#carlos as the surprise villain reveal

[guardian-angle22]

911: Lone Star S4 E14 | The Case of the Stolen Pudding Cup -> The Culprit Revealed

[amazable01]

If you will indulge my little English Major brain for a moment:

One of the biggest plot devices both TMA and WTNV use is Chekhov's Gun (if something is shown on screen, it must be used at least once, at some point later in the show). However, the differences in how the idea is used helps to develop the style and themes of the series.

In TMA, there are a lot of recurring elements. However, there are very few recurring props/physical events. Obviously there's the lighter, but that's one of very few items that really has staying power. The Calliope Organ and the Table are really the only two more. People recur more often, but there's still a lot of stuff where there's an entity/character we've never met before, and will not meet again.

The main usage of Chekhov's Gun in TMA is the actually the fears themselves. The types of fear (and the attempt to categorize them) is a recurring element, which leads up to not only the reveal of the fears and what they are in s2, but the entirety of s5 and the horrors of implication that come with it. The powers are the constantly recurring Chekhov's Gun that fires often, but has been set up in the trailers before anything actually started.

This helps a lot towards setting up the themes of helplessness and human fragility that we see in TMA. Humanity is diminished, passing and unrecognizable and unimportant unless they have a connection to the powers, so every person is lesser in comparison to the overarching evil that has existed from the moment Jon opened his mouth in Anglerfish.

Meanwhile, the concept is flipped in WTNV. There are very few overarching plot points (Kevin, the Gods, etc), and generally they are devoted to their own arcs in the podcast, and occasionally pop up at other times to make themselves known. However, these arcs generally only last a certain amount of time, and the evil overarching villain of the season is just that: confined to the season.

Where we see the Chekhov's Gun in WTNV is in the people and places. Everyone knows 'Perfect Carlos' or 'Steve Carlsberg' or 'John Peters, ya'know, the Farmer?', and the usage of the name conventions helps to seal the name into our memory. Other events in the background are mentioned and will most certainly appear again, as well (no, seriously. If you've never watched Night Vale before, or if you just want a pleasant surprise in your most recent watch-through, keep tabs/notes of mysteries or unanswered questions. It's a fun game). There's even a constantly repeating theme of the first episode, changing ever-so-slightly, but still the same exact story with different meanings based on where you are.

This helps to set up the idea that, the world may be insane and dangerous and scary, but humanity has power. Choices matter, people matter, and evil is a passing thing that can be overcome if we just decide to come together. It sets the tone of WTNV from the moment you hear Cecil's voice in the Pilot, but you wouldn't even notice it.

[magical-oppas]

Now that the season is over, here are my predictions as to what will make it into Drive to Survive.

!Disclaimer! DTS was my entry into this sport. I think the show is great in its own way and an excellent way to reach new fans, this is mostly just for fun. (If you can't make fun of the things you love I'm the wrong person to have on your dash)

Here is my list in no particular order

HAAS: They love a HAAS focused episode, partly because it brings Steiner into the picture. I personally never got why people like him but if it works it works I guess. Expect many "Suck my balls" jokes. Otherwise we are scheduled for our regular viewing of HAAS being absolutely washed on track with Guenther calling Gene every five minutes.

Qatar: Things they WONT cover about Qatar; the drivers collapsing and passing out from heat exhaustion, the tracklimits and tyre fiasco. Things they WILL cover about Qatar; the mercs crashing into eachother on lap 1 (with THAT clip of Lewis playing like 50 times), Oscar winning the sprint. I imagine them spinning it in a way that makes the sprint a huge deal (cue clip of Will Buxton talking about how essential the sprint is for F1 as a sport and almost more important than the grand prix itself). This brings me to my next point

Civil wars: We have the real civil wars and the fake ones. I imagine them using the Qatar gp to make up a war between Oscar and Lando, framing it as Oscar as a rookie getting a win before Lando. Not sure who they are gonna make the villain here, probably Lando. They could also fabricate one at Ferrari given how this car suits Carlos more than Charles, will probably blow Monza out of proportion. Merc civil war might get a whole episode(be honest, we all know that one is a competitive car away from blowing up). The french civil war is the one I'm looking forward to the most because BOY do those two like to play it dirty. I'm frothing at the mouth already to see the backhanded compliments, the jabs, the shady comments they have probably been giving in the dts interviews. Speaking of Alpine

Alpine vs Mclaren(Oscar): This is a must because they made that whole thing last season. Episode will start out with a really smug Alpine team but we will get to witness the horrible car crash of a season they are having with the amazing dts editing. Can't wait to see the Silverstone part where they show the double DNF side by side with the Mclarens celebrating a p2 p4.

Singapore: The only non Redbull winner so I will be surprised if they don't feature it. They also love a dramatic crash and Lance's one in Singapore qualy is probably the most intense one we had this season. Will probably also use the onboard footage from Lando to show the tyre skirting by him to really amp it up.

Red bull: Will it be about their amazing achievements as a team this year? No. Will it be about Max and his fantastic race craft and the way he hasn't put a single foot wrong? No. It will be about Checo and his struggles. Will also have interviews of Christian defending him that become fewer and fewer the longer into the season we go. The win streak and the domination will be mentioned only in contrast to Checo. I also have a theory that red bull might drop checo and if they do I promise you the reveal in the show will go exactly like this:

Christian: We have given him time and patience, but at some point we need to start looking elsewhere, Mclaren have an amazing pairing, Mercedes have an amazing pairing even Ferrari have really started to get into their groove. He really left us no choice.

*Dramatic music, cut to black*

"Hi I'm Daniel Ricciardo and I'm a driver for Red Bull racing. Fuck, that felt so good to say *big Daniel smile.*"

Las Vegas: Will be shown as the most epic race this season with all drivers hyping it up (Might be able to include Max in that one with enough editing). What they WONT cover: all of the thursday/free practice shenanigans. What they WILL cover: The fact that the race was a banger.

Alpha Tauri: They have the perfect angle for this set up already. Nyck was talking himself up big time last season so they are just gonna overlay that with Nyck having a mare on track. They're gonna make whole "I'm back bitches" thing with Daniel. Then they're gonna make his accident real tragic (they could also make it into a Thing that it was Oscar that Daniel tried to avoid when putting it in the wall). Not really sure what they're gonna make out of Liams short stint.

Ferrari vs Mercedes fight for p2 is gonna be HELLA dramatic. They are going to drag out that race and insert radio messages where they don't belong. I also think they are gonna make it look like Carlos was closer to Lewis in the race than what he actually was.

As I said, these are just my speculations. based on the way the show has been and are mostly just for fun.

[giveamadeuschohisownmovie]

Pitch for Resident Evil 9 (IX):

The Campaigns

1) Jake Muller and Sherry Birkin

2) Carlos Oliveira and Javier Reyes (new character)

3) Alice (new character) and Ashley Graham

/

The Plot

In 2023, Ashley Graham, who is now serving as the United States’ ambassador to Brazil since the events of RE4, visits the city of Rio de Janeiro to attend a conference with Brazil’s president Jose Ferreira. During the conference, terror strikes as the city falls under a bioweapons outbreak. With Ashley trapped, Ingrid Hunnigan contacts Leon S. Kennedy for another rescue mission, but much to her surprise, Leon has gone “off the grid” for reasons unknown (Leon’s story is reserved for the DLC).

Due to Leon’s absence, Hunnigan contacts two other allies to retrieve Ashley; DSO agent Sherry Birkin (recommended by Leon) and C Op Esp operative Carlos Oliveira (only because he was already in Brazil). Sherry also recruits freelance mercenary Jake Muller to help her out.

However, upon arriving at Rio de Janeiro, Sherry, Jake, and Carlos get separated by a zombie horde. Carlos, while on his own, joins forces with police officer Javier Reyes, who was the sole survivor of his unit.

While all this is happening, a woman named Alice wakes up at the bottom of a waterfall. She has lost all her memory, which she assumes happened when she went down the waterfall and hit her head. While wandering around the area, she stumbles upon a destroyed campsite that seems to have been bombed to pieces. Alice then finds a fatally wounded survivor who tells her only one thing before dying; “find Ashley Graham, Alice”. Despite not knowing what that means, Alice sets out to find this Ashley, hoping by doing so, she’ll unlock her memories.

So, RE9’s story can be broken down to this; Jake and Sherry looking for Ashley, Carlos teaming up with local cop Javier after being separated from the group, and Alice teaming up with Ashley despite not knowing who she is and why she’s important.

/

The Campaign Plot Twists

1) Jake and Sherry learn that there is a terrorist group called the Weskerites that are dedicated to accomplishing the late Albert Wesker’s goals. The leader, Raven Romero (imagine Harley Quinn if she was a Resident Evil character), reveals to them that the Weskerites assisted the masterminds behind the outbreak. Raven manages to escape the city despite Jake and Sherry’s best efforts to kill her (Raven becomes a recurring villain in future games).

2) Carlos and Javier learn that President Jose Ferreira was part of the conspiracy behind the zombie outbreak in Rio de Janeiro. They learn that he was planning on using the event as a false flag operation to ensure his re-election since he had become massively unpopular (something along the lines of blaming foreign terrorists for the outbreak). Jose is killed by Carlos and Javier after he injects himself with a Tyrant-type virus that was given to him by the actual masterminds.

3) Alice and Ashley learn that the Connections (the group that Mia Winters was part of) supplied the virus to the masterminds. The Connections’ representative, a South Korean drug trafficker named Oh Jin-seok, reveals that the reason why the outbreak happened was that the Brazilian military bombarded their camp (the destroyed campsite that Alice woke up to). When Ashley and Alice asks Jin-seok who bought the virus from Connections, that’s when we get the MAIN plot twist.

/

The MAIN Plot Twist

Oh Jin-seok reveals that the masterminds are a man named Solomon…and his sister Alice. That’s when Alice remembers who she is; her full name is Alice Saddler and she is the granddaughter of the late Osmund Saddler. She and her older brother Solomon are the new leaders of Los Illuminados, which we learn has been slowly rebuilding themselves after the events of RE4.

Alice and Solomon formed the plan with the Weskerites, the Connections, and President Ferreira to start an outbreak in Rio de Janeiro. The reason; to avenge their grandfather. The only reason why they chose Rio was because they timed it with Ashley Graham’s visit to the city. They also assumed that by putting Ashley in danger, they could lure Leon S. Kennedy out as well. All this death and destruction was solely to kill Leon and Ashley for revenge.

However, at some point, Alice had a change of heart. Deciding that the deaths of thousands just to avenge Osmund Saddler wasn’t worth it, Alice tried to stop the operation. Unbeknownst to Alice, the Brazilian government had already found out about the Saddlers’ plans. This led to the destruction of the Connections camp and Alice being thrown down a waterfall and losing her memory.

(NOTE: The reason why the Brazilian government found out about Los Illuminados’ plans is also explained in a DLC)

The finale is a confrontation with Solomon Saddler, the game’s true main villain. Alice, Ashley, Jake, Sherry, Carlos, and Javier all have to work together to stop Solomon in a multi-stage final showdown. Solomon is, of course, defeated and the outbreak is eventually put under control by the combined efforts of the Brazilian military, Blue Umbrella and the BSAA. The game ends with the six survivors being flown out of the city, with Ashley promising to Alice that they can put her in the witness protection program.

/

DLCs

1) For my Family: Set 3 years before RE7, Mia Winters and Oh Jin-seok are sent by Connections to deal with a minor outbreak caused by one of their clients. Mia and Jin-seok later learn that the outbreak was deliberately caused by Alice and Solomon Saddler to test the viruses. At the end of the DLC, we cut to a few hours after RE7, with Mia in an interrogation room with DSO agents. She agrees to become an informant in exchange for the safety of herself, Ethan, and Rose. With Mia Winters’ intel, the US government informs the Brazilian government about the Saddlers’ operation, leading to the bombardment and Alice losing her memory.

2) Off the Grid: Taking place simultaneously with RE9, Leon S. Kennedy goes off the grid in order to help Ada Wong with a mission in Papua New Guinea. Ada had tracked down one of Albert Wesker’s abandoned lab sites and needed Leon’s help to infiltrate it. At the end of the DLC, Leon and Ada learn that this facility was holding the corpse of Steve Burnside (from Code Veronica), which has been well-preserved. Ada then ponders if they can revive Steve.

/

Special Notes

1) Alice, in case it wasn’t obvious, is loosely based on the Alice from the live-action movies.

2) I imagined the game to be a third-person shooter along the lines of the remakes (and The Last of Us).

3) The 3 campaigns are distinctly different from one another in terms of gameplay; Jake and Sherry have special powers / Carlos and Javier are normal people / Alice can fight while Ashley only has defense since she’s a noncombatant.

4) Technically speaking, despite the return of several previous characters from different installments, this game is a direct sequel to RE4.

5) Raven Romero and Oh Jin-seok survive the game. They become the new “Big Bads” of Resident Evil, similar to how Albert Wesker was the Big Bad up until RE5.

6) Raven Romero’s name is a reference to George A. Romero.

[jimblejamblewritings]

de fragee prutia | part 6.

Summary: Welcome to the world of Descendants but with a slight twist. (Y/N) is the daughter of Prince Naveen and Princess Tiana. Being girlfriend to Ben and a royal herself, (Y/N) encourages Ben to bring over some kids from the Isle. Will she be putting everything she loves to the test with this idea? Will she and Ben survive or will she meet someone else along the way?

Pairing: Ben x reader

Word Count: 6.5k

Warnings: none

Previous Part | (Series Masterlist)

(Y/N POV)

Something was covered in a curtain at the end of the dance floor. The blue curtain was taken off and revealed a stained glass panel. It was one of you and Ben. The guests all clapped enthusiastically at its reveal. It was beautiful, especially the detail of your curls.

But what you focused on was your shadow. Your shadow was placing the tiara on your head in the design. It was a stained glass panel, they weren’t made quickly, and Ben had only seen your shadow yesterday. How long had he really known?

“Ben did that?”

“Yeah, he did.”

“Ben!” Uma yelled before her voice turned sweet, “why don’t you tell everyone my present.”

Uma touched his arm and Ben melted into the touch.

“Uma is joining the court as my lady and my, my gift to her is that I want to take down the barrier once and for all.”

Ben’s announcement surprised everyone. Uma was tugging on his arm in excitement but Ben stayed looking at your portrait. Uma frowned.

“Cover that back up!” she yelled.

“I will not!”

“No, Lumière,” you called to him. “She’s right. I’ll take it with me but it’s not my night, anymore. Cover it back.”

“Are you sure, (Y/N)?” Carlos asked. “You’re not going to fight for this? For Ben?”

“She doesn’t do that,” Ben said finally tearing his eyes away from the panel. “(Y/N) never likes to fight.”

“I never fight for you because I care, Ben! I care about you too much to keep you held to something you don’t want. I’ve cared since the moment I met you. I thought all our parents’ fairytales were dead but love at first sight must’ve existed because I knew it when you first welcomed me to Auradon. And it scared the hell out of me when I saw you. I care too much to force you to be with me.”

“Who said it was forced?” He looked at you in confusion.

“Huh?”

“Ben, look at me,” Uma interjected. You saw Ben’s face change as he looked at Uma. The Ben you saw moments ago wasn’t there.

You turned to look at her when you saw your shadow. It was clutching Uma’s glowing necklace tight. Ben was spelled. Whatever your shadow was doing seemed to give Ben moments of clarity as long as he wasn’t focused on Uma.

“Ben! Don’t listen to her, I know you’re in there.” You went to turn his face towards you.

“Look at me Ben… Bring down the barrier, now!” Uma yelled at Fairy Godmother.

“No, Ben focus on me.” You cupped his face with your hands. “I’ve got you, I’ve got you.”

Your fingertips itched slightly, like your shadow was asking permission to move. You completely let go and your shadow ripped Uma’s necklace from her. The necklace shattered as it hit the floor.

“Prutia.”

It worked.

“Give it to me.” Uma lunged for Fairy Godmother’s wand.

“No, guards seize her!” Fairy Godmother struggled to hold the wand out of Uma’s grasp.

Uma ran to the side of the boat. You and Ben realized she was going to jump.

“No, no!” You called out.

Ben tried to hold everyone back from running out to her. “Uma, stop. Please!”

“Uma. We see you, you are so much more than just a villain.”

“I understand this didn’t go how you planned,” Ben attempted to talk to her. “But don’t let your pride get in the way of something you really want.”

Uma paused and looked at the two of you for a second before standing on the railing and jumping.

“NO!”

Everyone ran to the side to find her. The water where she jumped began to bubble like a whirlpool. You looked on in a mix of awe and horror as a giant Uma with tentacles appeared in front of you, soaking the whole Cotillion in water.

“Did you know she could do that?”

Ursula’s daughter… of course she could. One of her tentacles snapped out. Everyone ducked to try and avoid it. No one had a chance to stand up because another tentacle snapped out.

“M?” You could feel her twitching next to you. You looked over to see Mal’s eyes flashing green. You knew those types of twitches from anywhere.

“M… Everyone give her room!”

The crowd backed up as much as they could as purple smoke clouded Mal. Soon your friend was gone and replaced with a dragon.

“Did you know she could do that?”

You watched as Uma and Mal battled it out, fire and water flying everywhere.

“They’re going to destroy everything,” Ben said to himself.

“Whatever you’re thinking, Ben, don’t do it.”

“We’re about to become collateral damage if I don’t do something.”

Before you could say anything, Ben handed you his crown and with a deafening roar jumped overboard.

“BEN!”

You watched him appear in the water, between the two of them.

“Both of you, stop. Back down!”

“And what are you gonna do, Ben? Splash me?” Uma taunted.

Your hands twitched as you gripped the railing. You weren’t going to give this a chance to go bad. You read through the book and had your shadow somewhat figured out. If they could just avoiding killing everyone in the next minute, you’d be able to bring out the black, inky shadow creature. It would be painful, the creature required loads of magic to conjure and you couldn’t do that easily when panicked. The only way you knew to accumulate a mass amount of magic with your nerves like this was to suppress it.

“It’s got to stop! This isn’t the answer.”

That’s it Ben, buy time. You watched the veins on your arm turn black, you were almost there.

“The fighting has got to stop,” Ben continued. “Nobody wins this way.”

Your hands turned black like the night.

“Go,” you whispered to yourself.

The inky like substance seeped from between your ribs where the wound used to be, this time not painful at all. You watched the shadow creature stand next to you, bigger than even the one in your room. It climbed over the railing and crouched in a protective stance over Ben.

“Uma. I know you want what’s best for the Isle. But we can’t do it this way. You have to work with us.”

Over Ben, your shadow kept its eyes on Uma. She looked like she was seriously considering what Ben said. You knew she was like the other VKs, she didn’t want to cause any real trouble. Your shadow opened its mouth.

“Help us make a difference,” it croaked out in the same gravelly voice from your room.

It said exactly what you were thinking. You didn’t know it could do all that. The action almost made you lose focus and drop your connection with the thing. Both your shadow and Ben reached out a hand to Uma.

She looked your shadow in the eye and extended a tentacle. Rather than holding your hand, Uma’s dropped Ben’s ring in your shadow’s palm. Uma took a deep breath before disappearing under the water.

Mal carried Ben back to the boat before transforming back into herself. Your shadow crawled back up the boat side. Everyone moved back, they were scared and you couldn’t blame them. The only time they heard of something like this was Dr. Facilier, and even yours came out stronger and scarier.

Ben came up behind you, resting his hands on your waist. His hands rested easy, he wasn’t afraid of the shadow at all. Your shadow watched as you slipped Ben’s ring back on your pointer finger. It touched your crown, turning it into a crown made out of what looked like black crystals. You watched as it bent down to pick up Ben’s crown from the floor and place it on his head. You and Ben both laughed as your shadow made a crude curtsey before sinking back to the floor, returning to normal.

Ben held out his hand for you, “Shall we dance?”

“We shall.”

~~~~~

“Are you ready?” You asked Ben, as you came into his room. He was already sitting at the bay window.

It was three days after Cotillion. You and Ben were having a breakfast date in his room. Your shadow played behind you, refusing to just follow. You didn’t mind, except for when it kept trying to push your tiara off your head.

“More than ever… really?” Ben laughed out as your shadow pushed his over, making Ben fall back. “Your shadow keeps playing and it’ll knock me into our breakfast.”

You sat down at the window. It was all your favorite food. You and Ben ate and talked candidly about everything and anything. He was fascinated in what all you had learned in Mama Odie’s spellbook.

“Guess what else I learned?”

“What?”

You smiled as you waved your hand over the dirty dishes piled on the tray in between you and Ben. The tray disappeared.

“Woah. Where’d you send it?”

“No clue.”

Ben laughed at your response. You watched him look out the window at the rest of Auradon Prep. Your shadow switched you and Ben’s crowns. He looked at you from the corner of his eye and smiled.

“This seem familiar… Come here.” Ben wrapped an arm around your waist and pulled you to him.

“I like seeing you like this, Prutia.”

“Like what?”

“So carefree, not in pain.” He kissed you.

“How long did you know about it?”

“Since my coronation. How you grabbed the scepter and the wand with it.”

You kissed Ben again. He didn’t quite know the exact problem at the time but he tried his best to help you in any way he could. You and Ben smiled, looking into each other’s eyes, when Jay knocked on Ben’s window. Curse Ben being on the ground floor.

“You two are gonna be late to your own announcement,” Jay called through the window.

“Dito gam. Mi o botter el culcay. No pu d’astep dos minutes,” you said annoyed. (Damn boy, I ought to kick his ass. Couldn’t wait two minutes)

“Dos minutes sey habtai tranconves en patso, Prutia.” Jay walked off laughing. (Two minutes would’ve turned into forty, Princess)

“He’s right. Let’s go.”

You and Ben switched your crowns back and made your way to the giant platform that had been built in front of Auradon Prep. You and him were about to announce the new improvements to the Isle, like Carlos’ Orphanage opening up in a few days. And the new idea of VK Day.

Most of your plans seemed well received by the public, especially by the students. You noticed that not every kingdom sent a royal representative but it’s okay. They would eventually come around.

“And I have one more thing,” Ben grabbed your hand after finishing up the announcement of VK Day.

“This girl has been with me through it all, and recently there were a few incidents that I nearly blew it between us. Prutia, you’re my everything. Did I mention that…”

You clapped your hands over your mouth as Ben got down on one knee. The crowd hollered when you said yes. Mal threw you her phone when you stepped off the platform.

“Let me guess, I’ll thank you later for that?”

“You know it.”

You were admiring your ring with the girls while Ben got props from the guys, when you were approached by guards. They weren’t from the palace or Maldonia.

“Princess (Y/N).”

“Yes?”

You eyed the uniforms. They were grey with gold lining. The Auradon Collective. The Collective weren’t specifically assigned to any kingdom but served all of Auradon. They didn’t move without a majority of the kingdoms saying so, although some kingdoms got more votes than others. If the Collective was involved, it was a serious problem. You immediately got into royal mode, ready for what they had to report.

“Princess (Y/N), you’re under arrest.”

“Are you okay, Prutia?” Ben was by your side in an instant. “What seems to be the problem here?”

“King Benjamin, please step aside.”

“Not until you tell me why you’re trying to arrest my fiancée.”

Thick cuffs appeared around your ankles and wrist. You recognized them from Magic History class. Designed by Sleeping Beauty’s three fairies— Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather— these were anti-magic cuffs. You were entirely powerless.

“Release her now.”

“This is above you, King Ben.”

The guards pulled you away from Ben and the others. “Princess (Y/N), for the practice of Shadow Magic and entertaining dark magic also known as voodoo, you have been sentenced to exile on the Isle.”

“What?!”

The crowd was in a panic. Ben and the VKs were trying to argue with the guards. You should’ve seen it coming. It was like you told Ben, you and your family were in the lesser kingdoms and they didn’t take kindly to it. They couldn’t move against you alone, but the Collective could. It would take an appeal to stop whatever they put in motion.

“She doesn’t practice that kind of stuff! You don’t even know her, let her go.”

“Your sentence starts effective immediately.” The guard ignored everyone.

You could feel the familiar pull of when Mama Odie would transport you to and from places. You ran as best as you could to Ben. He held you as tight as possible.

“I’m not letting you go, Prutia.”

“It doesn’t work like that.”

“I’m not letting you go.”

You felt the pull getting stronger. “I love you, Ben.”

“I lo…(Y/N)?!”

Ben screaming your name was the last thing you heard as you disappeared. And Ben screaming your name rang in your ears as you found yourself standing alone on the Isle looking at the barrier facing Auradon.

~~

(Third Person POV)

“And you thought it was okay to go behind my authority and use the Auradon Collective to arrest my fiancée?!”

Ben was in an emergency meeting with all the kingdoms of Auradon. Although it was an emergency, they took their own time in travelling to the capital for it. Some taking weeks, making those that came right away forced to stay in the guest suites at the palace.  

“To schedule council business without me and then arrest my fiancée? How many of you voted yes for this?”

Only a few of the kingdoms raised their hands, admitting to the vote. There weren’t that many and not even all their representatives voted; but they were the kingdoms with some of the largest votes and that was enough to initiate the Collective.

“That’s the problem. With all due respect, King Benjamin, we never wanted to go behind your authority but you were too involved. Your personal interest in (Y/N) was preventing you from doing anything about it,” The Blue Fairy said.

“Doing anything about what?”

“Your fiancée was practicing dark magic!” King Arthur yelled, stressing the word fiancée.

“My sister ain’t never practiced no dark magic a day in her life.” James stood up from the table in rage, he was the only representative for Maldonia.

“Your sister clearly conjured a shadow creature!”

“What about Pan? You never question his shadow.”

Peter nodded in agreement with James.

“Peter Pan’s shadow cannot do what (Y/N) does. That creature she conjured was of no Neverland design. It was clearly Shadow magic.”

“Princess (Y/N) used that to save all of Auradon,” Jasmine interjected. Aladdin agreed.

Aladdin and Jasmine had always been supporters of (Y/N) and Ben’s ideas to bring about a new Auradon. Agrabah and Charmington were a few of the only large kingdoms who didn’t have any representatives vote for (Y/N)’s imprisonment.

“She’s no princess. She’s been exiled, titles stripped. You’d do well to remember that.”

Ben grabbed James’ arm to stop him from lunging across the table at King Arthur.

“King Benjamin, please don’t misunderstand…” Sleeping Beauty spoke up in an attempt to diffuse whatever was about to happen between Arthur and James.

“We’re very grateful for everything she has done but we’ve seen what can happen when magic like that is used. It can turn sour for everyone involved. That’s why we decided on the Isle. We can’t take the risk but we appreciate all she’s done. That’s why we didn’t want to place her in prison, she can live her life freely on the Isle.”

“On the Isle? You mean the one that half of you didn’t want to help? That same Isle where I had to fight just to give them fresh food! Where you all were perfectly content using like your waste dump.”

Ben was amazed. They had the nerve. (Y/N) saved their lives and they thought this was a repayment.

“I’m sorry, we couldn’t risk it. That shadow would’ve eventually turned on us.”

“Shadow magic isn’t evil,” Ben recalled what (Y/N) told him.

“We don’t know that. Do you have any proof? Because we’ve seen the Shadow Man and what he can do,” King Triton spoke.

“Considering Dr. Facilier was a problem for my family, with all due respect Triton, you had no need to regard yourself with (Y/N).” James didn’t try to hide the disdain in his voice.

“When your problems turn into ours, we have every right. Maybe if your parents ruled their kingdom better.”

“We rule our kingdom just fine!” James couldn’t stop from raising his voice.

“You rule a place lacking in authority where you let magic run amok with people who obviously lack the ability to control it!”

“It’s better than suppressing what some people are naturally inclined to do.”

“Natural?! You think that voodoo was natural? Your kingdom with your voodoo and hoodoo will be the death of us all if we ruled like you. But what else do you expect. Maldonia was in ruins the minute Naveen married a commoner with no noble character about her.”

“My mother was a hard worker.”

“Your mother was nothing more than a Bayou…”

“ENOUGH!” Ben roared so loud even Pan’s shadow had to cover its ears. “We’ll get you proof if that’s what you want, Mama Odie.”

“You want us to believe the word of a, what, 200 year old blind lady who lives in a tree in the Bayou?” King Arthur scoffed.

“She’s one of the oldest and wisest people in Auradon, second only to some of the fairies, she’s seen everything there is to know. If I bring her here and she confirms it’s not bad, you will call off the collective.”

“Agreed.” The council members stated.

“Oh, I wasn’t asking.” Ben called Cogswarth in. “Please escort Mama Odie here.”

“Ben,” James spoke up, “Mama Odie passed away.”

“What?”

“Grief when we heard what happened to (Y/N).”

“Her spellbook?”

“Missing.”

(Y/N) must’ve still had it somewhere.

“I’ll find it, everything she ever knew was in there. And when I bring it back, you will call off this ridiculous witch hunt. When (Y/N) comes back, I’m disbanding the Collective,” Ben threatened.

He knew they wouldn’t go after him. Losing Ben and (Y/N) would send the public into riot.

“And you better hope she comes back okay. Because if I don’t get my princess back unharmed, you will be sorry you ever crossed me, I’m past my limit of forgiving…you’re dismissed.”

Ben walked out before the other representatives had a chance to bow, collect their stuff, or say goodbye. He needed to get to (Y/N)’s room and find that book.

“King Benjamin! Ben, wait!”

Ben was halfway down the corridor when Peter Pan stopped him.

“Neverland and Wonderland always believed in you. Not everyone in there wanted to, some of the smaller kingdoms were bullied into voting.”

“Thank you, Pan.”

“She’ll be okay. She’s a stubborn fighter, that one. Have you two been in contact?”

“Only what she sees from my TV announcements. I have a feeling they aren’t giving her my letters and I know they’re withholding any of hers from me.”

Ben had the suspicion after Cogsworth told him the mail had nothing to deliver him. Cogsworth would check multiple times a day but still nothing. They couldn’t stop what Ben said on TV, though.

“She can’t even use her shadow to talk to me.”

Ben thought back to the first time she used her shadow to communicate with him. It was right after Cotillion when (Y/N) was sleeping over with the girls. Her shadow popped into Ben’s room to say goodnight. Scared the crap out of him because the only shadow of hers that could talk was the big, inky looking one and Ben wasn’t expecting it.

Pan slyly passed two things to Ben, just in case others were watching somewhere. It was a pouch and a small blue jar, both filled with pixie dust.

“I heard about the severing. Find a way to get the pouch to her. She’ll know what to do.”

“Thank you, Peter.” Ben pocketed the pixie dust. “Really, thank you.”

Ben took the necklace that held the key to (Y/N)’s room, hidden underneath his shirt, from around his neck and unlocked her door. He refused to let anyone else come into it. The room felt dead.

Ben hadn’t touched anything yet, hadn’t moved a thing and yet it felt like no one lived there for years. The bed didn’t even have a dent in the pillows, (Y/N) stayed over in his room so often her bed was virtually untouched.

“Where’d you put that book, Prutia?” Ben muttered to himself.

Before he could even start to look, Mal walked past the open door.

“Oh, Ben. They need you, right now, to sign off the preparations for VK Day on Saturday.”

Mal placed a hand on Ben’s shoulder.

“We’ll get her back, but right now your kingdom needs you.”

“I know… Okay,” Ben breathed out. “You said the VK Day forms?”

Ben locked up (Y/N)’s room and followed Mal to finish everything that needed to be done.

“Hey, Mal?”

Ben gave Mal the pouch of pixie dust. He no longer trusted sending things to (Y/N) the normal way, things didn’t seem to reach her and this was important.

“Can you find a way to get that to (Y/N)? Unnoticed.”

Mal pocketed the bag. “Okay, Ben. I’m on it.”

~~~~~~

(Y/N POV)

You watched a rerun of Ben’s latest speech on a chunky box television with a crack in the screen.

“Change is being made slowly; but it’s being made. Everyone on the Isle, hang in there. Prutia, hang in there.”

You turned off the TV and went to take a shower and change. As you slipped on your shoes, you accidentally touched your ankle brace causing it to beep.

“Oh shut it, I’m not trying to take you off.”

Your anti-magic cuffs were gone, everyone had learned of how you broke the connection with your shadow to pixie dust. You regretted that decision now but at the time you thought it was the right thing to do, to show your shadow you weren’t trying to suppress it any more.

The cuffs were gone but the brace was your new keeper, tracking your every move on the Isle. And if anything hit too hard or your fingers brushed against it, it would beep like crazy— alerting someone in Auradon no doubt.

You reached up and lightly shook the girl on the top bunk of your shared bunk bed.

“Come on, Diz. Up. Breakfast time.”

Dizzy groaned but slowly sat up and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. You were staying with Dizzy and Lady Tremaine. You would sometimes help Dizzy in the salon when you weren’t working around the Isle. Dizzy came down from the top bunk and you both headed into the tiny dining room— really it was the obnoxiously small kitchen with a table and chairs in it.

Dizzy and Lady Tremaine made good business but they were frequently robbed, an older lady and a child were easy targets. The robbings had slowed down a bit but they needed to save all the money they could for real needs not just more space.

You grabbed the cereal and poured out a bowl for you and Dizzy. You were grateful for Ben getting the supply shipments enforced. Granted, the cereal was slightly stale and the least popular basic brand in Auradon. But it was something relatively fresh and better than spoiled milk and molded grains. Plus Dizzy liked it.

“You have your application finished?” You asked her as you ate.

Dizzy was applying to be one of the children chosen to attend Auradon Prep. It was the plan you and Ben were putting into motion. VK Day was going to happen every three months. It wasn’t fully what you wanted but it was a start that the other kingdoms could agree with. Ben had final say but he wasn’t trying to create multiple problems in Auradon by not considering the positions of the other kingdoms. It was a fine line to try and balance. It wasn’t bad you supposed, it would give the new kids time to adjust before bringing another set.

“Yep. Filled in and ready.”

“Good. I’m doing work today, don’t wait for me for lunch okay? I’ll be back tonight.”

You washed out your bowl and left it to dry on the counter. Dizzy stopped you before you could get to the door.

“You forgot this.” Dizzy held out the tiara you gave her from your first visit to the Isle.

“Dizzy, I told you that’s yours. I don’t even have a use for any crowns now.”

It was true. The crown that was still on you head when they exiled you was gone. You sold it to get money when Lady Tremaine got robbed. She wouldn’t accept it and took you to get your tiara back; but it had already been broken into pieces for other things. So you left without it and Tremaine told you to pocket the money.

“Every time I offer you say no…” Dizzy stood on the chair to place the crown on your head.  

“You’re supposed to wear it (Y/N), it’s yours. Besides, don’t princesses wear their crown whenever they’re out on royal business.”

“I’m not a princess. I’ve been removed from all positions in Maldonia.” You tried to keep your voice level.

“You’re the Isle’s prutia. And prutias wear crowns on official royal business.”

“Okay, Diz… And the plural of prutia is prutiade.”

You grabbed a large cloth satchel and headed out the door. The Isle was a little less gray today, the dark storm clouds had gone away. The Isle was never sunny clear skies but this light gray was better than nothing. You walked the Isle. It’s what you did since you’d been there. Helped people and stroll around the Isle— making sure to avoid the area where Maleficent, Jafar, the Evil Queen, and Cruella stayed… and Ursula’s chip shoppe.

Today’s walk felt awkward. The crown on your head felt heavy and Isle residents bowed and curtsied as they greeted you upon seeing the crown. It should’ve made you feel more royal but it only served to remind you that you had those titles stripped away. That they said you had no home.

“I’ll take a coffee.”

You didn’t even know if the goblin that worked at the coffee stand understood you. The first time you ordered, it was completely wrong. And every time after that. The goblin handed you a cola. You were impressed that he gave you a straw, you didn’t know that was now on the Auradon supply ship.

“Yep, still wrong… thanks, anyway.” You slapped down some coins on the counter and walked away.

“Oh, Prutia!”

The voice didn’t say your name but you knew it was referring to you. The Isle had taken to calling you ‘Prutia’ after Ben’s first TV announcement, addressing you. They asked you what it meant and after you said, the name stuck.

An application was shoved in your hand when you turned around. The person, who you didn’t recognize— most likely a henchman for a villain, muttered a thanks and walked away. You put the application in your bag and headed towards the orphanage.

You smiled as you saw the gold placard stating Carlos’ Orphanage. You walked in and dropped your bag behind the receptionist desk before walking into the dining hall.

“Hello, Miss (Y/N).”

“Hello, Edgar. It’s cola today.”

You handed the former butler the rest of your soda for him to drink. Despite not being the best with kittens, Edgar was very good with children and was in charge of the orphanage. You set the stacks of plates and cups near the front of the dining hall.

“Menu?” You asked as you stood in front of the chalkboard outside the hall.

“Breakfast, biscuits and Creme de la Edgar. Lunch for the young ones, tomato soup. Dinner, fish and greens.”

You wrote down the menu as Edgar said.

“You know the kids asked about a rec room? With TVs and those games you have back at school!” Edgar called out as he fished the biscuits out of the oven.

You frowned. “Auradon would never send those over.”

“That’s what I tried to tell them. The Isle isn’t meant to become paradise… food is ready.”

“Children! Time to eat!” You yelled as you rang the large bell.

Children, some still in pajamas, ran downstairs. You joined Edgar behind the serving counter. Edgar poured them the drink and you placed two biscuits on their plates, earning a ‘thank you, Prutia’ as each kid walked away to sit down.

“Does everyone have a form for VK Day?”

“Yes.”

“Okay. If anyone needs help with reading it, I’ll be at the desk until it’s time for you to go to school. Don’t skip! The goblins tell me everything.”

The last part was a lie. Edgar gave you a look knowing full well you didn’t understand goblin.

You sat down at your desk going over the books. The Auradon shipment was coming today. You’d have to stop by the docks and get first dibs on supplies that the orphanage was running out of. It was almost time for school for the kids old enough.

“Prutia (Y/N)?”

You looked up from your writing to see one of the kids holding an application.

“Can you look over this for me?”

“Of course I can.”

You scanned the application. Everything seemed decent. All correct spelling, good answers. You laughed when you saw that listed under ‘Favorite Activities’ was skipping rocks, that was you and your brothers favorite too.

“Yeah. It looks good, TC. I think you have a chance.” You handed back the application without second thought.

“I’m not TC,” the child laughed.

“Huh…” You looked up.

“Right, right I didn’t mean to say TC, Sam.” You rubbed your face in stress. “Sorry, I’m just preoccupied. You better get going before you’re late.”

You watched Sam run out the doors, he looked remarkably like your brother. You had been surviving on the Isle but you’d be lying if you said you didn’t feel pain thinking about your brothers.

~~

(Third Person POV)

“Everyone on the Isle, hang in there. Prutia, hang in there.”

Queen Leah turned off the television.

“‘Hang in there Prutia.’ He says it every speech! Dark magic and he’s still infatuated with her! How’d you let him get away?”

“I don’t know, Grandma,” Audrey said dejectedly.

Her grandparents had pulled her out of school for an extended spa vacation and they were resting in their room before a six o’clock facial.

“A lifetime of plans. Gone. Our family status. Gone. Audrey, you were supposed to be his queen. You were meant to marry him so you could rule Auradon.”

Queen Leah and King Stefan were disappointed. They had almost won the election to be overarching leaders of Auradon but had lost to Beast and Belle. They were used to ruling and had never been second. It was an unspoken agreement, they felt, that their granddaughter would be with Belle’s son. They wouldn’t stay second.

“Your mother could land a man in her sleep.”

“Okay, Grandma! I get it. I failed… you know I wanted this too. I wanted to be ruler, it’s not like I was okay with it happening.”

Queen Leah grabbed her hand. “There’s still a chance, then. She’s been stripped of her titles and exiled. Get Ben back and you can be leader of Auradon.”

“I don’t think it’ll work. He’s clearly in love with her…” Audrey thought about it. “But if I want to lead I’ve got to try.”

“That’s my granddaughter.”

“Grandma, we’re going to have to cut this vacation a little short. I think it’s time to go back to Auradon Prep, Benny-boo needs a new queen.”

~~~~~~~

(Y/N POV)

“Are you staying for soup? It’ll be ready in forty.”

“No, Edgar. I’ve got some other stuff to do.”

You placed the book in your bag and unlocked the safety deposit box in the desk drawer to get money for supplies.

“Edgar. Are you sure you don’t want to apply?”

“The kids need me here, Princess, but thank you.”

“Okay. Well, I’ll be back soon. See you later, Edgar.”

“You take care, Miss (Y/N).”

You had to take the long way to avoid Ursula’s chip shoppe but you were fine with that. Running into Harry Hook and Gil was not something on the top of your to-do list. The scar on your cheek never healed and you didn’t want another one. You made it to the arcade managed by Dragon Hall’s former headmaster, Dr. Facilier.

“You think I got a chance?” Dr. Facilier sat across from you, rubbing his knees nervously as you went over his application.

“It all done look good to me. ‘Specially the essay part about how you’ve changed and all.”

“You think your policy gon’ happen?”

“I don’t know. But if Ben’s already on board with bringing kids over, adults shouldn’t be too hard either.”

You had been going around the Isle with handmade applications for adults. They mimicked the kids’ VK Day forms. You had seen how some people on the Isle didn’t deserve to be there. They were just associated with the wrong crowd or made choices they had regret. It wasn’t like no one made decisions they didn’t regret. You’d been collecting their applications and holding them in your bag. You planned on getting them to Ben somehow.

“You believe that? Auradon will accept it?”

“People like you and Smee don’t deserve to be here. You’ve done your time.”

“You don’t deserve to be here either, (Y/N). I’m sorry for ever causing your family trouble.”

“You’ve said sorry to me multiple times now, it’s good… sign right here and the application’s finished.”

“You think my mama will want to see me? Haven’t seen her years, she should know she’s got grandkids.” Facilier drew his fancy signature on the application at the bottom.

“I think Mama Odie will be glad to see you’ve changed.”

You spoke the truth. You knew Mama Odie would be happy to see Dr. Facilier has turned a new leaf. Somewhere in his life, the Dr. turned to dark magic and went a separate direction from his mother.

“Trickster conman to former headmaster.” Facilier laughed out. “Bet the other side didn’t see that coming.”

Dr. Facilier’s daughter, Celia, came strolling into the arcade. She gave you a hug before giving her dad one. Celia pulled out her application for you to check over.

“You misspelled this.” You pointed to part of her essay.

“That’s on purpose. Makes me look more pitiful.”

You rolled your eyes but smiled and high-fived her. “Always a hustle, ain’t there? Math homework, give it.”

“School’s over in two weeks. Can’t I live a little, it’s practically summer.”

“That don’t give you an excuse to slack off. Homework.”

Celia pulled out the work for you to check. Maybe it’s cause you both came from the Bayou or because she was the same age as TC but Celia was like your little sister.

“Have you heard from Ben?”

“Directly? No.” You handed Celia her work back.

“The VKs? You know they’re coming for the applications tomorrow.”

“No. And I’m not going with you and Dizzy tomorrow.”

“What?”

“I don’t think I can face them. Not right now when I can’t leave. You and Dizzy do good tomorrow, I’ll root for you.”

“You can’t be afraid to see them,” Dr. Facilier stepped in.

“What am I supposed to do?! I’m stuck here. I’ve got no magic, no shadow. And even if I did, I’m stuck on the Isle.”

“Tell me how you’d be stuck.”

“This damn brace.” You shook the leg with the ankle brace on. “It keeps me here.”

“Says who?”

“Says the three fairies that designed it. I’m bound to the Isle now, even if the barrier opens, it won’t let me go through. I don’t have that kind of magic to stop it.”

“We saw you at Cotillion. You strong, girl.”

“Not strong enough. Three full fledged fairies versus a newly practiced Shadow girl… who wins? I’ve got to go, the ship docks tonight.”

You took Dr. Facilier’s application to put in your bag. You gave both the Dr. and Celia a hug before heading out the arcade.

“For what it’s worth.” Dr. Facilier’s words made you stop and turn to look. “I’d place all my money on the Shadow Girl any day.”

~~~~~

It was sundown when the ship finally pulled into the docks. You watched as the ship entered the barrier and parked itself at the dock. No one paid you any mind as you got on the deck. You’d been supply fishing so often, they were used to it. The ship workers would give you sorry looks as you walked aboard. They told you at first how they didn’t support the decision of your exile. They tried not to stare; but you could feel them look at the ankle brace on your foot every time it beeped as you wade through all the supplies.

You picked up school stuff and food. It took you forever to get supplies. Every time you filled your hands with stuff you had to walk it off the ship and place it in the wheelbarrow that you stored at the dock. Someone threw out a stuffed bear. You were used to play things being dropped off but they were usually worn out, Auradon still had issues sending new toys.

This bear wasn’t worn out though. You went to pick it up so you could give it to one of the orphans. When you picked up the bear, there was an engraving on the feet. The right one had your parents and brothers’ names and the left one had a lilypad. You could’ve cried right then and there. It was from your family. The bear also gave you a new type of hope. If they could finally get a bear across maybe they could start getting other stuff to you.

You arrived back to Lady Tremaine’s apartment after dark. You finished putting up the supplies in the orphanage and were finally done for the day. You clutched your bear in your hand as you opened the door. You entered the kitchen to fix something but there was already a bowl of cold cream pasta on the table.

“Thanks, Diz,” you said to yourself. You meant to come back for dinner but everything took longer than expected.

You sat down at the table and ate the cold pasta, there was no microwave in the apartment, while drawing wedding plans in a green sketchbook Dizzy gave you. That’s how you kept yourself busy when there was no work, designing your wedding with poor drawings and lots of writing to explain them. Your hand holding the fork tensed up and you watched the veins turn black.

“You know I can’t do anything.” You said looking at your hand. “I’d let you roam if I could. Ain’t no way here I can use you so please calm down.”

There was no way to use your magic so you were back to suppressing it, to poisoning yourself, but this time by force. You watched your whole hand turn black, like at Cotillion, before becoming normal.

“I’m going to die on this Isle.”

You had resolved yourself to that the first time you noticed the black veins when you had arrived.

(Part 7)...

[thealmightyemprex]

Columbia Pictures Month :Desperado

First film of Columbia Pictures Month is a sequel ,second film in the El Mariachi trilogy .I have seen the first film El Mariachi ,and the third film Once Upon a Time In Mexico ....I had never seen the second film till today

This 1995 film follow El Mariachi (Antonio Banderas) who has been tracking down drug lord Bucho(Joaquim de Almeida )

So having seen this whole trilogy....I am kind of meh on the series as a whole .Now I remember liking El Mariachi and I barely remember Once Upon a Time In Mexico

As for Desperado itself,it has genuinely great moments ....But as a whole its just...OK,maybe Good

Ill start with what I dont like :Bucho is a mediocre villain ,I didnt find him menacing ,plots a bit thin and the film has a good cast but doesnt use it well: My experience with the film was "Hey theres Steve Buscemi as El MAriachis buddy -Annnd hes dead.Hey theres Danny Trejo as a badass assassin-annnnd hes dead .Hey theres Quinton Tarentino-anddddddhes barely there and kind of annoying " I think the worst use was Buscemi who seemed like he could be an interesting character but he is killed off after 3 scenes .Also I felt the reveal of who Bucho is added very little .Basically the films plot is an excuse for cool scenes.....Thats said those scenes are pretty darn cool

Yeah I am not made of stone ,this movie has some pretty cool stuff in it ,it runs on rule of cool .The opening is AMAZING ,with Steve Buscemi entring a bar and describing an absolute bloodbath performed by El Mariachi ,Danny Trejo gets a cool fight ,there a later barfight thats pretty awesome ,a epic "Walking away from explosion " shot and theres an epic fightscene when El Mariachis bandmates come to help (Also should note El Mariachi in the first film was played by Carlos Gallardo while here he is Antonio Banderas ,but Gallardo gets a cameo as one of El Mariachis bandmates Campa )..Cheech Marin has a pretty fun role as a bartender at the bad guy bar ,Salma Hayak has a great roke as the love interest who isnt what she appears and to the surprise of no one now,Antonio Banderas really knows how to play a badass ,and he is really what makes this movie ,you can see why he blew up as a superstar

Sooo look,I like the movie cause its fun but I did find it flawed.However if you want some cool action its worth a watch

@ariel-seagull-wings @the-blue-fairie @themousefromfantasyland @theancientvaleofsoulmaking @princesssarisa @minimumheadroom @amalthea9 @angelixgutz @filmcityworld1

[ginnyrules27]

Carlos smiled as he held Jane close to him, both of them were curled up on the sofa in Evie’s castle in front of the fire. Well scratch that, the three of them were in front of the fire as Dude was also with them. He was just lying on the floor, his belly up in the air and his feet twitching as he dreamed his doggy dreams.

“It was nice of Evie to let us stay here for the night,” Jane whispered.

“You mean, it was nice of Evie to let us castle sit for her while she went out to dinner with her ‘True Love’?” Carlos said with a chuckle.

“I mean, hasn’t it been nice to have some time to ourselves?” Jane asked, tilting her head to kiss Carlos on the cheek. “I don’t think we’ve truly had a moment to ourselves since my birthday all those years ago.”

“Yeah…sorry about that,” Carlos said with a small sigh and a sheepish smile. “With vet school and everything—.”

“I don’t want you apologizing for that, Carlos,” Jane told him. “Your dream was to become a vet and you did that. Fleeting moments alone are temporary but achieving your dreams? Carlos, you have no idea how proud I was watching my boyfriend walk across that stage to get his diploma.”

“I bet I’ve got some idea because it was probably the same amount of pride that I felt when I watched you gradate,” Carlos chuckled.

“Wait, from Auradon Prep? Carlos we were in the same graduating class, that doesn’t count,” Jane said as Carlos leaned down to kiss the top of her head.

“And why doesn’t it? It’s a graduation after all,” Carlos said with a small smirk as Jane shook her head.

“Changing the subject…who do you think is the next couple to get together?”

“Well I mean Jay and Lonnie are dragging their feet on getting together, and it wouldn’t surprise me if Doug was proposing to Evie tonight,” Carlos said as he felt the ring box in his pocket. It had been several years since the first time he’d asked Jane to that fateful Cotillion where Mal discovered Ben was her True Love and Ben revealed that he might be insane for voluntarily getting between a dragon and a giant sea monster but Carlos was just as nervous as he was then.

What if Jane said no? What if she hated the ring? What if Dude stole the ring? What if Harry and Gil decided to replace the ring with a different one?

He mentally shook his head, those were just the nerves talking. He had no doubt Jane would like the ring, considering he went ring shopping with Fairy Godmother. Seeing as she was no longer their headmistress, she could do such things without any accusations of favoritism.

And while Carlos trusted his taste after years of being around Evie and reluctantly living with his mother, he also knew the most important lesson anyone on the Isle could ever learn: never anger the Fae.

Evie had done so, even inadvertently, with the whole snafu with her sixth birthday party and Mal’s invitation. Carlos didn’t want to think about what Fairy Godmother could do to him with her wand if he angered her.

“Hey…you okay?” Jane asked, noticing how silent Carlos had become.

“Hmm…oh yeah, yeah,” Carlos nodded. “I’m okay.”

“You’re sure? Do you need me to get up? I’m not hurting you am I? By laying on you like this?”

“Jane, if I didn’t want you this close I would have asked you to move,” Carlos told her, gently kissing the top of her head once more. “I was just thinking, that’s all.”

“Oh? Thinking about what?” Jane asked, sitting up slightly so that she could look at him.

Carlos took a steadying breath and looked at Jane. “What our wedding would be like,” he told her.

“Wha…why would you…?” Jane asked, her voice trailing off as Carlos slid off the sofa and pulled a box out of his pocket as he knelt down to one knee.

“Jane…you know that us ‘Villain Kids’ were never taught how to express our emotions so I apologize if I ramble or if this is a rubbish proposal but here I go. I love you mouse. I love the way your eyes light up every time you learn something new about your magic, I love the way you can sit and listen to me talk about animals or technology for hours, never once looking bored even if it’s something I’ve told you before. I love the way you can always see the positives in everything. Hell, I loved the way you would squeak out fo nervousness when we first met.”

“I believe that’s how you gave me my nickname,” Jane said, lightly teasing Carlos.

Carlos chuckled. “That I did. I love you Jane. You’re one of my best friends along with the best girlfriend anyone could ask for—and yes I’m aware that Harry, Ben, and Doug might argue against that but technically Mal’s Ben’s wife, Evie’s Doug’s True Love, and Uma’s Harry’s girlfriend even if they refuse to actually put a label on it.”

“Carlos?”

“Yes?”

“You’re rambling,” Jane said and couldn’t help but smile slightly as Carlos’ flushed at the realization.

“Oh…so I am,” Carlos said and gave a weak chuckle. “Anyway…we have a saying on the Isle, if you want something you take it. Well…I want a life with you Jane so I want to take this chance. Will you marry me?”

Jane couldn’t help but gasp as Carlos opened the box to reveal one of the most beautiful rings Jane had ever seen. Honestly she thought it beat Mal’s engagement ring. Not that there was any competition of course.

The ring wasn’t all that fancy, a golden band with a solitary blue gem in the center and diamonds embedding the side of the band though the diamonds seemed to stop halfway down the band.

“Um…Jane?” Carlos asked, his soft voice pulling Jane out of her thoughts and it was her turn to flush as she realized she hadn’t given him an answer.

“Yes! Of course I’ll marry you Carlos!” Jane exclaimed and Carlos grinned as he gently pulled the ring out fo the box and slid it onto her finger before taking his place back on the couch.

“Let me guess, you made it on your 3D printer?” Jane asked with a small chuckle as he held up her hand to admire the ring.

Carlos flushed slightly but nodded. “With the cost of Veterinary school, I just—.”

“Carlos, it’s fine,” Jane told him. “I love it no matter where it came from. Because it came from you.”

Carlos smiled and gently kissed the top of Jane’s head once more.

“See? I told you you just needed to man up,” Dude called from his spot in front of the fire.

“Oh yeah, as a wedding present, could your mom remove Dude’s ability to talk?” Carlos asked, looking at his fiancee.

“Hey!”

---------

A Secret Santa gift for @blogofunstuff, I hope you enjoy it! And @descendantsgiftexchange, thank you so much for letting me participate! :D

[rangerdrabbles]

Psycho raiders 9

Disclaimer: I own nothing, and this is not my story, nor the actual plot. Check out Crimson Vision’s Bloodline of the Grid ep. 1&2. Gun mention and bit o cursing. Mildly suggestive.

Carlos was cursing next to his ship. He’d pulled into a black market trade planet for repairs. He was also making plans to get revenge on the crazy woman who’d almost brought him down in the first place.

“Well look who it is.” Charlie had, in fact, tracked him down after dropping Marie off at a safer location. “Technically I could arrest you for vigilanteism, but I’d rather have a bit of a chat instead.”

Carlos spun around at the sound of the voice, and realization hit him. “You!” He charged forward in a fit of anger, only to find himself swept off his feet with a large gun pointed at him.

“Nice try, handsome.” Charlie grinned. “Carlos Vallerte, former In Space Black ranger, now turned bounty hunter. Let me guess, either the coalition convinced you to turn in your morpher for the ‘greater’ purpose of hunting down its enemies? Man, you sure are dumb.”

“I don’t give a shit about the Coalition or anything else as long as I’m paid!” Carlos snarled. He actually tried to grab for the gun and catch the woman by surprise, but she ended up kicking him and smacking him on the back of the head with her firearm. “Dammit!”

“Listen up, hothead,” Charlie said. She shifted the gun again. “Now it’s pointed straight at your head. I may be SPD, but I’m pretty sure I can pull off an escaping fugitive who tried to kill me defense.” She grinned widely.

“You’re crazy,” Carlos replied. Then he grinned a little. “Crazy enough to almost be my type.”

“We’ll talk when you’re not trying to bring down the Red Raiders,” Charlie replied.

“Why does SPD care anyway? Shouldn’t you be helping the coalition bring them down too?”

“First of all, SPD operates as an independent law-abiding force and owes the Coalition nothing. Second, our own investigations have revealed that ranger and villain usage of the grid over time has drained its power. The coalition is ignoring that and wants to give grid energy to any dumbass that swears fealty or falls under their control. Even if their grid energy runs out like everyone else’s, by the time that happens, they’ll have taken over everything.”

Carlos shrugged-or about as much as one could shrug with a gun pointed at him-and said, “So what? In the end, I can still get paid hunting down the coalition’s enemies.”

Charlie rolled her eyes. “You really did leave behind the boy scout, didn’t you? Listen dumbass, you might get paid for a while. Then they get tired of you, or you become a thorn in their side and they try and get rid of you. You piss off the wrong person over there, and it’s curtains for you.  Or worse , they don’t pay you at all and brainwash you into becoming their little lapdog.

Carlos glared up at Charlie. “What makes you so sure? Deep down though, he knew she had a point-several points.”

“I know I didn’t hit you on the head that hard, so you really must be that much of a dumbass,” Charlie drawled. “All the signs are there. You really think the Morphing Masters are going to bother to repair the grid when mortals have squandered it in the first place, and the Coalition alone wants to use it for their own gain? Idiot. I’d hit you again, but it might cause brain damage.”

“Hit me again, I might like it,” Carlos retorted with a wide grin.

“Stop distracting me,” Charlie replied. But there was a slight twitch in her lips, as if she wanted to laugh. “But now that our chat’s over, I’ll leave you to it. But if you go after the Red Raiders again, I will come after you.”

“You promise?” Carlos grinned wider.

“Listen pal, you stop being a thorn in the Raiders’ side and we’ll talk. Until then, stay out of the way.” 

[newsaza]

A Shocking MCU Villain Is Tony Stark's Secret Origin

A Shocking MCU Villain Is Tony Stark’s Secret Origin

One Iron Man story changed Tony Stark forever and revealed that Tony’s life with the Starks might not have happened but for the assistance of a surprising villain. As Tony discovers that his very existence can’t be taken for granted, the secret history of the Marvel Universe only expands ever further. In Iron Man Vol. 5 #17 by Kieron Gillen and Carlo Pagulayan, it’s revealed that Tony Stark is…

[blackswaneuroparedux]

A man like Verdi must write like Verdi.

- Giuseppe Verdi

Verdi was the first to admit his music wasn't the most technically challenging in purely academic terms: "Of all composers, past and present, I am the least learned," he said. But did that stop him writing some of the most beloved, heart-wrenching tunes, with melodies that have inspired over the centuries. Indeed it’s hard to think of anyone apart from Wagner or Mozart who could occupy the pedestal that Verdi found himself upon as one of the best composers ever. I love listening to Verdi but none more so whenever I find myself traveling in Italy. And why not? Verdi’s music and his legacy is woven into the tapesetry of the country’s history of reunification.

Born on Oct. 9, 1813, the composer’s output far outpaced many opera creators before and after. But what is most fascinating is that his works endure to this day. While some of his greatest works have always held a spot in the operatic canon, spots that have never been threatened, lesser known operas from decades ago, such as “I Due Foscari,” “Giovanna d’Arco,” or “Atilla,” have suddenly found themselves unshakably fixed in the modern canon. Even composers of the past that are getting revivals of sorts can’t quite claim the same status.

So what makes Verdi’s opera so enduring and ever-fascinating? Throughout history, many of his works have often been criticized for their melodramatic plotting, much of which lacks narrative consistency. Exhibit A: “Il Trovatore.”

And yet, here we are. Verdi remains king of the opera world. Here are some reasons why.

While there is no doubt that some of Verdi’s characters are among the greatest created for the opera stage (see Otello, Falstaff, Filippo, Nabucco, Simon Boccanegra, the Macbeths, Rigoletto, Gustavo, etc.) there is also no doubt that there are many stock characters layered throughout his works, particularly in the early ones. And yet, can one ever claim that Verdi overlooks a single one of them. They say that there are no small characters and Verdi certainly follows this idea.

Moreover, his villains are never truly one-sided. The great antagonists of such operas as “Atilla,” “Don Carlo,” and “I Vespri Siciliani,” are more than just men on vengeful rampages and the likes. Instead, Verdi always reveals more than one might imagine and actually makes us not only empathize with these characters but actually sympathize. Even the hateful Duke of Mantua is loveable to the audience because of how Verdi infuses him with an infectious melody.

In keeping with the theme of strong characters all around, there is no doubt that much of the appeal for Verdi’s operas is his strong women. Obviously, he has his share of damsels in distress, but none of the Verdi operas feature passive women sitting around for men to save their lives. Due to the context of his plots, the women in his operas are often forced into situations where they don’t have complete control, and yet we see them constantly shifting the balance of power in their favor. Violetta is probably the greatest of Verdi’s heroines, but one cannot overlook such women as Luisa Miller, Odabella, Abigaile, Lady Macbeth, Aida, Amelia (in “Un Ballo in Maschera”), and Azucena and how wonderfully complex they are. It is no surprise that the greatest mezzos and sopranos in history have, at some point, taken on and championed Verdi’s operas.

Verdi’s melodramas remain so poignant because they tend to be so relevant. Unlike many other composers of the time and since Verdi’s own life as a political figure is showcased tremendously throughout his operas. His ability to see how a figure struggles to balance his personal and public lives remains an issue for people of all professions. And the great tyrants and even benevolent leader of his works, are often shown with their failings. Just look at the guilt-ridden Macbeth or King Filippo, both lonely men who in their aims to maintain power have lost their connection to other people. Or Simon Boccanegra, a man thrust into a position of power he never wanted and forced to take on the consequence of that choice. We see people battle for liberation on one end and see oppressive regimes try and enforce their ways of life. We see an examination of the horrors of religious institutions and yet we ultimately see a reconsideration of man’s relationship to a higher deity. Man and his position within society is almost always at the core of Verdi’s works.

Parental themes are more prevalent in Verdi’s operas than they are in any other composer before or since. In many ways, these relationships are among the most poignant in all of the composer’s oeuvre. The reunion between Simon Boccanegra and his daughter Amelia is among the most beautiful moments ever scored. Ditto for Rigoletto and Gilda’s series of duets that develop their relationship throughout the opera. The ambiguity between Manrico and Azucena is a rich portrayal of love and hate in a mother-son dynamic. And there is also a truly tragic dimension to the relationship between Don Carlo and his father Filippo, who actually prefers his friend Posa to his own son. Everywhere you look, these relationships and the themes they highlight are revealing and ever-fascinating.

Of course, probably the single greatest reason why Verdi’s art endures to this day – his music. He composed some of the greatest music ever written. Any Verdi opera, even his lesser works, is one stream of endless melody after another. Even his recitatives are hummable. This makes for dynamic emotional experiences with the composer constantly finding new ways to keep the audience engaged. “Il Trovatore,” which I mentioned in the intro, endures because of the three above reasons, but mainly because it is arguably the greatest example of the composer’s melodic wealth and imagination.

His final opera, “Falstaff,” doesn’t have as many “memorable” melodies as some of his earlier works, and yet the opera has just as much or more abundance of melody than any of his other operas. It’s just that Verdi has developed tremendous skill at this point that he has fused his gift with witty dramatic ability. Falstaff never wastes a note, which holds true for many of his other greater works.

One thing that makes Verdi’s music so wonderful is how he constantly plays with the limits of structure. More than any other composer, a look at his career progression showcases a man constantly looking to better himself. And by the time we get to “Otello” and “Falstaff” and compare them to “Oberto” and “Un Giorno di Regno,” there is no doubt that he has achieved that emphatically. The latter two operas test and surpass the limits of what Italian Opera signified, taking time-honored clichés showcased in those first two works and transforming them into dramatic gestures. Is there a drinking song that so wonderfully depicts increased inebriation the way “Otello’s” does? Or is there a more hilarious use of the A-B-A aria structure than the 30-second “Cuando era paggio” from “Falstaff?”

Verdi’s opera endures because it remains a discovery for those working in the art form today. And it will continue to do so as long as the art form is alive and well.

[juniaships]

I did say i was gonna make a descendants au with my oc so i wanna take a moment to rewrite D2.

So it picks up a school year later after my version of D1 (which i will go to in a separate post). Ben is planning on getting more kids off the isle but is constantly met with obstacles especially from his new advisor/headmaster (An OC). The Core Four have settled down to pursue their dreams. My OC Paige doesn't really know what to do with her future since she's burned out. Ben invites her to a tea party. At first she resists but through Evie and Mal's encouragement she agrees to the date. During the date Ben admits he is getting fed up with being ignored and doubts thay he would make a good leader. Paige admits that she is losing her love of runes and wants to try something new.

Later that night the castle gets broken into. Ben goes with his bodyguards to check it out and engages the thieves. However the thieves knock out the guards and take Ben. The next day the kingdom hears of Ben's kidnapping and Chad and Audrey are freaking out. Mal receives a note from a mysterious sender and realizes who the culprits are. She, Evie, Jay, Carlos, and Paige and go to the Isle to rescue Ben. Chad and Audrey go with them because Ben is their friend and Chad wants to prove he can be a hero. Together the seven heroes go to the isle. Carlos gives Adurey and Chad rough looking clothes, telling them they need to be incognito as the isle do not take kindly to AKs. The Royals aren't pleased with this. Worse, Audrey and Mal sees things differently and constantly disagree. They arrive on the isle and Jay uses his thieving skills to sneak around for signs of Ben.

Chad and Audrey come face to face with the harsh living conditions of the Isle. While the Royals is met with scorn, they find help in the form of a young hairstylist named Izabella. Izzy takes the group into her salon and tells them the truth: that her companion Uma took Ben as leverage against Auradon so that all the kids there could be freed. Knowing the villains true plans our heroes go back on the ocean

With Ben he meets the Pirates - the Ocean Seven. Ben is surprised to see Prince Hans in the crew; Hans explaining he imposed exile on himself and the Pirates took pity on him. Gil is put in charge of guarding Ben. Ben attempts to persuade Gil to let him go but Gil refuses and claims unfinished business. Gil reveals that his father is Gaston!

Gaston wants to kill Beast to get with Belle. Gil, who doesn't have it in his heart and couldn't live up to Gaston's expectations, ran away from home and met Uma and Harry. Gil thinks that by taking Ben his father could let him back home. Ben replies that Gaston isn't a good father that way and asks if that's what Gil truly wants. Gil ponders the question; Harry arrives and tells Gil that the Auradon students are attacking. He leaves Ben alone to help his crew fight; Ben struggles to free himself with a broken glass he found.

Mal and Audrey argue but they get interrupted by Uma's ship. The two ships engage in battle with Uma's crew boarding the Auradon ship. They fight; Jay sneaks aboard the ship and frees Ben. Back with the AK ship the pirates have them cornered when interferes and pleads for everyone to stop.

Mal admits that she and Uma had a torrid rivalry and tries to apologize. But Uma doesn't want to hear it. Ben promises Uma and the kids that they will be allowed on Auradon. Uma relinquishes him.

Chad and Audrey, having seen the isle for themselves, realize how much privilege they have and encourages Ben's plans. At the cotillon everyone is there and suddenly the pirate crew shows up all dressed in the fancy outfits. The headmaster starts to scold Ben for bringing criminals to the party.

However a strange whirlpool starts to sink the ship and everyone including the pirates rush to save it. It turns out Ursula is attacking the ship with the intent to kill all the Auradonians and flood their kingdom. She tries to get Uma to join her but the captain refuses. Mal forms into a dragon and fights with the monster. But she is overpowered.

Luckily Evie gives some of her magic to transform Uma into a sea witch and both Uma and Mal fight off Ursula before trapping her in stone. With Ursula defeated, whirlpool stops and everything is back to normal.

The headmaster tries to blame the. VKs for attracting Ursula but Ben defends them by saying the pirates are just kids who just wanted to be accepted. Even Chad and Audrey step in, Chad ripping into his parents for letting a sweet girl like Izzy endure the same abuse his momma had; and Audrey calling out her grandma that theirr actions made them no better than Maleficent. The other Audradon students pitch in voicing their complaints on how the Isle Kids are treated. Overwhelmed with the amount of Support, Belle and Beast finally accept Ben's plans: starting by firing the headmaster. They also pardon the Pirates IF they use their talents for the good of all. The party goes on without a hitch.

Weeks later all of the VKs are let into auradon. The adults - the ones that truly reformed - still have to wait as they don't want to risk it. Chad accepts Izzy as a sister, Audrey and Mal call a truce. Carlos and Evie creates new clothes for the VKs to wear, and Uma and Harry are part of the swim team. Gil even pursues art and starts to learn how to read. Paige decides to go into humanities she still reads runes but now has a middle ground. Before we end it Hans tells Belle to let Anna and Elsa know he apologizes for hurting them even tho he's aware he won't be forgiven for his crimes.

The post credits show flames and then a person walking out if it: Mozenrath. Since the magic if the Isle doesn't affect him he is now going to finish what he started years ago: this brings us to D3 being Jay focused.

And now to the Ocean Seven - my version of the Sea Three but with extra members!!

- Uma, daughter of Ursula; fierce captain with a thing for theatrics; Turquoise and aqua

- Harry, son of Captain Hook; second in command and somewhat of a flirt; also sort of moody and wants to help Isle Kids: Red

- Gil, son of Gaston and one of the Bimbettes; gullible but loyal and the definition of non toxic masculinity; Orange and yellow

- Prince Hans of all people - exiled prince with no home and a LOT of regrets; still manipulative but now it's ✨constructive✨Teal/forest green

- Pearl Sparrow: daughter of Jack Sparrow, wild and ferocious with a surprisingly cultured side; Black; has a rivalry with Jay bc long ago he stole something of hers.

- Jeremie Smee: younger nephew of Smee; softspoken yet clumsy; White

- Goldie Silver: possible illegitimate daughter of John Silver, thief and good at technology. Gold & ochre

- Victor Eel: OC with no associated disney character though inspired by Ursula's eels. Slimy and duplicitous towards his enemies; only follows Uma bc she has the most food. Purple.

Whew! That was A LOT to write! If i could turn back time I would give this movie the epic pirate fantasy it deserved! Looking back it was one of the better Descendants films and i wished disney did more with it. I tried to give Ben and Gil some interaction since their parents are mortal enemies. But also a chance for Audrey and Chad to have a REAL redemption arc, as well as Jay and Carlos something to do. Oh and Evie uses magic bc it was so weird how she lacked it. And of course Uma getting a better ending than she had, and more VKs as well. As for Hans yes I added him too because Frozen 2 was gonna have his redemption arc and i was disappointed they didn't go through. Would've set him apart from other main disney villains but oh well a girl can dream, right? That's all I have, I still need to work out my plans for D1 and D3. Bye!! And hope you enjoy this rewrite!

[twh-news]

How do you score a show that tinkers with time, features a Norse god who is neither hero nor villain, and continually confounds the viewer with new mysteries?

That was the challenge facing English composer Natalie Holt, who with her music for “Loki” becomes only the second woman to compose the dramatic score for a Marvel Cinematic Universe film or TV series (after Pinar Toprak, who scored 2019’s “Captain Marvel”).

The music of “Loki” is a bold combination of a traditional orchestra with vintage analog synthesizers, Scandinavian folk instruments and the weird, unsettling electronic sounds of the theremin, once associated with ’50s sci-fi movies.

“He’s a kind of grand, Machiavellian character,” Holt tells Variety from her London studio. “And Tom Hiddleston’s performance has a touch of Shakespeare to it. So I wanted to give him some gravitas and classical weight to his theme, but also have this space-age sound as well.”

Holt had been listening to 1950s theremin virtuoso Clara Rockmore and had one day hoped to utilize it in a score. So she was surprised to learn that “Loki” director Kate Herron was also “keen to involve the theremin in the soundtrack.”

The unusual instrument was heard in such Hollywood classics as “Spellbound” and “The Day the Earth Stood Still” and, more recently, in the Apollo 11 movie “First Man.” “The character of it just seemed to suit the score,” Holt says.

In addition, Holt and Herron saw similarities between the Norse god of mischief and the character of Alex, famously played by Malcolm McDowell in the 1971 Stanley Kubrick film “A Clockwork Orange.” She says, “He does these horrific things, yet you feel this empathy for him, you can almost forgive him, and his redemption feels painful.”

Wendy Carlos’ Moog synthesizer sounds for the Kubrick classic became another key influence on the score as a result.

Holt began, last August, by creating a “suite” of themes that represented the antihero Loki, his new nemesis/partner Mobius (Owen Wilson), the mysterious Time Variance Authority (TVA) and variant Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino). This became the blueprint for much of what she would write for the series over the next six months.

The concept of time, and the possibility of altering a timeline, is central to the series premise, and so the sounds of a ticking clock (actually samples of different clocks, notes the composer) appear in the TVA theme.

Holt’s research into Norse mythology also led to the use of two Norwegian instruments, the hardanger fiddle and stringed nyckelharpa, to suggest Loki’s Asgardian home and his late mother Frigga.

The entire score was created remotely, with Holt working in her studio; other musicians contributing theremin, synthesizer, guitar and drum sounds from various locations; and the Budapest Film Orchestra supplying a traditional symphonic foundation.

“I love those really powerful forces coming together, giving something like the weight of [opera composer Richard] Wagner, but with this unusual twisty edge,” says Holt.

Classically trained as a violinist at the Royal Academy of Music and in composition at the National Film and Television School, Holt confesses that she prefers to sketch her musical ideas on paper. “I’m so old school,” she says with a laugh.

That enabled her to design a score that started with the finale and worked backwards from there. “I had the theme for the end very early on,” she says. The final two episodes, due July 7 and 14, also feature a 32-voice choir, she reveals.

Holt was a 2017 Emmy nominee for music in the PBS series “Victoria,” and has completed work on a Netflix film, “Fever Dream,” slated for release later this year.

[lokiondisneyplus]

How do you score a show that tinkers with time, features a Norse god who is neither hero nor villain, and continually confounds the viewer with new mysteries?

That was the challenge facing English composer Natalie Holt, who with her music for “Loki” becomes only the second woman to compose the dramatic score for a Marvel Cinematic Universe film or TV series (after Pinar Toprak, who scored 2019’s “Captain Marvel”).

The music of “Loki” is a bold combination of a traditional orchestra with vintage analog synthesizers, Scandinavian folk instruments and the weird, unsettling electronic sounds of the theremin, once associated with ’50s sci-fi movies.

“He’s a kind of grand, Machiavellian character,” Holt tells Variety from her London studio. “And Tom Hiddleston’s performance has a touch of Shakespeare to it. So I wanted to give him some gravitas and classical weight to his theme, but also have this space-age sound as well.”

Holt had been listening to 1950s theremin virtuoso Clara Rockmore and had one day hoped to utilize it in a score. So she was surprised to learn that “Loki” director Kate Herron was also “keen to involve the theremin in the soundtrack.”

The unusual instrument was heard in such Hollywood classics as “Spellbound” and “The Day the Earth Stood Still” and, more recently, in the Apollo 11 movie “First Man.” “The character of it just seemed to suit the score,” Holt says.

In addition, Holt and Herron saw similarities between the Norse god of mischief and the character of Alex, famously played by Malcolm McDowell in the 1971 Stanley Kubrick film “A Clockwork Orange.” She says, “He does these horrific things, yet you feel this empathy for him, you can almost forgive him, and his redemption feels painful.”

Wendy Carlos’ Moog synthesizer sounds for the Kubrick classic became another key influence on the score as a result.

Holt began, last August, by creating a “suite” of themes that represented the antihero Loki, his new nemesis/partner Mobius (Owen Wilson), the mysterious Time Variance Authority (TVA) and variant Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino). This became the blueprint for much of what she would write for the series over the next six months.

The concept of time, and the possibility of altering a timeline, is central to the series premise, and so the sounds of a ticking clock (actually samples of different clocks, notes the composer) appear in the TVA theme.

Holt’s research into Norse mythology also led to the use of two Norwegian instruments, the hardanger fiddle and stringed nyckelharpa, to suggest Loki’s Asgardian home and his late mother Frigga.

The entire score was created remotely, with Holt working in her studio; other musicians contributing theremin, synthesizer, guitar and drum sounds from various locations; and the Budapest Film Orchestra supplying a traditional symphonic foundation.

“I love those really powerful forces coming together, giving something like the weight of [opera composer Richard] Wagner, but with this unusual twisty edge,” says Holt.

Classically trained as a violinist at the Royal Academy of Music and in composition at the National Film and Television School, Holt confesses that she prefers to sketch her musical ideas on paper. “I’m so old school,” she says with a laugh.

That enabled her to design a score that started with the finale and worked backwards from there. “I had the theme for the end very early on,” she says. The final two episodes, due July 7 and 14, also feature a 32-voice choir, she reveals.

Holt was a 2017 Emmy nominee for music in the PBS series “Victoria,” and has completed work on a Netflix film, “Fever Dream,” slated for release later this year.

[davids-cartoon-corkboard]

Last but certainly not least, Chuck! What does he want, and how will his Stone help him get it?

As our funky little starter villain, Chuck’s heel-face turn wasn’t a surprise. But I trust the writers will give depth to his character arc rather than the surface-level "he feels Sad and is now Good and everyone is his friend now". His heel-face turn wasn’t even motivated by an improvement in character! His values didn’t change at all!

Chuck served the Great Leader because he believed the Great Leader had traits he admired, namely bravery. Once the Great Leader was revealed to be a dirty coward, Chuck naturally dropped him like a hot potato and latched onto Kid because Kid had been actually, demonstrably brave several times. Of course Chuck regrets having caused problems for the person he realized was worthy of respect all along!

That Chuck calls Kid “Great Leader” when he apologizes in “Bad Good Guys” further cements this idea. He’s now in a position to let go of his old ways of thinking, but he has not yet done so.

Because being good is a choice, and right now Chuck doesn’t have a choice. If he hadn’t allied himself with Kid and co., he’d have been taken away by the Biker In Black. Maybe if he still had his legs he’d be able to run and hide from them, but then what? Live out the rest of his days on a primitive planet with no allies, no hope of rescue, no accessible information about what’s safe for him to eat or drink or use for first aid? Oh, and there’s definitely coyotes and vultures and whatnot out in the desert that he’d have to fend off as well. He can only truly choose to stay with our heroes when he has the choice to abandon them, which means the story needs to get him some sweet robo-legs ASAP.

Even before losing his legs, Chuck didn’t have much in the way of autonomy. He was a minion in a crowd of minions all exactly alike, existing to serve the Great Leader and nothing more. The closest the average Nephropid (which is what I’m calling his species until further notice) can get to “having autonomy” is “being important”, which they are rewarded with when they serve the Great Leader exceptionally well.

In “Epic Fail”, Chuck expected to be given a planet if he delivered the Stones. Presumably he’d get to make some of his own decisions if he held a middle management position.

And he could have been a total sourpuss towards Rosa in “Precognitive Cat”, but he played princesa with her anyway because he liked pretending to have a high status.

His Stone won’t be orange like his skin or blue like his uniform, but rather Fuchsia, the dark pinkish-purple color in the outfit Papa G made for him. It’s the first personalized outfit he ever had, that he was given because Papa G trusted he could be good even before he switched sides. After all, “evil’s just a cry from a heart that’s hurting”.

Chuck’s desire for Autonomy existed long before he lost his legs, but it’s hard to assign a power to that because basically any superpower could apply by virtue of Letting Him Do Stuff He Couldn’t Otherwise Do. (The Green or Purple Stones could be used as mobility aids, for example.) So his power is going to be something more vital than the power of sleep or zoopathy, something that lets him be Important. It’ll be a stereotypically heroic power to emphasize that he’s getting a redemption arc and to contrast with Flo’s stereotypically villainous power. And he wants to make up for his past evil deeds, so what better power for Chuck’s Stone to give him than the power of Healing, which will literally let him undo damage?

While that’ll go a long way towards keeping the team in good shape, it’s probably not going to get him his legs back. Since he lost them when he was an enemy, getting them back as an ally could imply some kind of cosmic punishment/reward at play, and “disabled people are disabled because the universe is teaching them a lesson” is a shitty idea. Perhaps the Stone can’t heal injuries that are too old or too severe and he’ll still need mechanical prosthetics. Or perhaps the Stone could heal him a little, regenerating enough nerves and flesh to hook him up to some kind of biotech prosthetics!

Either way, being good won’t get him the reward of autonomy, getting autonomy will give him the opportunity to be good. And that might not pay off immediately! Maybe he ditches the group for a bit, only for his conscience to win out so he can return and save the day at an appropriately dramatic moment. Maybe he won’t be compassionate at first and refuse to heal injuries that come from being reckless, until he realizes that relieving suffering is more important than teaching someone a lesson. Maybe he’ll unnecessarily injure someone because he reasons he can just heal them and it’ll be fine, except that healing them doesn’t really cancel out the fact that he hurt them in the first place.

All that is going to be frustrating, for both Chuck and his allies! Being good is hard, especially when you’re not used to it. But so long as he tries to be better, they’ll be there to help him along.

---

(Carl) (Carlos and Ramona) (Carla)

(Hamburg and Fry) (Flo) (Chuck: You Are Here)

[bunny-lou]

I have a theory of who Carlos' dad was! I was on D+ and apparently I had forgotten an animated sequel was made of 101 Dalmatians. So I watched it again and in it, Cruella has a love interest and he's a painter/artist named Lars (until she reveals she wants to kill puppies to which his exact words were, "But that means... How could you do such a thing to the cute little puppies? [...] I may be eccentric, but I am not a sicko! [...] You'll not hurt one spot on these innocent little creatures' heads! Not as long as I have anything to say about it!") and I wouldn't be surprised if they had sex before that revelation and then she was locked in a hospital and would've been sent to the isle before she started showing. Which if she had been free and then gone crazy again, could also explain why Carlos is younger; maybe she was sent there later, having seemed "cured".

Sorry it took me so long to answer!!

I really want to delve deeper into the other media of the villains. I actually haven't seen a lot of classic Disney films, or their television spin offs (I always forget Aladdin had a TV show where Dan Costello, the dude who voices Homer Simpsons, voices Genie).

And you bring up a REALLY INTERESTING point that maybe not all villains were sent to the Isle at the same time??? If the Isle has existed for "more like 20 years" (which, side note, does not mean the Isle is actually 20 years old, that's just an estimate. The Isle could have existed for 16 or 17 years when Mal first begins narrating in D1, which would give more opportunity for the VK's other parents to be from Auradon!), maybe only certain villains were sent there first and lesser villains or sidekicks were sent later on? Maybe Auradon tried to get Cruella help but saw she didn't want the help or that she was faking it (I have a small head canon that Cruella plays up how unstable she is as a way to get herself off the Isle and play victim), they sent her a few years after the Isle was created.

Oooh, how interesting!!!

[multimetaverse]

what are your thoughts on the high school musical season 2 trailer?

Seems like most of the clips are from the first few eps. The heavy focus on Rini didn’t surprise me. That Nini actually goes to YAC was inevitable from the moment they brought it up and her return to East High will be just as inevitable. Hopefully the show cuts its losses and just has her return sooner rather than later. I do wonder if there will be any noticeable difference in the Rini scenes filmed pre and post Jolivia breakup or at least the post Driver’s License scenes since its massive success has aired their dirty laundry to the world. 

It would be lame if Ricky really is the beast, other than him roaring we didn’t get much in the way of casting reveals for Beauty and the Beast (except for Carlos being Lumiere). I rolled my eyes at that blonde girl acting like a reality show villain trying to seduce Ricky, hopefully that drama isn’t too contrived. Also that they’re introducing a new character who’s trying to get between Ricky and Nini it likely means that they’re not really touching on Rina this season. 

Very little EJ in this trailer, if Ricky really is the beast then he’s almost certainly Gascon which isn’t a very exciting casting choice. In theory this should be EJ’s last chance to be in a high school musical since this is the final semester of his senior year so he should be getting more focus but I suspect his story line will largely focus on Portwell. I hope that Tim comes up with a semi-plausible reason to keep EJ around even after he graduates.

Gina is staying obviously, presumably she movies in with Ashlynn. The 2x02 ep description says she tries to shake off old habits when new competition shows up and in 2x03 she contends with being single which is probably which is probably when her relationship with EJ starts to blossom.

Very little Mr. Mazarra either. Is Miss Jenn really gonna have three suitors this season? Her ex Derek, Mike Bowen, and Benjamin Mazarra? Not much of Seblos, hopefully we get good scenes that Disney doesn’t cut. 

We know that a French exchange student falls for Ashlynn and that another new character works at Big Red’s families pizzeria so presumably we’ll see quite a bit of Big Red and Ashlynn (it seems like they have a big plot in 2x03 which is the Valentine’s day ep). It’s been a long time coming thanks to Covid-19 but I’m excited to see S2 and to see if the show can maintain the high quality it had in S1