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Was just randomly thinking about it, how would you rank all the Disney Princess movies? Like from favorite to least favorite, numbered list, or like letter (A, B, C) tiers?
I hope it’s okay to talk about some of the placement reasons, we feel pretty passionate about this. Especially ones that are absolute favorites or might surprise others.
There is too much that has already been said about Beauty and the Beast. All I am going to say is that it’s one of my favorite movies, that I could watch over and over again. It’s also my favorite romance story in the franchise 👉👈
Little Mermaid also has been praised a lot too, so we will keep it brief. Ariel is my favorite Disney princess, because I love how flawed she is, and as a queer person I can relate to her relationship with her father with my own parents. This movie and Beauty and the Beast feel so queer to me, and we are glad that Howard Ashman’s influence and involvement were strong in them both.
Yes I put Cinderella 3 at Godtier I love this movie sm, and we know it didn’t need to exist, but we are glad someone made their Cinderella fanfic a reality. It breathes more characters into the prince (he’s the best Disney prince I will die on that hill), her step sister Anastasia, and even the king. Her step mom is even more of a threat in this movie too. Also this movie looks really good for just being direct to DVD. This movie also pokes fun of its classic fairytale ways, but in a more charming way like Enchanted does.
Sleeping Beauty is very high because this movie is fucking gorgeous, *eats all the bg art up* I also love how petty and bitchy Maleficent is. Also love that the movies real heroines are the three fairies, and you don’t get much movies were three older women get to be the protagonists.
In our opinion we like Frozen 2 better than one. We just like the settings and atmosphere more. We like some songs more too, like Into the Unknown and Show Yourself. I’m a simple queer person with the mental illness, so we really relate to Elsa, so we like that she has more focus in this film. Still this movie is kinda of double edged sword because some side characters like Kristoff and Olaf are actually so annoying in this movie, I never thought much of these characters before, but now I despise them. Also they took out some things that would have made this movie so much better, like a romantic song between Kristoff and Anna that honestly makes their relationship more endearing. Also the fucking castle would have been destroyed in the end, making this tale of colonialism much more symbolic. They weren’t brave enough to do that tho, or who knows higher ups probably didn’t like the idea.
Speaking of what might have been, I wish men didn’t meddle and take over a woman’s vision when it comes to Brave. It’s another movie were we feel in our opinion it could have been better than what we got.
I’m not gonna say much about Pocahontas, because it’s not really our place. We will just say as a child it never was a favorite of ours. I don’t like how the human characters look, a lot of the characters are weak too, the villian is so lame. The only positives I can say some of the music can be amazing, some of the visuals are gorgeous, and I like the animal companions. However both films especially the 2nd make me like 😬
Oh I almost forget Aladdin is not here, because I feel like I need to rewatch it again to see where we would place it. To be fair it doesn’t feel like a Disney Princess movie anyways, since Aladdin gets more focus than Jasmine. There are also some Disney sequels we have not seen that are not here.
#disney#disney princess#disney prinesses#thanks for sending this question it was so much fun to answer#asks
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Wait, no, keep talking, HANS was done dirty?? I'm not judging I could care less but I am intrigued
LOOK, Anna and Hans had a lot of chemistry!! And literally every reiteration ive seen has just made him better and made their relationship more wholesome(except ouat lmao) And im not saying they had to stay together or even that he truly loved her but his 180 into villainy just isnt good writing!!! Its 2am idk how good im gonna be at words but
In the broadway version they spend even more time showing him to be a good and kind ruler, that couldn't be an act! He had no reason to be nice to these people and to be kind. For all he knows Anna just left to get herself murdered by her sister. The jig is up, he isnt getting shit out of this now, they weren't even really engaged cuz the Queen said no. And he even calms Weselton down at first!! Like the guy thinks the rulers are evil and need to be killed(musical has him suggest Anna is in on it but even in the movie Hans still focuses his efforts on helping Arendelle rather than bothering with Elsa at first). That is until he discovers in some way or another that something bad befell Anna (her horse returning/someone finding her frozen and soaked clothing out in the woods). Its only then that he goes to avenge her and kill/capture Elsa(note he doesnt actually go to kill her at first because he still believes he might be able to talk her down) and only decides its best to kill her later.
Which leads me back to the fact that he has NO reasons to be doing this!!! If Anna is dead and Elsa has commited treason, he isnt getting shit!!! The second he thought Anna was dead is the moment his role here became moot. Arendelle is a whole kingdom! Its gonna have its own line for next in throne should something happen to Elsa and Anna which something did! And Hans isnt on that list, because he isnt from Arendelle. At this point he's just doing what he believes is right and helping this kingdom out in whatever way he can.... potentially because he is very much stuck here now that Elsa has frozen the fjord.
The issue crops up when Anna turns up alive still but on her way out if she doesn't get this act of true love. And here's the thing I could 100% believe that Hans had ulterior motives and wasn't actually in love with Anna, what I CANT believe is the way his personality changes so abruptly into someone so cruel and uncaring. Like?? Dude has 12 older brothers who are all assholes to him? And he meets Anna and they get along and she's a little naive but he sees a way out. A way into the life he believes he's always deserved.
He never looks or reacts to Anna like he is irritated or thrown off by her. The camera even stops to show him watching her fondly when she can't see him!!
So here's my idea of how it'd be better. When Hans reveals he doesn't love her. Just have him say sorry, maybe they even do kiss but nothing happens!!(Personally i think the build up of the kiss but then nothing happening eould be cool) It'd be so easy! Basically nothing would change. He just says sorry and comes clean to using her, that even though he likes her he isn't actually in love with her. She’d still be heartbroken over it, maybe she even angrily shouts at him to leave. And the window bursts open later anyways so bump it up a bit sooner and her hands are too frozen over to open the door to grt out herself til Olaf saves her.
And like! The rest of the movie would play out the same, he'd just be doing everything with the genuineness that he had the entire time before the Reveal. He goes to punish Elsa for committing treason and killing the Princess. He tells her Anna is dead because she probably is seeing as he couldn't save her. (Also i just dont see why anyone would believe him about them managing to say their wedding vows like?? Aren't there rules to that kinda thing? Vows dont mean shit if there isnt someone there to be like "yeah this checks out theyre married now." Tho idk maybe cuz theyre royalty? What do I know)
Then rather than punching him Anna just breaks up with him lol.
#also even tho i love kristoff and think hes a very fun character he and anna have no romantic chemistry#she spends the whole time thinking about Hans and Elsa#and Kristoff has no reason to have fallen for her either???#like if they had time together maybe....#but its just dumb#i like that the movie ends with him asking her on a date rather than them just Being Together#but this is some allohet bullshit#why cant they just be friends?#why cant they have real chemistry outside oh woe poor dainty lady requires a mans help so as to not perish in the snow#frozen#ask
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OUAT Thoughts Pt.37--Episodes 10-11
I have watched through S4E11; spoilers DNI. Also, spoiler warning for those further behind than I am.
—I feel terrible for Snow. She has to give up her baby again! At least this time she’s sending Neal off with someone she knows will take care of him.
—Anna being put on baby duty is amusing. She’s a lil spacey, but she’s fun, I bet kids love her.
—The Wishing Star is poetry. Anna went looking for it to save Elsa, and Elsa used to to save Anna. I love it.
—Still don’t like Kristoff, but it’s cool that he used an ice ax as a weapon.
—I think Rumple’s villainous stuff right now feels a bit like a regression. If I were writing him, at this point in his life I’d make him selfish with love, because that’s just how he is, but not a bad person. Being possessive of his loved ones works for him, and it’s also a consistent characterization because that has been the underlying theme for his entire arc thus far. Especially now that Bae is dead, it makes sense that he might lean a bit further in that direction. But why not play it different (better?) and have him extend his fierce, protective love to the woman his son loved? The mother of his grandson? I would love to see Rumple as brutal for the people he loves, but also extending his love a bit in honor of Bae. I would die for that Rumple even more than the one I’ve already got.
—I do understand why he wants to split himself from the dagger, but the quest for power doesn’t quite gel. Also, he swore to his dead son that he would try to be a better man, and since Baelfire was literally his Most Important Person™ going back on that promise doesn’t make sense. I can only hope this is like Storybrooke David at the beginning of the show, where he didn’t seem good enough for Snow, but it turned out that was for a deeper layer of character storytelling for him.
—I miss Mulan.
—Man, I don’t like Ingrid, but her death?…That sh*t hurted. The music was sad. She acknowledged her wrongdoings before she died. She died to undo her curse. And her version of heaven is running through a field with her little sisters. I just *can’t*.
—Do Anna and Kristoff ever get to actually get married? I’d love to see that, and since they’re already going back to Arendelle, it’s not even that big of a stretch.
—Snow going into a fit of motherly rage during her sword fight with Regina is awesome. Also, I’m pretty sure in a fair fight, Snow wouldn’t lose to Regina. Regina is too heavily reliant on her magic.
—I adore that the first thing Regina does when going under (or coming out of) a curse is to take stock of her outfit. And her Evil Queen dress was gorgeous. Big, rounded shoulders aren’t really my thing, but spiky shoulders rock.
—I didn’t expect to see Blackbeard again. I mean, he’s still not important, but I didn’t think he would even appear as a plot device. Worth it to see that bomb-ass red jacket tho. Pirates have got style.
—I love Anna. She’s so cute.
—Little weird that I’m supposed to feel sorry for Ingrid about the whole urn-imprisonment thing when she literally killed her own sister? I actually have two sisters, and if one of them killed the other I wouldn’t be like, ‘sounds about right, have a nice day.’ Her ass would be going in jail quick as anything.
—It’s also a little weird that Regina acts like only Henry and Robin believe in her, because it’s been established at this point that Snow believes in her, and mostly Emma too.
—Lol a dwarf with a crossbow.
—Actually the dwarves brawling in the streets was hilarious. Also I would not complain if Granny and Doc had a relationship, might be fun together.
—Will Scarlett is such a dumbass *amused*
—Feeling very upset about Hook. He doesn’t deserve to be heartless. And he’s gonna die, which is not a pleasant prospect.
—The Spell of Shattered Sight was so pretty and sparkly.
—Aw hold on, does Ingrid being dead mean Marian is unfrozen? Because I’m really invested in seeing Robin and Regina getting married eventually (and Henry getting a stepbrother!) and frankly I’d just as soon see Marian die.
—I adore when Hook and Will are in the same room and it’s mate *piratey* vs. mate *britishy*
#once upon a time#ouat#Snow White#prince David charming#snow queen Ingrid#queen elsa#princess Anna#the wishing star#kristoff#rumplestiltskin#baelfire#Will Scarlett#Robin Hood#regina mills#Captain Hook#marian hood#the spell of shattered sight#martianbugsbunny reviews
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Non-sequitura Disney in-depth analysis (after making a tier list)
Warning: SUPER longform. If you don’t know a movie well, you should skip the summary. I tried to be light on spoilers, but they’re there.
I went chronologically from favorite to least favorite. So S tier is, in order from fave to least fave, The Incredibles, WALL-E, then Zootopia.
S tier (Something I consider high quality AND a movie I greatly enjoy. I would love more Disney movies be like this.)
The Incredibles - one of my favorite movies of all time, possibly THE favorite. Rockin social commentary, epic action scenes, memorable characters, not a minute of screentime wasted, great take on the Fantastic Four, hilarious parts for both adults and children, an interesting villain, etc.
WALL-E - I love how social commentary was done here. Also skies above, what a beautiful love story. Really blazed a trail in non-verbal storytelling (especially given it was an animated kids film!) Robot animations are particularly delightful.
Zootopia - another social message delivered excellently and entertainingly. I love Judy and her persistence, I love the expressiveness of the faces and the epic city setting. I love Judy and Nick's banter. This movie deserves to be remembered longer than it has been so far. Admittedly, not one of my fave villains, which makes it my least favorite of the Ss.
A tier (either super high quality or something I greatly enjoy and deem of at least reasonably good quality)
Mulan - this movie did everything right. Truly feminist protagonist, an icon for strong Asian women, fairly culturally accurate (tho Mushu confuses me), GORGEOUS and iconic music. Lets a relatively natural romance develop. I frickin love the action scenes, I love the emporer. Sadly, this movie just didn't lodge its way in my heart as well as Pixar did. Pixar just has some magic, yo.
Cinderella - my gosh what an underrated protagonist. Her family straight-up abuses her and she never loses sight of her goals for a better life. Iconic visuals helped bring Disney out of bankruptcy. A gorgeous alto singing voice.
Wreck-it Ralph - alright alright ppl don’t crucify me for this. I honestly can’t think of much wrong with this movie. Vanellope and Ralph’s vitriolic best buds relationship is adorable, her forgiveness of him is heartwarming and (relatively) deserved, rockin’ Owl City song, epic visuals that mix together bc of all the different games. ALSO ONE OF THE BEST DISNEY VILLAINS NO CAP. One of the only twist villains I like. And we stan the romantic pairing.
Tangled - I’ve talked about this a lot, but Rapunzel deserved the whole world after what she’s gone through. That being said, Gothel is not some shallow monster she needs to escape from, but an intelligent, well-defined monster with backstory. I could totally see this story happening if the world of Tangled existed. Epic love story, hilarious dialogue. Music is… good but much of it is less memorable to me. Visuals are good but not quite at the level/creativity of many other disney films.
The Lion King - they really put Hamlet in Africa and pulled it off lol. But in all seriousness, no one took the premise of this film seriously at the time and it became sooo iconic. I love Scar and his eventual downfall, I love how Simba grows emotionally, I love the sad moments that don’t overpower the overall feeling of light goofiness. And music so memorable it was one of the first Disney musicals.
Coco - not a super unique story premise. But an incredible culture to explore with such creativity and sensitivity. I love the themes of death not being the worst and music being so central to the story. Twist/twist villain was memorable and not expected. And yeah, it did make me cry, so props there.
Ratatouille - the most recently watched of these films for me. This movie is soooo unique! Back when Pixar was truly super out there with their concepts. Super Parisian visuals and soundtrack. It somehow starts goofy (THE OLD LADY TRIES TO KILL REMY WITH A SHOTGUN WHILE WEARING A GAS MASK) but really drives home the message that you can truly do what you want regardless of who you are. Colette can get it. And the monologue by Ego at the end is one of my favorites in film.
Frozen - Anna is one of my favorite Disney protagonists. She’s so resilient and loyal. Elsa ain’t bad either but she experiences… less character development. The film is a tad too pleased with its own self-awareness for my taste, but there’s no denying how iconic the music and visuals were.
Inside Out - Alright, this movie hits home for me bc I tried to run away after moving. A super thoughtful, heartfelt depiction of (potentially depression? imo) with great moments of humor. Riley’s inner world is so creative and lovely. Also realistic depictions of Minnesota/California culture.
Tarzan - Jane! is! smart! and! adorable! Her scientific curiosity makes her very endearing. it’s so cute to see her and Tarzan learn from each other. Also Tarzan’s “found mother” is epic. Solid score. Solid film all around. To quote Lily Orchard, “This film is what Pocahontas tried to be.”
B tier (one of my favorites but has a few significant flaws that bring it down (or not quite as memorable to me, but consider good quality))
Peter Pan - Haven’t seen it in a hot sec, but I remember being super charmed by this as a kid. Just going out, having incredible adventures, and returning to a warm home at the end of the day. Tinker Bell is hilarious and beautifully drawn. Gets major negative points for the depiction of Native Americans tho.
Big Hero 6 - I was super charmed by the protagonist, his family/friends, and the setting. The plot/villain’s motivations are a bit of a mess, though.
Princess and the Frog - This movie has so much flavor to it! The visuals/music are lovely and unique. Tiana is incredible but it’s kinda annoying how EVERYONE keeps trying to shoehorn her into romance. The thing is, her goals are entirely reasonable. Focus on her restaurant, then look to settle down. But they’re like “nooo you’re ignoring the important things in life” smh. Also, epic villain, woohoo! The movie dragged significantly for me when they were in the bayou. Charlotte is delightful.
Winnie the Pooh - don’t remember it super well, but I think it was charming and occasionally dark, which is an addictive concoction.
The Little Mermaid - MAN ppl roast Ariel way more than she deserves. Visually, it was… fine. idk. This movie is good. I don’t have much else to say about it.
Snow White - the one that started it all. Visually, super impressive. Musically, lovely. I find the romance a bit… off. Well, more than a bit. What is it with Disney and kissing sleeping people?
Alice in Wonderland - a nerdy acid trip. Right up my alley! I also like films where ppl go on incredible adventures and return to the status quo, but THEY changed bc of it. Epic. SUUUUPER creative visual interpretation of Carroll’s book. Brave - gosh I loooove films where a parent and child learn to understand each other. Never got why ppl hated this movie so much. The Scottish flavor is present and fun. Merida made one mistake and made it up. The arrow scene is iconic.
Cars - a fun ride! (hahaha puns.) We love seeing Paul Newman as a car.
B-minus tier? (same as B, but problematic, or weaker story-wise.)
Hunchback - man… settings-wise, this film might be my favorite. I also love Esmeralda and Quasimodo as characters and as a duo (though the sexualized depiction of Romani ppl is not epic.) I also don’t find the discrimination against Esmeralda/Quasimodo jarring bc it matches the time period. Frollo is super interesting as a villain. The gargoyles are… def not necessary. Basically, this film doesn’t know what it’s doing with tone.
Sleeping Beauty - Aurora was my favorite when I was younger because I thought she was the prettiest, and that still defines how i feel about this, basically. Visually lovely - everything is kind of elongated and gothic. Maleficent is spiteful and epic. I have no issue with the fluffier parts of the movie, like the music or the fairies. RIP for lack of consent being a plot point, though.
Hercules - Megara is incredible. one of the only Disney “princesses” who acts like an adult and has cynicism as a major part of her personality. I love her and Herc’s progression where she learns to trust him (yes, he is genuinely that sincere, it’s not a front.) Muses are unique, whoever came up with them was high on something and I’m living for it. I just think the plot itself was somewhat unrealistic/ weirdly-paced. There are some memorable songs, some less-than-memorable songs. Art style is cool but I’m personally not a fan. EXTREMELY inaccurate depictions of the original Greek gods.
C tier (entertaining, but I don't consider it a great movie)
Bolt - I watched this like 11 years ago. It was fun! A cool concept about those put on a pedestal learning their worth even without celebrity boosting them up. Animation was… fine I think. not super memorable to me.
Frozen 2 - They really took any scrap of character development Elsa had in the first movie, threw it in the garbage and set it on fire. Anna deserved so much better. Songs are bombastic and impressive, have the occasional interesting lyric, but are really weirdly placed and none are quite as iconic as the first movie’s (except Aurora, she does great work here. Also the song Anna sings after she thinks Elsa died.)
Not a big fan of the vaguely homeopathic theme. Not a big fan of Olaf’s WEIRD character development. Not a big fan of the suuuuuper awkward dialogue and the animations that imply not only that Kristoff is into his reindeer but that Elsa and Anna are into each other (if you’re questioning if they did that, yes, they did, I can find screenshots of some really weird expressions/moments. THIS IS NOT THE TIME TO PANDER TO YOUR WEIRD FANS, DISNEY.)
The voice actors did great work, the animators did great work (look at the details on their clothes! Look at how Elsa’s posture changes to be more confident! look at how they're animated while they're singing!) Some weird costume/makeup choices that make Elsa look like an aging starlet, but she also has some gorgeous moments so eh. It’s a wash for me.
They really did not know what to do with Kristoff this movie, huh. The only thing that happened to him was singing a cheesy 90s ballad and marrying Anna, both of which were admittedly epic. Also, the trolls got 0 appearances despite being literally psychic. Probably could have helped with a lot. I'm not a huge fan of lore/worldbuilding, and thee was a lot of it here. Overall neutral on it.
Also a big theme in this movie I don’t love - **** TANGIBLE CONSEQUENCES TO OUR ACTIONS!!! The danger is Elsa’s death, the elements, colonialism, and Arendelle literally being destroyed. None of those end up playing out, so I was left at the end going “this film had literally no stakes.”
Monsters U - same as above - entertaining at the time! Not super memorable. The ppl we were supposed to dislike kept switching. Doesn’t really match the canon of Monsters Inc (I thought they were supposed to have known each other since childhood so why did they meet in college?)
Cars 3 - so apparently, everyone HATED this movie! Fun! I never watched Cars 2 (yes watched Cars 1 if you haven’t been paying attention to this list), but I didn’t think this movie was bad at all. Well-acted, some fun chase scenes, the scene where Lightning fails at driving in the simulation is genuinely hilarious, and some interesting perspectives on teachers getting the spotlight for their skills for once.
Incredibles 2 - I liked this film at first, but then it was… just okay in retrospect. I love me some good family dynamics. The plot here makes not a lot of sense. THEY BUILT UP THE UNDERMINER FOR NOTHING AND THEN FORGOT ABOUT HIM. I was surprised by the villain swap, but it happened so last minute I never really understood their motivations even after they explained them. Tried to tackle waaaay too many messages.
D tier (I didn't enjoy these or consider them mediocre)
Finding Dory - Maybe I should have put this higher? Like C tier at least. Ah well. Wasn’t a huge fan of the body/physical comedy (not my thing), but it was entertaining and awww finding family is heartwarming.
Finding Nemo - I remember nothing about this movie.
E tier (this film has significant problems)
Beauty and the Beast - *sigh*… I want to love this movie. The score is gorgeous. Visually, they could have made it more distinctly Rococo-era France but didn’t (why?) The voice actors did good work and I think Paige O’Hara is SUPER underrated here.
The Beast is emotionally manipulative with an awful temper that (for MOST of the movie. He doesn’t change.) That’s the main reason this is in E tier. This movie shaped so many generations of people thinking they can change the behavior of someone who treats them badly through the power of love. But you can’t. She learns to “love” the beast under coercion. It’s not Stockholm syndrome - it’s a trashy romance novel. Big fan of Gaston as a villain. He’s an archetype ppl can recognize and it’s so satisfying to hate him.
F tier (I think this film actively harms the industry and would rather it not have been made. Both the one in E tier could be considered harmful to the industry, but I think they had significant enough artistic accomplishments to scrape above that. I'm also generally a fan of "lack of censorship bc it's better to teach what not to do.")
Pocahontas - this movie took real historical events and romanticized them AND sexualized one of the only Native princesses they’ve had. Boo. Nothing wrong with animation!Pocahontas as a character, it’s just people put her in a story that doesn’t represent history well at all (and these historical events, unlike those in say, 14th-century Germany, had super relevant effects on people alive today.) And they portrayed the Native Americans and colonial settlers as equally in the wrong. (though I like Governor Radcliffe as a potential villain and love the line “see how I glitter.” I can’t NOT laugh when I hear it.) Lovely music, though. Nice animation, but the colors are weirdly… muted?
Bad Garbage (I don't wish this film had never been made, but I wish I never had to see it.)
Planes - this movie was ridiculous. I remember not much about it except that I kinda hated it and that it was super cheesy with tension one could see right through that immediately resolved itself via one twist or another.
Haven’t seen tier: Recess, A Bug’s Life, A Goofy Movie, DuckTakes Movie, Lilo and Stitch, Pinocchio (actually i have seen this but I remember nothing about it), The Nightmare before Christmas, Toy Stories 1, 2, and 3, Up, 101 Dalmatians, The Great Mouse Detective, Cars 2, Moana, The Good Dinosaur, Pete’s Dragon, Fantasia, Peter Pan Return to Neverland, Fantasia 2000, The Black Cauldron (read the book, though!), Bambi (or I did and remember nothing about it), The Rescuersm, The Rescuers Down Under, Planes Fire and Rescue, Bambi 2, The Fox & the Found, Oliver and Company, Atlantis, Treasure Planet (I want to, though), Piglet’s Big Movie, The Jungle Book, the Emporer’s New Groove, The Jungle Book 2, Chicken Little, Brother Bear, The Three Caballeros, Pooh’s Heffalump Movie, Dumbo, The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, Aladdin (seen parts but never the whole thing), Strange Magic, The Sword in the Stone, James and the Giant Peach, Frankenweenie, Lady and the Tramp, Ralph Breaks the Internet, Doug’s 1st Movie, Monsters Inc. (want to, though), Meet the Robinsons, Dinosaur, The Aristocats, Robin Hood, The Tigger Movie, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, that pooh movie at the end without the title on it
-11/21/20
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Ur really good at deep character diving. Got any advice at this and writing? Cus i feel like i dont know how characterize properly, or if i could i feel like i take things to extreme idk. How to know if im on the right track? Or how to write in general? Thanks 🙏🏼
well, first of all, thank you! i’m not really sure if i have any concrete advice to give about characterization and/or writing, but here are some things i thought about when i read your question:
i think a lot of advice from creatives boil down to something like: go out there! do as many things as possible! experience as much of *insert media of choice* as you can! i’ve always found this kind of suggestion extremely noble, even as i continue to blithely ignore it. i like to obsessively revisit my favorite stories over and over again. part of this might come from that for me, creation has ALWAYS been inextricable from critique–i love to understand WHY i love the things i love, and why i hate the things i hate, and to do that, you have to read and reread closely. it never feels like wasting time for me to go back to something i’m already familiar with, be it movie or book or fanfiction, because i always end up noticing different things and thinking about new concepts. reverse-engineering the things i like in other people’s work into my own work feels natural from there.
i spend a lot of time just kind of spacing out. i think this stems from being pretty susceptible to carsickness as a kid, and the fact that i didn’t get a smartphone until fairly late in the game, but it’s a non-activity that i still very much enjoy–i spend a lot of my commutes just staring out the window, i like to do things that require some kind of physical engagement like working out or cooking, and so on. my head is rarely silent, but the low volume static that happens when i’m spacing out is nice. a lot of times story/character ideas pop in my head when i’m like this–just letting myself free associate for a bit. like a few weeks ago when i was making spicy green beans my brain went “bing! after it sinks in for Elsa that she’s gonna have to cook for herself now she probably devours every recipe book she can find and the result is that whenever she cooks she makes something that tastes like it came out of the Nutro-Matic machine in Hitchhiker’s Guide–technically exactly perfect but also somehow the worst thing in the world” and then i started thinking about if other characters are good cooks and if Anna likes Northuldra cuisine and then Anna was saying “of course Kristoff likes this he’ll put anything in his mouth” while Honeymaren’s eyebrows Did the Dance of Sexual Innuendo, and that was a lot of fun! or the other day when i was in the shower my brain went “bing! for the first few years after Iduna left the Forest she didn’t really feel anything for Agnar except resentment and a weird sense of propriety” and i was like “thanks what am i supposed to do with this” and my brain was like “¯\_(ツ)_/¯ he was probably ~drawn to that tho” and that was also…fine. point is: this doesn’t ALWAYS happen, and i don’t zone out with the direct purpose of subconsciously finding The Character Headcanons™, but sometimes it does! the important thing i think is to let your brain have those moments.
i’m a pretty new but fervent convert to the Shitty First Draft. i even write my first drafts out in longhand now, with a fountain pen in a very nice notebook, which is just about the most insufferable thing anyone can do, but it does work. again, i think this is because of my very specific upbringing, but there is something about writing things out by hand that lets me be more imaginative (this might be connected to point #2–something about physical interfacing? who knows). i’ve also always been INCORRIGIBLE when it comes to editing as i write, and writing by hand tamps that urge down somewhat, because getting to the end feels much more important. shifting from pen and paper to laptop also frees me up to do more substantive edits on the second draft–if i have to type it all out anyway, then i might as well change more stuff.
i really don’t think there’s any way to KNOW if you’re on the right track when it comes to characterization, but it is important to let yourself be wrong before you throw in the towel. particularly if you write multiple drafts–don’t worry about if there’s some kind of OBJECTIVE truth to your characterization. if it’s something YOU’D like to see re: that character, then write it! worry about if it rings true/if it’s too extreme/if it can hold up under an imaginary audience’s scrutiny later. nowadays i try to write a little bit every day, which means that i write plenty of self-indulgent things that’ll never see the light of day. and that’s fine! that’s also productive, because i’m blowing off some steam, and because i’m doing more of it, which hopefully means i’m getting better, however infinitesimally. you don’t always have to write with an audience (who’s not you) in mind.
i’m gonna end with something that I’M still struggling with as a writer: a few years back i was at an event with Hua Hsu, and one of the things he said what helped him as a writer was knowing that “not every sentence has to be the most exciting one in the world.” i pretty much always come into whatever i’m writing (be it fic or essay) with a surplus of ideas, and learning to pare those down so i’m not trying to compact the entire universe into one thing is a skill i’m currently trying to learn. obsessively polishing and re-polishing every sentence is exhausting for the writer, and oftentimes it’s exhausting for the reader to read, too. it’s okay to let some words just be the exit ramp to the next exciting thing.
overall, i’d say: if writing is not your job, if you’re doing it as a hobby, then it shouldn’t feel like a chore. even if you ARE doing it for a job, there are ways to make the experience less miserable. give yourself the space to let ideas percolate, and give yourself the space to practice and improve.
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yuna & flaws.
this is a subject I briefly kinda hinted at in my tuna post & found myself wanting to properly tackle. I've occasionally seen criticism of Yuna's character dismissing her as "the perfect woman" with no manifest flaws or the sorta faux "acing that job interview" type of flaws such as working too hard, being too selfless, being too kind etc. that are basically strengths masquerading as weaknesses and only really add to her inhuman excellence. and literally there's this one NPC chillin at the Moonflow that gives this highly refined character analysis: "Yuna embodies perfection". well, let's break this thing down, shall we?
and before I start, let it be known that I personally genuinely adore flawed characters, doesn't matter what type of flaws; it's something that to me, recommends a character and gets me invested in their story & struggles so yeah basically the bigger the human disaster and the more varied their range of f**kup the greater my fondness of them – and at the same time I'm a big fan of virtuous, noble-minded, goody-good sorta heroes so it's not really an anti-hero/anti-villain thing either. LOVE the latter lot as well but it's not like they own flaws if you know what I mean
someone'll ask me why i like x and i'm like off the top of my head they're just so dumb and completely obnoxious and mediocre at everything i love it
so what I'm saying is me talking yuna & flaws is actually a great compliment to her & an expression of my abundant love & adoration
so let's address her
1. workaholic tendencies/excessive selflessness/excessive kindness. so are these real defects or sneaky supplemental strengths or the sly ploys of employee hopefuls? well I might as well fully embrace that metaphor and assert that throughout the pilgrimage, Yuna is actually doing a sort of prolonged large-scale job interview. I mean, she already got the job – business card says 'fully-fledged summoner' – yay – but what she's really shooting for is 'Spira's ray of light', an all-around national hero figure and constant 24/7 source of inspiration, comfort & consolation (not to mention hands-on aid) symbol of hope & salvation etc etc. AND eventual concrete salvation lol. basically, yes, she is aiming for an inhuman standard. there's a lot of internal & external pressure on her, she's constantly hyper-aware of her very demanding role as a summoner and to some extent putting on a performance – not really putting on an act (because damn right this girl is all kinds of compassionate and altruistic and noble and loving) but suppressing her individual rather more free-spirited & fun nature (that we see flashes of in FFX and an entire character arc built around in FFX-2)
perhaps you've met someone like this – some of them get quite good at keeping up the facade of perfection and self-sufficiency. Yuna at least is smart enough to show some transparency every now and then (like when she urges Shelinda not to put herself down, noting she's a beginner too). if she didn't, I don't think we'd like her as much. BUT even when she does, you can tell she's still quite conscious and cautious of her word choices and appearance and behavior and I actually think Hedy Burress's slow and pensive delivery is perfect here and beautifully underlines this aspect of her character.
2. excessive self-reliance/overconfidence/internal arrogance. her own words, "oh no, I was... overconfident." (btw, I really love it when characters show self-awareness of their faults, subverts a lot of ‘cool’ character tropes) so basically, tho Yuna would have us believe otherwise – I think the whole summoner thing has gotten to her head a tad. not externally – she looks, sounds, feels, smells and tastes all kinds of humble and modest, especially next to the likes of Dona – but is it all just a part of her 'daughter of Braska and future savior and relentless champion of goodness and hope' veneer? consider her actions, and you'll see she often overestimates her own abilities. yuna: "stand back! I'll summon!" seymour: "gurl pls" she outright refuses to share absolutely world-shatteringly important and critical information about Seymour with her guardians; instead lies to their faces, and comes up with a thoughtless plan to confront him herself (and then do what? ‘stop’ him? she fails to send him several times even in the presence of her guardians and when she goes to face him at Macalania Temple he ain't even dead yet lol) and basically starts a domino chain of events that eventually puts them all in extreme danger. now, one might wonder, a) does she truly think so little of her guardians – people mostly older and more experienced than her; whose literal full-time job it is to keep her safe from any and all danger – and their ability to handle unexpected twists and turns (AURON??? LULU??? come ON Yunie) that she would not trust them with this info and thought they'd only get in the way and genuinely thinks her oh-so-thorough-A+++ plans superior to anything they might have to contribute? unlikely. even Auron makes this observation. b) was she only graciously trying to protect said literal professional protectors? that's her own (initial) interpretation of the events, I'm sure. c) is there maybe an element of arrogance/pursuit of heroism/overestimation of own capability involved? glory-seeking might be a bit of a stretch, but seeing as in Spira in general there's this collective image of summoners as heroes and saviors and near superhuman beings... is she starting to, maybe just a little, believe the hype? I'm sorry but it makes me laugh everytime when I think of Yuna telling herself that 'sure i'll just go have a little chat with alleged murderer and maybe marry him if I have to, what could go wrong?? sure I have access to these six trusted friends and capable guardians all ready to jump off a cliff if I asked but this is really no biggie' it’s like that part in Frozen where Kristoff roasts Anna like “that’s your plan? talking to your sister??” except it’s much worse
(also my headcanon is that if that nosy temple attendant hadn't unearthed Jyscal’s sphere, Tidus would've, lol dude knows no shame or boundaries.)
3. insecurity/craving positive feedback. ok, I'm cheating, these aren't flaws, and we all experience them. but I do think they are oft-overlooked aspects of her character and I also want to bring them up to emphasize that they can and very often do co-exist with overconfidence/extreme self-reliance (pushing us to prove ourselves etc.) 30 seconds into her first ever interaction with Tidus, she has an extremely strong positive response to his throwaway markedly non-expert compliment on her first aeon, and she immediately proceeds to ask this, again, completely clueless outsider whether he thinks she can become High Summoner (lmao that part just kills me he just nods like he just learned the word earlier that day and she's like -deep breath- 'this means so much to me') idk, that scene just always gave me the vibe that she kinda really needed to hear those words and I won't go as far as to say she craves attention/adoration cuz again, clearly she has very altruistic motives behind her chosen profession but that bit is not the only time she shows a sense of insecurity/desire for validation/acknowledgement. her first words after her first sending, to the first person she sees? "hope I did okay"(altho she's not making it all about her given that she is crying too and thus actually breaking her summoner 'pillar of strength' code)
her insecurity also leads to her mimicking others at times, like in the Eternal Calm prologue you get the sense that she feels that the “same as always” Yuna isn’t good enough (Rikku does sorta take the wrong tone there) and this results in her imitating her cousin with all that “oh poopie” silliness and at times kinda trying too hard to act more edgy/assertive (at least that’s my interpretation of her X-2 characterization ALTHO it also leads to very positive and much-needed character development)
4. limited empathy/wanting things her way/and yes, sometimes making it all about her, there i said it. so yeah, if we take empathetic to mean nice and friendly, then yes, Yuna is obviously empathetic. but if we go with the actual definition as in "empathy = the ability to put yourself in another person's position / understand their feelings/experiences" I think she wayyyy struggles. heck, I think Lulu is the more empathetic of the two. let me explain. take any time Yuna & Tidus talk about Jecht. they more or less immediately come to the conclusion that they are in fact referring to the same person (at least she certainly does), yet Yuna never quite appreciates Tidus's perception of/history with Jecht, his own father. she is quick to protest his bashing with her own memory of a "kind and gentle man" (which is no less true/valid) and doesn't really seem to know how to handle the subject in conversation when his experiences so wildly clash with her own. even when she accurately perceives that he's hurting in Luca, she doesn't even try to inquire what's wrong or ask if there's anything she can do, but instead immediately relates his (unspecified and in actuality very specific and severe sort of) pain to her own experiences as a summoner and starts pushing onto him her own somewhat unhealthy if surprisingly fun coping techniques (thank you Yuna, for single-handedly bringing about the Greatest Scene ™ in FF history which I unironically adore). when she pep talks Shelinda (a great display of her kindness and thoughtfulness, as well as inability to understand other people's differing experiences and their nuances), again, she never asks her to elaborate on her situation but instead draws parallels to her own situation as a fledgling summoner. ('people are counting on me. oh and i'm sure they're counting on you too') neither does she ever ask Tidus what he wants to do in Spira, she asks him to be her guardian. even after her wish is granted (to be fair, it's what he found himself wanting as well) she checks with him whether he'll follow her all the way to Zanarkand, and when Tidus gives a very melancholy reply pointing out his own somewhat depressing reasons for the journey ('yea gotta see if my hometown's still there, it's probably not tho'), she makes this happy little noise. like... that's her takeaway. she clearly has a vision of how she wants things to play out and expects people to accommodate, whether she wants them there or not. ('I want him nearby' vs. 'I have to do this crazy stupid thing and I have to do it alone') contrast this with Lulu, who quite unlike Yuna, doesn't immediately become enamored with Tidus and his Zanarkand and his relation to a person she cherishes; but nevertheless starts helping him out immediately by educating him on Spiran customs/history (if that's not empathy/placing self in another person's position, idk what is)
5. naivete/hesitation to question established truths I think I addressed this one in my MBTI post and my eyes are getting tired. she also eventually manages to completely flip this one around and make it into one of her strengths without losing a sense of idealism and optimism, what a heroine
so anyway
-exits minefield-
-immediately returns- basically feel free to disagree and/or point out any factual errors/aspects of her character that I missed, whether positive or negative. basically this is my personal interpretation of the character and as I said, pretty much my love letter to her
OR you could add to these (join the Yuna roast we have cookies bwahahaa)
#ffx#ffx-2#yuna#tidus#tidus x yuna#since heavily featured an kinda in a different light#i'm so sorry REALLY i love them#and their ridiculously healthy relationship#ffx meta#ffx-2 meta#meta#meta meta meta#gutsiest post i've made so far?#nahhh idk if thats the word
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April 2020 Wrap Up
Sooo I read a hell of a lot... I needed the distraction.
1.- The Girl in the Tower (The Bear and the Nightingale #2)- Katherine Arden
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I AM IN LOVE WITH THIS BOOK. It left me shook, everything felt rich and woven perfectly into the story. Vasya gets so tested as a heroine, and comes out with more understanding of her own abilities and the world of the chyarti. It was such a magical and immersive story.
2.-Words of Radiance (Stormlight Archives #2) - Brandon Sanderson
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
:00000 this is my review, it was so good. This world is being crafted so perfectly with such a care for the political situation and the different species with their culture. I am dying to read the next one.
3.-Iron Gold (Red Rising #4) -Pierce Brown
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Pierce Brown broke my heart again!!! I was so happy on how things ended on Morning Star, like I imagined at least Darrow would have some peace... well nope he is still fighting and has a lot of conflict with the new government they set up and the Ash Lord is still giving trouble. I really loved the mentorship between Cassius and Lysander it felt good for Cassius. But darn I was not ready for this , the political stakes are as high as always in this universe and can my son Darrow rest pls 😢😢???
4.- City of Night (Frankenstein #2) - Dean R. Koontz
🌟🌟🌟🌟
This book didn't move the plot that much but holy shit was it intense. We follow all our storyline were we left them in book 1 (Randal was scary but at the end I did feel for him) Victor Helios still thinks he has the upper hand even when all evidence points to the contrary, the members of his New Race keep having mutations and failures and it is only a matter of time before Deucalion finds a way to kill him.
5.- One of us is next (One of us is lying #2) - Karen McMannus
🌟🌟🌟🌟
I think I might like this one better than the 1st one (I still love Addy tho) it reminded me a bit of Gossip Girl or Pretty Little Liars (the text messages and gossip stuff) and I am a sucker for those, the characters were pretty great and even if I did guess who was the Simon Keller copy cat it managed to shook me in other ways. My only pet peeve is why does everyone has to end on a romantic relationship??? So wierd. But I still enjoyed it a lot .
6.-The Queen of Nothing (Folk of Air #3) - Holly Black
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
It was sooooooo good. I really loved this one, my favorite in the series I think. Jude really comes strong in this one. I was crying like a fool at the very end, it was a very satisfactory ending though I wish Tamryn had been more developed and had her own narrative arc instead of dropping everything in this book. That ending was so heart warming and cute.
7.- Petals on the Wind (Dollanganger #2) - V.C Andrews
🌟🌟🌟🌟
The drama. Gosh had I witnessed any of this I would have called the Police on everyone (yes Dr. Paul included). Cathy has the worst coping mechanisms ever. Like I understand wanting to get back at her mom (she totally deserves it no matter how she tries to justify herself) but bitch u don't have to base all your life on that or she wins. This fool getting into relationships with trashy ass man instead of pursuing her dreams earnestly. Like it could have been so easy to denounce her (you had proof you were her children and Carrie's medical records) and boom her money would be gone but instead she chose to be a dramatic ho and ruin all her life and the life of others (also fuck Julian, it wasn't Cathy's responsability to fix his needy ass or fix Dr. Paul's mopey ass he was her guardian yet he abused her gross)
8.-Oligarchy - Scarlett Thomas
🌟🌟🌟🌟
This was a heavy read, it deals a lot with mental health and eating disorders, and it's so so dark. I really enjoyed it though I would have liked it if it went deeper with some stuff like the ending felt a bit rushed, there should have been more build up for the final reveal but all in all it was great.
9.-LifeLik3 - Jay Kristoff
🌟🌟
I just couldn't . I never got used to the slang, the story seemed so predictable, there wasn't worldbuilding to speak off and the romance was the deal breaker for me, insta-love I can't handle.
10.-Tiffany Sly lives here now - Dana L. Davis
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I cried multiple times reading this book. It was beautiful and so real. Tiffany's struggles with her new life and this family she is just getting to know that come with all this inflexible rules on top of her mental health and coping with her mother's death.
11.- A Trick of light - Stan Lee
🌟🌟🌟🌟
It was a cute story, really with TONS of cómic vibes. The characters were pretty good , they did have depth and the powers were cool. The plot twist left me shook. Super enjoyable I really recommend it to any superhero fan.
12.-Infinity Son - Adam Silvera
🌟🌟🌟
It was okay-ish. I mean it wasn't a bad story but it was full of clichés and predictable. We don't get much on worldbuilding and honestly that last "twist" pretty much ruined the whole thing for me. It was an intresting premise but the execution was not great.
13.-Alex and Eliza - Melissa de la Cruz
🌟🌟
It felt so disconnected, maybe because Melissa de la Cruz usually writes Contemporary and tried to use the same tone for this one, but it just didn't work on this historical fiction romance, it felt too juvenile for me. I will still read her other books cuz she knows how to write cute romance but this series is not for.
14.-Family Life - Akhil Sharma
🌟🌟🌟
As someone who has had to care for a incapacitated family member some of this book really hit me hard. Still I think it moved to fast towards the end. It was a good story but the ending was kind of bland.
15.- Dreamland - Nancy Bilyeau
🌟🌟🌟🌟
It was a pretty fun read. I always enjoy a good mystery and this one is pretty fun, yes it is predictable but I don't think that's necessarily bad in this case, because it was more about the privilege and the Police being onto an immigrant because they are so prejudiced.
16.- The Princess of Cleves - Mme. De Lafayette
🌟🌟🌟
This is a classic about the court of France during the Dauphin's reign, there is lots of romantic drama and anguish very intresting because it depicts a very complicated and ultimately doomed relationship. But also it is tremendously intrincate on the factions between these powerful woman and the political drama. I super recommend it.
17.- Cranford - Elizabeth Gaskell
🌟🌟🌟🌟
All this vignettes were lovely. They are interconnected with one another showing us the life of all this color full characters living on a small town of England during the Industrial Revolution, all their moments sad and happy, their ambitions modest as they may be are reflected beautifully in here.
18.-John - Annie Baker
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I miss doing theatre a lot, and when I come back I hope I can do something as great as this. This play is complex and emotional, when it's setting and characters seem so simple and first. It made me laugh and cry and even be scared and unnerved. I really recc it.
19.-Angelina o el Honor de un brigadier - Enrique Jardiel Poncela
🌟🌟🌟🌟
Una obra muy ingeniosa y divertida. Una lectura increíblemente placentera,la historia es simple y fácil de seguir, los personajes son bien definidos y poseen una voz propia.
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