surrounding the Coin Bearer. He is also a member of the T'orrud Babal. Rake, asks whether Mammot will be attending the Fête, and then leaves abruptly. If only Baruk had read further into the odd departure.
Adjunct Lorn finally arrives at Worry Gate, witnessing the ritual mentioned in the Book's opening epigraph and being briefly noted by a guard. That guard is Circle Breaker, watching for the Adjunct for the Eel. Once done, he manages to trade a shift to be at the Fête himself. Interestingly, he tells the guard next to him his name, which we do not ever get to know (at least not in GotM)
Lorn enters a bar, and stumbles upon the Bridgeburners. Fiddler is running one of his games, which we get to see more fully here. The game is played with a Deck and depicts the scene in the Gadrobi Hills where Paran met Rake. Tattersail did believe the Sapper to be a Tallent, after all. The game ends predicting Lorn's death, this reading is affirmed by the orb. Whiskeyjack arrives and catches up Lorn with a modified version of events, including their loss of Sorry. Lorn comes to the realization that this man had debated tactics with Dassem Ultor, so there's not much she can do to break him. She asks the name of the estate and announces she will return in two hours, without dropping anything off.
Crokus and Apsalar watch the revelry escalate down below them. They discuss their plans for the evening, the thief growing ever more conflicted about his feelings. Apsalar mentions something within her holding her sanity together. It seems Rigga remains at work. Serrat, meanwhile, creeps up the steps below, comically over-warded and utilizing an abundance of caution. She's immediately thwarted by a mysterious someone, threatening with enough force on behalf of "the Prince" to drop the hunt against the Coin Bearer, with a comical pop, she disappears.
In an age of wind and barren stone, a Jaghut and his mother wander the land, scattered as all their people, thwarting the potential of collected power. A self-imposed Babel, of sorts. The child, young by Jaghut standards, grows observing the powers of the winds shape and mould the earth to their liking. He takes after this, destroying his horrified mother in the process. He starts with lone Jaghut, but they resist or else escape him, brief satisfaction, but not enough. He takes to subjugating the beasts, the winds, the earth, the plants. The earth resists and bucks the subversion of its evolved order, yet not without the death of countless species. Then he meets the Imass, thinking creatures like the Jaghut, yet comically short-lived. These he can use, confounding them in cycles of invention, war, loss, discovery, rediscovery, rediscovery, rediscovery. They invent for themselves a god at the head of all things, and he fancies it to be himself, they discover tyranny of all forms for themselves, and he laughs. A True First Empire, a gathering of minds subjugated under an unbreakable bond. Tool's history proves backward. Then come the Jaghut, unified under a force so great that it tears through even this great Tyrant like paper, and Raest was subjugated, killed, and depowered. A barrow erected, a hemisphere frozen over for good measure. In the intervening years, the T'Lan Imass gather power of their own and wage genocide against the very Titans who were their salvation. Two enter the barrow, the threadbare mind of the once-god coalesces, he is freed, his Finnest stolen. With a concussive force, Raest, the First Emperor of Man, Jaghut Tyrant, steps into a new world.
High above, the Crone watches him emerge as four Black Soultaken Dragons and the Red Dragon Silanah, fly in to stop the monster. We get some old language of some sort, possibly Jaghut? "Dragnipurake" is of course the name of the Sword plus the suffix -Rake, "Draconiaes" seems to refer to, well, dragons, "t'na" is a conjunction of some sort? And finally, Eleint, which is whatever the Dramatis Personae names Silanah. Crone flies high, ready to watch the show unfold.
Raest emerges, and casually injures Burn on his way out, nuking a range of hills in the process. He considers waking her as well. This is a walking apocalyptic event, and our dear Anomander opted to join a party. He notices the dragons, and Holy Moly the fight that ensues is great. I'd mention highlights but that'd just be a beat-by-beat. He offers the Soletaken Tiste Andii to join him, but they refuse. Also of note, he calls Silanah a "Tiem." He rebuffs their initial assault and, telekinetically holding his body together, prepares to deliver death.

Chapter 21

A Chapter in two halves, beginning with our principal cast all filling into their positions for the climax, making last-minute pivots and discoveries. It ends with the fulfillment of the revenge plot against Lady Simtal and Turban Orr, and what a fulfillment it is! If only we don't feel so hollow afterwards.

Epigraph

An excerpt of Anomandris which is, interestingly enough, written by Fisher, the Rumor Born guy. Also, this is like the first bit of Anomandris we've seen since Tattersail and Calot tag-teamed a quotation in Ch. 2 (which also mentions it was written by Fisher, lol) and seems to recount the initial arrival of the dragons. First contact between the dragons and Tiste Andii? Who knows! (Actually, quite a few people probably know at this point)

The Chapter Itself

Lorn buries the Finnest in the garden at Simtal's estate. She observes the bustling crowds and almost breaks down at the sight. So much life reminds her of the many cities she's infiltrated before. The recollection of humanity becomes a cacophony, no one life worth any more than the millions around them. The Adjunct breaks at this, and Lorn has to will herself to don the persona again, with Sorry out of the picture, only the Coin Bearer remains. With her last chance to bail out behind her, the Adjunct begins moving towards her failure and death, foretold with certainty by the unwitting Tallent of Fiddler.
Meanwhile, in the Phoenix Inn, the Eel contemplates his next moves, whilst failing to button his coat. He decides that it is time for Circle Breaker to retire, for his own safety. He suspects that someone other than himself has been protecting the Coin Bearer, while the path to ultimate safety for the boy remains elusive. Most concerningly, the patterns in his head end tonight, the outcome of this Convergence is undecided.
Crokus and Apsalar, meanwhile, leave the Temple for the Fête. To the northeast, a "storm" of low rumbling thunder and ochre clouds builds and grows ever closer. As the thief is led down from the tower by Aps, he has another internal crisis. He really doesn't know Challice, and Apsalar's constant ease within his presence is confounding. Dude, she literally took a name axiomatically aligned with your life, take a hint.
The Captain of Simtal's guards berates the Bridgeburnurs for not all being Barghast, but agrees to pay them anyways. He stations them near the garden, as it's recently gotten a bit overgrown, and instructs them to steer the crowds away. Quick Ben and Mallet update Whiskeyjack on the encroaching Tyrant, and they agree to play things by ear if the monster gets any nearer.
Kalam and Paran leave the Phoenix Inn, not after the assassin makes a major threat to Scurve to, by any means necessary contact the city's Master of Assasins with their offer. They leave to find the Adjunct and put her to rest. Kalam takes note of the Greyfaces and begins to be bothered by their movements, for some reason.
Baruk arrives with Rake at the Fête. Despite the encroaching threat, the Tiste Andii seems unbothered, relaxed even. Turban Orr watches the two arrive with Lady Simtal. The Alchemist's mask is barely sufficient. Both a denial and an admission of secret power, depending on the viewer. Rake's mask is of a smug black and silver dragon. I've said it before and I'll say it again, Anomander Rake is That Guy. Still love him, though. The Councilman introduces himself and is introduced in turn to Lord Anomander Rake. The scene plays out humorously, with Orr unaware of how wildly out of his league he is, but does contain one odd detail. Rake, despite running Moon's Spawn, considers his title to be honorary, given by his people. Murillio and Rallick, begrudgingly aware of Kruppe's perfect mask choices, watch the High Alchemist and the Councilman converse, then nearly have an aneurysm over Kruppe (whom they were just praising) and his shenanigans. Kruppe, wearing the mask of a cherub slightly less innocent than himself (although not nearly so clever) bumbles his way toward Baruk and Rake, the latter of whom displays incredulity over this possibly being the Eel. Wise and discerning Kruppe the First notes Rake's nature as an inhuman Lord from high above, and a dragon. Of course, this is all a misunderstanding, and he apologizes, betrays himself as an eel of sorts, and leaves to inspect the kitchen.
Turban Orr, meanwhile, finds himself unable to enjoy the party. The last two weeks have exhausted him, all his plans confounded, and his spy still unfound. He, at last, discovers Circle Breaker, in a chance passing, but is intercepted by a man in a Trake mask. The man practically insists on insulting the Councilman, and Orr, his temper ratcheted up by the past several days, decides to indulge his wrath on this peon. Orr calls for a duel, politically selecting Councilman D'Arle as his second. Meanwhile, Murillio draws deep on his well of suave and seduces Simtal in record time. The duel will go uninterrupted. Down by the terrace, Baruk contemplates interceeding, but declines. Curiously, he considers Rallick his closest friend, explaining the Otataral gift, but it is a shame we never go to see the two interact, there's a story there. Rake offers to be RN's second, and my hype has hit yet another threshold. Here is where I leave my desk for a mandated break, I'm not the sort of person who eats and reads, so I'm mentally cussing the entire way there and back. Baruk meets Mammot on his way to the duel and notes the scholar's accurate Jaghut mask; although Mammot recognizes minute flaws in the design, Baruk thinks nothing of this. Stranger still, despite Oppon's luck drawing Crokus to the party, it is also keeping him away from his uncle.
The Bridgeburners watch everyone filter out into the courtyard by the garden, watching the preparations for the duel. Though they notice Rake, this doesn't amount to much. Quick Ben updates the group on their timetable with the Tyrant, and they make preparations to blast the estate then the city.
Crokus finds Challice; without a method of reaching her at the moment he is distracted by the duel. Kruppe, finds the boy and nabs him while passing a note off to Circle Breaker. The note grants Circle Breaker the right to retire, as well as land and a title in the city of Dhavran (the map shows this to be along the western bank of Lake Azur) as thanks for being the Eel's most trusted servant. The circle is mended (whatever that means, there seems to be a story there) and he can at last rest. Despite everything going down in this and subsequent chapters, this storyline had me by far the most hyped. Good job man, you've earned it.
Baruk offers to referee, and the participants take their places. Turban Orr's grandstanding, and the seconds' lack of comments each take as much time as the fight itself. As everyone notes, this is not a duel, but a public murder. That Anomander Rake decides to get publicly entangled in the proceedings not to comment or contribute at all, but just to watch this fool get merc'd, strikes me as darkly funny. Orr is dead and as Rallick quietly gloats to the corpse, the scandal is broached, and the hostess is nowhere to be found. A large woman in a green dress approaches Baruk and Rake, introduced as the Witch Derudan, another member of the Cabal. Also, she has a personal servant to carry a hookah with her at all times. They leave Rake's presence to discuss some matters.
Simtal, meanwhile, finally arrises from her 30 minutes with Murillio, becoming aware of some great disturbance downstairs. She begins dressing and is interrupted by Rallick Nom entering the room. Rallick stays only long enough to convey his purpose and her situation. It is Murillio who stays a moment to watch the woman process what has become of her. Years of machinations and backroom (or perhaps, bedroom) deals all hinging on the continued support of those around her. With no one, the vultures and enemies she's made will come, likely they've already begun. Murillio leaves a dagger and grants her the privacy to escape the coming storm.
Lady Simtal, you deserved this but that doesn't make what was done to you right. What business does justice have with cruelty? Swearing by the Lady of Beggers, Murillio comes to the crashing realization of what this night has cost his soul. Coll is reinstated, yes, but at incalculable cost to his dearest friends.
Crokus, meanwhile, finally gets the opportunity to peel away from Kruppe and approach Challice, after getting the girls attention, she runs over to him, overjoyed to finally have a moment alone with...Gorlas. Panicking, Crokus does the sane thing and kidnaps her, because that'll make this run smoother, y'kow?
At the first opportunity, Circle Breaker sneaks out of the estate and into the night a free man. Passing a food-comatose Kruppe, he leaves smiling, awed by his own escape.

Chapter 22

A major action climax for a few plotlines, with a resolution I've vacillated between sour and sweet on, currently resting at sweet as I've processed things.

Epigraph

A poem titled Ravens by Collitt. Acknowledging the Great Ravens as a sign of disaster, the poet fears and reveres them. Politically, this is one of my favorites thus far. Also, I love the connection between the Great Ravens and, well, normal ravens. Ravens are carrion feeders, who gather at signs of battle. Sapient Great Ravens gather at the signs of great events and cataclysmic battles, searching for "interesting" events. That's just a really fun connection.

The Chapter Itself

Two of the Soultaken driven from battle, Raest prepares for his final thrust. The Gadrobi Hills are devastated, sundered by his travels and battle. He's killed a few odd creatures along his path as well, who we recognize as the garrison that helped Coll and Paran, as well as Councilman Orr's messenger to Pale. Cresting a hill, he is briefly in awe of Darujhistan, then offers Silanah one last opportunity to retreat. She makes no reply, nor is she even prepared for battle. Raest steps forward, away from Genebakis and into another time, within the dreams of a great, pudgy mage.
Despite his best attempts, Raest can do nothing to kill the creature, introducing itself as Kruppe. He informs the Tyrant that he bows to no one, Tyrant or god; in the face of such indifference, there is nothing Raest can do. Beset by a T'lan Imass from behind; despite his best efforts, Onos T'oolan cannot be bound by the Jaghut, as our dear Tool is called by an ancient call of a Bonecaster, Pran Chole's. Befuddled by such impotence on his part, Raest is befuddled further still by the appearance of another interloper, K'Rul. He initially mistakes him for Hood (which greatly alters my estimation of the god's lifespan) although he only refers to him as the Death Wanderer, as opposed to the god of Death. K'Rul warns Raest of the arrival of Anomander Rake and the new form of death he brings with him. Raest scoffs at this initially, but K'Rul makes a fascinating revelation. The flow of power between the gods and mortals has shifted, though of it the mortals are ignorant. I suppose when you have mages mastering domains and relics capable of drawing the gods who wield them, it makes sense. Anything less than omnipotence can be overmastered. K'Rul also repeats his Maker of Paths title and reveals his aspect "was the Obelisk." So he's Burn's predecessor and not Hood's. Given Burn's Sleep began nearly 1200 years ago, that gives us a roughly 800-year window for the shift, given Darujhistan's founding, whatever Crokus may say. This whole sequence is filled with even more magic technobable, but I'll move on. Title of Sword? Moved to the Realms of Chaos, K'Rul's birthplace? I'll figure it out eventually. With a hollow laugh, Raest collapses into dust, his spirit invading a new body.
Kalam and Paran creep into Simtal's garden, finding there a young woman, along with a curious structure. The woman turns out to be Sorry, yet not Sorry. Kalam prevents the Captain from killing her outright, instead ascertaining that she has no memory or deeply incomplete memories of her time in the Bridgeburners. Kalam's reaction to being called a friend is priceless. They observe the structure, a tree stump that is somehow growing from moment to moment, frustrating the eyes as it does. At this moment, one is reminded of the acorn and the Finnest. Paran leaves to fetch Mallet, wondering if the healer could aid the girl.
Rallick, gripped with a malaise he cannot account for, stumbles to leave the party. What if Coll doesn't take his old Lordship back? Would what he's done be justified even if he does? As a reader, I have to wonder, how much of the blame lies on Oppon, and how much on RN himself? Interrupting his musings, he stumbles across a disgruntled and awake Kruppe. The mage is worried, although trusts K'Rul's words that the world as it is now would be enough to put down Raest. The assassin leaves Kruppe behind and is approached by a woman in a featureless mask, who circuitously reveals herself to be Vorcan. She mentions Councilman Orr possessed protective magics that Rallick somehow trivialized. For that reason, she requires his services now. One last note on their conversation here, that RN was fine submitting to punishment helps show how defeated he is, now that his slavish devotion to the plan justifying his own humanity is over with. Defending someone else's humanity cannot serve as a substitute for your own, Rallick, and I feel you know this now.
Crokus, meanwhile, is totally bungling his attempts to speak with Challice. Promising not to hurt her, after a slew of threats, of course, he lets her speak. She reveals that she never betrayed him and that they'd always known the Rope was behind the guard's death. Horrified, Crokus reels from the revelation, wondering what exactly is going on. Chalice restates her love for Gorlas (or more tellingly, his station and his love for her) and her desire to have nothing to do with Younghand's cloak-and-dagger shenanigans. She slips up at the end, patronizing him briefly, and Crokus (more than a little hypocritically) accuses her of romanticizing the dangers of the real world. They part on the worst possible terms.
Mallet, for his part, refuses to enter the garden. Recognizing the power within and its hunger, he demands Paran bring Sorry to him. She heads to the healer smilingly, and Kalam expresses regret that she hadn't smiled before. Mallet discovers Rigga's presence within the girl, torn whether to help what little remains of the Wax Witch to integrate Sorry's history into Apsalar's consciousness safely. Paran advises the healer to trust it. Rallick, Vorcan, and Crokus all enter the glade, the latter staying hidden. Paran meets them as they discuss the stump, with Vorcan asking Rallick to sit on it and dampen its growth. It's here that Rallick just outright admits to knowing the substance he'd used was Otataral dust, rendering my whole Eureka moment a bit... moot. Also, Rallick knew what it was the whole time?! Why play coy with something you'll eventually give to us outright, Erikson? It's either a mystery or not. There have been a handful of moments like this, where a mystery will be teased and then casually solved. It - I - uh, whatever I guess. That's only the second most infuriating reveal in this chapter anyway.
Kalam offers Vorcan 900k golden doubloons jakatas and a High Fist position to kill off the T'orrud Cabal. Paran assures her that Malazan can scare off the Son of Darkness, having done so twice before. Vorcan personally accepts the contract and after charging Rallick with sitting on the stump until a better solution can be reached, leaves to prepare for the grim task. After everyone leaves, Rallick invites Crokus out of the glade and charges the boy with warning Mammot and Baruk of their impending danger. At that moment, something occurs outside of the garden, and the stump grows past Rallick's ability to contain it.
Sensing the disturbance at the Fête, Baruk laments leaving so early. Rake assures him the situation is under control, but stops himself from revealing one other piece of information, his eyes betraying a quiet sadness. He then offers to help clear the streets for something else coming, using Dragnipur to clear a passage to K'Rul's Belfry after warning Baruk of Malazan's impending assassination attempt.
At the Fête, Raest arives. Subsuming the mind of Mammot, whom he'd imprinted upon while waking, he launches an assault upon the partygoers. Quick Ben manages to save Derudan in the initial volley, which tears through the estate in a series of propagating bolts of power. Whiskeyjack's leg is crushed under a pillar, down for the count, and Captain Paran appears to be instantly vaporized in the initial assault. Derudan and QB launch twin assaults on Raest, quickly draining the Witch.
Here we have what is likely the most vexing scene in the entire book. Or, perhaps, the start of several compoundingly vexing scenes. Paran drops into what seems to be yet another warren, a swamp of sorts, within which a T'lan Imass (likely Tool) and a wooden approximation of a Jaghut fight. Behind the Captain, a house grows out of the swamp. The Imass warns Paran that something called an Azath is not yet ready to contain the animate Finnest. Paran resolves to hold the Finnest until the Azath is made ready. Launching a blast against Paran's very soul, the Finnest circumvents even Chance, or perhaps the blade has at last betrayed him. The Finnest demands total submission, but Paran refuses. Within him, the... Blood of a Hound? wells up, refusing to be subdued. Did the souls of the Hounds follow Paran back out of Dragnipur? That was roughly when Paran's whole "no one's gonna control me" arc began in full. Anyway, Perrin Paran throws himself against the Finnest, tearing into it with fists, claws, and teeth, holding it down until he is shaken out of his blood fury. The Azath is finished and draws the Finnest below the mud. Paran is shunted out of the Warren into the material plane.
Noting Paran's return, Quick Ben assaults the Tyrant with everything he has, opening SEVEN Warrens within himself. A feat that is later noted to be theoretically impossible. He burns through the monster, reducing it to an animate, humanoid totem of ash. Raest retaliates, forcibly closing QB's Warrens one after another. QB is about to give up, before noticing Hedge, off to the side, a pyromanic grin on his face, Ben dives, covering Derudan and his ears. The sapper fires, blasting Mammot's body to smithereens. Paran runs off to inform WJ as QB notices something coalescing in the bottom of Hedge's crater.
It is then that the Azath drags the remaining spirit of Raest kicking and screaming into the garden. So, it turns out Azaths are a known force in this world, but I'll get to that later. I will note its appearance is a surprise to everybody. Was it the acorn? But if the Jaghut could seal the Finnest in an Azath, why not just go all the way? Many questions and few answers. Derudan leaves, and Fiddler and Hedge are sent off to blast the city. Kalam then finally realizes the potential danger of not only blowing up the City of Blue Fire, but of doing so at major infrastructure hubs. Took y'all long enough.

Chapter 23

A resolution to all but one of our action climaxes, and a final unveiling of several long-standing plans. We're solidly in the endgame now, and somehow only speeding up.

Epigraph

After a long hiatus, we receive another excerpt of Call to Shadow, this one seemingly referring to Simtal's suicide. Given that the author is apparently Paran's sister, the nature of the work is becoming clearer, this is a recounting of the events here in Darujhistan. I'm a bit unclear as to why its specifically attributed to Shadow, aside from Shadow's interference being the inciting incident to all this mess. Perhaps that's sufficient, however. What we can tell from this is that Paran eventually meets with Fellisin again, despite his status as a traitor. So while we can't tell whether or not this will all have a happy ending, we can tell the Paran siblings will make it that far at least.

The Chapter Itself

Paran, running through the undergrowth, is drawn into yet another Warren, ambushed by Rood. After nearly tearing the Captain apart, the Hound relents, confused by a sense of kinship. Cotilion appears, complaining that the Captain should interfere with House Shadows, especially given his growing enmity with the Empress. Even still, Cotillion will try again, correcting for the flaws of the initial plan. He considers his treatment of Sorry merciful, insofar as the necessary evil could be. Paran offers Cotillian Chance, seeing as how his luck has finally turned, and the Rope accepts with the intent to strike back at the Twins. Paran wakes back in the garden and leaves to find the Adjunct.
So, what was Oppon's plan for the captain? His use of Chance infuriated Hairlock and the Hounds, drawing the two together, and evidently claiming the Hounds' souls/blood in the process. Thus, Paran was able to resist the Finnest and buy the Azath time. The only issue was that is the Brother's actions in Dragnipur seemed to be surprised by the whole episode. An act? Beyond that, Paran also played half the role in freeing Sorry, thwarting Shadow's aims at Empire. j
Crokus, traumatized by the sight of Mammot possessed, burned, blown to bits, and claimed by the roots of the Azath, runs to find Baruks home. He (and the audience) can only hope that Mammot himself was released to death before the Azath took the possessed body. Running through the streets of Darujhistan, he finally comes to realize why they've emptied so. Rake has moved Moon's Spawn directly overhead, looming as if to crush the city at any moment.
The Adjunct tails the Coin Bearer, sensing the Jaghut Tyrant's death. Assuming Rake's involvement in the defeat, she releases Tayscheren's Ace in the Hole. A Lord of the Gaylen demons, powerful enough to challenge an ascendant, the intended follow-up in the one-two punch which would finish off Rake or Raest, whoever survived their clash. The Adjunct then tails the Coin Bearer further, considering the woman Lorn dead for good. She does not even consider the Adjunct human, but a tool. Lost entirely in her own justification, the Adjunct carries on.
Baruk mourns Mammot in his study. He's deduced too late that Rake knew all along, choosing to shield Baruk from the anticipation of his possessed friend's impending death. The Witch Derudan arrives, prepared to mourn with him, as an act of love. She informs Baruk of the extraordinary circumstances surrounding Mammot's death, as well as the conjuration of an Azath in Darujhistan. The specific use of the word conjuration implies something caused its appearance, though if not the acorn, I couldn't guess what. They feel the release of the demon lord, as well as two more of the Cabal members at the hand of Vorcan.
Anomander Rake, atop the belfry of K'Rul's temple. Silahnah arrives, but Rake asks she leave, she's done enough for today. K'Rul himself arrives, and the two speak of their misplaced wandering within this world. Rake knows no other life than wandering from battle to battle, yet it does not fulfill him. The elder god, having failed to receive the advice he craves, leaves the Lord to his battle. Rake watches as the Galen arises, and begins changing form. Rake then shapeshifts, rising higher, higher, higher above the city into a Silvermaned Black Dragon, more massive even than Silanah, and dives towards his ignorant prey.
The Adjunct formerly known as Lorn moves to kill the Coin Bearer at last. She's interrupted by, of all people, a member of the Crimson Guard.* Fingers, Sixth Blade of the Crimson Guard, grabs Crokus and escorts him to Baruk's place personally. During their discussion, Crokus at long last learns of his nature as the Coin Bearer, and is advised to lose the item as soon as his luck runs out. It is the CG who have been protecting the boy. After breaking away from Blues, a gravely injured Adjunct runs into Meese and Iralta, who finish her off.
* Upon review, Caladan Brood does commit some Crimson Guard members to protect the Coin Bearrer in Ch. 10 debriefing with Crone, just a bit circumlocutiously. He even names the sixth blade, and Kallor immediately takes it to mean they're interfering with Rake.
Paran comes across the Adjunct, injured beyond saving, or at least, dying faster than a healer can be acquired. She laments her ironic, inglorious death, and barely has time to marvel over Paran's return from the dead. The two share a moment of cold sympathy before her end. Paran claims the Otataral blade for himself. The Twins appear before him, begging for protection from Shadowthrone. Paran tells them off, and quietly picks up the Adjunct, returning to the Phoenix Inn.

Chapter 24

The breathless end of it all, flowing almost immediately into subsequent adventures. Anything I'm not fully satisfied with is at least spoken to, promising further resolution or explanation later.

Epigraph

An excerpt of a poem titled Azath by Adaephon. Written as if narrated by the titular entity, the poem speaks a bit about their purpose. Both a lure and a prison to the power-crazed, an endless prison in a world where death is trivialized to the powerful. It is interesting how much of a known entity these are, despite us not hearing about them until well after its arrival, and that no one (outside of possibly Rake) considered the Convergence would produce one. Ah, well.

The Chapter Itself

Crokus cannot enter Baruk's compound, being frustrated by the High Alchemist's wards. Fortunately, he has one last bit of luck. The Demon Lord crashes to the ground, slammed by Rake's assault from above. The crash shatters the gate and any potential wards. Both dragons shift back to their base forms, and the Galayn taunts Rake. Crokus feels someone walk up behind him, and the Lord of Moon's Spawn asks that Crokus flees. He notes that he is speaking with the Coin Bearer, but Brood's "request" and the impending fight save the lad. Rake and the Demon Lord fight, sword to axe, and while the contest isn't quite the spectacle of Raest soloing five dragons, its pretty great. We even get a bit of lore out of it. It seems indeed that some version of the story Tool told Lorn was true, Dark birthed Light, but then light was corrupted. Demons being corrupted denizens of Light is, well, exactly on brand, so that tracks. Crokus watches in horror as the Galayn Lord is subsumed into the black blade. AR then turns with exhaustion to the lad, and asks him to warn Baruk of the impending danger.
Baruk and Derudan have set up a magical barrier, but Baruk hesitates to enter it. His hesitation buys him nothing, however, as Vorcan attacks just as the ward is shattered outside. She is forced back by a Tiste Andii assassin, Serrat, who is stabbed by the Master of Assassins. Derudan is similarly stuck down, minutely to slow to take advantage of the distraction. Baruk, fleeing, runs to the door, in which is Crokus, who is able to (luckily) land two near impossible blows against Vorcan, by way of thrown bricks. She flees, and Baruk gets up, moving to save the injured. Serrat has passed, but Baruk reveals that he is able to save Darudan by curing the white paralt in her system.* They mourn Mammot, and then the young thief leaves to find Apsalar.
*Which is also just named outright as a spider, but this one annoys me far less than the Otataral thing.
I'll skip a scene breifly to maintain momentum, but it works in the chapter as is.
Rallick watches the stump, now a house, contemplating the capture he saw earlier. He is experiencing an unaccountable euphoria, believing the house to be "right, and just." Vorcan arrives, begging Rallick to protect her, before fainting. He picks her up, and with no better ideas, runs headlong into the cognitohzardous house, disappearing to we know not where. I suspect we haven't seen the last of either Rallick Nom or Vorcan, but that is the last we see of either this book. Korlat, a Tiste Andii assassin and sister to Serrat, enters the glade. She regards the Azath edielmarn or "Pillar of Innocence" and decides against the pursuit further. To continue the hunt would be to destroy the Azath, and its youthful innocence. In this, Korlat takes after the Queen of Darkness, who defended Light when it too was youthful and innocent. Oddly, in this, Korlat morally succeeds where Rallick failed. We learn that other objects such as this exist, such as the Deadhouse in Malaz city, where Kellanved and Dancer evidently walked through its... Gates. So we know people can leave these things, giving some hope for Rallick an Vorcan's return. Also, considering the heights to which the two Ascended after entering, first through Empire then godhood, R and V may have a long road ahead of them. Who knows? as my cheaky pun earlier hinted, I'm aware of the next book's title, so we may be seeing them soon.
Back at the Phoenix Inn, Whiskeyjack contacts Dujek to update him as to the nights proceedings. Tayscheren is in a coma after what happened to the Galayn Lord, and WJ states that they'll not be taking the city, for fear of detonating the natural gas caverns beneath. This is of course, a problem. The what's left of the 2nd is loosing Pale, Caladan Brood has marched south as Dujek guessed, and brought two other armies besides with him, beyond this, Laseen has outlawed Dujek himself, as Seven Cities is to close to rebellion for him to be useful in saving it in time. The Empire has now severed its last link to the Old Guard as a result.
The Black Moranth stand with Onearm, and will pick up the Bridgeburners once they're out of the city. WJ is made Dujek's second, and Paran is placed in charge of the BBs. Hopefuly, Brood knows enough about the Pannion Seer to accept Dujek's force's continued existence. Though they're free to walk, all of WJ's squad resolves to stay with the rebels, with two slight exeptions. Kalam and Fiddler have decided to leave with Apsalar, whom they're taking home; they commit to return once that is over with. WJ notices Coll is awake, but the Lord only offers them passage out of the city in gratefulness.
The main text of the novel ends with Kruppe, Murillio, and Crokus walking towards the Phoenix Inn. Kruppe assuages Crokus's worries by reassuring him that he knows Apsalar's location, and shrugs off concerns over Rallick, speaking more to the man's likely safety. We find out Challice was saved by Gorlas, tying off that loose end, and begins to regale them with the tale of how Darujistan was saved and Coll was reinstated, with his heroic aid, of course.

Book 7: The Fête

An excellent climax all around, pulling out every stop. While the initial experience was a bit jarring, with all the revelations, I am satisfied as I've let it sit. On the whole, I probably prefer a slower reading pace, but once I committed to finishing the whole thing, I was fine riding it out.
I'm straining against Reddit's 40k charachter limit, so I'll give my thoughts on the Epilogue, a deeper dive into the side materials, as well as thoughts on the novel as a whole soon.

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Intro

To preface this review, I just need to say that this is going to be a very, long read. Going through it myself just for the fun of it takes around 30 minutes — it's almost 7k words of text, including lyrical references. So for the best experience, listen to the album beforehand to understand what the hell I was thinking when I wrote this review, play the album while reading, and set a good amount of time aside.
And yes, this is 9 months late 😭 I'm not sorry — when I find an album review online it's always around a paragraph per song or even shorter. It makes sense from a journalistic perspective, but I want to do this album justice, hence taking 7 months to write out all my thoughts.
This shit is comprehensive and definitely overanalyzed, especially in Talk that Talk and Trouble. Each song review will compose of my commentary going over the song, noting the details I noticed through months of listening, then a conclusion. Also, mild swearing warning, I like implementing a touch of "French" when I'm very emotional about something. Anyway, onto the review!
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Between 1&2 💞

Album Review
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TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT
TELL ME WHAT YOU NEED
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Talk that Talk 🎙

Lead producer: collapsedone
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One of the most perfect TWICE songs.
I think this is one of TWICE’s best-sounding title tracks. Warm modulated synths, a thrumming bass line, distant bells, shimmering synths — the purpose of this song is to be fun and my god is it excellent at it, like… Sana and Chaeyoung are saying knock-knock-knock and beep-beep-beep as if they’re some kind of car. So much fun.
Further along in the verse, Dahyun’s voice sounds so full and smooth with that layered harmony. Tzuyu coming with the Yes or Yes, Push & Pull, and 1 to 10 references — these are 5 years of song references. And Jeongyeon closes the pre-chorus accompanied by a rising synth to drop into chorus one. Jeongyeon slays pre-choruses.
The drums accelerate, the synths start blasting, and Jihyo opens to that party of a chorus with her godly vocals,
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Tell me what you want
Tell me what you need
A to Z da malhaebwa
But shijageun ireoke have
Talk that talk ttak han madi
Talk that talk L-O-V-E
deullyeojweo ooh
Now now now now now yeah~

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During Sana's Talk that Talk~ lines there’s this gentle ascending synth bell that rings with the descending melody and it sounds absolutely gorgeous. And the choreography during that part of the chorus is so so so so fun: the talking hands bit, spelling L-O-V-E, concluding with the deullyeojweo ooh! Oh my Jihyo the deullyeojweo ooh…
Have I mentioned this song is fun?
Speeding through verse 2; Chaeyoung’s part with the cat ears popping in the music video is adorable; Momo her stretching her arms out looks so damn cool; and Dahyun with her replay part sounds so lovely — although I think it sonically sounds a touch random, it makes sense thematically.
And now for this pre-chorus. Mina and Jihyo leading into it sound great BUT JEONGYEON… Now, she is my ult bias, and this pre-chorus sounds almost identical to the first one, but the way she holds that final note, enunciating and holding that now~ for one more beat before the chorus drops sounds so perfect — the song teeters on a cliff edge. Jeongyeon slays pre-choruses.
Dropping into the second chorus and man, Jihyo powered through that first chorus, but the way Nayeon delivers it just hits different. She has this indescribable “pop” voice (I promise this wasn't on purpose) that stands out and shouts this is THE chorus. I think this is especially apparent in how both lead their choruses where Jihyo starts at 120% power while Nayeon waits until [Tell me] WHAT YOU WANT to full-send it. She also highlights “malhaebwa” in a similar way later in the chorus.
Another deullyeojweo ooh! Nayeon travels to Narnia, and Mina the engineer strikes again in this heavenly, underwater-esque bridge,
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The simple words “I love you”
That’s all I wanna hear
Without hesitation, I’ll go up to you
I’ll make it simple
And just tell you I love you

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The word “love” is said for the first time in the song. There’s a funky keyboard instrument behind Chaeyoung’s part. Jihyo, Chaeyoung, and Nayeon take the initiative in their lyrics, professing their love before closing the bridge.
And now for the pièce-de-résistance: this final double chorus is exceptional — 40 seconds of crack-laced euphoria; Jihyo switches up the chorus and the choreo, Dahyun chimes in with her fluttery “Talk that Talk”, Momo comes out of nowhere with “oh yeah it sounds so good!” — you’re damn right it does, and this is where the song SOARS.
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han beon deo~ haejweo
geurae banggeum geu mal~

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Nayeon outright shouts “Tell me what you need” and then Jeongyeon sings the above lines in such an ethereal, warm way where the first line ascends while the second line descends, causing a lull in the song before the finale with Nayeon, finishing off the song with the final deullyeojweo ooh! What a party. What a song.
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THE GOOD

• The synths of all time
• The chimes during Talk-that-talk~
• Jeongyeon’s pre-chorus going into Nayeon’s chorus
• The entirety of that magical, final chorus and outro

Needs Work

• The opening hook (Tell me what you want) and accompanying choreography could be “catchier”

Core Memory

• Singing (and dancing) my heart out when this song played at a K-pop club

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Lyrics and theme-wise, if this were to have been TWICE’s last comeback, they’ve once again built upon the theme they've been doing since debut: a Bildungsroman, a coming-of-age story.
This song’s chorus is honest yet simple; it asks the listener, in this case, the other half of the relationship, to be more upfront and open with their love (never be scared of love), that before the relationship can continue and flourish there has to be a foundation and commitment of love between each other.
TWICE debuted with a song about making your crush go ooh ahh. Years later, they started pondering “What is love?” and imagining their crush responding with “yes” when asking them out — and now concluding with the phrase “Talk that talk, [talk that] L-O-V-E”, being upfront with the relationship, wishing their partner to also be happy, to commit to them, to feel the love that they want to impart on them. From gawking like ooh-ahh to talking out your shared love like adults — to having a true relationship between (one and) two.
And can I just say before finishing off Talk that Talk's review that this is such a fun and repeatable song with many little intricacies hidden in the nonet’s vocals and the production. This is the third draft I’m writing about Talk that Talk and its original word count pretty much quadrupled.
Harkening back to TWICE’s roots by combining mature thinking with youthful character, an incredible ending to look forward to, and just simply being a club-banger that’s easy to listen to, TTT is an easy 10/10.
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WATCH ME GO WATCH ME GO
RULE THE WORLD
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Queen of Hearts 👑

Lead producer: LDN Noise of SM
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If there was one B-side to promote in a live clip, this was a solid choice.
Helmed by LDN Noise going headlong into the Western boy-group rock-band aesthetic, Queen of Hearts is a boom-boom-clap song through and through. The drums are very prominent throughout the song, only giving room to riffs of electric guitar in the chorus to drive and continue the momentum of the music.
And speaking of the chorus, vocal line each got a chorus to flex and they did not fuck around,
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You ain’t ready for it
Watch me go~ watch me go~
Rule the world
Know you never doubted baby
I’mma go run the whole universe~

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Cymbals crashing, drums booming, and 3MIX belting all just so sound so good.
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Baby I was born to rule~~
Yeah I’m the queen, I’m the queen
And it’s all because of you~~
That I’m the Queen of Hearts

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These long, held-out notes performed by Jihyo and Nayeon are simply exquisite. Along with the shredding guitar, the drum set coming in full, and the interludes by Dahyun, Momo, and Chaeyoung, this is the part of the song that always, always, gives me goosebumps — it sounds so visceral, so energetic, so fun, so triumphant. Boom-boom-clap songs can be hit or miss with people, but there's no denying the payoff from the first part of the chorus to the second part is worth the wait.
The theme of the song so far has been kind of spread around the song. The chorus alludes to it with the line "And it’s all because of you." But Mina shows more sides of it in the second verse, especially with the phrase,
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And now that I’m surrounded by all my girls
We be shining bright like diamonds and pearls

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It sounds really lovely — in a very cheesy and affectionate kind of way, as it rightfully should — the song is about the girls and their fans. But the bridge is where the song indeed shows its colours
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Screaming out my name
See it in the stage lights
Feel so lucky just to have ya
Cause I know deep down I was meant for something bigger! Greater!
I know you’re seeing what I see
Yeah I’ll be everything you need
I know I’m gonna walk the walk
And talk the talk to be~ [the Queen of Hearts]

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This is a song CONCEIVED TO BE PERFORMED FOR THE FANS. It’s meant to be loud. It’s meant to be unapologetic. It’s meant to be sappy. And it’s all the more wonderful for it.
This is the TWICEiest shit ever.
Like Talk that Talk, Queen of Hearts also has a killer closer. The production already started to grow from the bridge, but now the guitarist finally went Super Saiyan and instead of supporting the drums, they both take the centrepiece in tandem.
Then finally, the closing moments of the song even manage to squeeze in some more sappiness.
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So thank you for the memories
You’re all the ones who made me~
So thank you for the memories
That I’m the Queen of Hearts

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I still can’t believe that this banger is a FAN SONG out of all things. Truly, the TWICEiest shit ever.
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THE GOOD

• Adorable fucking lyrics
• Unrelenting, roaring chorus
• English and vocal flex
• Addicting guitar riffs

Needs Work

• Chaeyoung rapping in English in their Korean songs somehow slaps harder than her English rapping in their English songs, nonetheless, in QoH, it fits with the sound of the song

Life Highlight

• Walking home from a K-pop festival with this song playing, felt like a Queen of Hearts

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I love these types of rock songs with how grunge and head-bang-able they are, there is just a certain nostalgic and cheesy quality to them that feels so cozy. I don’t love putting them on repeat, because in this case, I do believe there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. Perhaps more shredding, maybe a guitar solo to rock out to, or an accompaniment(!) of ad-libs from 3MIX to support Jihyo’s final chorus? A ONCE can dream of a truly bombastic rock song from TWICE. But then again that distracts from the core of what this song is: a fan song disguised as a rock song.
Queen of Hearts has so much sweetness in its lyrics and message that it's overflowing. The drums, guitar, and vocals can be as loud and intricate as they can, but the theme of this song is what makes it special from TWICE’s other rock songs — it’s a 9/10 for me.
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I WANNA WANNA WANNA
TAKE YOU TO THE BASICS
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Basics 🌈

Sole lyricist credit: Chaeyoung
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Quite possibly the jammiest (pun intended) song of the album.
A song written by the Strawberry Princess herself — an event similar in frequency to other artists' releases with her last song being 2020’s silky Handle It — Basics first starts with an understated and dreamy delivery. After the first stanza, however, a bouncy Miami bass line emerges, revealing the true nature of the song: this is a classic summer bop! Especially in the first rap,
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dareun aedeulgwaneun dalla
Ain’t beggin’ for love
nappeun geon anijana ige naraseo
eodiro twilji molla
Like rainbow bubble gum
geureoni nal kkwak butjabadweo

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Syllables are pronounced in a relaxed nature, bars often starting with an "ah" sound, flirty lines in English — this rap features a production full of pop with R&B flourishes and, in my opinion, this is Chaeyoung’s bag. Also, the line "rainbow bubblegum" is so adorable and so Chaeyoung.
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I wanna wanna wanna take it to the basics
da weonhae weonhae weonhae? seodureuji ma Baby
ppeonhae ppeonhae malhae mweohae da al tende
Ah yeah ah yeah ah yeah ah yeah

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That chorus is pure pop with a Miami bass backing; you better be bopping your head to the melody, if not booty poppin' to the bassline. Chaeyoung loves rhyming in the first half of the chorus to enhance its catchiness and it's damn incredible: the “wanna”, “weonhae”, and “ppeonhae” all create these imperfect rhymes that continue momentum without feeling repetitive.
After the very Boy With Luv-sounding “ah yeah ah yeah, ah yeah ah yeah” comes an 8-bar split half and half between Chaeyoung and Momo. Coming from the chorus, the production completely cuts out for the first 2 bars. This adds tension; the song yearns to have that bass beat thumping again and all we have in the audio space in those 2 bars is Chaeyoung spittin' and she delivered.
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taneun deut tteugeoun samak wie
yeppeuge pieonan jangmi gata
joshimseure naege dagaol ttae
nado moreuge jjilleobeoril tende

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Translating to:
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Above the hot, burning desert
It’s like a rose that bloomed beautifully
When you come to me slowly
I will prick you unconsciously

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The rap feels slick, effortless, and confident. Her diction remains sharp when enunciating each syllable but she doesn’t let the flow of her rap waver or build as her 4 bars go by, it’s just smooth consistency throughout. Even the lyrics possess an aura of laid-back collectedness that is just so her. The things Chaeyoung can do when given her pen.
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THE GOOD

• That sweet summer vibe of a chorus
• The “spaceship” post-chorus is killer
• Chaeyoung devoured this song
• Sure-footed, confident lyrics

Needs Work

• Perhaps an alteration of that ah yeah ah yeah line
• The way Jihyo did her pre-chorus line is good, but Mina’s is great

Core Memory

• After donating my hair, walking down the rainbow-coloured areas of downtown Toronto with this song playing was very… fitting

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This song is summer bliss distilled into 2:56. It’s dreamy, the raps are satisfying, and the ending is charming. I will say that although the second half of the song adds the stunning “spaceship” post-choruses and a floaty bridge with an incredible drumbeat drop into the final chorus, the raps of the song make it feel a bit front-loaded. And in an album stacked with awesome finishers, it feels more apparent.
With that said, it’s an 8/10 bop for me. This song is so easy to put on and it feels exactly what Chaeyoung would make if given the reins to produce a pop song all on her own. The lyrics are nonchalant but full of conviction, the wordplay is intricate, and the production playful but not too bombastic — it's just a nice vibe. Songs like Basics are the standard for good, simple, repeatable pop music and I’m happy that Chaeyoung got to test her pen in this genre.
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BABY WE’RE IN
TROUBLE TROUBLE
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Trouble 💃

Sole lyricist credit: Jihyo
Background vocals: Jihyo
Lead composer credit: Jihyo
Vocal director credit: Jihyo (an assumption given her contributions in First Time)
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One of the most enjoyable songs I’ve heard in a while.
There is an underlying tension within the first 4 bars of the song, Jihyo and Nayeon confidently open it to a nondescript array of synths and then the stanza ends, Momo announces “Let’s go”, the beat drops and it hits you: this is a club song.
Dahyun's relaxed delivery contrasted with Jeongyeon's staccato flow, the wobbly synth beat with sprinkle of house piano, Sana dramatically slowing down the song only for Tzuyu to build it back up until the chorus drops,
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• Nayeon opens it using a breathy tone, with vocal chops serving as harmonies
• The blooming of the house piano takes centre stage and the song ascends into euphoria
• A random drum roll capped off by a cymbal crash
• Jeongyeon’s pronunciation of the word “trouble” almost being a growl
• Chaeyoung slyly admitting “I like this trouble”
• The entirety of Tzuyu’s tro~oh~oh~ouble yeah~
• Sana using her deep voice for the na~na~na~na
• Jihyo leading the vocals during the synchronized T W I C E chant

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This chorus is perfect. Toronto’s residential market needs this song injected into its veins because god damn this song has SO much house in it. And then, ANOTHER KILLING PART: this rap fucking slaps.
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gamchweo bwatja geugeon Fake
ppajin hamjeongeun Sweet cake

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During the first 2 bars, Chaeyoung is keeping it calm because that trip of a chorus just ended and the song needs a breather, but I don't think anyone expected her to SNAP this hard afterwards:
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You cannot resist this
Cannot miss this, such a bliss
Ima put it down down
Oh yeah, better kiss kiss

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Below is the structure of her this portion of the rap, I’m not that well versed in this technical aspect of music theory but I digress, this is all in the span of around 5 seconds where it’s:
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Triplet-triplet
Quadruplet-triplet
Quadruplet-doublet
Doublet-quadruplet

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Now, 25/5 = 5 syllables per second isn’t groundbreaking, but goddamn it these 2 bars sound so nice — if there is one part in this album that I always repeat, it’s this. The addition of that first quadruplet for “cannot miss this” in the midst of the triplets sticks out and accelerates the flow of the rap while the following doublets and quadruplets destabilize and slow the rap down as the verse closes. And can I just point out:
THE MAIN VOCALIST WROTE, DIRECTED, AND COMPOSED THIS SONG ‼
Chaeyoung of course delivered the fuck out of her verse but THIS is what you get when you have a member not only write the words they’re saying but also the melody and flow with which they sing it, when that member knows the others so well that when they write a song they know how to make the group exceed. This is what you get when the artists you stan love doing artist shit.
And. AND. That's not all — with how much I mentioned I love a good outro to close a song, this outro slaps as well:
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Woo wee woo wee woo
I like this trouble be-be
Woo wee woo wee woo
I like this trouble bay-be
Woo wee woo wee woo
I like this trouble bay-beh
Woo wee woo wee woo
I like this trou-ble

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Like, come on, Nayeon’s imitating a police siren for crying out loud. And this is all after her ad-libs in the final post-chorus; after the pianist going full tilt and playing that piano as if it was their last chance to ever play; after that final T W I C E chant by all the members come these blissful 20 seconds at the very end. What a song.
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THE GOOD

• The theme of relishing in an uncontrolled love
• Sana and Mina’s melody in the pre-chorus
• Chorus
• Rap
• Outro
• Wees and woos

Needs Work

• Mina’s line of “falling down, falling down, falling down low” in verse 2 feels a bit too abrupt of a change

Core Memory

• While writing Trouble's review I had this song on repeat for my whole subway commute and I must've been so distracting, just head-bopping and being so invested in enjoying a song

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Need I say more, easy 9/10. The only reason I place Talk that Talk above Trouble is because of what that song represents but besides that, this is one of the best “international” sounds they’ve put out. Actually, I haven’t listened to Eyes wide open in a while but this song is up there with one of the most sonically pleasing pieces of work they’ve done.
Clubbing TWICE has always been a thing since TT was birthed in 2016, and has been a staple of their discography since 2019’s Fancy You and Feel Special mini albums, but Trouble unapologetically dives into and fits the house genre so well you’d think that this is TWICE’s bread and butter sound.
Trouble is Jihyo’s magnum opus. What a song.
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BRAVE BRAVE BRAVE
FOR YOU
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Brave 💖

Main producer: Slow Rabbit of HYBE
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I first thought this was just a good song, then I read the lyrics.
Gentle guitar plucks, shimmering synths, a distant keyboard in the right ear, in the left a glockenspiel, the melodic oohs from the members — this song is PRETTY.
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The night that was unusually dark
Above this terrifying world, felt so lonely
The world has grown in the time of wandering
So hard to breathe

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Mina and Chaeyoung open the song with how they feel lonely and that it's hard to breathe and now suddenly the song feels bittersweet — I was not expecting the song to be this emotional. Brave describes a situation where the singer is in a darker place in life and it isn't until another person gives them hope by calling them 'brave' that they find the drive to keep going.
Once the chorus hits, the melodies pick up, more guitars get added — there’s even an electric guitar hidden in the mix somewhere, and the song drops the emotional front to reveal a mid-tempo pop song to dance to while crying in the club. The song as a whole still carries this melancholy feeling, but now with the added support of this chorus acting as a light amongst the gloom.
Continuing on in the second verse there's this gorgeous, well-placed break in the song that just lets it settle after that chorus. Only a seasoned producer would risk this much empty space in a song and Slow Rabbit went to fill those shoes.
Back to the chorus, I'll take this moment to once again commend Slow Rabbit with the mixing of the song, because 4MIX undoubtedly sounds good in the chorus, and the interludes from Dahyun, Chaeyoung, and Mina also sound really good, but the clear highlight of the choruses are these lines:
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Oh na na na neon nal naige hae [Momo, then Tzuyu, then Momo]
On and on and on
Brave brave brave for ya [Dahyun, then Chaeyoung, then Mina]
Oh na na na neon nal sum shwige hae [Sana, then Momo, then Sana]
On and on and on oh trust me babe

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Momo, Sana, and Tzuyu form this beautiful, surprisingly catchy, second half of the chorus accompanied by a guitar drop. It should not turn out this well with how conflicting the "na"s are with the guitar melody but it creates this gentle bopping ebb and flow that feels so lush and mellow.
Diving into the bridge reveals that the listener of the song is revealed not only capable of supporting the singer through direct words but also through their thoughts and dreams. As can be discerned, this can be a song interpreted to be about ONCEs, about how they push TWICE to be their best selves despite the breathless hardships they face. It's a very sweet and touching song.
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THE GOOD

• Special lyrics
• Pleasant sound to vibe out to
• That gentle break after the first chorus
• Jihyo’s high note at the end
• A Nayeon Jeongyeon joint high note ⁉️
• Just pretty vocals throughout

Needs Work

• Potentially hard to comprehend without translating the Korean lyrics

Core Memory

• Form of Therapy’s life motto revolves around the word “brave”. I don’t know where I got that from, but I remembered it right before watching his album reaction

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I’m actually spoiled with the TWICE members’ easy-to-understand songwriting that when a song like this pops up where it's not written by a member and the thematic bits are mostly in Korean, I tend to put it aside in favour of the other songs on the album. And, especially for a song focusing on a theme like this where the English phrases don’t do the Korean lyrics enough justice, it does place a bit of a barrier on the listening experience, dropping it down to a 7/10 from an 8/10.
With that anecdote out of the way, this song is just such a vibe, man. I know that sounds super hippy to say but Brave is so mellow and smooth that I can’t help but sway a little when that chorus hits. And then I remember what the lyrics say and I tear up a bit on the inside. This song is so pure, raw, and full of heart — we need more songs like these where they just reminisce about life while putting up an upbeat front. Don't mind me just crying while dancing the night away.
With that said, this isn't the first time this theme has been sung by TWICE either, they've long trodden this path of supportive, confiding, up-lifting songs with Young & Wild, Rainbow, Queen, Go Hard, Depend on You, even this album's Queen of Hearts, and, of course, Feel Special. Brave just adds another on top of an already stacked lineup, unique with its mellow somberness.
Also now feels like a good time to get into my rating system:

• 7/10s are songs are ones that are simply good throughout or great songs with apparent flaws
• 8/10s are great songs with standout characteristics
• 9/10s are borderline perfect songs where I sometimes can't comprehend how great they are
• And 10/10s are the best of an artist's discography, songs that encapsulate their ethos perfectly or expand upon them in a meaningful way

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I SEE THE LIES
ON THE TIP OF YOUR TONGUE
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Gone 💨

Sole lyricist credit: Dahyun
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Who the fuck pissed off Dubu this time??
It’s getting quite rare to see TWICE pull off brand new sounds because, with now 190 original songs under their belt, they’ve done so many genres and sub-genres varying from hyper pop, to bossa nova, to whatever 2020’s Go Hard is. So it’s surprising to see they’ve still got tricks up their sleeves and Gone is one of them.
The song starts with strings swinging back and forth and vocal chops dancing from ear to ear, teasing what’s yet to come. Jihyo enters the song with a whisper and the song sets its pace. A stagnant drum pad moves the song along and typical song progression would have Mina continue the build but — it doesn’t. The song simmers, adding a hint of high hat to the pot. And then, Sana and Tzuyu come on and surely the buildup must boil over right?
Silence, until…
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I see the LIES on the top of your tongue

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The strings emerge again on full blast, the simmer rolls to a boil, and the anger of the song is revealed,
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All the fate I had towards you
Fades like a fog, gone, gone
Your flipping mind of doing this and that
I’m tired of it, it’s meaningless
In the beginning, it was hard to believe
With that, hatred increases

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The singer is so scorned and burned from this relationship that they reminisce about all the effort they’ve put in since the beginning, but their “partner” is so unconcerned that they’ve just about had enough of the relationship altogether.
This has been Dahyun’s thing since 2020’s Bring It Back, 2021’s Cruel, 2022’s That’s all I’m saying, and even 2023's Don't Blame It On Me — emotionally charged breakup songs that make you feel as if she’s gone through a dozen bad relationships. Dispatch, do your job better, or don't.
Another highlight of the song is the post-chorus going into the bridge. This segment reiterates the structure from the first post-chorus — a barrage of drums supported by the rhythmic strumming of a bass guitar along with a consistent synth filling out the soundscape. But this time, it’s Dahyun and Chaeyoung on the rap:
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I can’t stand it anymore [Dahyun]
My patience, invisible
I can’t find it, it’s all gone
Even if I try to turn back, it’s too late [Chaeyoung]
There’s no use anymore
It has left, it’s long gone
You, with flipping mind, you are out [Momo]
I know that you know what I’m talking about [Dahyun]
Nothing you could say that could turn this around
I’m gone

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Continuing the disrespected theme of the song, Dahyun notes that she’s finally had enough with Chaeyoung adding that there’s no point salvaging what was once there for all of it is long gone. Momo and Dahyun round it off by telling the listener that there’s no point trying to reason with them or playing naive, they fucked up and there’s no coming back.
Can I just say, it's a bit of a shame that Chaeyoung’s rapping popped off in this album while Dahyun only has this one verse that she shares with Chaeyoung, but it just sounds so good how Dahyun eases in after the chorus with her light rapping tone transitioning into her singing. She even holds the “gone” in a little crescendo for some added pizzazz.
And, there’s no way I’m not going to talk about Momo’s vocals in this bridge. Damned if she only got 1 line to use it in, her lower register is incredible. She sounds so smooth singing in this tone. All of TWICE do in particular and there is nary a weak vocal performance in this album.
To close the song off, a wash of synths gets to have their shine in the spotlight, showered with Nayeon’s belting, signifying the dramatic and drawn-out conclusion of this partnership.
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THE GOOD

• They’ve still got their surprises
• Thundering chorus
• 2nd rap and bridge combo
• A bitter, crumbling relationship theme

Needs Work

• I’m not a huge fan of the mixing during the first post-chorus, where Momo's vocals were fighting with the production, which is disappointing because Momo is capable of an insane flow
• The post-chorus in general, specifically the first one, can be a bit tiring on repeat listens

Core Memory

• Actually, I think this song sounds like a mix between GOT7's Not By The Moon, BLACKPINK’s Love To Hate Me, and Dahyun’s Bring It Back. I don’t know where I got this thought came from, but it stuck

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Going back to that point about the first post-chorus as a whole; songs that have the production continue unchanged into the post-chorus/2nd verse are very hit or miss for me — see TWICE's Don't Call Me Again for an overbearing example. The post-chorus going into the bridge contrasts Dahyun’s light tone nicely with the hard-hitting production, continuing the energy until it slowly fades into silence at the end of the bridge.
Back to the song as a whole, as much as TWICE has been experimenting with their sound for the past 4 years now, I’m happy they’re still finding new ways to explore what they’re capable of. And for that alone, even though I’m not a big fan of songs like these where they rely on sounding “big”, Dahyun’s lyricism and the thrill I receive every time I indulge myself in this song when I listen to it for the first time in a while elevates it to an 8/10. Keep on breaking hearts, Dubu.
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INVINCIBLE
SUPERHEROES
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When We Were Kids 🧸

Sole lyricist credit: Dahyun
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Press play to reminisce, pull up lyrics to cry.
This song is so beautiful. I’m totally not writing this song review, crying on the bus reminiscing about my childhood, while just having turned 21. I don’t know if these are happy or sad tears but this song is so beautiful either way.
Warm synths, muted piano, a gentle high hat, the younger members starting off the song — this has to be up there for one of the softest TWICE songs ever. And as it should, it’s one of the TWICEiest songs ever. And then Nayeon comes in,
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Invincible superheroes, we wanted to be adults
To the higher, clearer world

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The chords start swelling, the high hat keeps pace, and the harmonies come in,
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Remember when we were kids
When we were kids, we didn’t know
If we could go back
I will love it even more
Remember when we were kids

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Jihyo takes up the second half of the chorus as it drops, trading the strings for an almost R&B synth production — if choir R&B takes off, this song started it. The song relishes in this cacophony of warm sounds until returning to its sparse and peaceful verses.
This time, the hints of piano are louder, little twinkling synths begin to shimmer, the drum buildup comes and Jeongyeon drives the song straight into the chorus. No time for the strings to build like in Nayeon’s — this song loves its chorus so much.
And I'll just take this time to appreciate the amount of Jeongyeon vocals in this album. Her voice is so clean, stable, and projected — but also more tender and soft compared to the more pronounced tones of Nayeon and Jihyo.
The bridge comes in, repeating the phrase:
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I wish that I could meet
Could meet the younger me

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Giving the song time to rest, before building back up to the last chorus — this time led by Jihyo, completing the 3MIX trifecta. And interestingly enough, Chaeyoung follows up in the second half of the chorus, rather than another member of the vocal line. She really did pop off in this album.
As the last chorus begins to close, the percussion at its strongest, the harmonies on blast, the background vocals cranked up to their Sunday best, is the song going to end? Of course not! This is an album full of banger endings as if the songs don’t want to end, and When We Were Kids being the album closer very much indulges in that feeling.
After a brief refrain, accented by Nayeon’s high note with a touch of vibrato, the song almost dives back into a fourth chorus. Nayeon and Jeongyeon harmonize — a rare and heavenly moment. And the song repeats the bridge, reiterating that they want to meet their younger selves, this time with the lush chorus production before closing with silence, a few piano notes, and Tzuyu singing the last line of the song:
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Oh, we were kids

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Reflection, acceptance, hope. What a song.
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THE GOOD

• Heavenly vocals throughout
• Relatable, heartfelt lyrics
• Euphoric chorus
• Great closer to the album

Needs Work

• Refrain after the last chorus, "Back when we were kids," could’ve been executed better

Core Memory

• For an album titled Between 1&2, I don’t think anything hits harder than finishing the song reviews, with this song in particular, during your 21st birthday

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I wrote the first part of this review in November 2022. Then university, life, and other things got in the way of my headspace for me to feel confident about wrapping all of this up. In a way, I felt like I just didn’t want this review to end because of the joy that writing gives me — I didn’t want the happiness to end. And then it hit me, after watching a YouTuber rank animated movies and them placing Spirited Away at the top and explaining 'why' reminded me of just how important growing up is, and by extension this song.
This theme is important for both the rookie TWICE members in 2015 and the teenagers who would follow their journey and grow up with them, facing life’s obstacles along the way. Hardships that used to only involve family, crushes, and social media, evolve into work, commitments and all the struggles that adult life brings. Being a kid and enjoying the simple things in life is one of the most sought-after moments we want to relive because we took growing up for granted. The only thing we can do now is look back on ourselves with fondness and rose-tinted lenses.
TWICE’s original marketing was to resonate with people through their senses and their hearts. That was during their debut, and I think it still holds up today. In my opinion, touching people through their emotions is what TWICE does best and makes them one of K-pop’s all-time greats. It was never about having the best numbers — it was always about being the best idols. And to think that this journey of maturation and growth would occur from 2015 all the way to this song, being a fitting nod to TWICE’s 7th anniversary, I don’t think anyone at the company nor the group would ever imagine that they would get this far. It’s these nine women or none — 9/10.
This song honestly deserves a 10/10 with how much I noticed other people reminiscing their childhoods after I heard this song, it is such a widely-relatable message, but I am determined to limit myself to one 10/10 song per album and if I were to pick between TTT and WWWK, I'd give it to the one's that's more repeatable — Talk that Talk just has this electric energy about it.
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Epilogue

And finally here is the end. If you made it in one sitting then I commend you, because I could not write this mess in one sitting. As alluded to, I started writing this album review sometime in October, after a series of edits the first draft was finished in March, and now here's the final draft in June.
I love this album. It got me through some important parts of my life, both good and bad, and it's just a wonderful listen throughout. Reliving this album again before finally completing the review has been an exciting journey. Brave hit me harder this time, after being overshadowed by the other gems of this album, and WWWK finally got me to tear up and not just be emotionally satisfied.
I feel like there's something for everyone on this album. From the exhilarating thrills of TTT to the anthemic euphoria of QoH, the clubbing dichotomy of Trouble and Brave to the blissful glee of Basics, and the sweet reminiscence of WWWK to the thundering anger that is Gone. Like Eyes wide open, I liken Between 1&2 to a pop music taste platter — there's such an eclectic mix of pop, music in this album that there's bound to be a song that someone will love, like, and dislike.
Is this album perfect? I don't think so, but it's close — it was certainly my 2022 AOTY. Was this review biased? Absolutely. I've been a fan since 2019 and with the themes in this album, I also feel like it was biased towards me as a ONCE. And how would I rank the album in TWICE's catalogue? It's honestly at the top, at least with EPs — I also felt that way towards Feel Special but then this album was birthed so I'm excited for TWICE's future.
Ready To Be was also a stunning album and Eyes wide open frankly also deserved the spotlight that Formula of Love received so I might hit those next but no promises; this album took long enough to bake.
As for the performances, I've only seen Twitter clips (no fancams to not spoil myself) and I am SO EXCITED to finally see them in July. QoH was as glorious as expected, Brave was a delightful surprise, and WWWK, while not being the concert closer everyone expected it to be, paired up nicely with Crazy Stupid Love. And of course the bombastic addition of the dance break to TTT. But, this is not a concert review, and this is where this album review ends.
Feel free to comment with any thoughts regarding the album, other TWICE albums, and any suggestions for my writing in general. Congrats again on making it this far!
God, I love this album.

Hi folks, I’ve been in the program for about 10 days and I’m having a blast. Although I’m finding I have to put in a fair amount of time to keep up with the reviews and to do a good job of it. However, it seems like my “Amazon” spam has increased quite a bit. Lots of emails saying my account is on hold or being shut down, etc. Is this fairly common? Thanks.