Once Upon a Time In Wonderland, Season 1, Episode 7: Bad Blood

Flashback start – Agrabah, many many years ago and Jafar as a boy stands by his mother’s deathbed. She’s dying and even as a healer she can’t stop it – she tells him to go to the palace, to the Sultan, his real father who will take him in. As proof she gives him a ring to return to the Sultan

To the present and adult Jafar (wearing the ring) is speaking with Alice’s father talking about how well cared for and wonderful Alice is – oh and here’s a white Rabbit. Yes, he shows the White Rabbit to Alice’s dad who, surprisingly, doesn’t have an instant “ALICE WAS TELLING THE TRUTH!” moment. He gets the rabbit to portal him to Wonderland and plans to use her father to “talk sense” into Alice and leave the dangers of Wonderland. Plan is somewhat scuppered by her father telling Jafar that she’s probably not going to listen to him since he never believed in her.

Alice and the Knave are approaching Jafar’s tower and Knave is desperately trying to get Alice to make some kind of plan or strategy but she doesn’t need any of that – which is when that she sees that Jafar’s tower is on a giant, floating island. Time to take an inventory of their resources (not much – and Knave still has the key to Grannie’s he stole – yes she is going to be pissed about that) finding little – but they do hear an odd chirping. It’s not, as Knave thinks, “a bird”, but a birdbark tree. Yes a tree that chirps, it’s Wonderland, anything goes – and it’s wood is lighter than air.

At the Red Queen’s, she’s looking for the genie because he couldn’t have just disappeared (well, as her Tweedle says, isn’t that what Genies do>?) she expositions about how she has the upper hand over Jafar – and he appears behind her. She gets to break the news about the genie escaping and he turns to order the guards – she stops him. They’re her men. They answer to her and she’s already given them their orders.

Jafar storms back to his tower and tries to question the old prisoner - who is not co-operative. He also has Alice’s father tied to a chair and draws blood from him. He mixes it into a potion and keeps asking questions her father refuses to answer – like whether he’s right or left handed. Jafar tells him he’s going to steal Alice’s blood and lets her father good – he tries to punch Jafar and gets put back in his seat (confirming that he’s left handed. Very efficient).

Flashback! Jafar is taken to the palace of the Sultan for thieving – apparently he tried to steal the dagger of one of the guards which is… not very sensible. The Sultan informs him the law says he has to have his hand cut off and Jafar holds up his hand with the ring. He arranged the theft to be taken to the Sultan – who offers his condolences. But he has a son – an heir – and has no wish for another or competition. But he will take Jafar in as a servant – and not to call him father.

The Vampire Diaries, Season 5, Episode 9: The Cell

Flashback to the 1950s and the last time Damon was kidnapped by these nasty Augustine people – he was betrayed by one of his relatives, but he did stab the man in the neck before being captured so he got some kind of revenge. And in the present he’s in the cell with Wes also being controlled by vervain.

Stefan has Katherine on suicide watch after she tried to kill herself last episode and is trying to get her to write a diary to come to terms with her impending death (morbid musings should be so good for her – but a desperate shout out to the series title I guess). Katherine isn’t particularly on side with this plan. Nor am I - living Katherine, boooo! Katherine also doesn’t see how Stefan can help her with her problems when he is having panick attacks and flashbacks with his PTSD – so she’s called in help. That help is Caroline with a big big safe. Yes, it looks like they’re going to deal with his panic attacks about being locked in a safe and drowned over and over and over and over again by locking him in a safe. And not just any safe, it’s the actual safe he was locked in.

Carline needs to not take up a career as a therapist. Also Caroline has issues with Elena over Jessie’s death which she’s linking to her dating Damon in the first place for some bemusing reason – maybe a take down of Elena’s general lack of any decision making skills? Because I could totally co-sign that.

They lock a panicking Stefan in the safe while Caroline and Katherine bicker – and Katherine has an idea (this bodes no good). This idea involves locking herself in the safe as well  (this is because Caroline decided the previous idea wasn’t working having tried it… once. Seriously, these people are awful at therapy). The key to this one is if Stefan panics too badly he’ll probably kill Katherine – as Stefan tends to do in times of stress (some people have stress balls or those nifty desk ornaments, Stefan kills people). So he has to magically get over his PTSD or they’ll give him more reasons to be traumatised! And Katherine brings up Elena breaking up with him because, wait, I’m going to have to get a drink to even type this. Ok, drink in tow – Stefan dying repeatedly over and over isn’t the real problem, he’s focusing on this pain rather than the emotional heartbreak of losing Elena

That’s right, weeks of constantly drowning, of being waterboarded over and over and over again without stop is totally minor next to LOSING ELENA. The sexual tension becomes thick enough to cut with a knife and Caroline lets them out – STEFAN IS TOTALLY CURED GUYS!

Katherine and Stefan meet up in the library for sexual tension, kissing and, we assume, sex. Which Caroline gets to hear with her vampire hearing

On campus, Elena drops in on pointless character Aaron (how many more signals does he have to give that he’s not interested) and he breaks the news that Jessie “killed himself” (such is the cover story it seems) which isn’t doing Aaron much good since he’s already mega mopey after everyone around him already died (except Wes his guardian/uncle, alas). Ok she was sympathetic for 2 seconds – now she wants Aaron’s help: she wants him to help her find Wes and Damon who have gone missing.

The Originals, Season One, Episode Nine: Reigning Pain in New Orleans

Klaus is now holding court in his new home.  Even as he gives his speech, the vampires around him clearly give him hateful glances. He has humans slit their wrists and fill goblets with blood.  We then shift to Rebekah and Marcel, where she informs him that because he ambushed Klaus, that Marcel must give Klaus the illusion of his loyalty.  Marcel believes that Klaus won't trust him and Rebekah suggests that if he plays the part, Klaus will forgive and trust.  Back at the diner party, Marcel joins in on the toast, as Diego looks on in disgust. Later, Marcel explains to Diego that though he had the loyalty of his vampires, letting the battle continue against Klaus would have meant that they all would have died.  Marcel tells Diego to follow his lead and promises that this isn't over.  At the party, Klaus tell them that his intentions are to celebrate what they have moving forward.  Diego asks about Haleigh and Klaus tells them that they must respect her because she is carrying his child.  Klaus assures them that he will not use his child's blood to create hybrid and to prove this,  Klaus then announces plans to let the vampires hunt the  werewolves in the bayou. This is to stand as evidence that Klaus plans to create no more hybrids. Haleigh looks on in horror because Klaus is talking about slaughtering her family.

Elijah and Rebekah look on as Klaus has movers taking things out of the house.  Rebekah is not impressed and so Elijah reminds her that they have wounded Klaus deeply.  Elijah leaves saying that he wants to make sure that Haleigh won't suffer for their mistakes.

Klaus is now dictating to Camille what recently happened between him and Elijah.  Camille wants to know why Klaus still needs her because he now has control over the quarter.  Klaus replies that he still needs his memoirs written. Marcel enters and also questions why Camille is there and Klaus informs him that she knows they are vampires and has been compelled to forget when she leaves.  Marcel realises that Klaus compelled Camille to date him.  Camille then shows Klaus the picture she found of him and Marcel and argues that Camille's sanity is not a joke.  Klaus compels Camille once again to forget before dismissing her.

Haleigh wonders through the compound when she is stopped by Diego.  Elijah makes short work of Diego and Rebekah makes her appearance.  Elijah asks Haleigh to leave with him and she informs him that she is safe as per Klaus's orders but the werewolves are in need of help.  Rebekah asks if they look like a vampire rescue squad.  Haleigh pleads because she has always wanted to know who her real family is and begs for Rebekah and Haleigh to help her people.

Marcel and Klaus are talking and Marcel suggests that diplomacy goes a long way with the human faction.  Klaus is looking at Camille's photo and adds that there are things he needs to confess.  Klaus tells the truth about Thierry and says that he can return to the compound at Marcel's discretion.  Klaus then brings up Joshua and admits that he was compelled from the beginning.  It seems that Klaus wants Devina to move to the compound and so he tells Marcel about Devina's deal with Elijah. Marcel leaves reminding Klaus that the meeting is in an hour.

Camille is now back home and finds a note on the mirror saying "believe nothing Klaus tells you." Camille then finds another note telling her to look in her bag.  In the bag she finds a recording device and plays a recording of Klaus dictating his memoirs.

Marcel has gone to see Devina about moving to the compound and she declares that she cannot leave the attic.  Marcel then reveals that he knows about the deal with Elijah.  Marcel says that she is safest with them because the witches are still trying to kill her.  Klaus makes his appearance and Devina asks if this is Klaus's idea.  Klaus makes it clear that while she is devoted to Marcel, Marcel is devoted to him.  Klaus reminds Marcel that they have a meeting to attend downstairs. Marcel asks Devina to trust him before leaving.

Klaus and Marcel meet with Kiernan and the rest of the humans. The mayor tells Klaus that they want to make sure he is aware of how things work in the city. Kiernan clarifies that he wants the city to stay safe. Kiernan then brings up rules like no feeding on the locals and no untoward attention.  One man suggests that if they break the rules, the vampires will answer to him.  Klaus makes it clear that the council will take whatever scraps he offers and be thankful.

In the bayou, Diego is leading the hunt, when Elijah and Rebekah make an appearance. Rebekah threatens to rearrange his face and Elijah makes it clear that this particular clan is not to be touched. Diego agrees to leave saying that there is nothing there.  Rebekah declares their job done but Elijah is not finished.  Elijah finds Eve and declares that they are not there to hurt her.  Eve makes it clear that no one finds them unless they want to be found.

Klaus and Marcel sit down for a drink and Klaus suggests that Marcel is disappointed by his lack of diplomacy then adds more than anyone, Marcel should need no reminder of the human capacity for cruelty.  Klaus's phone rings and he learns that the factions have reached a decision on his terms.  The window explodes exposing the vampires to sun and they burst into flames. Bullets rain down on the restaurant.  Later, we see charred vampire remains and Marcel blames Klaus for what happened. Marcel informs Klaus that the people who died belonged to him and if he is going to run the city, this better mean something to him. Klaus admits that he under estimated  the faction and asks how he should respond.  Marcel suggests that they go kill them all.

Eve shows Rebekah and Elijah a map of the swamp and adds that the werewolves born here will be fine. Eve shows where the newcomers are and adds that the weres might not know where to hide.  Eve argues that they need to live and informs the siblings they need to see for themselves.

Devina finds Josh hiding in the garage and Josh says that he is stuck there until it gets dark.  Josh admits his role in the failed bid to attack Klaus.  Devina promises to hurt Klaus if he hurts Josh. Haleigh appears saying that if Devina could actually stop Klaus, she would have done it already.  Haleigh denies being Klaus's wife and declares herself the pregnant werewolf. Haleigh says that she is just another one of Klaus's prisoners and points out that it would suck if Klaus found out that Josh is still here and suggests that they can all look out for each other.

The Fiery Heart (Bloodlines #4) by Richelle Mead

Sydney has an endless list of tasks to juggle; her friends, the Moroi, her relationship with Adrian, her continued mastery of magic as well as helping Marcus and his friends escape from Alchemist control. All of this while trying to keep it all secret from the Alchemists and trying to pretend she still tows their narrow, bigoted party line – made all the more difficult by her sister turning up. And her parent’s divorce – and the custody battle over Zoe where everyone expects Sydney to support her father.

Adrian has his own battles – he’s trying to get his life together and trying to help the Moroi with their spirit investigations – but the toll spirit is taking on him grows and can no longer be ignored. The pressure is risking his relationship with Sydney and he has hard choices to make on what to give up.

Sydney is an excellent fully rounded character. She is fiercely intelligent, incredible, legendarily capable, skilled, dedicated and hard working. She also has her magic making her more than a little dangerous. More than all that she is that rarest of things – sensible. She doesn’t make foolish decisions, she doesn’t drop out of character, she doesn’t let her emotions lead her into foolish choices or silly situations. Her realness as a character also reflects in the realness of her relationships – you can see why Adrian cares for her; not just because she is beautiful but because she is kind and caring and efficient with both and truly trying to do her best in every situation. It’s why she has such strong, loyal friends.

She’s grown so much over the passage of the books, opening her mind, discarding her prejudices and her fears – it has been a very natural, organic growth as her assumptions have been carefully demolished one by one. This continues in this book with an almost complete break from the Alchemists in her mind: she’s not on their side, she’s on her own side, doing what is right. This conflict is wonderfully displayed by it being played out through her sister Zoe and Sidney’s desperate attempt

And part of the basis of all these conflicts is her greatest flaw – she’s a control freak who fixes things. Yes, she genuinely cares – and in her caring she steps in, takes command and fixes things. It’s what she does. She sees a problem and she solves it – even if, perhaps, she could step aside (such as trying to free people from the Alchemists, or Trey and Angeline’s issues) or even if there isn’t anything she can fix.

Which in turn leads to the biggest problem she cannot fix: Adrian. We have a wonderful exploration of Adrian this book, his thought processes and what drives him. In particular we see the impact spirit has had on him – repeatedly we have been told in this book and in the Vampire Academy series that spirit causes mental instability. Adrian’s illness is presented extremely well and with great accuracy –it doesn’t require him performing over the top, stereotypically “crazy” actions to get the point across; we have a simple, stark depiction of the emotional highs and lows, the extremes of feeling that drive Adrian’s life – and work to destroy it. There’s a wonderful depiction of his conflict and fears about seeking treatment and a lot of really well presented agonising of the cost of it – and the threat that he may lose his magic to keep his sanity.

The Tomorrow People, Season 1, Episode 8: Thanatos

We start with a flashback to 7 years ago with John being experimented on in Ultra – and Jedikiah being worried about using John for the murder project and John all gung ho to be the best he can be for Jedikiah and Ultra. It’s all very fraught and desperate – and then Jedikiah wakes up.

Oh, is this the humanising episode? I don’t think it’s needed, Stephen forgets that Jedikiah is evil every other week. Jedikiah wakes up next to Morgan and they reminisce on how they met and how Morgan read his mind but was totally intrigued by him being a sadistic murderer.

At the Tomorrow People HQ, John is unsurprisingly unimpressed by Stephen’s big “Thanatos” revelation from a hallucination while drowning. Stephen did research Thanatos at Ultra and found it was a big redacted super-secret file so clearly important – they need to dig in Jedikiah’s head to find out. Which means Cara going to Jedikiah’s home since Ultra offices are shielded – except the gazillion times when they weren’t, including the time Cara actually sat on a bench outside Ultra and read the mind of a guard for a keycode – adherence to canon is such a silly concept (John disagrees and pouts but since everyone else is going along with it he just makes his objections known and goes along).

Cara and Russell hit Jedikiah’s very secure building, using Tim (there convenient and poorly explained super computer that they happen to have) to cut all the power. (Also involves Stephen pretending to be someone else to call and reassure the guard and even the computer mocking his attempt at a regional accent).

Russell’s cat burglary skills helps him and Cara break in (teleportation apparently not being an option for… reasons?). They find Jedikiah laid on the bed (ok I get the whole not killing thing – but since a guy almost drown Stephen last week, I think you could tie him up and then set fire to the place and it technically not count). Cara touches Jedikiah’s head and burrows into his mind – gaining info on Jedikiah and John (seriously Cara – boundaries woman! You’re here to look up a super sekrit project, not do your invasive I-need-to-know-everything on John). Russell, playing his part of inept comic relief, knocks something over for… reasons – and wakes up Jedikia. Cara teleports out, Russell can’t because the alarm has been tripped which also turns off powers, apparently. Why he doesn’t have this power null on his home all the time is a great mystery.

Of course, Russell may be inept and he may be comic relief, but he can fight (everyone on this show knows martial arts.  Just run with it, it’s the least unbelievable thing about the show) and after a scuffle with Jedikiah over the gun, he knocks him out with an ornament. He manages to turn off the alarm and teleport to HQ – with Jedikiah who grabs him at the last second.

And this is a bad thing? Start hitting him with things! One blow may get lucky and accidentally kill him!

American Horror Story, Season 3, Episode 9: The Sacred Taking

Queenie is walking through a bad section of town at night, past the homeless and destitute until one man accosts her. Some voodoo powers later and a large stick to the head and he’s unconscious on the floor. And Madison and Zoe arrive to try and talk her back into the coven. Queenie’s not having it, Marie Laveau has opened her eyes and she sees Fiona’s talk about a new Supreme as exactly what it is – manipulation. She then draws a knife and cuts out the heart of the man at his feet – Madison and Zoe are shocked that she “killed an innocent”, though Queenie points out the man has raped 3 schoolgirls, and Marie Laveau needs a dark heart. With the heart in hand, Queenie threatens the others that war is coming between Voodoo and Witchcraft – and the witches will lose.

Fiona, meanwhile, describes in stark, heart-breaking poignancy how she is dying from cancer and the horror she has to endure. Cordelia is less than sympathetic with her wishing that her mother dies before thanksgiving and spares them her awful stuffing – yes, Cordelia’s become edgy since losing her sight. Her comfort is the Axeman, though she doesn’t want him to see her change as the cancer takes her; she has no intention of killing herself though, she intends to stay alive out of spite if nothing else. And the reason why the cancer’s so aggressive is because one of the girls is coming into their power as the next Supreme – and Fiona just needs to find out which.

Next door, we have the super-Christian neighbours (remember them?) With Joan condemning her son Luke for being involved with the evil devil women next door – he needs cleansing! And this cleansing apparently involves a chemical cleaner enema…

Ok… now you’re just trolling, American Horror Story. And how come both the guys on this show have abusive mothers? (Sexually abusive at that – and stripping your son near naked in the tub for colonic irrigation certainly feels like it has a sexual element).

Nan hears his thoughts from the next house and rushes in to Cordelia who has set up a meeting with the three remaining young witches; but Cordelia isn’t interested. She calls losing Queenie her failure – but now she is lost she is officially dead to Cordelia. She wants to return to her ultimate plan of killing Fiona (she’s dying, you can’t be patient?) and getting irritated because no-one’s answering the door. Well you will keep killing off the help.

At the door is Misty, desperate for help – she was trying to hide in her little swamp paradise, but something found her. Flashback: newly living Myrtle wakes up from her muddy grave to warn Misty about a man walking around her shack with a gun – who stepped on her face (Myrtle is delightfully calm about the whole death and rebirth thing. Take note, Kyle and Madison, here’s how you zombie with class). The man bursts into the shack and starts shooting – Myrtle and Misty sneaked out and hid in the swamp. Cordelia arrives to find out who is there – and touches Misty’s hand, instantly seeing everything that she went through. Cordelia welcomes Misty into the house and promises to protect and shelter her – sure but can she bring a friend?

Dystopians: The Leadership of Cis, Straight, White, Able-Bodied Men.

Dystopian worlds have become very popular lately. Whether it is Revolution, Falling Skies, The Walking Dead or Defiance, the one thing they all have in common is straight, cisgender, able bodied White male leadership. This suggests that at the end of the day, no matter the circumstance White masculinity represents authority, logic, safety, and intelligence. People of colour and women are often relegated to side characters who week after week submit to this authority and often times appear to be grateful for it.  It is no accident that the White male is so revered in dystopians. It plays upon the idea that White straight masculinity is a declining power because of resistance by women, people of colour and of course GLBT people. It suggests that there will come a time when nature will correct itself and once again White men will rule the world, as though that is not the current situation and further; the world will be grateful for it.

Sometimes the writers make the effort to explain why these men are in charge - in The Walking Dead Rick is a cop who people look to for stability; rather more dubiously, Nolan is the only person in Defiance able to step into the Lawkeeper’s shoes (apparently). But often leadership just happens - in Terra Nova Jim rises to become second in command in all but name after smuggling himself to the colony and despite there being more experienced people (Alicia Washington, a woman of colour). In Falling Skies Tom is a history professor who has risen to a leadership role in the military before the show even starts and manages to become a major player in all the leadership councils. There’s no real reason for their leadership - leadership just settles upon them.

Even in situations where the great White leader is in a secondary role like for example Joshua Nolan’s position relative to mayor Amanda Rosewater in Defiance, the man still takes a leadership role, rarely coming close to respecting her position. As the mayor she is supposed to run the town, yet Nolan frequently makes decisions on his own, flouts her authority and has all of the delicacy of a bull in a china shop interacting with the various citizens of Defiance. Nolan hadn’t even been in town for a New York minute before Amanda was placing a badge on his chest.  It was Nolan who led and planned the defence of Defiance when it was attacked and though Amanda participated, clearly Nolan was in charge.

This straight, White, male leadership is also typified by dictatorship. On Falling Skies we have military leadership that eventually reaches ‘democracy’ but only in the sense that the supreme dictator is elected - I saw no legislative body or organs of government. Terra Nova is completely under Taylor’s dictatorial control without a pretence of anything else. The Walking Dead is famous for its Rickocracy - and in the comics, Rick’s refusal to even keep Michonne and Andrea informed of his plans is inexcusable considering what they’ve been through together. Even Nolan, subject  to Amanda’s authority, has to be talked into agreeing with her as much as anything and frequently ignores her.

On the rare occasion when leadership passes  on to someone who isn’t a cis, straight, White man then that leadership will be flawed - either the outright enemy on Terra Nova or such incredible ineptness on The Falling Skies that Marina is suspected of being a mole for the aliens.

One of the most glaring elements of this firm placement of cis straight White men as leaders is how impossible it is to actually depose him from his throne! I am actually genuinely curious as to exactly these men have to do for everyone around them to decide that maybe, just maybe, they shouldn’t be the one calling the shots or the one they shelter behind.

Hellbound (Hellbound #1) by Tim Hawken

Michael is dead and in Hell. That’s definitely a cause for concern – but Satan is quick to assure Michael that Hell can just be a temporary stop so long as he confronts his sins, deals with them and properly confronts and accepts responsibility for them and he can ascend to Heaven. At least once all of his sins are discovered and he gets all his memories back

But when he does, he finds it’s not redemption he wants – but revenge against those who hurt the woman he loved. And Satan is more than willing to help him with that – because Michael is the key to getting what he wants, final revenge against god.

This book is that rarest of gems – completely original. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book that was quite like this. While I’m normally reading trope after trope after trope, this book was a refreshing new story that I’ve never seen before.

Part of the problem with this is I can’t truly describe why it’s new or original without giving away some pretty huge spoilers. The ending completely overturns everything I thought was coming, it’s the ultimate twist and turned me from being quite interested in the next book, to being utterly fascinated and desperate to see where it is going. I really can’t explain enough how epic and world turning the whole twist was and how it cast everything into such a radically different light. It was a perfect surprise and took an already original book to the next level.

The setting itself is an interesting one – hell, the afterlife Hell, ruled by Satan where souls go not to be punished but to be redeemed. They go to relive their sins, to feel epic, incredible guilt for those sins until they come to terms with them, root the core of them out of themselves and are then worthy to enter Heaven. It’s less a punishment, and more a cleansing to ensure that Heaven is not polluted with sin. Michael enters Hell after death, with no memory of who he is or what happened and is given a guided tour by Satan himself – learning how things work, seeing the many sights and hearing the origin of demons – people that have come to embody their sins. The exploration doesn’t just reveal Hell but also Michael himself as his memories return with each wave of guilt, revealing more of the fascinating story.

But there’s also a lot of fore shadowing for more – increasingly as the book goes on its apparent that some of the sins are not quite what they seem. To begin with I considered this a failing of the book – I have early notes expressing my disapproval of Michael‘s “lazy” life, motivated by fear, after he went through something traumatic was truly the sin of “sloth” so much as it was evidence of deep trauma. I was about to note in the review at the terrible treatment of mental illness with this and the suicides – but as the book progresses it becomes apparent that the failings are part of Hell. That the system isn’t quite as clear cut as we see – and this progresses with ever growing foreshadowing of how the whole system is  not nearly as neat or obvious as it first appears. Again, I can’t talk about this without spoiling the book except to say the hints keep coming but the ending is still a shock.