Hounds of Hades
TOP THREE MOMENTS:
(Three moments of the show that stood out to you and why.)
- I thought Dean was legitimately going to kill the Preservationists on a non live show this time around. It was the kind of buildup that you see, dread, and then the surprise when it started to go through. The return of Zeus was such a fun surprise, and a perfect hook for us to go into it all. War is done either way, for the king may return!
- Rebellion feels like the delight on top, the moment that defines the character of Klaus Way. The moment that he loses control, and it all comes crashing down on him. The Freaks rebel, and break him, leaving him there on the mat to die. The little child that survived the fire is all that's left, broken and alone. What a brutal surprise on a character, and was a genuine show stopper for me.
- Taken to Consideration was a nice character pop, seeing the fairly snarky Destructo finally admit to fucking up a bit. And then he just doubles down on the "I don't need help" to infuriate Ayame just that extra piece more was just a fun bit that I wanted to make sure gets a highlight this week!
BURNING QUESTIONS:
What did Sunshine mean by Rainy Days are Coming?
Where does Tombstone lie among the end of the war?
Will Gravedigger be able to come back from the dead?
Is Nero's base truly compromised?
MY FAVOURITE PROMO OF THE WEEK:
Icarus caught my eye this week, but I'm a known sucker for greek myth promos.
HAVE YOUR SAY:
Cap,ya just can't get the break can ya? Ya break Savor's face, set on your ordeal, go through the match, and then get the announcement from Sunshine via another absolute beatdown. We're so close to the secret, trying to find out who is that Zookeeper, only to have that message at the end with Rainy Days are Coming. Overall I'm having a blast figuring this whole thing out, and it's been just a delight.
TOP THREE MOMENTS:
- the stakes was a very intense opening to show which definitely set the tempo not for the main event, but for the show in general. ares has shown time and time again that he has no problem and mixing it up and fucking up any and everything in place, and thats what i absolutely love about the character. i couldnt of imagined a firing squad being the consequence for the losing team but then again, thats just what i love about ares and the energy he brings. its always gonna be the most violent and gruesome outcome possible with him.
- to piggyback off my first response, i was really lookin forward to this segment after finding out what ares' plan was for the losing side. for a second, after he he killed gravedigger and turned the gun to narcissa, i fully believed he was really about to go through with what he said. but i am now very interested and curious to see just what zeus means when he says the war is over. interesting times ahead.
- rebellion absolutely was the shock of the night for me, if not a very close second. i just didnt anticipate this should would end with klaus having been turned on by his freaks. but i cant say i really feel too bad for him i guess, you can see briefly why just in this segment why they would've wanted to turn on him and start anew. very interested to see what comes of this, and what klaus will do next.
BURNING QUESTIONS:
what does zeus mean by the war is over?
what will klaus do without his freaks?
what is george cade up to?
are zeus and ares aligned with their vision of arcadia?
MY FAVOURITE PROMO OF THE WEEK:
didn't get the chance to really dig into any but ill be back on my shit next week.
HAVE YOUR SAY:
interested to see what the next chapter of the zookeeper saga holds. obviously we're heading for the home stretch now so im excited to really get back into it to see what new information and motives we find out on this journey to ROD. its been a fun one so far, especially with the small side-stories, like with anton and captain arcadia that we just went through. no complaints about how antons been portrayed here, appreciate all your hard work and dedication to make this all come to life.
TOP THREE MOMENTS:
(Three moments of the show that stood out to you and why.)
- The Stakes/Firing Squad. I feel these two go hand in hand, not just bookending the show but giving a surprise twist in Ares upping the stakes of Hounds with the losing team no matter what it ended up being dying by Firing Squad then capping it off with the ending of Zeus finally waking up from his coma and not only stopping Ares but declaring the war over. Some brilliant little details here (I absolutely see Ares turning on Zeus at some point in the future with that little slow compliant bow) and now everything's been blown wide open with what could happen. Very intrigued to see what lies forward with the last seven months or so of Arcadia cause it's anybody's guess now.
- Ain't So Far Down. This was just a really well crafted scene between estranged father and son, George being an absolute prick here even through the possible relevation that he didn't dig up CJ's grave. That 'if you were half the man your brother was' line was ice cold and fuck if I'm not hoping for a George vs. Jackson fight sometime in the future.
- Rebellion. Honestly this is just the feel good moment of the show. Ajax and Solus finally having had enough of Klaus's bullshit and turning on him was a great moment here and definetly a damn good pallet cleanser before the brutality at the end of the show.
BURNING QUESTIONS:
- What exactly is the Truth that Night knows and how much has Narcissa poisoned his mind?
- Will Graves be able to burn Nero out of hiding or has the World Champion bitten off more then he can chew with the Red Reboot?
- What exactly are the Rainy Days coming? Will Sunshine actually tell the truth at ROD or will the Zookeeper himself emerge to stop him?
- If George didn't dig up CJ, who did? And will we finally learn why he's working with the man who killed his own son?
- What happens to Klaus now his circus has all but abandoned him?
- Where does the war go from here? Will the door be opened and will Ares put a stop to it against Zeus's wishes?
MY FAVOURITE PROMO OF THE WEEK:
Definetly going with consensus here, Riot was a brilliant piece by Daws. Great story throughout, flow and writing was on point and I wouldn't be surprised if that was what won the Seekers the match.
HAVE YOUR SAY:
So one step forward, one step back I guess? James finally calms himself down and realises he can't go this alone, showing a little bit of the hopeful kid that died in that explosion but then shuts out Ayame completely because she opened a very fresh wound in Maxwell. Very curious to see how this continues into ROD whether we get more into some Noxy action or he goes another direction. Also holy shit champion again, very hyped for that and hyped to see what happens next going into Ring of Dreams and these last seven months of Arcadia
TOP THREE MOMENTS:
1. The Stakes and Firing Squad will be lumped together here. This was a killer way to hype up the main event while also presenting a possible finality for the war in Arcadia. Not only did Ares promise a firing squad for the losing side and followed through with it, but Zeus woke up from his coma! The fallout of this war is going to be interesting to see, what with Ares being almost able to go through with killing all the Preservationists (assuming I read that right) and the reactions that will come from that. Can't wait for RoD!
2. Rebellion takes the next spot. God damn, that's twice now I feel kind of bad for Klaus Way. Not only did he have his house burned down and his family killed in the fire, but now his freaks turned on him and left him to bleed inside the ring. Granted, he instigated it by slapping Ajax, but damn dude, Klaus has been through much more than anyone should have to go through. Now that he lost his family, what happens to the rest of the circus? Are they effectively their own ringmaster? Will there even be a circus at the end of the day? Interested in finding out.
3. I'll give this to Ain't So Far Down. Whew, the possible revelation that George Cade didn't dig up CJ's grave is a heavy one. Especially given that's what we're led to believe. I also love how Jackson didn't flinch when dealing with his traitorous father's bullshit and flings some back himself. I have to wonder what George's end goal is by siding with the Preservationists after being the one to reveal that there's a way out of Arcadia. I'll have to wait and see, but some kind of hint as to what's going on with him would help.
BURNING QUESTIONS:
Will we actually get answers from Mr. Sunshine regarding the Zookeeper and why he wanted Roland Gray dead? What are the rainy days that he warned people about near the end of the segment? Can Arcadia and Savor coexist to defeat this menace, or will they just remain at each other's throats and ignore the problem like they did all this past cycle?
Is the war truly over now that Zeus has regained consciousness? What will happen now that he's awake and watched Ares nearly slaughter those that were loyal to him in the middle of the ring? Will Zeus retaliate against his best friend and God of War?
MY FAVOURITE PROMO OF THE WEEK:
I personally liked The Question by Gemini. She basically summed up the purpose of the war nicely and themed it beautifully. They asked a question and, instead of getting a straight answer, are being demanded to shut up or face death. This was an amazing read to me and it makes me hope to see that question answered eventually.
HAVE YOUR SAY:
Night: Gotta say, I wasn't expecting Night to turn on Attano so violently after their match. It started ff so innocuously too, what with the master telling the student that he can't be attacking his allies in the midst of a war. Clearly whatever Narcissa said to him after their match at Pandemonium clearly lit a bulb inside his head. Harold apparently needed to be taken care of in the name of "the truth", whatever that might be. I'm sure the Enigma will pay dearly for assaulting a man like Nobody, but in the meantime, I'm interested in seeing what will happen next and what kind of line he was fed by Hera.
TOP THREE MOMENTS:
1: Firing Squad: The match was already intense, but that ending? I didn’t think it could get more shocking—then Ares pulled the gun and shot Gravedigger. Legit “holy shit” moment. For a second, I thought Graves was next. What a wild and unforgettable way to end the show.
2: Rebellion: What’s going on with Ajax the Adonis and Damien Solus? Turning on Klaus like that was a huge swerve. Honestly, I had been wondering if we’d see more of them recently, and this was an incredible way to bring them back into the mix with real storyline weight.
3: The Main Event Match: I always say these kinds of matches are tough to write—giving everyone a fair, competitive moment isn’t easy—but this was smooth and balanced. Graves going through a flaming table was crazy and Hatchet’s entrance into the match? Wild. Loved every bit of it.
BURNING QUESTIONS:
• Is the war actually over?
• Is Gravedigger really dead?
• How will Zeus react to someone pulling a gun on his lady?
• Why did Ajax and Solus turn on Klaus?
FAVOURITE PROMO OF THE WEEK:
Identity Lost: Emotional without being cheesy. Raw, heavy, and honest. It hit hard.
HAVE YOUR SAY:
This was an amazing show from start to finish. So many storylines are firing on all cylinders and I love being a part of it. I’m especially hyped that Nero vs. Graves is continuing it’s been such a compelling feud.
That said… I’ve been feeling unsure about my own writing lately. I hope this new style I’m trying still holds up. Since winning the title, I’ve put a lot of pressure on myself. I’ve always believed wins and losses don’t matter as much as storytelling—but now as OSW World Champion, I worry about whether I’m doing the belt justice.
I keep thinking about the praise you gave me in the voice chat after I won—and I don’t want to let any of you down. If I have with my recent work, I’m truly sorry. I’m going to keep pushing to be better.
TOP THREE MOMENTS:
(Three moments of the show that stood out to you and why.)
- The Stakes. Did anyone who didn't write or plan the segment see that coming? Because I sure didn't. That was an immediate 'oh shit' moment that made me thing 'Surely not, this has to be a bluff, right?', at which point I moved on to 'Wait, has Ares got some dastardly plan going to guarantee victory?'. Needless to say, anticipation for the main event was sky high after this.
- The Freaks turning on Klaus. Well shit, I sure didn't see this coming either. Maybe him getting beaten down by The Sunshine Club, but by Ajax and Solus? One can't help but wonder how this bodes for his position in The Preservationists, if there is such a thing any more. Maybe they'll decide he's no longer worth the trouble without his entourage being in the fold?
- Main event and Firing Squad. It's incredible to get such an ultimately decisive ending in a match, yet still make everyone feel equally matched. Everyone got their shine... And then the moment. I think Ares and Zeus planned the latter's intervention all along if the Preservationists lost, and Zeus wouldn't have stepped in if it was the seekers in front of the gun line. But damn, as soon as Gravedigger got capped, I was genuinely convinced they all would... Which may well be the point if this is a plan by Ares and Zeus. Killing the guy who can come back to life first? CONVENIENT. Looking forward to seeing whether this is actually what's going on or if I'm a conspiracy theory nut.
BURNING QUESTIONS:
- So... What happens now? Is the war over?
- Has Destructo really come to his senses, or is he just fobbing Ayame off?
- Who really dug up the corpse of CJ Thorpe? And why is George a colossal asshole?
- Will we still see Ajax and Solus, or are they done with OSW now they have severed ties with Klaus?
- Will Gravedigger truly return? If so, when?
MY FAVOURITE PROMO OF THE WEEK:
I only read a couple this week, so cannot honestly tout anything as promo of the week.
HAVE YOUR SAY:
All good in the hood, I just wonder how Eclipse will react to seeing her hubby eating above his recommended daily dose of lead. Will it be grief? Anger? Even further delusion? I don't know what direction she would go in, and I made her!