#and yes it was narda and regina

[lisascumslut78]

the other day i saw a gif of darna? narda? and regina in prison and it was out of context so i was confused, then i got curious and read your fic and it’s cute sjhwnewhehjejeje i love how your idea of fixing a scene is just to make it gayer 💕

OMG!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH🥹🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶

and yes. it needed to be done, the finale was shit so i how can i not fix it?

im curious tho, it's in taglish (tagalog and english), did you understand what they were saying??

WAIT.

can you understand tagalog? :0

[thewhizzyhead]

wait no pero legit here's the thing about the rise of the darlentina shippers okay and why i consider it so groundbreaking in so many ways. first of all, it's philippine mainstream media and gay shit on mainstream media almost never happens here so to actually see people, fans and actors and producers alike, clamor for the narda x regina or darlentina dynamic here - despite it being a fan-pairing and despite the fact that both are in this love-triangle dynamic with the main cop lead- is absolutely insane. SECOND OF ALL, because of the darlentina dynamic and the many, many edits on social media platforms everywhere, abs cbn (aka the studio airing the darna reboot) was able to finally bring back massive social media attention on their teleseryes. and here's the thing about filipino teleseryes: most gen z's stuck on the internet don't give a shit about them anymore because who would give a shit over recycled tropes, cliches, and plotlines that, more often that not, revolve around super straight couples with the same old dynamics and same old heteronormative shit? so, for sapphic filipino twitter to actually give a shit about a teleserye again because of new and actually well-written and well-performed dynamics between the hero and her archnemesis? that is, once again, absolutely insane - so insane that we actually managed to loop in the rest of international sapphic twitter as well. WE ACTUALLY FOUND SOMETHING INTERESTING AND ENGAGING AND REVOLUTIONARY TO WATCH ON MAINSTREAM MEDIA AGAIN AND AS A RESULT, FILIPINO TELESERYE TITLES ARE BACK AGAIN ON THE TRENDING PAGES. WE GIVE A SHIT NOW BECAUSE WE FOUND SOMETHING WORTH CARING ABOUT. but this also means that we also find stuff worth criticizing in the show and in Filipino Teleserye writing in general - and holy shit there are a lot: copaganda especially considering the sociopolitical climate here what with cop shittiness, men-centric writing, cheesy lines, forced romantic pairings, the SUPERHERO SHOW focusing on thE COPS instead of tHE SUPERHERO, the "women empowerment" failing the fucking bechdel test, bland writing that focuses only on the "kilig" factor, inconsistent characterization to the point that narda cites the cop love interest as her inspiration instead of, like, HER FUCKING MOM - THE ONLY OTHER "DARNA" SHE KNOWS, yea you get the point. These issues and more have always been issues in Filipino teleseryes though and we've grown so used to them that we no longer give a fuck anymore. but, because of how much potential the Darna reboot holds - even outside of the Darlentina thing - and because of how incredibly tired we are of shitty, shitty, writing in Philippine television, we continue to make the show trend not just with our love for Jane De Leon and Janella Salvador but with our critiques of the show. Keep in mind, we've been staying away from teleseryes for quite a long while now because of the same old shit and now that another local show has managed to get our attention to the point that we are actively advocating for better writing speaks volumes! so, when you guys see the darlentina thing trend not just on twitter but in other platforms as well, remember that this isn't just a matter of us wanting good gay representation on Philippine mainstream media. this is a matter of us finally wanting good stories back on teleseryes because we fully well know that us Filipinos deserve so much better than the same rehashed and backward plotlines.

[sampaguitea]

.

[voidgenesis]

Darlentina but make it Clexa where Narda dies in Regina's arms, the stone (equivalent of the Flame) gets passed down to the next Darna. Regina ends up being a surrogate parent to the young girl who received the stone, everytime she uses it she access the memories/lives of the past Darnas.

Basically Regina and Narda will have the dialogue that goes like this:

"The next Darna will protect you."

"I don't want the next Darna. I want you."

then this scene with Regina and her kid:

"Isn't that what the other Darnas in your head tells you?"

"Yes, all but one."

yeah yeah I might write something something hmmmm but I don't have a shred of commitment sooo feel free to adopt this concept?!? 😭

[from-a-reckless-writer]

pangarap; a darlentina one-shot

The office is dim with half of the floor lights turned off, her co-workers long gone—leaving her with nothing but silence as her company.

Narda has recently learned to treasure rare pockets of peace like these. With the double duty of an EMT and moonlighting as the city's heroine, finding time just for herself has been few and far in-between as of late. 

Sometimes, she thinks these are the kinds of consequences her mother could have prepared her for, had she been alive long enough to train her. If Leonor hadn't died, would Narda be having as much trouble learning the trials and errors of being a hero? Would it have been at least a bit easier? 

Maybe. 

Maybe she wouldn't be staying alone after office hours just to get a little reprieve from the loudness of Nueva Esperanza. Maybe she wouldn't even be here, reading anatomy books in the dark, pretending she's a pre-med student. Maybe she would have had an actual shot in college.

Maybe-

"Working hard much?"

Narda jumps at the voice, the book slipping from her grasp and making a solid thud as it hits the floor.

She turns her head to look at the intruder, and almost jumps out of her seat again at the close proximity of one Regina Vanguardia leaning over her shoulder.

"Oh my god, Narda, sorry kung nagulat kita," Regina apologizes, instantly moving around Narda's chair to collect the fallen book. 

Her heart is beating a mile a minute out of her chest, lips opening and closing like a fish out of water.

"Here." Regina thrusts the book at her, and it isn't until that moment Narda realizes she hasn't spoken a word. 

"Sorry, again. If I startled you," Regina says, and she looks so ethereal in the dim lighting of the office like this. Her hair framing her face perfectly, and oh, words. Narda needs to speak words. Now, if possible. 

"Pauwi na rin kasi ako, but natanaw ko na may bukas pa na ilaw so I came to check it out, and well," Regina shrugs, smiles softly at her, "-didn't expect to find you."

Regina's eyes sparkle as she looks down at Narda, still frozen in her chair. 

Words, Narda. Salita. Bibig. Now na, dali. 

"Oh, uhm naku," Narda fumbles, "'wag po kayo mag-sorry, ah eh, nagcacatch up lang po 'ko sa mga reading ma'am. Alam nyo na para laging prepared."

Wow, Narda, isang buong sentence 'yun ah. Congrats.

"That's Seeley, right?" Regina gestures at the thick textbook at her hands, and Narda finds herself nodding.

Yes, it is Seeley, and the textbook cost her almost 3,000 and a chestful of guilt for buying it for herself. She kept thinking she should've just given the money for Ding's allowance. What was the point in buying such an expensive book anyway if she wasn't even going to college?

"Sipag ah, extra-reading?" Regina teases, "The program doesn't give off Seeley books e. As far as I know, instructional packets lang noh? Maybe we should change that, huh? Baka if ganun your colleagues can be as good an EMT as you."

Narda flushes, hoping the darkness doesn't let Regina see the redness in her cheeks. Because phew! Did she just receive another compliment from Regina? She's still not used to that. That someone as esteemed, as beautiful, as powerful as Regina, takes the time to pay notice and sing praises to someone like her.

"Oh, uhm- opo, ma'am, 'di po toh sa program, akin po toh."

"Ah." Regina nods, and maybe it's the late hour, the kindness in Regina's eyes and the adrenaline rush of her sudden presence that Narda finds herself saying, "Gusto ko pa kasi maging doktor e. Kaso, mahal mag-PreMed. Kaya eto na lang muna, basa-basa na lang."

"I didn't know you were into Med?"

"Ay opo, ma'am, science nerd po ako growing up e,"  Narda finds herself laughing a bit as she admits it, "tas si nanay pa, EMT, lagi syang nagkwekwento ng mga interesting na medical cases. Kaya ayun, parang nagustuhan 'ko mag-doktor."

She used to join science quiz bees, and she was good at it, too. She remembers the look on her mother's face whenever she won. Remembers Ding's awe when she would recite the Krebs Cycle and the enzymes in Glycolysis with ease. Biology fascinated her in a way nothing else did, and becoming a doctor meant getting to use her love for science to help people. 

"I didn't know that," Regina comments, utter fascination and curiosity in her eyes, and Narda finds herself getting lost in them. Regina tugs a nearby office chair with her foot, perches on it and crosses her legs. She's all smooth movements and grace. 

"E pano nyo po malalaman, ma'am? Ngayon lang tayo nagkwentuhan," Narda jokes, and she takes delight in the way Regina chuckles at her. She feels like she's won the battle here somehow, and her reward is Regina's smile and intoxicating presence.

"Tsk," Regina clicks her tongue, and it shouldn't be as hot as it is, but it is. Narda swallows."I thought napag-usapan na natin na you shouldn't call me ma'am anymore, just call me-"

"Regina," Narda finishes for her, savoring the way the syllables drag along her tongue. Relishing the taste of her name—it's sweet, she likes it. 

"Good. Exactly." Regina beams at her.

Narda lets out a breathless laugh, before sucking in a breath, and asking, "Ikaw Regina? Pagiging attorney na ba talaga pinangarap mo?"

A mischievous look crosses Regina's face, and she surprises Narda when she says, "No, actually, I wanted to be a rockstar."

Wow.

"Wow? Rockstar? Regina the Rakista?"

Regina laughs, a sweet little melodic thing ringing in the silent office.

"Yes, yes, I mean as you can tell from the bleached hair, I had a Hayley Williams phase...and an Avril Lavigne phase." She twirls one curl around her finger, and Narda is endlessly fascinated by the gesture. 

"Kitchie Nadal ma'am?"

Regina just raises an eyebrow at her and Narda realizes her mistake, recalibrates.

"Kitchie Nadal, Regina?"

"Ikaw, gusto mo lang ata makarinig ng sample ng 'Bulong' e."

"E kung willing ka naman sumample, ma'- Regina, diba? Why not?" She doesn't know where she's getting the bravery to banter with her so boldly like this, she wonders if this is some leftover Darna confidence, or if Regina just really brings out the best in her. The latter seems more likely.

"Haha, maybe some other time.” Regina leans back in her chair, relaxes and crosses her arms across her chest, “But yes, I wanted to be an artist. A musician. But well, I think you of all people know that minsan, things change, life happens."

And yes, Narda does know. 

"Ah, naiintindihan ko nga 'yan."

"I mean- not that I don't like being a lawyer, I like my job. I like what I do. Gusto ko na nakikita kong nakakatulong ako sa mga tao. Baka, 'di ko man mabago ang mundo, but it wouldn't hurt if I managed to change a few lives noh?"

Woosh. Pucha. Nahulog na. In-lababo na si Narda. 

Narda wants to know more, wants to ask more, wants to know what it is exactly she meant when she said, things change, life happens. She wants to know everything—anything. But the silence that follows Regina's words seems to be here to stay.

So, she clears her throat and she says, "Well, ma'am-" Regina pointedly stares at her when she says that, and Narda laughs, shakes her head. "Regina," she corrects, and in the sincerest voice she can muster, murmurs, "Ako na mismo magsasabi sa 'yo, binago mo buhay ko."

She reaches out her hand, dares to put it over Regina's and squeezes. The air is charged. She can feel it somehow, this moment is important. This is something she will re-play in her mind again and again, see in her dreams night after night. It's like the cliff all over again. But the funny feeling in her chest doesn't feel like fear this time, nothing in her feels afraid of falling, because Regina turns her hand, palm up and catches her fingers in hers. 

And oh, that's what flying feels like. 

[x5red]

Mars Ravelo’s Darna: is it worth the wait?

The Filipino fantaserye series, Mars Ravelo’s Darna, starring Jane De Leon, has been running for two weeks now on various ABS-CBN services, which is enough time to justify an initial review. After roughly a decade stuck in development hell in various forms, the main question has to be: is the new Darna worth the wait..?

The show is based on the legendary komiks superheroine, Darna, created by writer Mars Ravelo and artist Nestor Redondo in May 1950. Darna was heavily inspired by Fawcett Comics’ Captain (Shazam) Marvel -- a young girl, Narda, finds a magic stone that transforms her into an adult superhero. She uses her new powers to fight against a range of supernatural foes, chief among them a power hungry medusa named Valentina.

This isn’t the first time Darna has been filmed. Since the 1950s there’s been a steady stream of movies, and three television series (well, two and a bit!) based on the character. The last was in 2009 on the GMA Network, after which the rights were sold to rival ABS-CBN who hoped to produce a new movie. But plans kept falling through, and when it looked like filming might actually begin with Jane De Leon in the title role, a worldwide pandemic struck! Thankfully ABS-CBN quickly retooled the project to become a television fantaserye, and filming finally began at the end of 2021.

Like other fantaserye shows, the series runs five nights a week (yes five!), Monday to Friday at 8pm. Fantaserye (or telefantasya) is similar to the South American telenovela genre -- like daytime soap opera except with a fixed episode count and a proper finale episode that ties up all plots. Shows typically run over many months, racking up dozens of episodes, sometimes well over one hundred.

Darma launched in mid-August, broadcast on cable channels in the Philippines and the USA, and accessible to worldwide audiences with English subtitles thanks to various streaming platforms. At the time of writing ten episodes have been broadcast over two weeks. What follows is an initial review of those episodes.

The premise

Narda Custodio (Jane De Leon) is a young woman with a passion for helping people, and a knack of finding herself in the middle of trouble. Narda is unaware that her mother, Leonor (Iza Calzado), hails from the planet Marte where she was once a legendary warrior named Darna who liberated Marte from invaders. Finding a quiet spot in the galaxy to settle down, Leonor has enjoyed a simple Filipino life, becoming an Emergency Medical Technician (paramedic) and mother to two children -- Narda and her brother Ding (Zaijian Jaranilla.) She still practices her martial arts skills every day, though, skills she insists her reluctant daughter must also learn.

As the show starts, some of Leonor/Darna’s old foes arrive on Earth and adopt human identities. They bring with them a weapon in the form of a giant robotic killing machine, forcing Leonor to once again use the alien stone that grants her the powers of Darna. Narda discovers her mother’s true identity, and realises the combat training has been to prepare her to become the next Darna. But Narda rejects her destiny, believing she is not a brave warrior like her mother. Instead she decides to follow her mother in a different way, as an EMT.

Unbeknown to all, the defeated robot’s power source has infected local people, mutating them in ways they can’t control. To make matters worse, there’s rampant corruption running throughout local politics and the police that may be linked to the hidden alien menace.

As events unfold, the reluctant Narda is increasingly forced to transform into Darna to save her town.

Narda is assisted by several friends, who remain unaware of her dual identity. Brian Robles (Joshua Garcia) is a young cop who fights against the corruption that he believes is the cause of his father’s murder. He quickly forms a bond with Narda that slowly blossoms into a romance. Regina Vanguardia (Janella Salvador) is a stylish young attorney from a rich and powerful family who wants to rid the town of all aliens -- including Darna. She has a crush on Officer Robles, and a jealous streak, making her a powerful ‘frenemy’ to Narda.

The tone

Mars Ravelo’s Darna mixes elements of telenovela melodrama, and superhero fantasy, and throws in a healthy dose of mystery for good measure. There are subplots and secrets galore. The seemingly kindhearted local Mayor is a ruthless tyrant. The town’s unassuming fast food stall owner has a home-made crime lab for investigating extraterrestrial activities. People are going missing, and the police are covering up the disappearances. The plots come thick and fast, and the pace is relentless.

This is important, because with five episodes a week to produce the lead superhero cannot appear in every episode. Fantaserye plays to a different beat to American tv fantasy, allowing the subplots and supporting characters to have a greater share of the screen time.

The show’s characters are a mixed bag of serious, comedic, and melodramatic. At one end of the scale are the two leads, Jane De Leon and Joshua Garcia, who deliver pretty straight dramatic performances. At the other end of the scale there’s the Greek Chorus of comic relief characters at the local cafe, who bicker and comment on every event.

Most characters fall into pretty well defined soap archetypes. There’s few shades of grey here -- the good guys are good, the bad guys are bad, and the audience can cheer or boo for whoever is on screen at any given moment.

The actors

As Narda, Jane De Leon proves particularly adept at handling the different demands of each storyline, be it action, romance, comedy, or tragedy. She works well with Joshua Garcia, sharing pretty good on-screen chemistry. Jane and Joshua’s performances are noticeably more natural and restrained than some of the other supporting characters. Janella Salvador, by contrast, gives viewers a true soap opera style performance as Regina, the rich and powerful daddy’s girl, playing the melodrama for all its worth and keeping the audience guessing as to if and when she’ll flip from Narda’s friend to her worst enemy.

There’s a massive cast of irregular characters who show up depending upon the demands of a given episode. Each of the main characters have their own subplots, and their own small cast of supporting characters. In many cases these supports are merely there to serve the needs of the main character, but some may provide bridges between the various parallel stories and Narda’s main plot.

The effects

Given that this is a superhero show, the obvious question is how special are the special effects? To paraphrase a line used to sell Christopher Reeve as Superman: “will we believe a woman can fly?”

On a Filipino tv budget, at five episodes a week, the effects -- unsurprisingly -- don’t quite live up to US tv standards. But that’s not to say that they are poor; far from it! Given the circumstances, it is actually quite incredible that the fights, stunts, and effects are as effective as they are.

Rather than scale back their ambitions, the team behind Darna have attempted some pretty exciting action sequences. Instead of aiming for perfect CGI like a US show might do, Darna just has fun with the tools at its disposal. It is as if the creators thought to themselves, “to hell with it, let’s just put as many thrills on screen as we can afford, and hope the audience is forgiving enough to excuse the few rough edges.”

Conclusion

Darna is like the bastard television love child of Lynda Carter’s Wonder Woman and Joan Collins’ Dynasty! It smashes together classic old-school superhero hi-jinx with soap opera melodrama, and the results are a lot of fun.

The pacing may be a little odd if you’re used to mainstream American television, and the effects aren’t as polished as US tv, but the story lines have that essential soap quality of making you want to keep coming back for more. Jane De Leon offers up a warm and modest hero who is immediately relatable, and her supporting cast play their various sympathetic or villainous roles with such gusto that the show easily becomes a bit of a guilty pleasure.

Two weeks (ten episodes!) in, and already there’s enough intrigue and mystery to keep Scooby Doo and his chums occupied for years. Yet Narda has barely started on her hero’s journey to become the new Darna. Here’s hoping the series as a whole delivers on its promising start.

Internationally Darna streams on Kapamilya Online Live, iWantTFC, and The Filipino Channel. Search for apps in your app store. Domestically it broadcasts on cable via Kapamilya Channel and Jeepney TV; and on free TV's A2Z and TV5.

[thewhizzyhead]

nothing is more hilarious to me than filipino twitter celebrating because local media has FINALLY learned how to queerbait with the narda and regina interactions in the new darna reboot. and yes we fully well know that we live in the philippines so that's never gonna happen and that darna and valentina (narda and regina's superpowered identities) are mortal enemies so that's definitely never gonna happen BUT WE FIND IT ENTERTAINING OKAY

[from-a-reckless-writer]

I really hope abs-cbn isn't the our version of cw pero ang hirap maging hopeful 🙃

but on the bright side, you gonna write fics na? OMAYGHAD OMAYGHAD OMAYGHAD I FULLY SUPPORT VEBS!

And yes, even tho I don't have a twitter, ramdam and ine-enjoy ko n din ang pagtalon sa darlentina🤝supercorp rabbit hole 😌

which makes me wonder how Supergirl and Darna interactions would look like. (Of course kasama ang cat-like gf nila)

-🐍

YESSS I'M GONNA WRITE FICS NA!!! i'm excited and feeling good for it so might as well, and also, a Tagalog ficlet would be unleashing the makata in me so ykno im lookin forward to that.

its so funny cos u tweet something and somebody's like OH A FELLOW SUPERCORP SUFFERER?!! welcome to the club. TUNGINUHHHH MGA BIKTIMA NI KATIE MCGRATH

Mas tame si Narda kesa kay Kara tho hahaha Regina and Lena would bond tho like OH YOU BOUGHT HER A COMPANY? OOOOh, i'll keep that in mind next time.

as for ABS-CBN, well, the thing about this is that this is a primetime TV show about the country's most beloved superheroine so I won't get my hopes up. BUT. The actors and the director seem to be on board with it, so maybe it would just take a lil nudge. I mean the fans seem to love it, and they're making a lot of noise about it. Also the release of Sleep With Me gave me hope so yeah maybe they'll make it sapphic, cos that would be revolutionary for us. 'Bout time I see a sapphic Darna on-screen.

[from-a-reckless-writer]

OMG YES!!! YOU KNOW I'LL BE HERE PATIENTLY WAITING FOR THOSE FICS. it's been so long since I've read Tagalog fics, yung last ata puro Trese fics pa

Yes, medyo tame si Narda compared kay Kara hahahaha but our rock eating superhero has very similar vibes kay Kara season 1. GURL, the buying company part! I could totally see Regina buying Jabe just because Narda is hungry 😂

Speaking of Sleep with me, ako din yung magulong anon na sinamahon mong manood and kiligin a few days ago hahahah. I'm also the trese anon from way back 😅

Anyway, yeah we need more GL here sa Pinas. Samantha Lee's back must be hurting for all the carrying she's been doing. I mean, we have other shows and pelikula naman but we need more! I agree dude, it's high time na for a queer Darna and I hope hindi sayangin 'tong chance na ito with the diretors and actors open to the concept

-🐍

gahahaha thanks for geeking out with me then! HUIII WAG KA 700 WORDS NA NEW FIC! A MIRACLE syempre Regina-centric cos we got that angsty rich bitch theme going on. hahahah im still doin research on how to be a lawyer and all that shizzz but its coming along nicely. but im also planning a lil Narda ficlet, that one imma make in tagalog cos it would fit the romantic tone of it.

and oh speaking of sapphic rep, u should watch Si Chedeng at si Apple, its a dark humor film with a lesbian lead. It's like "Patay na Si Hesus" if you're a cinephile you'll like it. It's good queer rep!