Main character energy

When you're in the mirror, you're just looking at me.

Is it just me, or does it feel a little strange that we're rounding the corner into 2025? Particularly because the Brooklyn weather this week felt a bit like a fiendish mélange of March and October. 

As I was putting the finishing touches on this puzzle, I had a flash of recognition that the one I posted this time last year was about being unemployed (spoiler-ish, but you had plenty of time to solve it first). Fast forward to now and it's kind of hard to believe it's only been a year since then! I spent a ton of time with friends old and new, had some super fun crossworld run-ins in Boston and New York, made a bunch of stuff that I'm really proud of, hit a new record for transit-based adventures, and significantly cut down on the feeling that my life is an inscrutable maze of chaos. All to say: If you've been part of my crossword community or otherwise a part of making this year special, thank you, and hope you have a warm and wonderful transition into whatever is lurking next!

On to the puzzle:





I'm your favorite reference, baby (more acute spoiler warning):