Hello everyone! If you’re in the U.S. and you’ve got today off, I hope you’re enjoying yourself; if you’re working, GODSPEED. (If you’re in any other country, well, TGIF haha.) We’ve got articles on real hockey players, fictional hockey players, and Gav on “hagsploitation.” Plus: Frankenstein fanart and a multifandom list of long fic. — Elizabeth

new stuff

“A Hockey Team Recreated The Evangelion Intro For A Stadium Full Of Fans” by Nicole Carpenter at Aftermath
In recent weeks you may have come across a viral video of an American ice hockey team that introduced its players via a tribute to the Evangelion intro. This piece goes behind the scenes, interviewing a representative for the team about how, exactly, this charmingly unexpected anime/hockey crossover came about.

“How ‘Heated Rivalry’ Became the Internet’s Favorite Show—Before It’s Even Aired” by Nicole Fell at The Hollywood Reporter
Speaking of hockey and television shows, happy Heated Rivalry Premiere Day to all who celebrate! In this interview, the show’s creators talk about selling the show, adapting the story, and the explosion of fandom activity from the trailer alone.

“The Year of the Crone” by Gav at Inverse
In the wake of two 2025 horror movies, Weapons and Bring Her Back, Gav tracks the return and evolution of hagsploitation—a subgenre that casts older women as monstrous villains.

Leia calling Chewbacca a "walking carpet" seems pretty racist but I guess we're not ready to have that conversation

— Mike Drucker (@mikedrucker.bsky.social) November 21, 2025 at 9:42 PM

older stuff

“The Star Wars Holiday Special: A Retrospective” by William Thomas at Empire Magazine
A guide to the ultimate piece of Thanksgiving nerd ephemera: The notoriously awful Star Wars Holiday Special.

tumblr & beyond

Frankenstein ballet fanart by polturn

RPF is Everywhere

very cool Byron-inspired linocut project!

“Talking to a reanimated Antonio Salieri”

any Gilgamesh fans in the house?

“What a wonderful piece of media! Surely the fandom will be literate and normal”

fanfiction

For the long holiday weekend here in the U.S., we’ve got a collection of long fic—from the “pretty long” to the “verrrrry long.” :-D Thanks to everyone who sent in a rec! — Elizabeth

“Retrograde” by Pinkninja. 107K words, rated Teen.
Fandom: The Old Guard; Ship: Joe/Nicky
Recced by: PacificSiren
Backstory: In the original comic/movie the characters are immortal, providing a millennia-long love story. But this work adds a twist: every time Nicky dies, he resurrects at a different time.
Rec: This is such an ambitious premise and it delivers beyond expectations. It also asks so many good questions about the nature of love, free will, and maturity.
Content warnings: N/A

“Salvage” by MuffinLance. 118K words, rated Teen.
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender; Ship: Gen
Recced by: stackingturtles
Backstory: Mid-Season-One Zuko is held for ransom by Chief Hakoda. The Water Tribe start to realize that the Fire Nation might treat their prince as badly as their enemies, and Zuko, as in canon, is incredibly stubborn and antagonistic.
Rec: It’s a realistic look at what might have changed if Zuko were forced to see what good parenting actually looks like up close, and if the Water Tribe and Gaang knew Zuko a little better. It also cares about the real-world language and cultures behind the show. or: Zuko makes friends and it’s very beautiful.
Content warnings: Background child abuse/emotional abuse, but nothing on-screen.

“Miracle Year” by Chase820. 317K words (WIP, though chapter 52 makes a good ending), rated Explicit.
Fandom: Sherlock (BBC); Ship: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson
Recced by: Delovely
Backstory: Travels back in time to the formative years of John and Sherlock, and then into what could have happened after The Reichenbach Fall.
Rec: Builds out a complex world and propulsive story that’s still immersive after repeat readings. Come for the Johnlock, stay for the many other characters who get their own stories.
Content warnings: Graphic depictions of violence

“crossfire” by kittebasu. 523K words, rated Explicit.
Fandom: ダイヤのA | Daiya no A | Ace of Diamond; Ship :Miyuki Kazuya/Sawamura Eijun, not tagged for this but it also includes some good Miyuki Kazuya & Kuramochi Youichi
Recced by: Kit
Backstory: Kazuya and Eijun meet again in their university baseball team after 2 years apart. The story covers how they grow, together and apart, through university and into professional careers. The summary on AO3 is “kazuya tries to put together a future he can live with, and sawamura’s right there to make a mess of it.”
Rec: It’s beautifully written and almost painfully real at times dealing with the difficulties of being gay in Japan and in professional sports. But ultimately what it is is hopeful and healing, and all the evolving relationships—romantic, platonic, and familial—are so lovely and organically written. It’s a monster of a fic at over 500K, but it’s absolutely worth it even, I think, for someone coming in canon-blind.
Content warnings: Homophobia (external and internal), death of a grandparent, dementia of a parent, parental neglect (past)

“Swansong” by Dalniente. 135K words, rated Teen.
Fandom: Megamind; Ship: Megamind/Roxanne Richi
Recced by: OnceAndAlwaysEnglishMajor
Backstory: Minion may not be as lost as he seems, but in the meantime, Megamind is struggling to pick up the threads of a life he’s not sure he knows how to live. Roxanne is determined to help where she can.
Rec: Strong dose of emotional devastation, but the angst with a happy ending payoff is SO. GOOD.
Content warnings: N/A

“The Desert Storm” by Blue_Sunshine. 1.1 million words, rated Teen.
Fandom: Star Wars; Ship: Gen
Recced by: anon
Backstory: A post-Order 66 Ben Kenobi is thrown back in time to his padawan days. Can he FIX IT? Oh, and he encounters a younger Obi-Wan too.
Rec: The longest long fic but this fic pulls it off—and how! To me this is what Star Wars is about. It’s epic and messy, working through what a world like Star Wars would really mean for those who lived it, but at the same time squeezes in cheesy jokes and oodles of melodrama. Love the deep EU lore too. Dive in and emerge weeks later wondering what just happened and what you just read.
Content warnings: Slavery, suicidal thoughts, space racism, violence

“Too weird to live, but much too rare to die.” by BetwixtAndBetweenn. 140K words, rated Explicit.
Fandom: Stranger Things (TV 2016); Ship: Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson
Recced by: anon
Backstory: What if... the Upside Down wasn’t inherently evil, but just an alternate dimension infected with evil. And what if, instead of dying in the Upside Down in 1986, Eddie Munson was saved and given the ability to save the Upside Down (and Hawkins)?
Rec: This story is brilliant, and a great fix-it for the end of Stranger Things season 4 (and a better series conclusion IMHO). It’s creepy and mysterious, with plenty of angst, fluff, and found family goodness.
Content warnings: Canon-typical violence, gore, and horror

LUKE SKYWALKER: but master yoda!!! why won't you give your blessing to my promposal?? YODA: *sad grunts*

— good hyuck, babe! (@markpopham.bsky.social) November 27, 2025 at 10:17 PM

FINAL THOUGHT

That’s all, folks! Have a great weekend! — Gav