Ascension #393
TOP THREE MOMENTS:
1.
2.
3.
BURNING QUESTIONS:
MY FAVOURITE PROMO OF THE WEEK:
HAVE YOUR SAY:
TOP THREE MOMENTS:
- Seek No More I & II – These were the perfect bookends to the Show. The conflict with Jackson both external and internally. The conflict between him and Ares as he forces Jackson to make a catch-22 decision which leads to the internal conflict as to how Jackson’s decision will fall. Then, BAM! The walls come down and Jackson’s gone.
- Slowly and Painfully – This was just a fucking testament to just how depraved Jasper is. He’s willing to hold the embodiment of Death in Arcadia. I feel like Jasper is tickling the Dragon’s tail and I cannot wait to see where this goes. I have so many questions off the back of this and they’ll be soon to follow.
- Open Heaven – Caido and the Watchers are stirring the pot, and it may have cut the confidence of the good Reverend. If he had any time to consider his Congregation not jumping Caido because these ever-present masked men jumped him and whisked just like so many others throughout the show.
BURNING QUESTIONS:
Were all these masked men seen throughout the Show working for Klaus Way?
What decision would Jackson have made?
What’re the plans for all these Kidnapped people?
What happened to Boswick?
How did Redgrave find out how to trap Tombstone?
MY FAVOURITE PROMO OF THE WEEK:
Hungry – I loved the use of starvation to describe the situation of being separated from his guitar and purpose as a Mariachi and relating it to Savor. It was a very well-written piece with a great premise.
HAVE YOUR SAY:
Harold Attano – Man, it was awesome seeing him come to life with Cutter after Cutter. Dude came across as fucking badass. But then that jackass Klaus Way had to show his face and make a mess of everything. I cannot wait to see where all this goes.
Nox – No shame in taking an L to Felix Foley, and his name was brought up between Foley and Destructo. What will Destructo’s next move be? I cannot wait to find out just how Nox will outthink Destructo at this turn.
TOP THREE MOMENTS:
- Jasper torturing Tombstone is dope. I can't believe it never crossed my mind what he would do with an immortal. This segment, and story, is a great way to show everyone who Jasper is behind all the plotting he does. A sadistic killer.
- Boswick is dead? Now that's a big twist right there. We didn't even get to react to it before the masked men showed up. That's a big moment for all these characters, and who offed him is going to be the moment I think.
- Harold dishing out cutters to the masked men. Just like with Jasper, this is a nice reminder of who Harold Attano was and still is. Plus Klaus deciding to just let the masked men take out Harold was entertaining.
BURNING QUESTIONS:
Who the hell is behind the kidnappings?
Destructo can't let go of his teen angst, can he?
How did Jasper know the mark?
Is the Night walking into a trap by the masked men?
MY FAVORITE PROMO OF THE WEEK:
Bryno took mine. I am super into EMM right now, and seeing him working with the storyline I'm doing really tickled my pickle. Great promo.
HAVE YOUR SAY:
Slade - Hell of a main event!
Gem - She found the footage, but got taken. Would it even make a difference to the Night?
TOP THREE MOMENTS:
- Seek No More was a crazy set of segs this week. Cade really never gets a break, and Ares giving him a test that essentially will break his moral code either choice is not too fun for him. Then he gets taken by the masked people. Very interesting indeed.
- I found Where It Begins interesting - the unravelling of Destructo into this paranoid half man half boy is a sight to behold, and him struggling to put into words what he wants to say to Foley is a direct result of him never getting a "normal" run of luck.
- Night being an active King and protecting his people even if he doesn't like them is actually really interesting. He's been quite driven by vengeance so far so it would be cool to see a different side of him.
BURNING QUESTIONS:
- Who told Redgrave about the sigil?
- Who took Gemini?
- When will Nero see his family again?
- It looks like everyone is getting dragged away by masked assailants. How odd! Wonder what that is to do with?
MY FAVOURITE PROMO OF THE WEEK:
Yeah I have to concur with the others, Hayden smashed it this for this show.
HAVE YOUR SAY:
A lot to unpack here - who are the masked men and what does Klaus have to do with them? Will we find out more? I'm sure we will. I have a feeling this ghost hasn't quite been exorcised yet...
I really liked the way this segment led into the match too. lovely synergy.
TOP THREE MOMENTS:
- JASPER TORTURES TOMBSTONE: This is so great in a way that only befits Redgrave. The satisfaction that he can get from a person that he can finally torture endlessly that cannot die on him, that's such a good angle to take at this. Does this mean that Tombstone has become his muse?
2. WATCHERS: I love the voice of the robed Watcher in this segment, but I think the moment that I love the most here is when the lights flicker. We have a moment of absolute tension, the robed man had just accused Nero of abandoning his family. He has that pause to consider and surges forward into action... then the lights flicker and masked men appear. That's some great tension writing.
3. BOSWICK DEAD? I wasn't expecting that to be fair. It's a big revelation in the story. What this means for the Zookeeper storyline, and the search for answers, who knows. More below.
BURNING QUESTIONS:
- Who killed Boswick?
- What's with the kidnappings and what state are people going to be in when they wake up again?
MY FAVOURITE PROMO OF THE WEEK:
BEAUTY by NERO
I think that the promos for Nero and Graves worked really well together, but there was something about this one and the way it was packaged together that just appealed to me. His gauntlet shatters the glass then the crunch we see as the fragments are crushed under his boots, it's poetic only echoed with the words he speaks. Repackaging what beauty is to pull apart Narcissa was brilliantly done.
HAVE YOUR SAY:
SUNSHINE: I love the little bits that we see in Sunshine's personality. He's not the same happy-go-lucky, smile through everything guy we've known. We haqve that brain parasite to thank for that, but the question remains... what happened to Boswick, and what does this mean for Arcadia and Sunshine's search?!
EMM: this is a really cool version of EMM to explore. I thought it would take a way some of the options I have promo-wise with him losing his music, but it actually gives a fresh inspiration, if I can find the balance and execute correctly. I also love the dynamics going on here between Caido and Graves, and the congregation. EMM mixed up in all of that is going to be fireworks!
TOP THREE MOMENTS:
- I really enjoyed In The Shadows, it adds a good bit of characterization to Night as the new King of Bones here. He's really bringing on the Sting vibes here by being the ghost watching from the rafters. I'm interested in seeing if Night is going to be able to track Doom down now that he's been whisked away by those masked men.
- Speaking of, The Abductions get their own spot from me here. Everyone is getting snatched left and right and I'm curious as to just what's going on there. Where were they taken, who orchestrated it? And why do we live in a world where Harold Attano gets snatched but Klaus doesn't?
- Slowly & Painfully was another banger segment for the night. Jasper really is a polarizing character because he's smart, he does his research. How did he learn that symbol? Lord only knows but we can be damn sure he's going to use it to the best of his abilities to torment Tombstone. Almost makes you feel bad for the poor guy.
BURNING QUESTIONS:
- Where did everybody go?
- How did Redgrave learn that sigil?
- Who killed Boswick?
MY FAVOURITE PROMO OF THE WEEK:
Unfortunately I didn't read any promos. Been busier than I'd like these last few weeks. I'll rectify that next week.
HAVE YOUR SAY:
Jackson Cade: Man, Cade can't seem to get a leg up no matter what he does, huh? I'm interested in seeing if he'll have to come back to make this decision now that he's been prematurely whisked away. I do think Ares' reaction does cross him off the list of people who could be involved in these kidnappings as well, which leads me to be even more hype at the idea of Ares going on a rampage to find these masked men to get Cade back.
TOP THREE MOMENTS:
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The Masked Men – These guys were impossible to ignore this week making their presence felt across the show. Snatching members of the roster one by one and vanishing into the shadows was both unsettling and intriguing. A set up for Carnevil in a few weeks perhaps? I’d be surprised if that wasn’t the case.
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Slow & Painfully – Redgrave’s sheer determination to pursue his cause and to trap a monster like Tombstone in such a vulnerable state was seriously impressive. The way he dissected his opponent verbally was just as cutting as any physical attack.
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Dead End – The apparent death of Sebastian Boswick came as a bit of a shock. Even though he’s been more of a background figure since his return, seeing someone so integral to that storyline lying dead beneath the bag hit hard. It feels like Mr Sunshine is working Captain Arcadia opposed to working with him at this point - so it'll be interesting to see how this one plays out.
BURNING QUESTIONS:
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What was the symbol Tombstone noticed on the ceiling?
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Will the Ferryman escape?
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Is Klaus Way the mastermind behind the kidnappings – and was this the grandest show he teased recently?
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Does RLD really mean Red Light District, or has Gemini just destroyed something vital without realising?
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What choice will Jackson Cade make – assuming he even gets the chance now that he’s been taken?
MY FAVOURITE PROMO OF THE WEEK:
Hungry/EMM – Hayden’s promo carried a quiet sadness that really stood out. Normally we get noise, rhythm, colour – but this time it was stripped bare. That emptiness mirrored Muerte losing la música perfectly for me. Subtle, but landed beautifully IMO.
HAVE YOUR SAY:
Like a lot of people, I’m left wondering where my character has disappeared to and who’s pulling the strings. Klaus Way seems the obvious suspect – but this is OSW. Nothing is ever that straightforward.
TOP THREE MOMENTS:
1. Seek No More 1 and 2 take this for me. Both of them could be stand alone segments on separate weeks and make it here for me. 1 would make it for the moral dilemma. 2 would make it for the mystery. Combined makes a 1-2 punch for a lot of drama due to power and intrigue trying to figure out who took Cade away.
2. In the shadows, I love this twist of staking Doom out turning into a rescue mission due to how desperate The Night is for a chance at this title. Is he going to save Doom or will Doom save himself? I wonder who got into Doom's lair and who they work for, could be more layers to stack on this title match.
3. Open Heaven, this has me excited for simply the combo of writing that can happen. Death, Religion, and music is a powerful trio for segments and the story it can produce. I'm also excited for the writing Hayden can produce with this promo material at his fingertips.
BURNING QUESTIONS:
Who took Cade?
Who sent the attackers for Doom?
Who killed Boswick?
MY FAVOURITE PROMO OF THE WEEK:
Hungry, damn that was a good promo, a beautiful way to turn the weakness of losing the music into a strength and making it a beautiful way to look inward to the character as a sacrificial lamb.
HAVE YOUR SAY:
Narcy wasn't in the segment but Gemini felt her presence for sure. She was frustrated through trying to find the tape and when she did, she got to break it but she got snatched right away. It makes me wonder if all these apprehensions are tied together or parallel thinking in segments. The porcelain masks are a nice touch for sure.
TOP THREE MOMENTS:
1. i’ve really enjoyed the start of this feud between jasper and tombstone. you don’t ever really a character like tombstone be in such compromising positions. jaspers been doing his thing and having his way so far.
2. in the shadows was a very very interesting one to me, with the night of course being next up to take on doom now having to actually help him to ensure he still gets his shot. cant wait to see what comes of this one next week.
3. i also enjoyed open heaven. it was nothing but chaos, ignited in such a short amount of time too. scenes like that i could only imagine how crazy it’d be if you were actually there.
BURNING QUESTIONS:
how can/will tombstone get back at jasper?
who killed boswick?
whos behind the kidnappings?
MY FAVOURITE PROMO OF THE WEEK:
i didnt get the chance to read any this week unfortunately, i have to apologize.
HAVE YOUR SAY:
another interesting twist this week with it being revealed that boswick is actually dead. i don’t think i ever expected him to be an active participant in this whole ordeal but nevertheless, this is still big information. mix this in with the fact that sunshine and capt arcadia were also taken, it’s alot that’s going to have to be unpacked in the coming weeks here, and i cant wait.
TOP THREE MOMENTS:
1. Both Seek No Mores take it here. Damn, Jackson would've had to choose between two terrible options for a lot of former Seekers. I'd hate to imagine what he would've picked had it not been for the masked peeps. Ares coming in just seconds too late adds icing on the cake for me. Imagine had he arrived in time to save the future leader of Arcadia. There would've been a lot of bodies littered in that building, I'm sure.
2. Slowly and Painfully will go here. God damn, Jasper is one sadistic motherfucker, isn't he? He somehow managed to get told a sigil that manages to weaken Tombstone just enough to make sure he can't teleport out of his restraints. Not only that, but it was made with the blood of the Ferryman. I hope that he manages to break free and tear the artist a new one, either at the next show or the special one coming up. He deserves some kind of karma after everything he did to everyone.
3. Gonna go with Where it Begins for the final spot. Goddamn Destructo, you stubborn bitch. You really need to learn to accept help when it comes your way, especially from those who save your life. I do feel bad for the dude though. He's just been mentally broken down pieces and those pieces were broken down even further. Nox is fucking loving this though. Apparently this will make him easier to kill him when the time comes to do so. I hope not, but given that we're talking about a super genius like Nox, it will be expected.
BURNING QUESTIONS:
Where are the masked people taking their captors? What do they have planned for the people they kidnapped so far, and who is the mastermind behind their abduction?
Boswick is dead? Who killed him and what does that mean for the storyline going forward? Also, why did Sunshine seem so calm about the fact that there was a dead body in the room and who was under the bag? Was he behind this the whole time?
MY FAVOURITE PROMO OF THE WEEK:
Personally liked Caido's El Lobo Verdadero, myself. I always thought the Boy Who Cried Wolf would make for a good promo topic, and seeing it executed this well, at least in my opinion, made me smile. Loved how the Dragon made himself out to be the wolf and Destructo as an opportunistic little child that tried to make himself seem more important than a quick meal for the wild dog. Fun story to tell for the heel and I'm not surprised that it resulted in him retaining the belt.
HAVE YOUR SAY:
Night: Well, Peter's playing the hero once again, eh? I thought for sure his new crown would've clouded his judgement in going after Doom, but it doesn't seem that way. Could be wrong though. The words he chose to say before disappearing into darkness gave me the feeling that he's doing this for purely selfish reasons. Will he be able to find the Scientist and get everything he thinks he deserves? Or will he be just another victim of those weird masked men that have taken about half the roster so far?