MPL Ep 62 - High-Res Artwork + Discussion

This has got to be one of the best WebToons episodes I've read. Kept re-reading the episodes so much that it's be-reading. The artistry is exquisite - dialogue, color selection, character arcs. Thank you for your work, Lilydusk!

I am squealing inside right now. I’ve been looking forward to writing about this episode since I first saw it! It was a huge rush of blood to my head that left me giddy and frantic with energy that I couldn’t shake off for HOURS after! I mean this episode?! Out of this world, freaking amazing, all hail Queen Lilydusk! Talk about smashing it clean out of the park! And this one holds one of my now, absolute favourite jokes from Poppy I’ll never not associate with her and Tora now. But first... Let’s start from the beginning of it and see how much nonsense I spout during this read through. First of all, how bloody pretty is Poppy!! Those eyes are incredible; proper fall into them, not coming back up for air anytime soon, windows to her soul. Such a stunning way to open the episode. I love the detailing in her braids too. And the reintroduction to them. I’d missed seeing them a little. That little beam of red light across her just adds to the startled look she has. Oh wait, sorry, I just need to go take an ice bath. Geesus f**king A!! Hello Tora, f**king tiger of Ares Street indeed. Holy smokes! Lily how much fun did you have drawing that pose of him with his arms crossed, red beams of light and noise of violence as a backdrop behind him? I mean his expression...I’m dead. Dying right now! My brains melted into a puddle of mush and I just can’t even...absolutely losing it over that panel right now. Whew!! Trying to drag my brain back to the friends part Poppy was talking about, but I don’t think I can engage it enough to look into that too deeply. 🔥 Burning up over here! Who needs a heatwave in the UK? Not me. 💁🏻‍♀️ Ok, I’m trying! Poppy wondering if Tora views her as a friend. My heart squeezed a little for her there. That insecurity she has, the self worth she’s had shaken so badly thanks to douche Julri. And it’s interesting she questions that, because one of the things I felt so strongly in this episode was the deeper connection they have now. The undoubted friendship between them. It was a cool balm to my frazzled energy the new season drop had caused. Also, glitter pens and fancy stationary FTW! (Is that still said? Am I showing my age here? 🤷🏻‍♀️) Oh man those wannabe thugs had my laughing hard with their insults! Did he really call them Meatheads? What are we here, kids? One peek of Tora looking at me and I’d drop to my knees and worship him. Ya know, cause of how intimidating he looks...and all that...yep. 😏 The man is so distractingly hot! But Poppy, ohh, I felt the anxiety of her keeping her back to them. Out of sight out of mind a little? Steeling herself against these idiots? Ares Street is alive, the red hues adding so much to that dangerous atmosphere. I’d definitely be trembling even with Tora so cool and calm behind me. I was as shocked as everyone else when Poppy piped up telling them to stop talking to Tora like that! I felt the power behind that shout and it’s coming from a place of pure indignation that they’d be so disrespectful to him. How many people how stood up for him? Not enough, and this tiny woman is doing that despite being scared...I mean *I* fell in love a little more with Poppy in that moment! Judging by Tora’s expression and straightening up - he’s just slipped a bit further down that Poppylan rabbit hole of emotion. I love her power move of staring them down. Personally I struggle to maintain eye contact with someone, just a confidence/insecurity thing I’m working on. But this woman battled through her fear, defends her friend and gives them the stink eye with so much confidence - even if it’s a seriously good act. The fact is she did it for HIM and I am clapping and cheering that he’s gotten to witness this! Although his little embarrassed side eye had me giggling inanely too! I’m enraptured reading Poppy’s thoughts as she starts to question his upbringing, the differences in their worlds. She’s slipping out of that denial a little, literally standing in his world and allowing herself to question it at the same time. That takes some serious courage right there! Even if she isn’t ready for the answers, it’s great she’s opening herself to ask them. Although my heart broke a little when she questioned what he’d been through as a kid to make him at ease in the chaos. Honey, I’m not even sure I want to know the whole truth to that either! 😫 The pathetic insults from the absolute plonkers was perfect levity from the heaviness of her thoughts. And his, *shrug* “Newcomers.” 😂 I am living for slightly casual Tora just throwing that out there like that! I mean compared to some of the big fish he’s no doubt gone up against, these wannabe thugs are hilarious in comparison. And this is the descent into my grin staying fixed to my face for the next parts, because hot damn was it hilariously fun! 😁 Tora has nooooo idea what Poppy is going to do next and I love that she makes him totally unprepared! This giant of a man completely blindsided by her, it’s so refreshing! “Tit for tatt”!!! Excuse me... *Goes to a corner to die of laughter at that ballsy, brilliant joke!!* 😂😂 I can’t!!! Comedic timing at its best!! She got him so damn good with that and that wholesome goodness of watching Tora laugh — MORE!! I need so much more of that! 😍 By far, one of my top 3 moments of the whole series so far! I’ll never not laugh when I come across it. Stupid grin is still firmly fixed on my face even as I carry on scrolling down. As someone who will knee jerk react and do the opposite when someone tells me to do something, I applaud Tora for getting those badass tats, especially if it means Vincent hates them. Shame that. 😏 Lily, the balance between these wannabe thugs ordering food, and Tora low key trying to score a date with Poppy under the guise of thug life 101 crash course - which I am happy to take in her stead! - is PERFECT! There’s so much happening and the moment of lightness despite where they are and how they got there was a great way of easing us into thinking things were going OK. A little tooooo ok. “Ares Street rom-com”?? *snort* Yes dude it is! Grab some popcorn and pull up a chair! Enjoy the show with us. We’re thirsty and need some serious hydration. 🥳 But then they go and get nasty with the insults again and totally popped my happy little bubble I’d comfortably settled myself into. I let myself get a little too complacent there. Ha! And there’s the telltale sign Tora is stressed with the situation, sparking up. I’m still hella proud of Poppy for sticking up for herself! It’s going to be very interesting seeing how she goes forward and being close to the clan. That little speech from skinhead dude really rattled me. The way Tora was facing away from them all, his hair covering his face, was heartbreaking. All valid questions he’s probably thought of himself, stuff Poppy likely hadn’t thought of at all. And it totally obliterated the happy flirty bubble they’d been in, rightly so! We got a tiny taste leaving us gasping for more. And major kudos to you, Lily, for doing that! Whew, considering the deep breath of release I just took, perfect decision to break up the episode a little there by going back to Ben and Candy! I was so caught up in them in the alley that I’d completely forgotten about them. But it all came flooding back straight away and I was yet again floored by how beautiful Candy is! Definitely intrigued to see more of her come up in future episodes, she’s a tough mama bear to watch out for. Her relief that Ben wasn’t mixed up with Scharch was pretty strong. I genuinely shudder at the thought of that! Her pure crying reaction was so sweet. Classic teenage reaction from Ben, but I love that she’s dubbed Ares Street Goddess. Worthy title! And here’s Poppy breaking the 4th wall with a confused as f**k Tora behind her!! 😂😂 I’ll always appreciate these teeny humorous moments! Just taking a second to appreciate that wholesome moment of the bouncers coming down at Candy’s request and almost dropping Ben in it with what happened weeks ago. She has baby photos up of him? A-dorable! And that power pose from Candy with those people behind her ready to back her up...dude has well and truly fucked up there! His face says it all. You dead, boy. Ha! Ok, back to Poppy. Oof, felt that blow she took with his words. I shouldn’t laugh that the guys salty because of his own experiences and having a broken heart. But his mate putting his hand on his shoulder and telling him to move on - it’s too funny for me to try and have sympathy for him. Well played again, Lily! *stutters* Feel like I just tripped over nothing with how my heart suddenly thumped pretty bloody hard and then went mad seeing Tora hovering over Poppy right then! I mean, what part do I fawn over first? His fist clench? Her hands on his stomach? The way he’s cupping her face? Shiz, I’m a goner!! Brain has stopped working, you’re getting nothing sensible from me at this point, sorry everyone! Damn that part with his eyes closed, his hand trembling against her...Lily is out for blood and I’m just giving it away willingly at this point. Hot DAMN! Poppy kisses first....Tora hand clenches hard enough to bleed....drops the smoke....HANDS!!! God the hands....And Joes(?) words to him....I’m a freaking blubbering mess of emotions right now! There was so so much depth to that last part. So much to wrap ourselves in, want to dissect until nothing is left and just sit back and absorb the moment. We’re invested aren’t we? Absolutely for the long haul. These two have our hearts completely and I couldn’t be happier about that. This lengthy, beautiful, HILARIOUS and absolute twist of my emotions and soul episode was INCREDIBLE! A little bit of everything and the cliffhanger to leave us dying for more but so freaking happy with what we do have. I’m choked. So so GLORIOUS! What a great underused word.

JaxStarGazer