2014 in Retrospect and New Year Resolutions

Wow, 2014 is already almost over. It doesn't seem like 2012 was all that long ago, but apparently, since it's nearly 2015, it was. But ever since 2012, my life has definitely been mostly positive, so maybe that's why :) 

This has been a pretty crazy year, both in my life and in the country/across the world. I personally had a good year, but the world's more negative aspects have been brought to ugly life this year, which in a way is a good thing(it means that something will done about it). And I think things will start improving, even if the world does seem like a dark place at the moment.  Because without hope, you have no way to accomplish or change anything. 

I did quite a few things this year and accomplished a lot of goals I was hoping I would! :D 

I completed my re-write of book 2! :D And I think it turned out well! :D I also got an editor for book 1 and it is nearly done being edited(it would be done right now, but they got hung up on something and had to tell me about it before they'd continued- hopefully they give me the last of the edits soon so I can start sending it to the publisher). Also, I've started preparing to re-write book 3, which should be ready to start once I've read through book 2 a few times (I'll have some of my peers read through it before I send it to an editor, same as I did with book 1).

I completed my first semester of college, which was a really important experience in my life so far. It was the first time, really, that I was away from home for so long and I basically had to take care of myself a lot(did call my parents for some help, but some things I did on my own- I wanted to- which I think was important). I also learned a lot and I think my acting skills have gotten a whole lot better than they were! :D Also, I GOT ALL A's IN MY FINALS!!!! :D YAY! :D. Also found some kids I can regularly talk to, which was really nice. Didn't expect that(since I find it very hard to make friends in real life). 

Got my Blue Belt(which was one of my goals last year- GO ME! :D) in Taekwondo, which I am so happy about! :D Also got my Driver's License, which has been pretty nice! :)  Also participated in  my second Taekwondo tournament , where I got first in forms and second in sparring(and did an awesome kick! :D). 

Got into A LOT of fandoms this year, as well as continued with others. I greatly anticipated "The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies" and loved it! Very good movie! :D Made me sad and happy and I'm still excited about it! :D :'). Also got to see Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Maleficent, and Into the Woods in theaters, all of which were good! :) I have continued watching Supernatural(I'm on season 6 and I'm continuing to love it!), Once Upon A Time, Doctor Who, Downton Abbey, Agents of SHIELD, and Modern Family; I also started watching Selfie, which has turned out to be quite good. Legend of Korra also ended this year and I loved it! :D(Korra/Asami was also made canon, which was another great achievement in the world of fiction- representation matters!). I also watched a LOT of anime this year! :D(thanks to my sister and my friend James). I watched several Studio Ghibli films, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, etc for movies. For TV series, I watched Attack on Titan(and read the manga) which I am now OBSESSED with, Death Note, Clannad/Clannad: After Story, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Princess Tutu, Fate/Zero, Steins;Gate, Spice and Wolf, and Gravitation(all which I really enjoyed! Great shows). Also watched some old classic, like The Phantom of the Opera and It's A Wonderful Life(didn't really care for either). Sadly(and infuriatingly), Disney decided to get rid of the EU and now me and other EU fans are working hard to at least get the stories to continue(and yes, I am boycotting everything Disney-Star Wars related). 

Read a lot of fantastic books this year. Finally getting to read "The Blood of Olympus" was definitely a highlight, as were all of my other favorites! :) Also, finally finished the Fruits Basket story, which was really nice and beautiful

Also realized that I'm on the ace (asexual/demisexual/gray-asexual) spectrum this year, which really explains a lot and has helped in how I view myself and others(very thankful for a label that explains everything). If you want an explanation on demisexuality, which is what I currently identify as, go here.

Oh yeah, and I pretty much have my Armin Arlert and Sasha Braus (both from Attack on Titan) done, so expect pictures of that soon! :) 

A cool video by Google about 2014. 

   This year does seem to have been really dark, with a lot of ugly things- like I mentioned above- being revealed about the world(some I knew about, some I didn't), such as the sheer amount of police brutality in our country, which is especially directed towards African-American men and women. However, people have been standing up for themselves(go Ferguson protesters!), and that is beautiful. Because only when we stand up for ourselves can we change things. For example, here are some Top feminist moments of 2014. 

Now for my New Year Resolutions

I want to get cast in the short play festival this coming semester and I want to get cast in one of the big plays at my college(auditions will be next school year- the Fall of 2015). And of course, I want to be in a film/TV show(and get the lead at least one time). Also, get better at acting(and singing) as a whole.

Get book 1 completely edited, sent to the publisher, and hopefully even published! :D Begin- and finish- editing book 2, and hopefully get mostly done(or completely) with my book 3 re-write. 

Do well in college and enjoy all my classes, get along with my new roommate(if I get one), and find a new Taekwondo school to attend during the school year(I'm going to go to my home one during the summer). 

Get to a Red Belt, at least, in Taekwondo! :D And get better at sparring and improve certain kicks. 

Learn how to guard my voice better and keep things to myself. I can be a bit blah-blah with things some times and I've learned that, while there is definitely a time to speak, there is also a time to not and I need to learn how to realize when that is(just no shushing me, though), both online and in real life. Also, I want to do some more growing as a person. I also want to get better at standing up for myself(I did get all snarky with a crazy 'religious' person who said that "True Christians don't go to church" and was really butt-headed about it; she was a real bitch, but I like how I talked with her; I also totally creamed two haters on tumblr by being just as mean back, which was really satisfying). 

Become a better ally in the areas where I am the privileged group. I definitely have improved, but I still have things I need to work on. 

Get completely caught up on Supernatural(which is what I'm going to be focusing on for now), start new shows, and continue watching the shows I am on now. Also, do a lot more reading and watch some movies I have yet to see. 

Work out a lot more, so I can build muscle(get physically stronger) and get to at least 120 pounds(I'm only 108-115)

Work on my other cosplays and attend at least one convention. 

Get a job(and prepare to study abroad). 

I hope you all have a fantastic year! :D

May the Force be with you. Always. 

Books of 2014

Armin being a good boy and reading a book! :) (this is me! :) ) 

How many books read in 2014: 
Around 100, I think. I read a lot in the first half of the year, but when college started, I was hardly able to read much at all(besides textbooks). 


How many fiction and non fiction?: 
mostly fiction


Male/Female author ratio?: 
About the same, as always.



Favorite book of 2014?: 
Not in any particular order
The Lion and the Rose/The Serpent and the Pearl - loved these historical fiction novels. I hadn't known anything about the Borgia family and getting to read about all of that was really interesting. The three narrators- Giulia, Leonello, and Carmelina- were all very interesting and multifaceted and I loved hearing their stories. The writing style was also lovely and extremely readable.  
Lion of Senet - this was definitely an awesome fantasy series. There is so little high fantasy, so this was definitely a nice read. While not as good as the Middle Earth books, of course, it is definitely one of the better fantasy books I've read. Looking forward to finishing the trilogy(just wish it had been a little cleaner). 
The Blood of Olympus - great end to an awesome series. Enough said. 
Calling Me Home - this was a lovely historical and contemporary fiction novel. Lovely writing with a story that explores racism and interracial relationships very well. 
Code Name Verity - AWESOME historical fiction story about two women who served in the British army in WWII. LOVED it. 
The Culling - while dystopians have definitely gotten old to me, this book really did well with the genre. It was brutal and depressing, but it never went into the existentialism that annoys me, nor did it get really weird(like Divergent). Also, it had a gay protagonist(and is written by a gay author) which was really nice to see(representation matters!) . 
Great Expectations - While I don't like Charles Dickens as much as Victor Hugo, this was a great novel and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Avatar: The Last Airbender comics - I have adored ATLA for a long time, so getting to continue the story has been awesome.
Attack on Titan manga - I watched season 1 of this awesome show earlier this year and once that was over, I dove into the manga. The manga has been amazing and I can't wait to see these stories in season 2! :D
Fruits Basket manga - FINALLY FINISHED THIS! :D Sat down and finished it earlier this year, which was such a good thing, since it was a lovely, beautiful story, with a perfect ending. :)
The Staff of Serapis/The Son of Sobek - awesome crossovers between the Percy Jackson/Heroes of Olympus books and the Kane Chronicles. Both were awesome and fun reads and I can't wait for the last one! :)
Frankenstein - it was really interesting finally reading this classic. I could tell it was a first novel, but still, a good read.
Dawn of the Jedi: Into the Void - really cool to read a story taking place back at the very beginning of the Jedi Order(really want to read the Dawn of the Jedi comics now!).
Children of the Mind - solid end to the books about Ender.
The Handmaid's Tale - eerie tale about a patriarchal dystopia.



Least favorite?:
The Perks of Being A Wallflower - sorry for the curse words, BUT THIS BOOK WAS COMPLETE SHIT! Seriously, Charlie is NOT a wallflower- I've been one and I know what it's like. And being best buds with the seniors and getting invited to parties and having two older girls interested in you does not a wallflower make. In fact, he seemed very popular to me in the novel. Plus, the book just glosses over a ton of issues without handing them with any sort of respect, which is just rude. And, for some reason, even though Charlie was molested by his aunt, he just seems to get over it and 'forgive her'. Sorry, but if that were me, I would have punched her in the face/beaten her up or, since she was dead, go and piss on her grave or something. I would have NEVER forgiven her. Monsters like that don't deserve forgiveness. (rape trigger warning) Heck, there was even a rape scene that was just written so crassly I literally threw the book down and yelled "why would you write that?". Besides the terrible handling of subject matter, the overall story was just dumb and the writing amateurish. Utterly pathetic. 
The Catcher in the Rye - this book was just a bunch of whining from a big baby with an annoying existentialism world-view. It did get better towards the end, but Holden was just a sexist, whinny jerk, who doesn't deserve the opportunities he was given. 
The Fault in Our Stars - not terrible, but not impressive in the slightest. A lot of people found it to be sad and tear-inducing, but I just found it bland, the characters unsympathetic and unreal, and the language just....weird. I mean, I felt much more sad when that random character in Attack on Titan shot themselves to avoid being killed by the Titans than I did for these characters. 



Newest?: 
The Blood of Olympus! :) 


Longest and shortest book titles? Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe and Dawn of the Jedi: Into the Void for longest
Beowulf(abridged) for shortest

Longest and shortest books?: 
Longest would probably be The Immortal Prince and Great Expectations
Shortest would be the two short stories The Son of Sobek and The Staff of Serapis


How many books from the library?: 
Most were from the library



Any translated books?:
Attack on Titan mangas and Fruits Basket mangas



Most read author of the year, and how many books by that author?: 
I read a lot of authors. Maybe the authors of the Attack on Titan mangas and the Fruits Basket mangas. 



Any re-reads?: 
Not that I can remember. I do want to re-read the Lord of the Rings books, as well as The Hobbit and The Silmarillion again. Also, I definitely want to re-read the Star Wars books by Jude Watson. 


Favorite character of the year?
Hmmm...good question
Armin Arlert
All the Attack on Titan characters, basically
Percy Jackson
Annabeth Chase
Nico di Angelo
Hazel Levesque
Jason Grace
Reyna Avila Ramirez Arellano
Frank Zhang
Piper McLean
Leo Valdez
Will Solace
Zuko
Katara
Toph
Sokka
Aang
Azula
Tohru Honda
Yuki Sohma
Kyo Sohma
Giulia Farnese 
Leonello 
Carmelina 
Ender Wiggins
Wang-Mu 
Julia/Julie(Code Name Verity)
Maddie(Code Name Verity)
Isabella (Calling Me Home)
Robert (Calling Me Home)





Which countries did you go to through the page in your year of reading?:
Japan, Germany, France, England, Switzerland, Australia, Scotland, and many fantasy/science fiction worlds. 

Which book wouldn't you have read without someone’s specific recommendation? 
Code Name Verity
Amazing Agent Jennifer(manga/comic)
The Fault In Our Stars
The Lion of Senet
Giulia Farnese duology
Calling Me Home
Attack on Titan(same goes for the show)






Which author was new to you in 2014 that you now want to read the entire works of?
Elizabeth Wein - her book Code Name Verity was fantastic and I want to see more of her writing.
Kate Quinn - I just love her writing style and the way she crafts her characters. 


Which books are you annoyed you didn't read?:
Paradise Lost/Paradise Regained(which I'm currently on)
The Children of Hurin(which I have from the library)
A Hobbit Journey (which I also have right now)
the rest of the Star Wars books I haven't gotten to
various classics
The Ender Shadow books


Did you read any books you have always been meaning to read?
YES! :D
Frankenstein
The Catcher in the Rye
The Great Gatsby
Great Expectations 
finally finished the Fruits Basket mangas(LOVED THE STORY!) 
Star Wars books(The Dark Forces books, Dawn of the Jedi: Into the Void, Death Troopers, Red Harvest, The Force Unleashed 2, )
The Children of the Mind 
Ender in Exile
Avatar: The Last Airbender comics(haven't read them all yet, but I've read several arcs)
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
The Blood of Olympus
The Handmaid's Tale
The Dragon Rider's of Pern: Dragonflight 
The Perks of Being a Wallflower

What books are you planning to read in 2015?
I want to finish Paradise Lost/Paradise Regained
A Hobbit Journey
The Children of Hurin
Death Star
A New Hope novelization
Scoundrals
The Thrawn Trilogy
the rest of the Star Wars books I haven't gotten to yet
Star Wars comic books
The Torch Keeper: The Sowing
The Crown of Ptolemy 
Fangirl
The Mote in God's Eye
The Iliad/The Odyssey 
Emma
Persuasion
Sense and Sensibility
Freedom 
Death in Venice 
Oliver Twist
David Copperfield
Morning is a Long Time Coming
The Scarlet Letter
the next Lion of Senet books
The Summer I Wasn't Me
and science fiction/fantasy books 
(check my goodreads account for my complete to-read list) 

Also, I may try this! :)

My Christmas :) (and a tag)

I hope everyone had a great Christmas/Holidays/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/etc! :D I had a pretty good holiday season(Christmas and Advent, so far) and got some pretty cool gifts! :D 

The first Christmas I had was at my house. Here is what I got in my stocking
Dawn of the Jedi comics(2)
Air gauge for tires
TARDIS(that glows)
stretch pants
car-window ice scraper
two kinds of chocolate

Here my presents! :D Arda and I exchanged presents again this Christmas, which was a lot of fun! :D Also, I now own all of the Junior Jedi Knights, Young Jedi Knights books, and Thrawn books(trilogy), which makes me really happy! :D
Armin wig
Survey Corps Jacket(the straps and skirt part of the uniform haven't come in yet- I have everything else, though for the cosplay)
Martial Arts Belt holder
Junior Jedi Knights: Promises
Junior Jedi Knights: Anakin's Quest
The Last of the Jedi: Against the Empire
The Last of the Jedi: Return of the Darkside
The Last of the Jedi: Underworld
Young Jedi Knights: Delusions of Grandeur
Attack on Titan hoodie
Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter
Thrawn Trilogy: The Last Command
John Barrowman CD(from Arda)
The House of Hades
Clariel
The Art of War
Catching Fire movie
Dongo(from Arda)
T-shirt from my Taekwondo school
Boots
Star Wars calender(I got a Supernatural calender as well, but that was before Christmas)
Giftcard to a craft store(which will help with cloth I want for my Obi-Wan cosplay)

We had Christmas with my dad's side of the family later that day(Christmas Day). We had a large meal with some pretty good foods, such as brie cheese(BREE CHEESE! >:D). Also went and watched "Into the Woods" with my Aunt(which was fun, since I was in "Into the Woods" when I was around twelve- I was Jack's Mother).

Here are my presents
Sasha wig
turtle neck/sweater
money
a gift card to Barnes and Noble.

I have to say, both my Armin and Sasha wigs are of very good quality. Can't wait to post some pictures of my fully completed cosplays! :D(I also plan on cosplaying Eren, Mikasa, and Levi from AoT).

A couple of days after Christmas(on the day after Christmas, my sister and I went with our aunt and her friend and watched Guardians of the Galaxy- I'd already seen the film recently, but it was a lot of fun to re-watch), we went to my mom's side of the family for Christmas. It was the first time we've had Christmas there and not done a play with the cousins, but we were only staying for the day, so we didn't have time(we ended up singing a few Christmas songs together instead).
Here are some things I got in my stocking
Gigantic Hershey Bar
Chocolate Santa
stretch pants
Christmas Ornament(stack of books)
socks
pen
tire gauge
chap stick
pillow case(for people with curly hair)
post card

Here are my presents (we exchanged names, and one of my cousin's drew my name- here are what he picked out; I got my Nana). 

Star Wars T-shirt

Star Wars socks

What were some of your favorite Christmas gifts? (also, if you want to see a good, Christmasy video, than I'd recommend checking out Rachel and Jun's YouTube channel. They made a Christasy video which was really fun to watch :) ). 

You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch 
Name a villainous character you can’t help but love to hate.

Loki, Rumplestiltskin(OUAT), Darth Vader, Spike, and the villains in my book series. 

All I Want For Christmas Is You
What book do you most want to find under your Christmas tree this year?

I got a lot of cool Star Wars books for Christmas this year, which was awesome! :D Also got The House of Hades and Clariel and The Art of War.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Name a favorite character who had to overcome a major obstacle. Why are they your favorite?

Obi-Wan Kenobi! :D He had to train the Chosen One when he was definitely not ready(and had just lost his Master), had to lose his love Siri Tachi, lost his best friend/son/brother Anakin to the darkside, lost the Jedi Order(the thing he had dedicated his life to) and had to live alone with all of these things as a burden on him for years. Yet, he never gave up. Very impressive man. 

Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
Which characters do you think are at the top of Santa’s “nice” and “naughty” list?

Nice

Obi-Wan Kenobi

Siri Tachi

Jaina Solo

Anakin Solo

Ferus Olin

Tahiri Veila

Simon Tam

Samwise Gamgee

Eowyn

Bilbo Baggins

Buffy Summers

Annabeth Chase

Percy Jackson

Rose Tyler

Martha Jones

Donna Noble

Kili

Tauriel

Danny Pink

Naughty

Jayne Cobb(Firefly)

Angelus

Willow Rosenberg(when she goes bad)

Riley

Etain Tur-Mukan 

Frosty the Snowman
What book just melts your heart?

Any of Jude Watson's Star Wars books, Lord of the Rings trilogy, Revenge of the Sith adult novelization, Shatterpoint, Wild Space, Percy Jackson: The Last Olympian, Heroes of Olympus: The House of Hades, etc. 

Feliz Navidad
Your favorite book that takes place in a country other than your own?

On Earth? Harry Potter series, Les Miserables, The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, Fruits Basket mangas, Sisters of the Sword, The House of the Scorpion, etc. 

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
What book do you read to get in the Christmas spirit?

I don't have one

Sleigh Ride
What character would you most want to spend the holidays with?

ARGH! So hard to decide! Obi-Wan Kenobi, Siri Tachi, Jaina Solo, Ferus Olin, Anakin Solo, Tahiri Veila, Satele Shan, Sam Gamgee, Frodo Baggins, Eowyn, Bilbo Baggins, Thorin Oakenshield, Kili,  Tauriel, Hermione Granger, Zuko, Katara, Toph, Sokka, Aang, Suki, Uncle Iroh, Dean Winchester, Castiel, Sam Winchester, Simon Tam, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, The Doctor, Rose Tyler, Martha Jones, Donna Noble, Clara Oswald, etc. 

Baby, It’s Cold Outside
What book do you hate so much you’d sacrifice it to the fire to stay warm?

Twilight, Fifty Shades of Grey, Woyzeck, How I Learned to Drive, and Elsie Dinsmore.

Do You Hear What I Hear?
What book would you recommend to everyone?

Lord of the Rings or any Star Wars book by Jude Watson/Matthew Stover/etc

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Review (and a tag) and a Merry Christmas! :D

Merry Christmas everyone! :D

As you probably know, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies was my most anticipated movie of the year and I finally got to see this movie on Sunday. And I have to say, I was very impressed with the motion picture. I had seen some negative backlash on tumblr, so it had me worried, but I loved it regardless. The movies aren't the same caliber as Lord of the Rings, of course, but they are a different story and they aren't meant to be, and that doesn't at all lessen the impact of the story.

Also, before we continue, yes, I HAVE read the books(I've read The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Hobbit, and The Silmarillion; I also plan on reading The Children of Hurin, The Unfinished Tales, etc).

SPOILERS will follow(gifs are from tumblr; they aren't mine).

It's been years since I read the book, and from what others said, the plot did differ at times from the original, but I personally think it turned out well. The movie is definitely a part three, so it definitely needs the first two movies to stand(basically, it doesn't stand alone as an installment- which is perfectly fine, since it is one long story). 

The movie begins right where the last one left off, with the dragon, Smaug, attacking Lake Town and the dwarves + Bilbo sitting horrified at what has happened(well, except for their leader Thorin, who seems to be becoming more and more morose and obsessive about his wealth). The scene with the dragon was excellently rendered as was the showing of everyone escaping(with Tauriel taking the few dwarves still in Laketown and the Bard's kids to safety, the pathetic leader of the town being all "MUST SAVE MY GOLD!!!", etc). And of course, the slaying of the dragon was just plain awesome. I loved how the Bard used his son's shoulder to aim the  black arrow at the dragon(and Smaug was all "mwhahaha, you can't hit me" like the dumb villain he is- when will they ever learn to not start blabbing when they could just kill the person? XD). Smaug's death was also very impressively done- especially when he landed on top of the leader's head and boat XD. In fact, while the movie was mostly sad, there were several laugh out loud moments, which really helped lift the mood of the audience. :)

I'll go more into other areas of the plot below, but the battle scenes were great. I was surprised though at the lack of big scale battle scenes. But that was fine with me, since it was the one-on-one fights and the character moments that had me interested the most in the film. 

Also, did anyone notice that Dain Ironfoot was completely CGI? It was kind of weird...XD

Characters 

Since the characters are the most important part of any good movie/TV show/book, I'd like to go over the main players 

Bilbo Baggins

"He was my friend" 

Dammit, Bilbo, you made me cry! 

While a tad overshadowed in The Desolation of Smaug, Bilbo is back front and center in the last chapter of this fantasy epic. I have always been impressed with Martin Freeman as an actor and here he just shines. He is just so real- his emotions, his personality, everything. 

But I think one of the most important things in these movies, especially in this one, was the relationship between Bilbo and the Dwarven King/Prince Thorin Oakenshield. It doesn't seem like their friendship should work- one is just an ordinary person and the other is royalty and a powerful warrior- but it does, and it does because they are equals and because they grew to respect and admire each other(and we saw it- good use of showing and not telling). Bilbo may not be a prince or of any 'importance'(in how the world tends to view people), but he'd just as loyal, brave, and honest as his friend. It's been a while, as I've said, since I've read the novel, but I was glad that Peter Jackson and his cohorts decided to expand on their friendship, since it adds a whole other dimension to both characters. And it makes the story even more tragic. 

Bilbo also doesn't get knocked out as early as he does in the book, which I think was a good choice, as was the slight change to Bilbo's last scene with his friend, Thorin. In the movie Bilbo wakes up after being rendered unconscious and sees Thorin far away walking by the edge of the cliff, who then collapses. He rushes over and the scene that follows is very close to the book, and it is beautiful and heartbreaking(The eagles are coming....but they are too late...WAAAAH :'( ).

But that's not even the saddest part. For me, it was that Bilbo has such a hard time talking about Thorin after his death. When he's talking to Balin before leaving the dwarves(in a completely beautiful scene where he tells the rest of the company still alive that they are welcome anytime), he can't even get out what Thorin meant to him. Even though on the outside he seems okay, he really isn't. Because he saw a war and witnessed death, and when you see those things you are never the same. 

And when he finally does reach home, enough times has passed that he can finally call Thorin his friend. In fact, the scene when Bilbo comes home to the normality of his old life, and is questioned by an elderly Hobbit, about who this "Thorin Oakenshield" is/was, Bilbo is finally able to say it, that "He was my friend." And while it is heartbreaking and sad, there is some hope since Bilbo will always remember his friend and he will be able to plant that acorn he once showed Thorin, and that acorn will grow into an Oak Tree- just like his friend's namesake. 

And that is beautiful. 

Thorin Oakenshield

"Farewell, Master Burglar. Go back to your books, your fireplace. Plant your trees, watch them grow. If more of us valued home above gold, it would be a merrier world."

Pretty king under the mountain! :)

Thorin may do a lot of villainous things at times in this movie, but through it all I still liked him as a character and a person. I said it before in my review for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey that I immediately liked Thorin, for some reason. There are various reasons as to why I like him, and I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that I identify with him a bit(plus, anyone who can defend themselves only using a tree branch has my instant respect). 

Of course, I will admit, Thorin does do a lot of bad in the beginning of the film, but he does redeem himself and prove that, like he said in the last film, he is "not his grandfather". 

The ending fight scene between Thorin and Azog was rift with great choreography and visually was very stunning and exciting to watch(Thorin, get off the ice!). It was also, of course, very intense, especially the moment when Thorin knows that he has to let himself be stabbed to kill Azog. I knew his death was coming, since I'd read the book, but it still was very sad. 

But Thorin's story teaches us that our past does not define us and that we can redeem ourselves, even when we slip. In fact, like I've heard in other reviews, his death in a way, mirrors Boromir's. 

Kili and Fili 

"Amrâlimê"

                                                dang it Kili, why are you so pretty!? WHY!? 

Okay, now that that's out of the way, let's talk about the two brothers, Kili and Fili. Kili has gotten quite a lot of development in these movies, which I appreciate, since I've always liked his character- he has a cheerful innocence that I find very endearing and is something I wish I could see in more people(since a lot of people seem to be getting more and more cynical). And, I am also glad that they gave him the extra development, because he's one of the characters who does die. And the character development, like I hinted at during my last review, really pays off. Kili's death is very tragic and upsetting. I would have done it a bit differently(Tauriel would still have been there; more on that below), but overall it was very sad to see both young dwarfs die, especially since they were still young(Kili won't be able to keep the promise he made to his mother :( ). Fili's death could have been done a tad better as well, but it was satisfactory and really represents how brutal and quick death in battle can be(so I'm fine with it). I would have liked a bit more Kili and Fili in this movie, of course, but it was still good and worked. 

(and yes, I really like Kili/Tauriel. Sue me, but I do enjoy it, because it just works for me; plus, it's nice to have an OTP get some scenes). 

Tauriel 

 "If this is love, I don't want it. Take it away, please! Why does it hurt so much?" 

Thranduil: Because it was real. 

And Tauriel! Why are you so pretty?! 

Yes, I know she's not in the book, but she fits very well in the films and, in the end, I'm glad they added her. I know a lot of fans won't agree, but as a female fan, it was really nice having a female presence in the film. I like male characters, of course, but having people of the same gender as me on screen is always nice and I wish more films/TV shows would do this(since, it helps you see that you could also be a hero). 

One thing I thought was interesting with Tauriel's character in this movie was that she seemed a lot younger. In the previous movie, she seemed much more adult-like and mature, but here she comes across as very innocent, which makes sense since she's in the big, dangerous world for the first time(and I can definitely relate to that- I am mature and stuff, but I felt very innocent and child-like during my first semester at college). Tauriel's character growth in this movie was very well done and her final scene was exceptionally powerful- she has obviously never experienced much loss and is wracked with grief as she sits beside a dead Kili. In this scene, she comes across as especially young- she doesn't even cradle his head, she just holds his hand to her face, as well as asking Thranduil to take this pain from her. Her king telling her that her love/feelings were real and valid, as well a contrast to his cruel words before, finally seem to break through her grief enough for her to understand that she was blest in getting to experience something that was, indeed, true. In a way, Tauriel has finally grown up and I hope that she did find peace in the end and, while she matured and understood the world, that she still kept her idealism and her heart(I must admit, I was surprised that she didn't die- I was sure she would, considering she wasn't in the book). I don't get why some fans think she was just there as a love interest- because, at least to me, she was so much more.

I did have one problem with her in the film, and that was the fact that she didn't kill Bolg. Her fight was a lot better than I had thought(I was worried she'd just get beaten up), and I loved how she pulled Bolg with her off that cliff. However, instead, she just gets hurt and needs a guy to save her/kill her foe for her :P -_- While the fight between Legolas and Bolg was cool, I would have preferred it had Tauriel do the killing(as a girl, I want to see more female characters take down larger opponents, since it's so common to see a girl get taken down by a villain without putting up much of a fight; oh well, that's what my book is for XD).

The White Council 

Their part did feel a tiny bit out of place in the grand story, but it was still cool to see. Galadriel was especially a highlight with her, you know, BANISHING FREAKING SAURON TO MORDOR! 

 

Thranduil and Legolas 

Thranduil's part in this movie was really interesting and we got a much better understanding of him(instead of being just the jerk Elf King guy), especially as to why he is so reclusive and doesn't want to help the outside world. Also, the mention of his wife(and Legolas's mother) was really nice, especially when he finally spoke to his son about her and told him that "your mother loved you."

Legolas, even though he wasn't in the book, is also a welcome addition. He has some awesome fight scenes and he continues to defy the laws of physics XD. Also, he finally runs out of arrows! XD I liked that the love triangle that people were worried about was hardly even there. To be honest, you could read it as strictly platonic if you wanted(minus a few scenes). Plus, Legolas doesn't pull the whole fake nice guy crap and when he realizes that Tauriel does indeed care for Kili, he respects that, which I appreciated seeing.

Bard 

The Bard, while not as major a figure as he was in the second film(at least, IMO), the Bard is still an integral character and his slaying of the dragon was really cool(as I mentioned above). 

However, I was annoyed at how he was all "the women and children must be kept safe"(I've always hated the whole "women and children" thing, since it seems to infantlize women, which is quite annoying). The children I get, since they're pretty much helpless and do need proteting, but the women? Women aren't helpless, they are grown ups who can fully take care of themselves. However, the women of Lake Town decide that they will go out and fight with the men, which made me very happy! :D Women of Lake Town, I definitely respect you!(unlike those women in Rohan who just huddled away in The Two Towers -_-). Also, loved the scene with Alfrid when he was trying to pretend he was an old lady XD

The rest of the Company 

The rest of the company do get their moments in the film, of course, especially Balin, who is favorite of mine :), as well as Dwalin. While not in the movie as much as they were in the previous two, they still are in the movies and hey, at least they didn't die and got to enjoy their victory(and they BETTER have had tea with Bilbo! Just saying). 

Before I close out, I do want to talk a bit about the ending credits. To my happiness(I'd heard this before viewing the film), they ended it the same way they did "The Return of the King"- with hand drawn pictures of each character by the actor's name. And I have to say, the drawings were gorgeous. I can't wait for them to come out officially so I can save them! :) Plus, the score is so haunting and sad and fitting for the last Middle Earth feature. I will admit, that the ending definitely made me cry a little bit :( It's very sad to be saying goodbye to Middle Earth, but it was definitely worth the trip :)

Thank you, J.R.R. Tolkien, cast, crew, and characters, it was an honor taking this adventure with you.

Overall, a fantastic flick. Go and see it if you haven't yet. You won't regret it. :) :') 

Heroine Tag 

Which heroine would you trade places with?

Siri Tachi! :D Or any Jedi, really. 

Which heroine would you push off a cliff while hoping that there are some jagged rocks at the bottom?

I don't think I hate anyone that much. I mean, I despise Taria and Satine, but I wouldn't kill them- they haven't done anything that warrants that.
Maybe Anastasia Steele?(from that horrid Fifty Shades of Grey)

A heroine you couldn’t care less about? (They’re so bland that they don’t even trigger the hate in you.)

Besides Bella Swan? 

Definitely Tris Prior from Divergent. She's just SO BORING and badly developed. 

A heroine you thought you wouldn’t like but ending up liking, and vice versa?

I didn't think I'd like Piper McLean, since she wasn't very well developed in the earlier books of the "Heroes of Olympus" series, but she really grew on me in "The Blood of Olympus". Also Korra. I didn't really care for her at first(like how I felt about Anakin Skywalker at first), but she really grew on me in seasons 3 and 4 and now I like her a lot! :)

I also thought I'd like Tris, especially at first, but then she just annoyed me to no end. 

A side heroine who is much more interesting than the main heroine?

I find the women of the EU MUCH MUCH more interesting than Ahsoka Tano. Does that count? 

Which heroine would you want as your friend?

Hmmm. 
Siri Tachi, Jaina Solo, Hermione Granger, Annabeth Chase, Eowyn, Tauriel, Katara, Toph, Suki, Buffy Summers, Rose Tyler, Martha Jones, Donna Noble, Clara Oswald, Belle(OUAT), Mulan, Elsa and Anna(OUAT), Sasha Braus, Korra, Asami, Anna Bates, etc :) 

Which heroine do you wish would just CHOOSE between the guys in her little love triangle?

I don't like love triangles, sooo...
I will say, I'm glad the whole romance, love triangle, thingy in Legend of Korra was cleared up(with Korra and Asami ending up together- yes, it's canon, the creators confirmed it) 

A “bad girl” heroine?

Black Widow kind of counts, considering her past, right?

A “good girl” heroine?

The rule following, Hermione Granger(the Brightest Witch of her age). 

Your favorite heroine of them all? (If you can’t choose, pick your top three.)

Siri Tachi 

Jaina Solo

Eowyn

Buffy Summers (The Slayer)

Hermione Granger

Katara 

Toph Bei Fong 

Rose Tyler

Martha Jones

Donna Noble

Tahiri Veila

Satele Shan(and basically all the female Jedi)

Sasha Braus

Mikasa Ackerman

Lin Bei Fong

Annabeth Chase (fanart by Viria)

Tauriel

Belle (OUAT) 

the main character of my book series! XD

As I stated above, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone! :D I hope you have a great rest of your year! :D