Once upon a time, in a faraway land, a young prince lived in a shining castle...

Recently, there have been announcements about Disney releasing a live-action Beauty and the Beast! While the movie won't come out until 2017, we can still delight in the prospect of such an endeavor being underway.

Ma chere Mademoiselle (or Monsieur), it is with deepest pride and greatest pleasure that I welcome you tonight (or today). And now I invite you to relax, let me pull up a chair as the Fangirl Initiative proudly presents--all the latest details on this exciting up-coming project!

The Cast:

While the entire cast hasn't been announced, the biggest roles now have faces and let me tell you, it's something that wasn't there before...

As the above picture shows, Emma Watson has been cast as Belle. I have been a long time fan of Beauty and the Beast and have watched it countless times with my sister (it's her favorite). We both think Emma will portray a wonderful Belle. She's gorgeous, down-to-earth, and strong-willed, all qualities Belle possesses. She also was born in Paris. In addition, her role as Hermione makes for the perfect parallel to book-loving Belle. It couldn't be more perfect, right?

The Beast, or Prince Adam if you prefer, is being portrayed by Dan Stevens. Hailing from England, this bright-eyed monsieur has recently appeared in more well-known roles, such as Downtown Abbey and Night at the Museum. However, we can't forget his role as the charming, down-to-earth Edward Ferras in the 2008 BBC Sense and Sensibility (*sigh*). While the role as Beast might be little bit on the gruff side, I think Dan Stevens will be a fine fit for a portrayal. Recent pictures show he can pull off a little hair.

However, we can't forget the other somewhat-charming man, Gaston himself. Luke Evans is set to play the handsome, conceited villain. And let me tell you: I'm psyched. You've probably seen Luke Evans in The Hobbit Trilogy as Bard the Bowman and possibly even as Vlad in Dracular Untold. Both of these roles make me think he can pull off both handsome and strong "hero" and "villain." He's had his fair share of playing warrior characters as he's appeared in Robin Hood, Clash of the Titans, Immortals, and The Three Musketeers. Can he pull of Gaston? My opinion: yes, yes he can (although I might end up rooting for the villain ???)

Speaking of Gaston, we cannot forget his adorkable (maybe?) sidekick, Le Fou. And nobody would be better to play such a comical character than Josh Gad. Yes, that's right folks Frozen's very own Olaf is going to play the goofy character. I find this casting choice to be absolutely perfect. Josh Gad has the perfect voice to play the part (Need a refresher on Le Fou in the animated? Listen to Gaston's song. I hear Olaf in Le Fou). He's just going to be perfect.

In addition to these cast members, Mrs. Potts and Maurice (Belle's father) have been cast. We have the lovely Emma Thompson as Mrs. Potts. What a gem! She'll do wonderful as Mrs Potts. And Kevin Kline is cast to portray the crazy old Maurice. I'm not as familiar with him, but I think he looks like he could pull of the lovable, somewhat odd father for Emma Watson.

Clearly this isn't the whole cast or every detail of the movie, so I'm excited to hear about more updates soon!

The Music:

Now the cast members aren't the only exciting things happening for the movie. But they've announced that the talented and glorious Alan Menken has been hired to do the music. *flops on the ground* If you don't know who Alan Menken is, listen up! This man has been the music writer, composer, producer, and/or arranger for many of the best Disney soundtracks and scores. He's been involved with the original Beauty and the Beast score, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Hercules, and Tangled. *cries* Did I mention he's won four Oscars for music and been nominated for many others (among other awards)? This movie is going to look gorgeous and sound gorgeous.

And that's not everything. Sources say this isn't just going to be a live-action remake. No, it's going to be a live-action, musical. Yes, that's right. Not only will we have beautiful music and wonderful actors, but we'll hear these said actors singing. Emma Watson singing. Dan Stevens singing. Luke Evans... singing.

Could this remake get any better?

Disney has also reported they plan to use some new awesomesuace, 3D CGI technology to create the film; so basically the magic of Beauty and the Beast will feel all the more closer to our (fangirl) hearts.

I'd say this is one film that will definitely bring the Tale as Old as Time into a new, fresh light. Unfortunately, we have to wait until 2017 to watch this film, but until then you can watch the live-action Cinderella (just released last weekend) and next year, we're getting a live-action Jungle Book with another fantastic cast!

What do you think? Is this cast perfect or do you have someone else better in mind? And what of the other characters that have yet to be cast, any fancasts on who should play them (i.e. Lumiere, Cogsworth, Chip, etc.)?

The second half of The Flash has gone by quickly, and we're nearing the season finale. In the meantime, the show has been on a month hiatus to build up for the final few episodes. But alas, fear not! The Flash returns on the CW this coming Tuesday, March 17th.

In preparation for its return, I am going to recap the last four episodes like I did previously for Arrow. I've only watched each episode one time, so don't chase after me if I get something wrong. In addition, I'll be lightly recapping each episode, spotlighting only the most important aspects.

Episode 11: The Sound and the Fury

Air date: 1.27.15, The CW

Photo from the CW's The Flash photo gallery albums

The episode starts off with a few laughs, as the STAR Labs gang takes a picture with Barry--though Barry is only slightly concerned taking a picture defeats the purpose of a secret superhero identity. But the laughs are shattered when Dr. Wells returns home to receive a phone call from a mysterious voice before the glass windows in his house break. Wells uses his super speed to zip away just in time (of course, he doesn't tell the police that when they and the gang arrive).

Wells knows who that mysterious voice was: his old protege, Hartley Rathaway (Cisco and Caitlin aren't fond of the man either). He's come to have his revenge because 1. he knew turning on the particle accelerator was a bad idea and 2. He's know been affected by the explosion. He can manipulate sound waves, which is a threat to both Wells and The Flash. He is... the Pied Piper! (duh-duh-dun!)

Barry ends up capturing Rathaway. Wells tries to apologize in order to stop Rathaway. And Rathaway uses more than just sonic manipulations but vocal manipulations to cause both Barry and Cisco to waver in their faith for Wells. He claims Wells is hiding a secret. Wells does admit to a secret--but not the big secret. He confesses to the gang that Rathaway told him there would be problems with the particle accelerator but he went ahead and turned it on anyways.

Rathaway escapes (???) and Wells tries to use his super-speed again but collapses from weakness (???). Wells decides to hold a press conference and come clean about the particle accelerator, if nothing but to gain back the trust of his gang. In Rathaway's escape, he stole Barry's body's scans so when he starts attacking the city, he messes with Barry's internal frequency (aka causing Barry's insides to start to explode). Fortunately, Wells to the rescue! He programs a counter frequency to save Barry and stop Rathaway. As they lock Rathaway up in the pipeline thing of STAR Labs, he tells Cisco that he knows what happened to Ronnie and how to help him... for a price (freedom, duh). Fortunately, Cisco is better than that, right?

Episode 12: Crazy For You

Air date: 2.3.15

Photo from the CW's The Flash photo gallery albums

A teleporter named Shawna breaks her boyfriend out of jail, which calls Joe and Barry to the crime scene. Joe arranges for Henry Allen (yes, Barry's father) to be brought by during the investigation so Barry can see him (feeeeeeeels). They take DNA resuide left by our teleporter in order to track them down. Cisco meanwhile is in STAR Labs making fun of Caitlin for not having a life and also talking to Hartley about Ronnie (duh-duh-dun!). They pick up a trace of Shawna and her boyfriend committing a crime: robbing an armored car.

Barry zips over there, plays a "Run, run, as fast you can. You can't catch me I'm a teleporter-woman" game with Shawna, but the criminals escape. Wells decides to figure out the limits of Shawna's abilities, while Barry and Caitlin go out for a few drinks in order to "have a life" (aka find new love). This consists of Caitlin getting drunk and Barry being pulled into a karoke rendition of "Summer Lovin" where our speedster can... SING! (And all the fangirls sighed; another reason to love Grant Gustin). This performance catches the eye of reporter, Linda Parker, who hits it off with Barry (U G H). However, Caitlin returns hung over so Barry takes her home and gets her settled.

Meanwhile, Henry Allen has been doing some detective work in prison to locate Shawna and Clay and the crime boss. There's some fighting, Henry is injured, and Barry gets mad when he hears about it. But they uncover a big heist that's going down. Luckily, Wells has learned that Shawna can only teleport if she can see where she's going, so Barry aims to limit her vision field by taking out all the lights in the vicinity of the heist. Shawna's boyfriend deserts her, and she's captured and sent to STAR Labs.

During all of this, Cisco lets Rathaway out of the cell (Nooooo), and takes him around to figure out what happened to Ronnie. Rathaway tries to escape but Cisco is prepared and has a device that hurts Rathaway. They learn that Ronnie and Professor Stein have combined bodies. Then, Rathaway disarms Cisco and escapes.

Barry visits his dad again, and Henry claims he knows Barry is the Flash. However, Barry denies it; but his father still gives a few words of encouragement that are both touching and heart-wrenching (*cries and runs to go hug my dad*).

In the closing, we see two city workers enter the sewers and get attacked by something... dark and big... something... GRODD (*gorilla screeches*)

Episode 13: Nuclear Man

Air Date: 2.10.15, The CW

Photo from the CW's The Flash photo gallery albums

The now confirmed, combined Ronnie/Stein (aka Firestorm) make an appearance and Wells sends Barry out on the case to track them (he?) down. They start the investigation by tracking down Stein's wife and paying her a visit. She claims a strange man (aka Ronnie) came home, confused and rambling, and she called the police. But Firestorm left before the police arrived. Ever since then, she feels as if she's being watched. They basically decide that it's Ronnie's body but Stein is in control of his mind and actions. The gang decides to plan a stakeout at Stein's house.

Firestorm  shows up. Barry arrives, tries to help, fails, and plants a tracker on him. They track him down, Clarissa assists in helping calm Firestorm down, and they take him back to STAR Labs. After a few tests, they learn that Ronnie's body is trying to eject Stein, which is going to cause a lot of problems like a nuclear reaction (duh-duh-dun!). Wells suggests they render the host body non-functional (aka murder), but the gang refuses and stands up to Wells, who slinks back to his secret compartment. Firestorm leaves to go to the Badlands, so if there is an explosion, it's far from civilization. Wells configures a device thing to stop the nuclear reaction. Barry and Caitlin follow Firestorm to the Badlands. Ronnie gives Caitlin a passionate goodbye kiss, and Stein uses the device, which appears to malfunction. So there's a giant explosive cloud and Barry, holding Caitlin, zooms out of it just in time. General Eiling learns of the explosion and appears interested in tracking down Firestorm.

Meanwhile, Joe enlists Cisco's help. They decide to reinvestigate the death of Nora Allen (yes, Barry's mother). They return to the crime scene--Barry's childhood house--and look around for anything else that could have been evidence. There happens to be a mirror that used to be in the Allen home that is still present in the house. They look it over, find a few particles and with super cool technology re-create an image of that evening. The image reveals two people in the room with Nora: the Man in the Yellow Suit (Curious George anybody?) and a red blur (that sounds familiar) along with forgotten blood splatters. Cisco takes a sample of the blood and runs a few tests: it's Barry's blood. But not child Barry: Adult Barry's blood. Adult Barry was there the night his mother was murdered, which means... TIME TRAVEL (yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!)

In other news, the episode revealed things moving fast between Barry and Linda. They have one and a half dates, but the second (if you can call making out on a couch as a date) is interrupted for Barry to assist with Firestorm. This leaves Linda not happy (boo hiss). Barry returns to her workplace to win her back; Linda is solid in that she doesn't have time for a pointless relationship. After talking to Iris, Linda decides to end things permanently with Barry, but he wins her back with a very hot pepper (???).

Episode 14: Fallout

Air date: 2.17.15

Photo from the CW's The Flash photo gallery albums

So Firestorm just exploded and Barry managed to get Caitlin out of the way of the "fallout" just in time. However, Firestorm survived the blast (no surprise there) and Ronnie and Stein are back in their regular bodies (how that even works, I don't want to know). Everything is good, except they each share a few similar traits from the other. And that General Eiling is now hunting the down (duh-duh-dun!).

Meanwhile, Joe brings Barry to the house where his mom died and reveals the evidence that Adult Barry was there that night. Wells (with the help of Cisco's pop culture references) explain the possibilities of time-travel, but they don't really know a whole lot. So Barry pays a visit to Professor Stein--who apparently is a time-travel theory fantatic (convenient, eh?). While there, Stein suddenly stumbles in pain, but he's not injured in any way. It's actually Ronnie. It's revealed the two have a linked connection still as a result of Firestorm, and Ronnie is currently being assaulted by General Eiling (duh-duh-dun!). Barry arrives to the rescue, but Eiling has a special device that attaches to kinect energy and traps Barry. Luckily Caitlin arrives with a van, and the three are able to escape.

After getting the device from Barry's skin (it's like little nails all over his body), they decide to keep Ronnie and Stein under protection from Eiling until they can figure something else out. Ronnie goes with Barry to Joe's house, while Stein stays with Wells. But Wells isn't so trustworthy (or maybe he's been manipulated) and he's made a deal with Eiling and he hands Stein over (duh-duh-dun!). Eiling takes Stein to a military base and begins to torture him via electrocution (which apparently, he also did to a gorilla named... GRODD). Using Ronnie and Stein's linked ability, the gang figures out where Stein is being held (using glass to carve into skin as well as morse code). Barry (and Ronnie) arrives, saves Eiling, but gets hit with a bad bomb of phosphorous. Stein and Ronnie are forced to combine once again in order to escape, but no harm is done since they willingly did it.

However, not all is good in the end. Ronnie and Stein decide they have to leave Central City in order to protect those they love from Eiling and also understand the capabilities of Firestorm. The end scene reveals the Man in the Yellow Suit (aka Wells) taking Eiling to the sewers (duh-duh-dun!). Grodd--in all his dark and monstrous glory--appears and telepathically communicates with Eiling before snatching him away. (And now I want to make so many Curious George/monkey jokes).

Whew!! That was a lot of words. Now that we've recapped the latest of The Flash, what's in store for the rest of Season 1? Well, let me tell you: a lot. The CW released a Villian promo that highlights the villains appearing in the next couple episodes. It looks like we're in for one exciting ride. :)

Waaaaait, we're getting more meta-humans, Captain Cold (again), AND MARK HAMILL AS THE TRICKSTER?! (Fun fact: Mark Hamil played the Trickster in the 90s Flash TV show, which are the photos in the trailer of him "twenty years ago" literally). I'm super pumped.

Also if you watch the very beginning, I think Barry is going to reveal himself as the Flash to somebody important (I've got bets its Iris).

And we can't, of course, forget the fact that BARRY IS GOING TO TIME TRAVEL. *runs around house screaming*

This. Will. Be. So. Epic.

Question to be answered:

1. Where's Linda been (and will Barry be able to maintain a relationship while being a superhero)?
2. What about Gorilla Grodd? Will he even face off with Barry this season or are they keeping him for a another season?
3. TRICKSTER (okay that's not a question)
4. Who is Barry telling his secret identity to and WHY?
5. Who's that guy in blue talking about "being amazed" at the beginning of the promo?
6. What about DR. WELLS killing Barry's mother?

-Jaime

On February 27th, 2015, Leonard Nimoy passed away at the age of 83. He will be greatly missed.

Andrea Wiesner

The world lost a great person this past week. I never got to meet or know him personally, but I know he had a lasting impact... on my dad, me, and millions of others. Prayers for those that did know him!

"Live long and prosper. Peace and long life." It seems it could be said that that was true for the man who made those words famous... 83 years, wow! Leonard Nimoy, you will be missed. Thanks for the memories!

Jaime Heller

Despite the numerous roles he’s played over the last sixty years, Leonard Nimoy has been and always shall be my Spock. I don’t want to diminish his talent in any way by saying this, but Spock was the first role I saw him in and the last role I saw him in. And I’ve loved every moment of his character. From the Live Long and Prosper hand signal to the stoic dialogue, he was truly amazing at playing the “pointy-eared hobgoblin” (Bones’ words, not mine).

Star Trek has been something that kind of changed my life in a way only a handful of over fandoms have. For me, it was the “next step” beyond Star Wars to introduce me to my love for science fiction and fantasy. I used to “watch” the show with my dad, which became something much more special than “just another TV show” (we have all three seasons of the original series on DVD). But I’ll admit I didn’t really care much until the 2009 reboot movie came out.

And then I was in love and still am.

Leonard Nimoy starred in that as well—as the pivotal point of the story. And I loved J.J. Abrams and the rest of the crew for including him. Because it wasn’t just a reboot now. It was Star Trek in an alternate timeline. How cool was that?

In addition, Leonard Nimoy had that unique voice that could be recognized anywhere. From Atlantis to Transformers and various other voice acting roles in between I enjoyed watching movies that included his talent beyond just acting. I hadn’t even remembered how influential he had been in other things over the years.


But my favorite thing he has done besides Spock is the famous, hilarious, and downright perfect rendition of “The Ballad of Bilbo Baggins.” It’s definitely worth watching (and learning). And it appeared in the 2013 STID car commercial, “The Challenge,” that featured both Leonard Nimoy and Zachary Quinto (aka both Spocks) in a race to get to the golf country club. Also a hilarious moment that I will forever love.

Following Leonard Nimoy on twitter was also one of the best social media decisions of my life. Because not only was I following an 80+ year old man on twitter, but the advice and encouragement he spread across the web with a few typed tweets was wonderful. He “adopted” anybody who needed a grandpa as his grandchildren (“honoraries”), he encouraged people to stop smoking or not start at all, and he always ended his tweets with the #LLAP (Live Long and Prosper). He was truly an inspiration.

It was a sad day to hear he had died—especially since for me, it came quite unexpected. I immediately messaged my sister about it and we talked about how sad it was (we're both trekkies and she wrote a song for me about Star Trek once). It saddened me further when I realized next year would have been the 50th anniversary of Star Trek and he didn’t make it to that. The world has lost a bright star and it will be long and hard for Leonard Nimoy to be forgotten. He will always be Spock to me and he will always live long and prosper in the hearts of Trekkies everywhere.

Mirriam Neal

Looking back through my life, there are many threads that wind themselves back through every year as far as I can remember. Leonard Nimoy is one of these threads; or, more specifically, Mr. Spock and Star Trek. I grew up with my parents telling tales of Star Trek, tossing around quotes like ‘He’s dead, Jim’ or ‘There be whales here!’ or ‘I feel…fine.’ When I was old enough to watch them, I drank them in and immediately fell in love with Spock; throughout the whole Original Series, he was my favorite. His struggle to maintain his Vulcan dignity while grappling with his human half was something of constant interest.

Several years ago, a friend gave me a dozen vintage Star Trek books. One of them was full of behind-the-scenes stories, anecdotes and tales from the cast and crew. Leonard and William had an ongoing rivalry of the best kind – who could make the other laugh, who could shock the other most. Leonard would put William’s makeup in the fridge so it was freezing the next day, William would crack a joke on set in an attempt to break Leonard up during filming. You can find bloopers from the Original series on Youtube, and watching Leonard is always the best part. 

While he played a stoic Vulcan, Leonard was always the first to smile or laugh, the first to see the joke in any situation. He was a rare person, someone who took his craft seriously, who showed a sense of humor and a sense of solemnity. When I read the news of his death, I could only sit in shock while the reality of it seeped into my bones, and then I cried. It was surreal, a part of my life that would not stretch into my future. 

Leonard Nimoy meant a lot to me. He will always be part of my past, and when I tell my own children tales of Star Trek, I’ll tell them of Spock most of all; of the most human Vulcan in the universe. Thank you for everything, Leonard Nimoy. Live long and prosper.

Sky Destrian

Star Trek in my family is practically genetic. Just like your hair and eye color, Star Trek gets passed down throughout the generations. While the concept of traveling through space is certainly interesting, it's the heart of the show that I'm after: the people in it. The various Star Trek characters have meant so much to me over the years. So when I found out about the death of Leonard Nimoy, I cried.

I had already heard about the deaths of DeForest Kelley and James Doohan, but those were before I was born. This was real and happening right in front of me. It was my first experience parting with someone from the Star Trek universe, and someone who was extremely important to me at that.

I never met Mr. Nimoy, obviously. And even when it comes to Star Trek, I know the most about Star Trek: The Next Generation, not The Original Series. But, like many of my generation, one of my first exposures to the Original Series was through the 2009 reboot. As Jaime said, Leonard Nimoy starred in that, and he was fantastic. That was only the beginning.

My dad took me through the original Star Trek movies after that. We started with Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, in which there's a moment that has every Star Trek fan crying at the end. That scene, and The Wrath of Khan, are both incredibly close to my heart. We then watched Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, which brought Spock to life in the most glorious of ways. 

But, I have to say, my favorite portrayal of Spock is in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. Spock tries to fit into the hip and trendy world of Los Angeles, and due to this, he interjects swear words into his speech like everyone else. Hearing a Vulcan use profanity is one of the funniest things I've seen. It's so endearing, in a way, and quite frankly, hilarious. My favorite line is, "They are not the hell your whales!"

Though Spock was a logical being, set on the pursuit of the mind, I would argue that Spock has taught me--and all of us--how to feel. He is arguably one of the most sensible, real characters in Star Trek. While he claimed to be logical, underneath it all Spock was one of the most human characters of all.

As James Kirk said in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, "Of all the souls I have encountered in my travels, his was the most... human." 

But I'd be amiss not to mention that Leonard Nimoy's life went far beyond his role as Spock. Nimoy was a writer, a director, a photographer, and a musician. He wrote two autobiographies, titled I Am Not Spock and I Am Spock, respectively. The titles (and content) of these autobiographies reflect the nuanced relationship Nimoy had with Spock. While it appears Nimoy grew to appreciate Spock later in life, he certainly felt the difficulties of being so closely associated with the character.

That's why I feel it's important to note Nimoy's other achievements. He had a great love for photography. He did several photo series focused  In 2007, he did a particularly meaningful photo series called "The Full Body Project," centered around celebrating fuller body-types. (There's a really awesome article about it, here.) His photography is also in several museums. 

Nimoy also went behind the camera; he directed several Star Trek movies, starting with Star Trek III. He was also a poet, and shared one last poem with us before he died.

While Leonard Nimoy is not Spock, through his roles in Star Trek over the years, he has impacted many people, the nerd community in particular. As Jaime mentioned before, Nimoy offered himself as an adoptive grandfather to anyone who wanted it. That's the kind of person he was to us: a fatherly figure, always there for us to trailblaze the way to our next adventure. He was the helmsman of what now has become a flourishing community of nerds. In many ways, he has changed the world of story and fandom forever. We are better people because of his existence, and I am thankful that he chose to share so much with us. 

The world lost someone incredible last Friday. However, I firmly believe his legacy will live on in many ways. It will live on every time we continue to look at the world with wonder and excitement, and metaphorically explore the stars (whatever that looks like for us). Most importantly, it will live on every time we improve our world.

"It's all about trying to make the world and the universe a better place. I'm proud to be connected with it. I think we need that in our lives. We need ethical, heroic people trying to do the right thing to help others and to improve life on this planet and in the universe." -- Leonard Nimoy

I can say that without a doubt, Leonard Nimoy has made the universe a better place. Because of him, I am inspired to do the same.

Thank you for your impact on the world and us, Mr. Nimoy. We have been, and always shall be, your fans. LLAP.

In tribute: Leonard Nimoy #Spock pic.twitter.com/x7Y06Y5Fg2
— Andy Marlette (@AndyMarlette) February 27, 2015

Artwork by Andy Marlette.

Please feel free to post your tribute to Leonard Nimoy in the comments.

The latest half of season 3 of Arrow has been one whirlwind of awesome to the next. Oliver’s back from the dead, Laurel is officially Black Canary, and Ray Palmer is only a few steps away from perfecting his A.T.O.M. suit. Can it get any crazier? Sure!

In the fashion of how Sarah Munson recapped most of theAgent Carter episodes, I’m going to recap the latest three Arrow episodes to prepare for the show’s second return this season (it’s currently on a few weeks break and will return March 18th). As Sarah stated: I’ve only seen each episode once, so don’t call your local city vigilante to tell me “I’ve failed this fandom.” And I’ll be lightly recapping each—spotlighting the most important parts.

Episode 13: Canaries

Air date: 2.11.15, The CW

photo from Arrow's Official Facebook page

Oliver has just returned to Star(ling?) City and has learned about Laurel taking up the mantle of Black Canary. He’s not happy. Diggle and the other team members support Laurel since she was around to help the city during Oliver’s absence.

Malcolm Meryln tells Oliver he thinks the only way to truly defeat Ra’s Al Guld is for Thea to join them in training—that way they can work together to take down the ancient master. Oliver knows this must mean he has to tell Thea about his work as the Hood/Arrow (still don’t know what they call him now). Her initial reaction is wonderstruck. She’s amazed that her brother had been the one to help so many people out.

However, at the same time, Zytle—known as Vertigo and the man behind the hallucination-inducing drug—escapes from prison and begins to set up his work once again. Laurel as Black Canary decides to take him on—only to get affected by the drug. When the hallucinations start, she sees Sara in full Canary gear taunting her. She fails and is only saved when Arrow and Arsenal (Roy for anybody wondering) arrive. Zytle escapes.

Photo from the CW'S Arrow photo gallery albums

After Laurel is tended to and the drug wears off, she faces her fear by talking to Felicity. She fears she cannot live up to her sister’s legacy, but Felicity encourages her to find another reason for being Black Canary. Sara had more than one reason to wear a mask; Laurel should find a deeper reason for doing so as well. (Yay for Felicity! Yay for Woman Talk! Yay for strong female relationships in a TV show!)

Thea and her DJ, Chase, has an intimate moment (aka they sleep together. Come on, Thea!), but right after, Thea realizes he aims to drug her. She fights him off, but Chase is a better fighter than she anticipated. Roy—Arsenal—breaks down the door to come to her rescue, but it isn’t until Merlyn arrives that Chase is pinned down. But the two-timer takes poison and dies before they can question him. (well, that escalated quickly)

Photo from the CW'S Arrow photo gallery albums

Finally, Oliver and Laurel narrow down where Zytle has retreated to. They release hostages he has taken, but Laurel is infected with Vertigo once more. She fights against the hallucinations of her sister and wins by beating Zytle senselessly. After finding approval with Oliver, Laurel tells her father about Sara’s death.

In the flashbacks, more happens between Oliver, Maseo, and Amanda Waller. Oliver tries to contact his family, but his caught and questioned by ARGUS about Maseo’s location. After a lot of torture and threats against his sister, Oliver reveals the location, only to find Maseo lied in case. However, Maseo is caught and Waller sends Oliver and Maseo to hunt down China White… In Starling City. (duh-duh-DUN!)

Episode 14: The Return

Air date: 2.18.15, The CW

Photo from the CW'S Arrow photo gallery albums

As part of their training, Malcolm Merlyn demands Oliver and Thea face one of Oliver’s biggest fears: the Island (Lian Yu). So the two head to the island, only to find out that a prisoner on the island (via ARGUS) has escaped. It’s none other than: Slade Wilson (You remember: the deep voiced, scruffy-looking, terrible man that has a death wish against Oliver and killed his mother as well as kidnapped Felicity. Aka Deathstroke. Yeah, that guy.)

Once Oliver learns of Slade’s escape, he immediately goes into protective mode over Thea. But they are captured by Slade and end up in Slade’s empty prison cell. After a lot of discussing and fiddling, they find a way to escape.

Eventually, Oliver reveals to Thea that she killed Sara—by Merlyn’s crafted plan. Slade returns and the three fight it out. Thea ends up with a gun pointed at Slade and debates about pulling the trigger. Slade taunts her and Oliver tries to convince her this is not the way to get justice for their mother’s death. The scene goes black and there’s a single gunshot.

Photo from the CW'S Arrow photo gallery albums

However, Thea does not kill Slade. She only shoots him to wound him so they can return him to the locked prison cell. Thinking they have completed their mission, Thea and Oliver return home.

Merlyn arrives to talk—and Thea confronts him about Sara’s death. She announces she will do what she must to fight Ra’s but she will never consider herself Merlyn’s daughter again.

In the flashback, Oliver returns—undercover—to Starling City with Maseo. They track down China White, who is selling half of the Alpha/Omega drug to the highest bidder. In the meantime, Oliver checks in on his family and friends—especially Thea. She’s buying drugs and attending adult parties. Tommy Merlyn (Oliver’s best friend who died at the end of season one) and Laurel make appearances in the flashback—much to Oliver’s pain. After Thea buys more drugs, Oliver follows the drug dealer and demands he stop contacting her. The drug dealer realizes he’s Oliver Queen—who is supposed to be dead—and Oliver kills him. Maseo finds Oliver and they complete their mission with China White.

At the end of the flashback, Oliver finds a video from his father that explains the list of names in the book he gave him and encourages Oliver to save his city.

Episode 15: Nanda Parbat

Air date: 2.25.15, The CW

Photo from the CW'S Arrow photo gallery albums

Nyssa (Ra’s Al Guld’s daughter) learns that Oliver is alive and demands Ra’s do something about it; instead, he simply tells her Oliver is not Sara’s killer. But Nyssa still demands payment in death for Oliver’s combat against Ra’s.

Thea confesses to Laurel that she murdered Sara. Laurel insists Thea had no control over the situation and conveniently doesn’t blame her. Instead, the two make plans to hand Malcom Merlyn over to Ra’s and Nyssa. When Oliver finds out, he is furious (again) at both of them. They need Merlyn to defeat Ra’s. In addition, he is convinced Thea will live to regret sending her father to his death—guilt she will never overcome (and he would know since he still feels overwhelming guilt about his own parents’ deaths).

Oliver chases after Nyssa and Merlyn—only to be distracted by Nyssa. Merlyn is taken away from the League of Assassins but Oliver defeats Nyssa and takes her hostage. He learns of Merlyn’s location—Nanda Parbat—from Nyssa and is determined to rescue Merlyn from Ra’s clutches. Diggle joins him on this quest.

Photo from the CW'S Arrow photo gallery albums

Meanwhile, Felicity visits the MIA Ray Palmer (yeah, I was starting to wonder why he didn’t appear in previous episodes. Looks like it wasn’t just a random mistake). He’s been hiding out in his lab trying to perfect his A.T.O.M. suit. She hacks his computer database and changes his password in order to have leverage to get him to eat a proper meal, take a shower (and shave), and get adequate sleep. He agrees.

Oliver and Diggle arrive at Nanda Parbat and find Merlyn held over a death trap. He tries to warn them of this being a setup but Oliver and Diggle are captured before they can get out. While in chains, Oliver comes clean to Diggle that he wanted to release Merlyn not only for Thea’s sake but his own. He didn’t like that Ra’s beat him.

Photo from the CW'S Arrow photo gallery albums

Back in Starling City, Thea is remorseful over the thought of her killing Sara. Roy tries to comfort her by telling her about the police officer he killed while under the influence of Mirakuru. Thea then visits the caged Nyssa in the Arrow cave (bunker? Hideout?) and reveals to her that she was Sara’s killer. She proceeds to unlock Nyssa’s prison cell and hand her a sword, telling her to get revenge on Sara’s killer.

After Ray Palmer showers, naps, and eats a hearty meal, he and Felicity end up in bed together (come, ON! Whyyy?) But since he did what she asked, Felicity has given him the password. And Ray slips out of bed while Felicity sleeps and finishes his work on the A.T.O.M suit. He goes for a test flight.

(via tumblr) 

Ra’s confronts Oliver and Diggle and Oliver pleads for Diggle’s life. But Ra’s doesn’t want to kill Oliver; he wants Oliver to take over as leader of the League of Assassins. He want Oliver to be the next “Ra’s Al Guld.”

End episode.

Whaaat? 

My reaction precisely. If anything about this season is true, it’s that one plot twist after another has been thrown at me. I was freaking out when Sara was killed, when Ray Palmer arrived, when Oliver teamed up with Barry Allen, and when Oliver was stabbed and kicked off a cliff. I was screaming with joy when Laurel became Black Canary, when Oliver came back to life, and when Oliver finally revealed the truth to Thea. And now this? Leader of the League of Assassins?

What will Oliver choose (and does he really have a choice)?

Arrow returns March 18^th. Until then, we can only eagerly await for Oliver’s response and the rest of Season 3 of Arrow.

Also there’s a possibility the CW might be starting a spinoff superhero TV show to crossover with both Arrow and the Flash. It’ll take side heroes and villains—such as Ray Palmer, Sara Lance, Firestorm, and Captain Cold—and create all new story lines with them. They’ve also hinted at introducing new heroes that have never been seen on (live-action?) TV before! Check out more here. 

-Jaime

Some of the best romantic pairings have come from literature. As fangirls, the written word has often been a refuge for us, and reading about our favorite characters finding love can be a beautiful experience. In our third collab of the month, we share a few of our favorites.

(If you see a blank space, it's probably a spoiler. Highlight it to read.)

Izzy Stevenson

Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks

From the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

Lupin (left) and Tonks (right). Illustration by Mary GrandPre.

I’ve always been a fan of characters who you would never expect to be a couple, but at the same time feel perfectly matched. When I first started shipping Lupin and Tonks at the start of Order of the Phoenix, I expected my OTP to be considered a crack ship. He was older, calm, and shy; she was youthful, outgoing, and rebellious. But I couldn’t help it. Something about it just felt right. You can imagine my surprise when the author revealed she also apparently felt they belonged together. Tonks and Lupin may have had some rocky patches in their relationship, to say the least; but to me, they’ll always be my miracle ship that became canon against all odds.

Marianne Dashwood and Colonel Brandon 

From Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

Illustration of Col. Brandon visiting Marianne by C.E. Brock.

At the start of Sense and Sensibility, you would never think of pairing Marianne and Colonel Brandon. They young woman is frivolous and highly emotional, with her head in the clouds, and doesn’t think too highly of the calm and somber older man. Colonel Brandon on the other hand has fallen deeply in love with Marianne, though his dream of earning her heart seems hopeless. But as time goes on, and Brandon reveals more of his inner character, we see a depth of emotion inside of him that only Marianne can match. 

Sophie and Howl

From Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

The cover of the audio book for Howl’s Moving Castle

Sophie and Howl are, at the same time, the most lovable and most incorrigible people. Howl is independent, chaotic; and despite secretly being brave and kind, he has set himself up as a coward and a dangerous villain. Sophie is structured, bossy, clumsy, and refuses to stop interfering in Howl’s life even when her help consistently results in disaster. Needless to say, the two can’t stand each other or get enough of each other. Normally I’m not a huge fan of love/hate relationships, but it just works so well with them. Oh, and Sophie is also cursed to look like an old woman and needs Howl’s help to turn back into her normal self. As you can imagine, the resulting tale is both hilarious and endearing.

Jaime Heller

Ah, so many choices. Narrowing down all the possibilities to two or three is a lot harder than it looks!

Here are my recent favorites that just won’t leave my heart alone:

Luca and Lia from the River of Time Series (Lisa T. Bergren): These two. Oh my heart. I might be completely biased because Luca swept me off his feet as he swept Lia off her feet. What a heartthrob. But I feel that these two crazy kids balance each other and complement each other. Luca can make her laugh; and she stuns him with every action she makes. Talk about swoon-worthy.

art by lostie815

Cress and Throne from the Lunar Chronicles (Marissa Meyer): As much as I adore the other couples in the Lunar Chronicles (Scarlet and Wolf are a close second), my heart skips with joy when I think about Cress and Captain Carswell Throne. Cress is adorable with her hugecrush and fangirling over him; and Thorne is just the type of sly, charming man to make anybody happy. While I’m not sure how they’ll romance story will end up, my fingers are crossed that they do end up together. Because deep down—past his snarky scoundrel-ness—I think Thorne cares about Cress (or maybe that’s me hoping he cares for her).

Special BROTP mentions: Legolas and Gimli (obviously from Lord of the Rings), Liesel and Max (from The Book Thief), Lucy Pevensie and Mr. Tumnus (obviously from The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe).

Mirriam Neal

For some reasons, it’s harder for me to have a book OTP than it is to have an OTP from a TV show or  even a book-to-movie series. When I DO have a book OTP, it tends to be pretty unpopular (and sometimes blatantly illogical but WHO CARES, they have CHEMISTRY). So I hunkered down and came up with a proper list of the OTPs that wrecked my life.

art by Loki-Ellahell

Katniss Everdeen and Finnick Odair (The Hunger Games)

I know. I know. Everyone adores Finnick/Annie and Katniss/Peeta or Katniss/Gale. And I’ll admit, Finnick/Annie are beautiful and I love that pairing – but honestly, this is one of those ‘yeah, I know it doesn’t happen and yean, I know there’s no reason for me to ship this except I DO, DAGNABBIT’ OTPs. They’re both tributes and both emotionally damaged, suffering from PTSD and the loss of loved ones. They’re both emotionally needy even though they try to act as if they aren’t. They’re both selfless and have courage and skill in spades. They have beautiful chemistry (especially in the movies)…and so Katniss and Finnick (Kinnick? Finniss?) remain a sad, doomed, beautiful OTP close to my heart.

Gwindor and Finduilas (The Silmarillion)

He loves her. She doesn’t love him. He dies. I still can’t talk about it.

Rica Wiersema

(Spoilers present in white text: highlight to read.)

1. Ella of Frell and Prince Charmont of Kyrria

Book: Ella Enchanted

     Despite the horrendous mess of a movie that Miramax tried to create in 2004, this book was still one of my favorite fantasy reads growing up because it thoroughly fleshed out the originally-shallow legend of Cinderella (which I normally dislike, I might add. I would love to go into detail about why the movie Ever After is the best film adaptation of the Cinderella myth, but this is about book OTPs, so that's a tale for another time).

     Not only did Ella Enchanted allow the romance between Ella and Charming to start early and grow naturally, but it also included a phenomenal plot twist by placing Ella under an spell/curse of obedience to any and all commands. The breaking of the curse is one of the most romantic and beautiful moments of fairytale magic I’ve ever read… so of course, the movie horrifically changed it.

     In the book, Charmont eventually gets down on one knee and, unaware of the curse, says simply, “Marry me, Ella.” Though he didn’t mean it to be, it was an order… and one that Ella did want to follow. But she knew that if any of his enemies were ever to find out about the curse, they could force her to put him and the kingdom in danger — perhaps even murder Charmont. Because of this, she knew that she couldn't marry her true love and childhood friend at any cost, so she stood rooted to the spot and was put through horrific pain for trying to resist the spell… but at last she was able to put her foot down and shout, “NO! I WILL NOT MARRY YOU!”

With the spell broken, she’s at last able to run around the house, cheering and yelling over and over, “I won’t marry you!” to the confusion of many, many people… but of course, now that the curse is no longer a threat to Charmon’t safety, she’s free to marry him and live happily forever afterwards.

     The breaking of the curse in the book is such a phenomenal portrayal of a selfless love that so many people overlook in romance… and it’s so much better than the film adaptation. But it’s hard to understand unless you read for yourself.

2. Podo Helmer and Gwendolyn Igiby

Book[s]: The Monster In the Hollows, Book III of The Wingfeather Saga

     Frankly, where do I begin with these two? Half of their story wouldn’t even make sense without having read the entire series, and the other half of their story is practically wrought with major spoilers. Their entire romance is told as a flashback, in the third book of a four-book saga. But I’ll do my best:

     Podo Helmer was a largely self-made man who ran away from home to grow up as a thief in the East Bend of Skree. He spent much of his adult life as a peg-legged pirate of Symia, doing many things that he would eventually come to regret in his later years.

     One day when he came to the port city of Ban Rona, he saw a most beautiful woman and left the sea forever… but their story isn’t near as simple as that.

As it turns out, that beautiful woman had a pretty ugly personality, and during their courtship he fell in love with her gentle, homely housemaid Gwendolyn instead. However, to prove his love for Gwendolyn, he had to take a historic beating from the very closed-off, rough-and-tumble inhabitants of the Green Hollows.

     But in the end, Podo earned Gwendolyn’s hand. The wild pirate was slowly tamed by the plain young lady from Ban Rona, and she introduced him to a world of honor and selfless love for family that he hadn’t known growing up. Also, their daughter went on to marry the High King of Anneria.

     But then Gwendolyn was lost to battle when the great nameless evil, Gnag the Nameless, invaded from the east and attempted to destroy every kingdom in his path. Podo then became the central protector of his three grandchildren… particularly his pint-sized granddaughter Leeli, who sang like a songbird and had a lame leg just like him. She and her mother were the only pieces of Gwendolyn that he had left.

     Podo went on to guide his family through battles and betrayals as a wild-but-wizened old man, fighting to his last breath to keep his family safe… all because of the love that one woman taught him about all those years ago.

Sarah Munson

My truest OTP is me with a book. Yup. That right there is true love. Within the pages of countless novels, though, I’ve found so many couples to fall in love with. I could probably write my own book filled with my favorite fictional pairs, and all the reasons I ship them.

When I got Agent Sky’s email saying we were doing a collaborative post on book OTP’s, I was giddy, and also a little overwhelmed. There are so many good books, with so many stellar couples! How could I choose? I have at last narrowed my choices down to a couple of couples. (Which is my ridiculous way of saying I’ve selected two couples to talk about.)

The first is one from my favorite book series, the River of Time by Lisa T. Bergren. If you read my Valentine’s Day link-up post, you know where this is going. Yes, I am once again talking about Lia and Luca. I really tried to stop myself from picking them again, but what can I say? Luca and Lia are right at the top of my OTP scale. They instantly have a spark, but they know how to be friends first. They’re at ease with one another, and spend many scenes teasing and bantering. When Lia and Luca are together, laughter is often present. Yet they know how and when to be serious, and their mutual understanding is perhaps more attractive than their shared sense of humor. Each deeply trusts and respects the other; even when they disagree or fight, they don’t attack the other person’s weaknesses. I love that no matter what they face, these two are more than romantic partners; they are an enduring team. Also, when I was struggling to come up with a “celebrity” couple name for Lia and Luca for the link-up, Jaime came to my rescue and christened the pair Evangeluca. I think it’s perfect, just as Luca and Lia are for one another.

My second couple is more famous, being from one of the best-selling series of all time. I fully ship Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley. I was cheering for Ginny from the moment she arrived at Hogwarts, though I was glad she and Harry don’t become romantically involved until the latter part of the series. Both have very strong, somewhat stubborn personalities. They’re fighters, brave even when they don’t want to be, and deeply devoted. Their connection to one another is far stronger than simple romance. They’re united in their values, experiences, and even some struggles. Harry and Ginny first get to know one another without the pressure of a relationship, so when they do eventually start going together, each already understands the other’s strengths and weaknesses. They look out for one another, making sacrifices and hard choices, even giving up their budding love for a time. Ginny and Harry do not have a smooth road, but overcoming every obstacle ultimately brings them closer together. And despite all the dark times, they still have fun together and know how to cheer one another up. Theirs is a love that grows gradually, continues steadfastly, and lasts eternally.

Sky Destrian

While I tend to ship people more in movies or TV shows, there are a couple book couples that have stolen my heart. 

1. Augustus Waters & Hazel Grace Lancaster

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Move over, Romeo and Juliet. This is the heartbreaking OTPs to end all OTPs. It really hit me how much I shipped them when I watched the movie. The way they connect and become deeper friends, then fall in love, is so beautiful. 

I related a lot to Hazel Grace--her quietness, her hesitancy to fall in love. Augustus is one of the sweetest boys. The way he cares for Hazel, even though she resists at first, is so beautiful. He reads Hazel Grace's favorite book and falls just as in love with it as she is, then takes her to Amsterdam so that they can find out the true ending.

If you are somehow unspoiled by the ending of this book and haven't read it yet, I highly recommend it. Then go watch the movie. There will be tears.

2. Sam & Grace

The Shiver Trilogy by Maggie Stiefvater

(Heads up, I haven't read Linger and Forever yet.)

I read Shiver last month and fell head over heels in love. With the prose, yes, but also the main couple, Sam and Grace.

These two complete each other. Sam is an a sensitive, artistic boy, and Grace is pragmatic, good with numbers and figures. It shouldn't work, but it really does. Their slow descent into love is one of the most beautiful things I've read in a long time, and when they finally admitted to each other that they loved each other, my shipper's heart was completely happy. I look forward to reading the sequels. You'll be hearing more from me about it, I'm sure.

What are your book OTPs? Tell us below in the comments!

The Fangirl Experience is a monthly column suggested by Jaime Heller, featuring contributions from both our staff and our readers. Everybody has those moments when being a fangirl feels like the world has become perfectly balanced. It's those moments when you feel a stir in your heart that maybe you've made the right decision in falling down the fandom vortex. When, in the words of my good "friend" Zachary Levi, your "unbridled passion for something, or things, defines who they are as a person without fear of other people's judgment." It's that moment you want to share with the whole world, scream to the rooftops, about what happened. Maybe it's a small moment, maybe it's a big one. But every fangirl has one--or will have one--and we would like to share ours with you.

Because our Initiative would be nothing without the Experience. 

By Jaime Heller

The first time I heard about Owl City was when “Fireflies” became a chart topping hit. Everybody knew it; everybody was singing it. It peaked my interest, but I wasn’t convinced it was “anything special.” Until my sister bought his CD, Ocean Eyes. She’d listen to it and so would I.

And I was enchanted.

It wasn’t “Fireflies” that swept me away into a whimsical world of daydreaming and song. Yeah, it was one of the songs that contributed and to this day I’ll sing it loudly while listening to it as I drive down the road. But it was almost everything else by Owl City that caught my attention and tripped me head over heels.

I memorized all of Ocean Eyes, becoming a bigger fan than my sister (though she definitely shares in the love for Adam Young and his talent). I eagerly anticipated new music, listened to old music, and become a little bit of an obsessive fangirl. I hadn’t known I loved music that much.

All Things Bright and Beautiful arrived and I didn’t think I could fall any more in love with Adam Young; but I did. In fact, I cherished ATBAB more than I ever did OE. Every song spoke to me, made me feel like dreaming, and jumpstarted my imagination. From “reality is a lovely place” to a song about the “saving grace of the galaxies” and even to the half-rap, half-singing of “Alligator Sky” I was smitten. Owl City easily became my favorite musical artist.

Adam Young released a CD for his old band, Sky Sailing, with old songs. These too swept me away and I sat in the back of my high school math class writing lyrics on the side of my paper and daydreaming about a story based on the songs (Yes, I know, crazy. But hey, I did it. And it’s become something special to me that I keep close to my heart).

But listening to his music, poring over his lyrics and their meanings, and relishing the wonderstruck feelings I gain over and over each time I listen to him wasn’t enough. I wanted to see him in concert because I knew it would be nothing less than perfect.

There was a concert near where my sister was soon after the release of ATBAB. I wanted to go so badly, but a four hour drive wasn’t really an option for my sixteen year old self. So instead, I bought my sister a ticket and sent her money to buy me a shirt (and gave her a knitted owl hat). She went with a few friends and said it was a magical night.

Because the concert was held at a Christian college, Adam had the opportunity to speak more freely about his faith, and thus, he played my favorite song of his “Meteor Shower.” My sister tried to describe the experience to me, which was amazing. Apparently, the “Meteor Shower” performance had extra sound effects, such as what was like meteors or shooting stars whooshing by. I can only imagine what it must have sounded like.



Thus, I still longed to see Owl City in concert. A few years passed, and I had kind of lost my hope that it would happen. Life happened, I got busy, I graduated from high school, and college was just around the corner.

As was Owl City’s next and latest CD, A Midsummer Station. I had to buy it before I moved into the dorms of my college but couldn’t until later. Much to say, my first semester of college was deeply lived out with this CD as the soundtrack (not that my life in any way reflected it, but I was constantly listening to it).

And then came the day that I saw his next tour line up.

He would be two hours away. The closest he’d probably ever be and it was reasonable driving distance if my sister came to visit. And it was only a week or so after my birthday.

I thought I was seeing shooting stars.

I begged for tickets for Christmas. My sister wanted to go. She would drive up to take me. I had a friend who has a birthday a week after mine, who incidentally adores Owl City just as much as I do.

We had to go together. The three of us.

But I didn’t get tickets for Christmas.
I thought my chance had gone past. I would have to wait until the next time. Again.
But then my mom, out of the blue, nonchalantly said something about my sister and me going. And I *internally* screamed. It was happening! I was going to see Owl City!

It was a cold day. We—the three of us, me, my sister, and my friend—stood outside in line for while freezing. My tummy was flopping all over the place with excitement. Only a few more minutes until we’d enter. Only a little while after that until he’d be on stage. Only, only, only…

I remember the lighting was dark, we were in the middle of the crowd (standing room only), it tightly packed, and my sister had hold of my arm. There were a few more obnoxious people in front of us with signs that blocked the view during specific songs and also they were being pushy and dragging their friends in front of us (aka cutting in front of us rudely). But we were content.

We stood for a long time waiting. We stood as the opening band played. I can’t remember their name or if they were good because once Adam Young and the Owl City band stepped on to stage I was lost in a dream.

It was a beautiful experience that my words fail to describe to the capacity that I would like. I know I was exhilarated to be there. It was the best concert I had been in a while—or perhaps ever.
He played mainly songs from A Midsummer Station, which was okay—not my favorite, but still amazing to hear. I was floating among clouds, rocket ships, and dreams. ‘

When it was over—my life changed forever—I returned to my dorm room and wrote about the experience. Here are a few words I penned that night:

“I just came back from the best concert of my life. It is one I have been dreaming of for a long time now, and it has now come true, which is fitting for who it is. The band is Owl City, the singer is Adam Young, and my heart is soaring high on clouds and happiness. It was pure loveliness. Pure joy. Pure hope. 

[I am not sure I can quite express just how magical and beautiful and astounding the concert was.] I go to a lot of concerts with a lot of variety of bands. I have been to many amazing concerts with fun songs and breathtaking moments, but this was a whole different level. This was THE ONE. THE ONE concert I have always wanted to go to. The concert I have been waiting to experience since I first fell head over heels in love with Adam Young’s voice, his style, his tempos and his upbeat optimism. [The dreaming and the joy and the imagination expressed in his songs is more than magical. It is incredible and unique and enchanting. Enchanting. I am wonderstruck. Completely and utterly wonderstruck.]

It was not only beautiful because I believe he makes beautiful music, [the whole atmosphere was beautiful. The light show, the other band members, my sister and my friend beaming at me from both sides… it was all fantastic. But my favorite part of it all was the little quirks and smiles and faces and interjections Adam Young made during the songs. He laughed. He smiled. His eyes wandered up the stars that were not quite viewable with the ceiling in the way, but it was almost as if I could see he was starting up at them. There was the crazy dancing that made me laugh hysterically and feel warm inside as I realized I probably look exactly the same when I try to dance around to music (I am highly uncoordinated). Looking up at the stage at him singing, I saw a little boy living a dream. I saw a kid on Christmas looking around with big eyes at the presents. I saw a man truly blessed and humble about where God has placed him in life. And that was the most incredible thing of all.] 

[The magic and wonder of the night will eventually fade. It already has. I am exhausted from the excitement and the heat of the moment. The feelings and the memories will fade back. The ideas and songs and the beauty of it all will become just a dusty old memory that is hidden away into the cobweb corners of my mind. But the knowledge of what I felt, what I experienced, what I saw and what I dreamed will live forever. I have been struck with a lightning bold of inspiration. Looking up at the stage, hearing words of gratitude from his lips and knowing only a few years ago he was a kid making music in a basement and now he is standing on stage surrounded by a crowd of people who know the words to every song, I see a glimpse at dream come true. And I want that dream. I want that dream with my writing. And I am not going to give up. I’m going to be that girl who a few years back was writing stories in her dorm room late at night, scribbling scenes and ideas down on paper in chicken scratch handwriting, and I am going to tell the world what my heart and my head can I agree on. And that is dreaming and not giving up on that dream. 

I’ll follow the light through the dream and disasters and I will shine brighter than a shooting star.]”

Maybe Owl City isn’t for everybody, but for a daydreaming girl from a small town, he is every inspiration I need. I proudly declare my “Hoot Owl” citizenship and listen to his songs without shame. The only thing that could have made the night better was if my favorite song, “Meteor Shower,” had been performed.

But there’s always a next time, right?

By Sky Destrian

There's always that first fandom. The first time you found yourself completely head-over-heels for something. In many ways, Owl City was one of my very first fandoms.

My love for Owl City has been around for so long that I almost can't remember when it started. But of course, I know it started with the ever-popular hit, Fireflies. I heard it, and while everyone else was getting sick of it, I was playing it a million times on YouTube. I branched out into other songs after that (one of my favorites was Rugs from Me to You). When it was time for Owl City to release another recording, I pre-ordered All Things Bright and Beautiful. That's about when the hardcore fangirling began. The moment I got it, I ripped open the package and ran upstairs to listen to it. It was magical, really. That's still one of my favorite albums, and those songs have made their way into my subconscious.

I was a hardcore fangirl, I have to say. I watched all the videos and all the songs on repeat. I ordered a pack of Owl City t-shirts with one of my friends (and still wear them! You can see one of them in my bio photo here). I had dreams about the music. I read his blog and soaked in the words. I wrote my own blog posts about him. I was obsessed. 

I suppose it's no surprise that I had to see him live.

A couple years before I found Owl City's music, I had heard of Mat Kearney and Owl City touring together. They had come to my state. At the time, I didn't think it was possible for me to go, so I didn't pay much attention. I regretted that later in life when Mat Kearney and Owl City became my favorite artists ever. So when my friend messaged me saying that Owl City would be coming to Denver in the summer, I knew this was my chance. I knew I had to go.

We were very nearly late. Car trouble and general delays made it seem like we may not make it there on time. We made it to a family member's house to scarf down some dinner, then left for Bluebird Theater. Once we got there, the parking was atrocious. We had to walk quite a ways till we got to the theater, and as someone with a chronic illness, it wasn't easy. Add to that some confusion over whether we could bring our water bottles in, and by the time I got into the cramped, hot theater, I was exhausted. I very nearly cried as Owl City's opening act was playing, because I was exhausted. And would it all be worth it?

Oh dear past me, you shouldn't have worried. It. Definitely. Was.

The stage got quiet and a gorgeous instrumental song started playing (I think it was Umbrella Beach or Hello Seattle?). The lights started to flash. They were all sorts of colors and shapes, projected into the darkness. Honestly, the way Owl City sets up his shows are exactly befitting to his music: they. are. magic.

Every song was beautiful. It sounded just like they did on my CD player, that very first summer that I fell in love with his music. When I get sad, sometimes I still think about how beautiful the vocal riff in "Gold" sounded when Adam Young sang it live. I also think about screaming along to WAKE ME IF YOU'RE OUT THERE at the top of my lungs. I cannot express what a good feeling that is. 

After the concert, my friend and I took pictures next to his luggage, true to our fangirl form. As we left and drove along the highway, with the city lights bright against the dark, I was... well, "wonderstruck, blushing all the way home."

While some of the concert has faded from my memory, the mark of it indelibly remains. I would go so far as to say I was changed by the experience. That had been one of the hardest years of my life, but because of Owl City, I forgot about it all. After wishing for years, one of my greatest dreams had been fulfilled. I had seen a glimpse of something beyond myself. And for just one night, magic was real. 

In conclusion, this is what happened: I was able to rest assured... 'Cuz dreams don't turn to dust.

P.S. - Thank you, Adam Young, for your music. In times of sadness and pain, you have helped me more than you know. I was a little girl who dreamed, and because of you, I continue to. Thank you.

Have you ever had an out-of-this-world fangirl experience? The Fangirl Initiative wouldn't be complete without the help of you, our readers. We want to hear and feature your stories and tales. If you have a fangirl experience you'd like to share in this column, let us know!