tagged by @moxyphinx lets be friend? 

rules: it’s time to love yourselves! choose your 5 (ish) favorite works you created in the past year (fics, art, edits, etc.) and link them below to reflect on the amazing things you brought into the world in 2020. tag as many writers/artists/etc. as you want (fan or original) so we can spread the love and link each other to awesome works!

All of these are shoshana related because... well... yea 

All To Me - I have this post pinned because I find it really special. The footage is from when Shoshana stepped out on to The Apollo stage for her Spectrum Album release. The caption is from her song All To Me, which is about just stripping away who you think you need to be and just being ALL OF YOU, the good and the bad and your partner accepting you for all of it. 

Waitress - I really love this GIF set because it just transport me back to seeing Shoshana Live for the first time in 2019. It was the start of something really special for me.

A Night Divine - THIS DRESS was amazing to see LIVE! This entire night was spectacular. Then the world fell apart. 

Sing Your Hallelujah - THIS SHOW WAS SPECTACULAR! There was so much heart and soul in this show. It was a beautiful gift and a wonderful way to close out 2020. 

Thanks for asking! I’m going to be only using the original trilogy and the TV show (probably more so the TV show since I haven’t read the books since middle school) since I haven’t read any of the spinoff books.

the first character i ever fell in love with: I don’t really remember much about my initial thoughts reading the books but I think it must’ve been Lyra. She’s so headstrong and stubborn and feral. I love my feral daughter.

a character that i used to love/like, but now do not: I don’t think I have a character who i used to like but now don’t.

a ship that i used to love/like, but now do not: I don’t think I have a ship that I liked before but don’t now.

my ultimate favorite character™: Lyra, Will and Lee. I love them all so much!

prettiest character: Marisa Coulter! She wears such beautiful outfits and she’s played by Ruth Wilson who is GORGEOUS! 

my most hated character: I guess Cardinal MacPhail since he’s basically become a dictator at this point.

my OTP: Lyra/Will! I love them so much! I also really love Marisa/Asriel.

my NOTP: Idk, maybe Marisa/MacPhail? Is that even a ship? Either way, I don’t support it.

favorite episode: I think either S01E04 or S02E05. “Armour” was just such a fun episode and a great introduction to Lee, Hester, and Iorek. “The Scholar” was such an interesting deep dive into Marisa’s character, not to mention just a great exploration of being a woman in a male dominated space. 

saddest death: Lee and Hester’s deaths FOR SURE. Their death scene was heartbreaking to read and it was heartbreaking to watch. Just seeing Lee and Hester so hurt and upset was just...it broke my heart :( 

favorite season: Season 2.

least favorite season: I guess by process of elimination since there’s only been two seasons so far, Season 1? I don’t know, I still really love Season 1.

character that everyone else in the fandom loves, but i hate: I don’t think I have a character that everyone else loves but I don’t.

my ‘you’re piece of trash, but you’re still a fave’ fave: Marisa Coulter. She’s a terrible human being but she’s also just such an interesting character who I am intrigued with.

my ‘beautiful cinnamon roll who deserves better than this’ fave: Roger definitely deserved better. He was just a child who wanted to hang out with his best friend! He didn’t deserve to die like that! Billy Costa too! He was just a kid and didn’t deserve to have his soul ripped from him!

my ‘this ship is wrong, nasty, and makes me want to cleanse my soul, but i still love it’ ship: Boreal/Marisa but only in the TV show. I know, their relationship is incredibly toxic and terrible but they have great chemistry on screen that I can’t help but ship it a little bit.

my ‘they’re kind of cute, and i lowkey ship them, but i’m not too invested’ ship: I don’t know, maybe Farder Coram/Serafina? That’s the only ship that comes close to this description since the rest of the ships are ships that I really like and am quite invested in.

Favourite Character: i don’t think i can pick just one so dina, haled, and camal

Least Favourite Character: sammy ig

Favourite OBC Cast Member: katrina lenk or ari’el stachel (but really all of them)

Favourite Current Cast Member (If Applicable): i don’t know the tour cast well enough

Favourite Song: answer me

Least Favourite Song: the park but i still like it

Favourite Act (If Applicable): 

Favourite Ship: dina/tewfiq

Least Favourite Ship: idk

If There is Something I Would Change about The Musical: none!

i appreciate you all so much :)

Favourite Character: jenny! or kathy!

Least Favourite Character: david (or harry or peter i just don’t care about those three much)

Favourite OBC Cast Member: um maybe teri ralston!

Favourite Current Cast Member (If Applicable): almost forgot there was a current revival but! katrina lenk!

Favourite Song: being alive or another hundred people but i love a lot of them

Least Favourite Song: have i got a girl for you?

Favourite Act (If Applicable): not sure but i guess 1

Favourite Ship: i don’t really have one tbh

Least Favourite Ship: also n/a

If There is Something I Would Change about The Musical: okay so, the first time i listened to the 2007 (6?) soundtrack and heard the “what did i just do” track, i texted my friend this:

and honestly it would be difficult (if not impossible) to make this work but i feel like it’d be interesting if paul was a woman & at least one of bobby’s girlfriends was a man. and they would both feel pressure to have a straight marriage?... i  don’t know... the more i think about it the less it makes sense but yeah.

Favourite Character: Dina :’).

Least Favourite Character: Mmm but I love them all?? If I have to pick I’ll say Papi.

Favourite OBC Cast Member: Katrina Lenk, obviously.

Favourite Current Cast Member (If Applicable): Hannah Shankman.

Favourite Song: Answer Me, but Something Different is SUCH a close second.

Least Favourite Song: Papi Hears the Ocean. it’s a good song it just like bugs me lol.

Favourite Act (If Applicable): N/A

Favourite Ship: Again, not really a shippy show. I feel like shipping would undermine the hauntingly brilliant message behind the show about fleeting moments and people who touch our lives even if they’re only there for a momeny.

Least Favourite Ship: See above, N/A

If There is Something I Would Change about The Musical: Honestly this show is brilliant and is what I hope to see more of in the future of musical theatre. There is nothing I can think of I would change, really, though I do think open captioning the entire thing could be a good staging for those with auditory processing issues given the (very important and well done) use of accents in the show. Generally, though, I think having at least some open captioning performances each week is ALWAYS good for any show. More access please <3. 

When I started shipping them: I liked their dynamic from the beginning, but the first time I was like, “Are they going there? Please let them go there!” was in season two when she bandages his wound. I watched in real time, so the entirety of season three was a slow burn not only for their relationship but also, me going from “aww omg cute I want this!” at the beginning when he leaves and she hugs him goodbye and tells him how safe he made her feel, to “OH MY GOD ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME I NEED THIS MORE THAN OXYGEN” in 3x09. 

My thoughts: I knew from moment one that there was no happy ending - like, the whole premise of the show is SHE’S GONNA DIE - but I was really taken aback by how beautiful their story was and how soft they became around each other. Also, I have a LOT of ships - canon and not canon - and IMO these two are almost unparalleled in terms of the sheer chemistry. It helps that they had so many intense scenes that covered the entire emotional spectrum - rage and terror and joy and betrayal and humor and tenderness - but damn, yeah. They sizzled. 

What makes me happy about them: In the very short time that they had together as a couple, they brought out the best in each other. It would never have lasted, so it’s bittersweet, but seeing Norma blossom and feel happy and safe was such a joy. And Alex - the way he fought her so hard and then slowly just accepted that she was it for him, and relish in that even though he knew how tenuous it was - it was played so beautifully. Also, back to my previous point - they were sexy as HELL and they absolutely cracked me the fuck up. 

What makes me sad about them: Basically everything, because even in the softest, sweetest moments of season four, there was always the knowledge that it was going to end, and tragically. Their last scene together always just breaks my heart. I also am still really salty about the fact that in season five, Alex’s character was done so dirty and that even his death was in service to Norman’s character and didn’t really honor his own.

Things done in fanfic that annoys me: The lack of fic, more than anything! I don’t think there’s very much at all. 

Things I look for in fanfic: Anything. 

My wishlist: Not sure what this means since the show is over. Things I’d like to see in fic, maybe? Basically the best things from the show - snark and angst and supporting each other and all the sexual tension - with an added dose of Norma getting the help she needs and a happily ever after.

Who I’d be comfortable them ending up with, if not each other: No one. Canon Norma wasn’t capable of a healthy long-term relationship, and Alex was the only guy who I can imagine a) helping her realize she needs professional help, b) her deciding that their relationship is worth the work, and c) sticking around while she does it. As for Alex, well, there was never anyone else for him.

My happily ever after for them: Norman continues getting help/remains locked up for his crimes, Norma gets help of her own and learns how to have healthy relationships, and NODODY DIES.