#chip n dale can be there too i watched those shorts all the time

[djpurple3]

Gonna make this post and forget about it but that post was circulating earlier abt mickey mouse and how he has no backstory, where goofy and donald very much do, and i started imagining a movie (still animated 2D like a goofy movie) where goofy and donald team up to try and discover literally any information about their best friend whom theyve known for years

There can be a scene where the two of them attempt a good-cop-bad-cop interrogation on minnie to she what she knows (she doesnt know anything and was like "i never asked he never said and im not nosy idk what to tell u guys" which can be interrupyed with a great gag where daisy enters and turns the light on, goes "hi donald" and donald's like "hi daisy" and she crosses the room, gets smth out of the fridge, leaves the room, and the second the light is turned out the interrogation scene kicks right back in, intensity and all

Maybe by the end they learn nothing / learn so many contradicting things about mickey that they basically know nothing and mickey's like "why does it matter??? im still me" and its like yknow whatever friends are friends and the value of their friendship doesnt rely on whether you know everything about them or not

Or something.

[popculturebuffet]

House of Mouse Patreon Reviews: Timon and Pumba or Hakuna Mehtata (patreon review for WeirdKev27

Hello happy people. And it’s that time of the month again: Kev’s monthly review of House of Mouse for it’s 20th anniversary! Still not on Disney Plus... still. 

And this one is themed as earlier this week Kev had me review the LIon King for his birthday, so instead of randomly choosing an episode as he usually does he just outright picked this one because the timing was too good and I agree with that choice. 

So was this episode the top of pride rock or should it be thrown to the hyena’s? Join me under the cut to find out

Starting with our shorts for the episode...

Pluto’s Magic Paws:

This episode is admittedly at a disadvantage with me. See while i’ve taken an interest in classic disney shorts, I loves watching them and wish Disney would put more hd ones on Plus for all to enjoy, there are two genre’s of them, if you will I avoid: Ones focusing on Mickey’s Dog Pluto, and ones featuring Chip N Dale tormenting Donald. I avoid them if I can and the only way you could get me to watch them is if say you ambushed me with them in the middle of an episode I was doing because one of my patron’s, and the only guy who comissoins my work, say asked for the episode and neither of us bothered to check what the shorts were. So anyways this patron sponsosred episode, you can get a patron episode a month yourself if you join my patreon for five bucks a month and even lower paying members get one free review on signup, hint hint, features a Pluto short followed by Chip N Fucking dale. 

So yeah let’s talk about WHY I don’t like Plut shorts> Pluto isn’t a bad character, he’s a dog, a loyal companion. But his shorts tend to lean into either animal abuse, i.e. the poor doggy going through shit for our amusement that isn’t funny, the tired and terrible trope of “pet gets blamed for something new interloper did, or some third thing that I still don’t like anyway. 

I don’t HATE Pluto as a character, but he works best as a supliment to Mickey or a partner to him. The Hooch to his Turner. I will never get why he spun off into his own adventures. Goofy and Donald I get. Besides being registered boys with me, both just had oodles of charm, personality and humor that lent themselves to being spun off into their own corners of the world. Pluto.. is just Mickey’s dog. 

A pet character CAN be awesome on their own and go off into wild adventures: Snoopy is the greatest example of this, going from Charlie Brown’s dog to an imaginative weirdo who plays doubles tennis with a bully, takes birds on camping trips, goes to see his long lost sister and her gangly nephew in kansas city, has a whispy mustached brother who live sin the desert and gets into his own shenanigans, got trapped under an icicle, had his house burn down, took Peppermint Patty and Marcie on a race around the world, and so , so much more. And he’s not the only one: Garfield was so charming he overshadowed his owner in the strip’s prototypical form and took over as main character, while Opus went from Binkley’s odd but endearing pet to Bloom County’s star and my spirit animal. 

It’s just with Pluto.. they don’t expand his character or anything he’s just.. a dog. That’s it. And just being a dog can be a fine character, again to use yet another comic strip Lynn Johnston mined plenty of good slapstick out of the Patterson’s Dog Farley and later Farley’s son Edgar. Here though they either make Pluto sympathetic or give him nothing funny TO do. Most Pluto shorts are just dog tourture porn and that’s just not something I WANT to see and those that aren’t are just boring. He’s boring as a character. 

This one is not an exception and the only intresting part is the gimmick itself, two magical gloves from a magician who get swapped with Mickeys and try to escape to get to the show, only for pluto to chase them, then use them. But despite an intresting premise the gag’s are pretty sparse, the only two really memorable ones being the gloves hyjacking a fire truck and a sequence where Pluto uses them to flipi the tv channels, with puns on various disney afternoon and one saturday morning shows, the ones that stood out being Darkwing Dog and Brand Spankin New Dog, complete with similar logos. Otherwise i’ts eh. It’s not as bad as the cupid one, that was insufferable, but it’s just not.. funny. It has a decent premise but the fact I spent more time explaning why pluto dosen’t work than actually descrbing the short should tell you it’s just.. not much of a short. There’s not anything really to mock even it’s just a bunch of stuff that happened. it’s okay but it’s just nothing really worth your time. 

Mickey To the Rescue: Cage and Cannons

Ironically the best short of the night is the shortest, as it’s one of the recurring “Mickey to the rescue bits”. Pete kidnaps Minnie, Mickey has to go through some new supervillian lair to get her. I do love these though and this one is fun as Mickey has to outrun a bunch of canons with spring loaded boxing gloves in them. 

Yup. It’s fun though and Minnie even gets to help with her own rescue using her bow. it’s really fun nice stuff... anyways now back to my suffering

Back To My Suffering Golf Nut Donald: 

Now to clairfy I have nothing against Chip N Dale RESCUE RANGERS. I haven’t seen much of the show but that’s more due to me procrastinating on watching things rather than actual disinterest. I just forget, things pile up and then boom there’s season two. It happens. 

But the show does genuinely intrest me: the idea of two chipmunk detectives and their mouse friends, one a loveable oaf the other his cute genius daughter, solving crimes and fighting a literal fat cat all sounds pretty damn fun. So yeah Chip N Dale as detectives wearing indiana jones and magnum pi’s outfits, very good.

Chip N Dale in the classic shorts though?

The problem is most shorts have someone either slighting the two by accident or MUCH more often the two just.. making someone’s life hell because they want to steal some food. There are ones where Donald is genuinely a Donald Dick, kicking them out of their home or trying to steal their stuff, but for the most part Donald or Mickey or Pluto, because Disney apparently plotted my suffering years in advance, genuinely are just going about their day when the two little shits decide to ruin it. 

And once again , like Pluto you CAN make a good story out of this: A lot of great looney tunes come out of animal tries to steal from asshole and the whole premise of Tom and Jerry is Jerry being a loveable scamp to Tom’s sometimes asshole. It doesn't always work and sometimes Tom’s just trying to stay in his fucking home making jerry the asshole, but you get my point: in slapstick the target needs to be unsympathetic so they DESERVE what’s coming. In these shorts it’s often not the case and their just trying to live their lives. 

This one however. is uniquely bad in that it TRIES to have Donald be unsympathetic but he dozen’t do enough for it to work and thus his punishment seems excessive. In this one Donald is a janitor at a Golf Course who finds their offering a trophy for best golfer and sets off to do just that. 

So he gets a near perfect game and is on the last hole when a tree inhabited by candarian demons ends up in his way. Look you look at those two little bastards and tell me there isn’t a page of the necornomicon just for them. So he does what any resonable person does and whips out a chainsaw to cut the tree down so he can keep golfing. Yes Donald just rendered two creatures homeless so he could win at the most boring, whitest, and most pointless sport, instead of you know just putting around, still probably winning anyway. And yeah I don’t like golf and why yes this dosen’t help.  And this is from someone who LIKES Happy Gilmore a hell of a lot and thinks Caddyshack is pretty good. You can make a good golf story. Mini Golf however gets an enteral pass from me: that shit is actually fun no matter your age. 

So this makes donald unsypametic enough right? 

The thing is while what Donald is unsympathetic and dserves commpuance, chap and dumbass are also unsympathetic, attacking the guy without both confirming Donald felled their home. (Which.. he did but they have no way of knowing that), or trying to TALK to him first. They just go into vengance mode automatically and cost donald his trophy. It just makes the rest of the short a slog because there’s NO ONE to root for. Donald chopped down a tree to win a game he probably woudl’ve won anyway, and Chapped and Dildo attack someone on the assumptinon they did something wrong. 

Finally the short is just not really funny, so it dosen’t have anything to paper over this problem resulting in just a real slog to get this episode done with. It was a waste of my time and while not the WORST house of mouse short, it still sucks more than a giant robot made out of vacums that is constantly sucking at a college level. 

Timon and Pumba: Okay onto the reason we’re all here, our wrapround bit concerns everyone’s faviorite disney duo, Worker and Parasite!

But that episode is lost to time so instead we got one about Timon and Pumbaa. The best bit is at the start when Mickey announces the two are tonight’s featured performers.. and we get a cut to an entirely salty simba complaning about how they get all the attention while Nala just looks confused. I love everything about this and have so many questoins: When did Simba start resenting them? Is he mad he didn’t get his own show? Why is Nala suprised by this? How do his dad’s feel about this? Why is their a child versoin of him also running around Young Link Style? And was he also this bitter when his son got a show instead of him decades later?

Anyways, while Mickey does his bit donald TRIES to greet Mushu.. who brushes him off like a jackass for doing his job of greeting people. Donald TRIED getting his revenge decades later by getting Mushu written out of the remake despite the fact it really ddin’t clash at all with the whole magical kung fun narrative, but that ended up backfiring as he got spared being in the remake that was shot near modern concentration camps.

Donald’s day dosen’t get much better as he finds out he has to do goofy’s job and bring Timon and Pumbaa their snacks because Goofy got stuck in the sink. Even though there are plenty of serving penguins, and pluto, and others who coudl do it instead of you know, the co-manager of the club whose already busy working the door. 

It dosen’t get better when he actually does the job, through gritted beak, but Timon, being timon is less of a professoinal about it and more gripes about them not being the cream filled kind. Pumbaa naturally eats them all. These two are a PERFECT fit for HOM: they have a great duo act, are hliarious together, are popular with both adults and kids watching and fit well. It’s really fun to see the two transition from two weirdo husbands to two wweirdo husbands who do a live show for people vegas style in a mouse’s night club. 

So the idea of the two being a double act is good.. but the show falters from here deciding instead to do something fun with it or play into Donald more instead going with a cliche: two friends have a fight over something stupid , breakup and end up coming back together. I mean in this case it’s two husbands but still, the cliche remains. 

And while this is the second time in a row i’ve complained about a plot being predictable I have to stress for the umpeteenth time I DON’T have anything against cliches if you use them creatively. But this episode uses this plot in it’s most basic and boring form. Even the reasons WHY the two fight are stupid and trite instead of character based: Pumbaa wants to do stand up, Timon wants to do magic, they fight over it. 

The next step is also predicable. Donald is sent to fix it and while he TRIES to, Pumbaa ends up instead making a long hilaroius speech about how Donald is “happy” being number two and getting none of the credit, while doing more work than mickey despite being co owner. The issue here is this is SUPPOSED to just be Donald being egostistical and thus siding with Pumbaa because he feels mistreated even though he isn’t. But the thing is.. the episode backs this feeling up: Donald works the door but no one cares about his job clearly if M ushu is any occasion and isn’t doing jobs because he’s co owner and feels responsible.. but because everyone else is too busy and piles it on him. 

I’m not saying Donald shoudln’t be pitching in on other work ocassionaly but what’s damming is MICKEY is doing Donald’s job. Donald should be comforting the guests, getting them hyped etc, preparing them for their sets while Mickey rests between his own MCing sets. And it’s not slacking off, Mickey took over the duty himself, without telling Donald, then expects donald to do less for no credit. These kind of eps where Donald feels unappricated only work when Mickey is his normal self: being a kind, thoughtful guy who only takes advnatage accidentally and TRULY apricates his best friend and buisness partner. Here he just comes off as a dick especially in the finale which we’ll get to. 

For now Donald teams up with Pumba and what COULD’VE been a funny runner.. ends up lasting all of two minutes. Something i’ve noticed is that the season 1 wraparounds.. are really poorly paced, being based more around just filling in space and being fairly simple instead of exploring things and as a result have so far, outside of the first episode, been the weakest ones. They have good setups, but the stories themselves lack heart or character and just come off as basic problems of the week to fill in time. 

The resolution is also REALLY weak: Timon does his magic act and bombs horribly, though there is a funny runner of him having kidnapped thumper to be the rabbit in his hat, and PUmbaa saves him turning it into an act. Pumbaa gets the respect he was owed and Timon appricates him, which is cute but not worth the rest of this.. or the final scene where mickey TRIES to apologize to donald only to get pissy when he wants to change it to house of duck.... instead of coming up with a better name that represents both he just says no like he entirely owns the club instead of co owns it with someone else. HAHAHAHA micheal is a real asshole this episode. 

Final Thoughts:

This was not a good episode.... the shorts were weak, even taking my hatred of pluto and chip n dale shorts into account they aren’t good even by those low standards, and the main plot has a GREAT setup.. but devolves into a cliche story that resolves absurbtly instead of doing ANYTHING with it. It’s just a really weak episode and one I don’t intend to eve rwatch again if I can help it. 

Next Month: King Louie’s legally distinct brother visits the house of mouse! Swingin! 

[atomic-taco-muffin]

The Lost Princess Chapter 70

Warnings: Me, skipping to saving Aqua b/c the anticipation was killing me, also fluff/angst

Rating: SFW

In the Badlands on the outskirts of the Keyblade Graveyard, Marluxia and Larxene stood atop thirteen pillars of earth.

“So, why are you back?” Marluxia asked. 

“Nice way to greet your old partner in crime,” Larxene said. Marluxia gave a small laugh at the title. “So, why do you think the old geezer took us back? He must know we backstabbed the Organization when Xemnas and Muki were running it.”

“Xehanort doesn't care about you or me. To him, we're nothing but empty husks. The old Organization was the same. Xehanort needs thirteen vessels to hold his essence. And let’s not forget him wanting that Spirit.” 

“Which one? There’s like 4 of them.” 

“You know which one.” 

“Oh. Her. But that girl has slipped through our hands multiple times. There’s no way she’ll submit. Especially with that pathetic team of hers. So, you up for another coup?” Larxene gave him a coy smile. 

“Oh, please. You couldn't do it last time. You gotta play it smart, like me,” someone said. They looked over to another pillar, where a man with blond hair was holding a large sitar.

“What?! You're not smart!” Larxene said. 

“Well, you heard what Marly said. I don't have to be smart,” Demyx smirked. 

“Or capable, or likeable, or attractive. A cereal bowl would make a better vessel.” Demyx tuned his sitar strings while Larxene roasted him.

“Whoa now, you are WAY out of line. I am extremely imposing...when I want to be. Which is, admittedly, almost never,” he said. 

“Why haven't you gone to any worlds? Are you slacking?” 

“'Course not. I got benched.” 

“Huh?

“Saïx brought Vexen on board. They must be planning to use replicas,” Marluxia said. 

“Those windup toys?” 

“Oh, no. The replicas are way more real than you remember. I mean, one stole my spot!” Larxene burst into laughter. (her laugh is so hot! fight me!)

“OF COURSE it stole your spot. You're dumb as a brick,” she said. 

“Har-dee-har,” Demyx said. 

“Vexen's latest replicas are no mere puppets. The Riku replica we used in Castle Oblivion was just a prototype. The next replica, the one crafted from Sora's memories, was real enough to join our ranks. And Vexen claims the new ones will be human in every way. If he ever finishes them,” Marluxia said. 

“Oh... The thing is...I kinda told Sora and his nitwits that we're ready. My bad,” Larxene said. 

“Let them believe as such.” A dark corridor opened to reveal Queen Muki. 

“Ugh. Muki,” Larxene said. 

“If they think that we have all thirteen darknesses, then they will panic. And panic leads to a lack of preparation,” Muki said. 

“Yeah, totally,” Demyx said. 

“Why is thing a member again?” Larxene asked as she pointed to Demyx. 

“Hey now! Pointing is rude.” 

“The first six members of the original Organization were all apprentices to Ansem the Wise, and the seventh and eighth members joined thereafter. The thirteenth member was Roxas, a Keyblade wielder. So. What about you? How do you suppose Xemnas and I chose numbers nine through twelve?” Muki said. 

“Because our hearts are über powerful,” Larxene said. 

“Wrong. You have been brought together for another purpose.” 

“What? So that we can rot away on the bottom rung?” someone asked. A man with short blond hair and multiple earrings appeared on the pillar adjacent to Demyx.

“You're in too? What is this, Organization Rehash?” Larxene sighed. 

“I happen to play an important role. No one ‘benched’ me,” Luxord said. 

“You were listening? So not cool,” Demyx said. 

“One must hold one's cards as long as necessary.” 

“What ‘important role’? That stupid box that Xigbar claims is real, but won't tell us a thing about? And what’s the deal with this ‘Princess’?” Larxene asked.

“You'll just have to ask Xigbar that,” Luxord said as he played with his cards. “Now then, Your Majesty, what is this ‘purpose’? You didn't invite us back for old times' sake.”

“You four are going to reveal your greatest secret: the ancient Keyblade legacy that slumbers within you,” Muki said. They each reacted with surprise and skepticism as Muki gave a breathy, hyena-like laugh.

In the Woods of Twilight Town, just outside the Old Mansion, a corridor of darkness appeared and Lady Elena strolled out of it, followed by Ansem the Wise. From behind a tree, Hayner, Pence and Olette watched.

“It's about time!” Pence said.

“Look! There’s mom!” Olette said. 

“Heeey, shut it! C'mon,” Hayner said. He moved ahead as the two skulk behind him. As Ansem the Wise and Elena walk into the courtyard, the trio peeked out from behind the gate. Ansem the Wise stopped just before the entrance door, forcing Elena to turn around.

“What now?” she asked. Ansem the Wise looked up to the curtained window.

“Please. I have created enough victims,” he said.

“Yes, you have. All the children sacrificed in the name of your research... So make things right,” Elena said. 

“I told you I did not take her. Her disappearance was why I put a stop to the research.”

“And that makes you honorable? You used Roxas and Naminé and threw them away. I doubt there's a merciful bone in your body. You took the girl, and hid her. Now, show me the data you are hiding here.” 

“Roxas and Naminé... If there is any reason that I still draw breath, it is to atone for what I did to them. But, would your daughter want to see this?” 

“She’s already seen enough. Along with my other kids.” Olette and Pence gasped. 

“She’s talking about us,” Pence said. 

“And Roxas,” Olette said. 

“Yeah,” Hayner said. 

“That man needs us,” Olette said. 

“Right. And we need to get that Negaverse thing out of mom,” Hayner said.

“Yeah,” Pence said. 

“If you do find the girl, what is it that you expect will happen?” Ansem the Wise asked. 

“The child's memory holds a mystery to unravel--one concerning the battle we seek between light and darkness. You know something and that... is why you stopped the experiments,” Elena said. 

“You are completely deluded, M’Lady.” 

“We shall soon see.” She grabbed Ansem the Wise's shoulder and pushed him toward the door before Pence popped in.

“Yoo-hoo!” he said. Elena stopped. “'Scuse meee!”

Elena whirled around at this interruption.

“Pence, what are you doing here?” she growled. 

“Oh, well, I'm looking for a friend who used to live here.” 

“You live here. Unless your father moved somewhere else, then it’s not working.” Pence’s distraction enabled Olette to run inside the courtyard.

“But mom...” Pence stalled as he stepped closer. 

“No, no, no! Not one more step. Get out!” Elena said. As she walked toward Pence, Olette rushed and grabbed Ansem the Wise.

“This way!” she whispered. Elena spun around, seeing Ansem the Wise escaping as Hayner ran in, attempting to jump kick her from behind.

“Oi!” he cried. Elena summoned Anti-Nyx and it caught Hayner with its paws. “...or not!”

“Hayner!” Pence cried. Anti-Nyx tossed Hayner at the brick wall of the courtyard but a strange white blob curled around him and cushioned the blow. He bounced to the ground safely. More white blobs flew through the air from behind corners, like wispy trails. They surrounded Elena and Anti-Nyx, revealing themselves as Dusk Nobodies.

“The squiggly things?” Pence asked. It uncurled from Hayner as he sat up in disbelief.

“They...protected me,” he said. Pence grabbed Hayner's arm.

“Hayner! Get a move on!” he said. 

“Oh... Okay.” Pence helped Hayner up and the two ran back to the Woods. Elena focused her attention on the Dusks.

“I serve the Organization. This is treason,” she sneered. “I see what is happening. Have it your way then.” 

Olette and Ansem the Wise escaped to the Underground and Hayner and Pence caught up.

“Are you guys okay?” Olette asked as the two boys caught their breath. 

“Yeah, I think,” Hayner said. 

“Nobody knows the twists and turns of Twilight Town better than us,” Pence said. 

“You are Roxas's friends. And Lady Elena’s children,” Ansem the Wise said. 

“That's right. So you know him, too?” Hayner said. 

“Oh yes. Quite well.” 

“Pay dirt. Guess it was worth staking out our house after all, because this guy here is what I call a lead,” Pence said. He reached into his pocket and took out the photo of them together with Roxas.

“That's the only proof we have that Roxas was our friend,” Olette said. 

“Tell us about him. We wanna know him better,” Hayner said. 

“My dear master. You are safe,” a cloaked man said as he appeared behind them. 

“Who's there?” Hayner asked. They whirled around, seeing the scientist with blond hair.

“Even, is that you? So...those Nobodies were your doing,” Ansem the Wise said. The wispy blobs floated in behind Vexen and became Dusks again. Their appearance unsettled the trio. However, Vexen bowed his head.

“I have been waiting for this. Gave up a normal life in order to plant myself in the Organization. And when I heard Xehanort had gone looking for you, I realized it was my chance to find you as well. For you see, I, too, wish to atone. I also want to protect the royal bloodline,” he said. 

“Royal bloodline?” Pence asked. 

“I see. If it’s (Y/N) you’re protecting then I shall help you,” Ansem the Wise said. 

“Huh?!” Hayner, Pence, and Olette asked. 

“Not just her,” Vexen said. 

~~~~

You and your team flew in the Gummi Ship, not knowing where to go next. Sora's Gummiphone started to ring and Jiminy leapt into his shoulder as he pulled it out.

“Sora, somebody's callin' us on the Gummiphone,” Jiminy said. You and the others walked to Sora's chair and Sora answered the call. Dale appeared on the screen way too close to the camera.

“We got baaad news,” he said. 

“Huh?” Sora asked. Chip yanked Dale away from the camera.

“We totally lost contact with the King and Riku! They're all on their own in the realm of darkness!” he said. 

“Whaaat?!” you and your team asked. 

“See? I knew I shoulda gone!” Sora said. 

“Chip, how do we get to 'em?” you asked. 

“NOW we can ask?” 

“It's not like we can use that big old door anymore. It's completely gone,” Goofy said. 

“Yeah, we closed it after beating Ansem’s Negaverse,” Donald said. 

“And we certainly can't ask the King or Riku,” Vanitas said. 

“'Cause you wouldn't LET me ask,” Sora said. Dale pushed Chip out of the way.

“Only King Mickey can open a door to the realm of darkness,” he said. 

“Huh?” you and your team asked. Chip pushed Dale away and Jiminy hopped down.

“It's because he has a special Keyblade of darkness. He figured out how to make it open the way,” Chip said. 

“Oh...” Sora sighed. 

“Gawrsh, what'll we do then?” Goofy asked. You and the others groaned. 

“May my heart be our guiding key. It'll show us the way,” Sora said. He stood and summoned the Keyblade, aiming it ahead of him. The tip glowed and a portal opened outside the ship.

“A gate!” you and your team said. Sora put away the Keyblade.

“But where does it lead?” Celina asked. 

“It doesn't matter! Go!” Roxy said.

“Hurry, Sora!” Rumi said. 

“Okay,” Sora said. He sat at the controls and piloted the ship through the wormhole, the portal closing behind you all with a ripple. The bright warm sun shined down on the sandy beaches of the Destiny Islands. You and your team walked  along the seashore.

“Why do you think that gate took us here?” you asked. Walking further down the beach, Sora came upon a Keyblade in the sand, the teeth of the blade forming the shape of an 'E'. Sora knelt down and picked it up.

“A Keyblade?” Vanitas asked. 

“It looks so old,” Yui said. 

“It looks familiar,” Celina said. Sora held it in both hands, looking it over.

“How did it end up here?” he asked. 

“Hmm, maybe it's another guiding key,” Goofy said. 

“Sure, but to guide us where?” Sora aimed it forward and a beam erupted from the blade, striking a corner of the beach where a tree met a rockface. The area glowed, revealing a door. You and your rushed over to it.

“A door!” you said. 

“Let’s go,” Donald said. Sora closed his eyes, steeling himself.

“Not you guys,” he said. 

“Huh?” you and your team asked. 

“Well, (Y/N) and Celina can come I guess.”

“Hell yeah, we’re coming!” you said.

“We understand, but we don't want you goin' someplace dangerous on your own,” Goofy said. 

“Thanks, guys. But we'll be fine. We'll make sure Riku and the King are safe. Trust us,” Sora said. 

“Besides, I know the Realm of Darkness better than you guys,” Celina said. You, Sora, and Celina smiled and the others exchanged concerned looks. They nodded softly to each other.

“You promise to be good?” Vanitas asked. 

“And come home nice and safe?” Goofy asked. 

“Right,” you, Sora, and Celina said. The three of you turned around and entered the Secret Place. In the Dark World...

“Riku, look!” Mickey said. The Demon Tower wriggled in the air, bending over and twisting into Riku, knocking the Keyblade from his arms. It dissipated when it hits the sand.

“Riku!” Mickey gasped. The swarm of Heartless knocked Mickey off his feet and he also dropped his Keyblade, consumed by the swarm. Riku lifted himself up.

“Mickey!” he cried. The Demon Tower coalesced under swirling winds into an orb of darkness before Riku's very eyes. Purple fragments gathered within the orb, pushing out of it. The bubble burst and a dark figure leapt out landing on the gray sand. King Mickey watched from his prison in the orb as the dark figure walked toward his Keyblade, picking it up.

“This Keyblade...” Mickey gasped at the familiar voice. 

“Is it her?” he asked. The darkness peeled away at the woman, revealing blue hair.

“Mickey...” she said as she turned, revealing her yellow eyes. “You're too late.” 

“Aqua?” Riku asked. 

“You abandoned me, that's what. Left me in this shadow prison for more than a decade, knowing what it would do to me...Celina was here with me but even she left.” 

‘Celina? Who’s Celina?’ Riku thought.

“I'm sorry. It's all my fault,” Mickey said. Anti-Aqua turned and walked to the shoreline.

“I reached this shore after endless wandering. Waited forever for help to arrive. But no one ever came,” she said as she walked over the water. “I lost my Keyblade. Had no means of fighting my way back through the Heartless. You should have known I was stranded. Do you have any idea how lonely it is here? How frightening it is to have no one?”

Riku clenched his fist in the sand.

“All that's left in my heart is misery and despair...and now, you can share it!” Anti-Aqua said. Riku walked toward her.

“There's no need. Got my own,” he said. In Riku's heart, a version of Riku from the past wearing the dark clothes of his possessed self walked to his side, the Riku Replica. In his hand he held a special Keyblade, the Way to the Dawn. He looked over at Riku and smirked, before vanishing into particles of light. Riku clenched his fist again and summoned his Keyblade, walking over the water after Aqua. The orb holding Mickey floated over the water between them, becoming a swirling mass of Shadow Heartless once more. He struck at the swirling mass, sending Shadows flying left and right. The Demon Tower took on a purple aura and splashed downward, the Heartless's eyes glowing red, as Anti-Aqua appeared, raising the Keyblade in her hands.

“Enough!” she cried. She summoned large icy spikes, sending them careening toward Riku, before releasing the Demon Tower once again. Riku landed back on the water, breathing heavily.

“Sora...(Y/N)...” he said. A light shined from above and a door appeared, the same door from the Destiny Islands. You, Sora, and Celina soared in, landing with a splash on the water.

“We made it!” you smiled. Celina looked at you and noticed that you had a keyblade in your hand. 

(yes, it’s Ira’s Keyblade)

“(Y/N), look,” she said. You looked at your hand and saw that there was your father’s Keyblade in your hands. 

“Wow...” you said. Riku smiled and dispelled his Keyblade as the Demon Tower swirled in front of you all. The four of you held your arms out together, emanating a brilliant white light. Above, three colorful Keyblades and Celina’s trident, Unicornis, Nightmare's End, and Mirage Split joined together to form a giant three-handled blade. The four of you lifted your arms, raising the powerful Keyblade and trident, which glowed with a warm light. The four of your threw your arms forward and the light washed over the Demon Tower, dispersing the Shadows inside. They released Mickey from their hold, sending him falling to the beach with a shout. Riku rushed over to him and Anti-Aqua raced after him. She raised the Keyblade as Riku summoned his just in time but you stopped Ant-Aqua before she could attack. The blades clashed, sending up a gigantic splash. As the misting water fell away, you were holding back Aqua's Keyblade from Riku, sparks flying from the blades' contact. Riku stood with his mouth agape. Anti-Aqua leapt backward. You looked back at Riku, giving him a reassuring smile, which Riku returned. Sora and Celina ran over to you to give you a helping hand. 

“How, (Y/N)?” Riku asked. 

“No idea! But I ain’t questioning it!” you said. 

“Watch over the King. We've got this,” Sora said. 

“Okay,” Riku said. He rushed back to Mickey as You, Sora, and Celina dispelled the Master's Defender in favor of your and Sora’s own Keyblades to face down Anti-Aqua. She teleported over the water, sending a strike of dark energy in the four of yours direction. She spiraled on the water, summoning a dark Blizzard spell. Two identical clones appeared wielding the same spell, closing in on Sora. They release shards of ice that whiz by your, Celina, and Sora's head, just missing the three of you, before encircling the three of you in a glowing snowflake. The three of you narrowly dodged, but was struck by an icicle. The three of you ran forward, but Anti-Aqua teleported three times in succession, causing three of you to miss with each strike. For a moment, the three of you saw no one on the water, waiting with bated breath, but then the three of you turned your heads. She walked slowly away from you three.

“Shouldn't have abandoned me...” she said. Celina took a risky move and ran towards Aqua.

“Celina!” you and Sora cried. Celina grabbed Anti-Aqua and crashed her lips onto hers. 

“Huh?!” you and the others asked, surprised. Anti-Aqua melted in the kiss and felt the darkness melt away from her. A beam of light surrounded you all and you were all brought back to the Realm of Light. Aqua broke the kiss and looked around. 

“Are these...the Destiny Islands?” she asked. 

“That’s right,” you said. Aqua looked over and saw you. 

“(Y/N)...” she said.

“Hi, auntie,” you smiled. She ran over to you and got a good look at you. 

“My have you grown!” she said. You gave a small chuckle and wrapped her in a hug. 

“I missed you so much!” you said. 

“Me too,” she said. After catching up with everyone else, you and the others went to go find Ventus. 

To be continued...

[ddixons-angel]

Fated: Season 2

Summary: Gloria Rhee narrowly escapes Atlanta with her brother as the outbreak reaches the city. Luckily, they find a camp outside the city and together, they fend through encounters with the living and undead.

Starts a little before Season 1 and then follows the main storyline of the show.

Pairing: Daryl Dixon x Glenn Sister!OC

Warnings: major TWD spoilers, language, violence (the typical TWD stuff)

A/N: So here is the first chapter of Season 2! Yeah I decided not to do a break haha hope that’s all good with you guys~!

Chapter 1:

After narrowly escaping the C.D.C., the group had turned in to an abandoned campsite to rest and discuss what to do and where to go. Apparently, Jacqui had decided to stay at the CDC with Dr. Jenner. She didn’t see a point to go on with the way world was now. 

Without any other choices, they set on Fort Benning that Shane had originally suggested. To make the long trip slightly easier, the group decides to abandon some of their cars, siphoning gas from the ones they’d leave behind and take the rest on the road. Rick drove his family, Sophia, and Carol in her Cherokee, Daryl was on Merle’s motorcycle, and Dale drove the rest of the group in his RV. Glenn was sitting in the passenger seat, studying a map, Shane and Andrea were at the table cleaning their guns, and Gloria just kept her eyes on the road, behind Dale. 

“Woah...” Dale whispered to no one in particular.

They had slowed down as they came across abandoned cars and dead bodies all littering the road. Gloria watches warily as Daryl weaves through the cars, guiding the path for the others to come through. A look of nervousness and worry is plastered on Gloria’s face.

Glenn glances at her and notices her expression then back at the road at Daryl, “is there something going on between you two?” he asks in Korean to keep from exposing her.

Gloria looks at him for a second, she feels blush creeping up her cheeks then shakes her head, “what? No, just watching him, putting myself in his position... anyone would get nervous.”

He nods in agreement and doesn’t pester her about Daryl. He isn’t able to anyway as the RV comes to a complete stop, causing Dale to groan in frustration.

“What is it?” Shane says as he notices the stop, coming up to the front of the RV.

“Radiator hose again... dammit.” Dale sighs and hits the wheel. 

Sighing, Shane gets out of the RV to find Rick to discuss their next steps. Everyone else gets out of their respective vehicles, and they decide to try to scavenge supplies from the cars along the road, maybe even hoping to find yet another replacement radiator hose. As they start to look around, scavenging for anything useful, Gloria goes around to everyone and hands them all a granola bar and water, knowing they’re most likely all thirsty and hungry from their long journey.

“Ya really can’t stop bein’ a nurse, can ya?” Daryl smirks as he takes the snack from her.

Gloria shrugs, “I just do what needs to be done.” She makes her way towards Carol’s Cherokee and calls out to Sophia and Carl who are with their mothers, “you guys can’t tell anyone that I saved these flavors for you, okay?” 

She pulls out two chocolate chip flavored bars and hands them to the kids, making them squeal in delight. Carol and Lori grin at this then Carol puts her hands on her hips and gasps, pretending to be upset.

“And you didn’t save one of those for me?!” Carol says, giving Gloria her best pout.

Gloria chuckles and looks in her bag, “well, okay I do have one more, but I don’t know if you’ll have to fight Lori for it.” she grins, holding out the last chocolate chip bar.

Lori playfully eyes Carol and laughs, “I’ll give you this one.” 

Carol grins cutely as Gloria gives her the granola bar, then hands Lori a different flavored one. Opening one herself and placing it in her mouth and holding it with her lips, she zips up her bag and puts it on her back once more. She takes a bite as Lori wipes some crumbs off Carl’s face. 

“Gloria, can you look after Carl and Sophia while we go look in some cars, there has to be something useful in this graveyard.” Lori asks, looking ahead as the men are searching. 

She nods, “of course, I’ll holler at you if anything.” 

Carol and Lori smile at her gratefully as they go off to look for supplies. Sophia jumps up and asks Gloria to play a game with them and the three end up playing several rounds of Eye Spy. In the middle of their game, Sophia looks over to the others and she frowns in confusion when she sees Shane and Glenn waving frantically to them. 

“What’s wrong, Sophia?” Gloria asks, noticing the change in the little girl’s expression, she turns around, following her line of vision, seeing Glenn tell her to get under the cars as there are walkers coming, “Carl, Sophia, get under the cars, now! Go, and keep quiet!” she whispers, ushering them to hide.

Sophia gets down and hides under her mother’s car with Gloria beside her. Carl had gone under the car beside them, looking at Gloria for reassurance and she holds her finger up to her lips, telling them to keep quiet. Sophia whimpers as the horde passes by their car and Gloria wraps her arm protectively around the young girl, whispering that everything’s going to be okay, attempting to calm her. The girl sobs quietly and then lets out a scream as a walker drops down to the ground, seeming to have heard Sophia’s whimpers, it grabs onto Gloria’s bag. Gloria instinctively turns around, struggling with the walker and eventually gets her dagger to stab the walker, earning herself a few scrapes from the gravel in the process. Once the walker is dead, she turns to look at Sophia but the girl had already crawled out from under the car. 

“Gloria, are you okay?” Sophia asks, sniffling from the close encounter. 

“Yeah, yeah I’m okay.” Gloria whispers back and starts to crawl out towards her. 

Right before she’s fully out, Sophia lets out another scream as two more walkers appear from behind the car, going straight for her. Not thinking, Sophia runs backwards towards the woods. 

“Sophia!” Gloria calls out as she chases after the girl, stabbing one of the walkers in the back of the skull and continues chasing. 

Sophia sobs and whimpers as she’s backed into a tree, the walker closes in towards her, snarling and reaching out for the girl. Gloria swears under her breath when she sees the scene and dashes towards them, pulling the walker back and stabbing it in the back of the head, killing it. She pushes the body to the ground and Sophia throws herself to Gloria, hugging her tightly while sobbing.

“Shh... it’s okay, I got you.” Gloria soothes, rubbing her back gently, she looks around her with a frown, “where are we?” she says to herself.

“Mommy... mommy’s gonna be worried.” Sophia sniffles as she lets go of Gloria and looks up at her. 

Gloria nods, “Yeah, let’s get you back to her, okay?” 

Sophia sniffles and nods, wiping her eyes of tears. Gloria holds her hand and starts to walk her back in the direction they came, but are stopped short when snarls and growls are all around them. There were at least eight walkers headed towards them in the way that they wanted to go. Gloria glances down at Sophia and then back at the walkers; she couldn’t fight all of them off and look after the girl at the same time, they had to go another way. 

“Hey, Sophia, listen to me, okay?” Gloria whispers, “we’re gonna have to go around this herd, get back on the road and find your mommy that way, okay? But we need to stay as quiet as possible, can you do that for me?”

Sophia, still scared, nods and places her finger on her lips. Gloria smiles softly at her and does the same gesture, then leads her to walk around the pack, quickly but silently. Needing to weave through more small packs of walkers, trying to avoid them, the two unknowingly walk even further into the woods. At this point, Gloria wishes she had Glenn’s sense of direction as she looks around, not even knowing where north is. Sophia tugs at Gloria’s hand gently, making her look to the young girl. 

“My feet hurt... and I’m tired and thirsty.” Sophia says quietly, her head low, knowing that she shouldn’t be complaining.

Gloria gently pushes Sophia to a thick tree and lets her sit down, kneeling beside her, “it’s okay, I’m tired too, we can rest here and keep going when we feel better, okay?” She smiles softly at her.

Sophia smiles back and nods. Gloria takes off her backpack, unzips it and pulls out a water bottle. She hands it to Sophia who thanks her as she takes it and opens the bottle. As Sophia drinks, Gloria takes out the last granola bar in her bag and gives it to Sophia. 

“Sorry it’s not chocolate, your mom took the last one.” Gloria chuckles, making Sophia giggle.

“But what about you?” Sophia asks. 

Gloria shakes her head, “I’m okay, don’t worry, you need to eat more to grow up strong like me.” she grins at her.

Sophia nods and takes the bar, “when I grow up, I want to be just like you!” she gleems. 

“Maybe not just like me... your mom has some really great cooking skills, you should learn to be like her.” Gloria says, stroking Sophia’s hair. 

Sophia ponders for a moment, “then I want to be just like you and mommy!” 

“We’ll teach you well.” Gloria chuckles.

She lets out a small sigh as she lets Sophia rest. The girl is in the middle of munching on her granola bar when she lets out a shriek.

“Gloria! Behind you!” 

As all her attention was on Sophia, Gloria had her back turned and didn’t see the walker that had snuck it’s way up right behind her. Gloria quickly turns around and pushes the walker away from her, only to have to come straight back towards her. She gets up, unable to pull out her dagger from its sheath, she grapples the walker, wrestling with it. Sophia gets up, watching helplessly. 

“Sophia, stay back!” Gloria shouts, hoping the girl will listen. 

She gets pushed back by the walker, knowing that she’s fighting a losing battle as the walker is quite large, she uses her leg and kicks the walker away from her. Snarling, the walker comes lunging back towards her but she had already gotten a dagger out. Gloria plunges the blade into the back of it’s skull and it falls in her direction. With the deadweight of the now limp walker on her, she stumbles and loses her footing. Gloria falls and slips down a steep hill, tumbling down with the walker. 

“Gloria!” Sophia screams out. 

On the bottom of the hill, Gloria groans as she feels a sharp pain in her right ankle. Her vision is foggy and filtered red with blood, wincing at the sting on her left temple. 

“Sophia...” she calls out in a breathless whisper before her vision becomes dark. 

---

Next Chapter

Sophia!!!! Yeah so they’re separated from the group, the next chapter is gonna jump straight into it so look forward to that! What do you guys think is gonna happen?? Please let me know what you think of the first chapter of Season 2!

I would really appreciate any comments left for me! I’ll be replying to any comments in a new post because this is a sideblog!

[romancingromanoff]

What Happens At Disney.... Part 2/3

youHe: 

Just a bunch of Disneyworld fluff! Also more one-on-one time with Nat in this one; you get a makeover and her and Ariel compete for best redhead.  

Part 1 here//Part 3 here

Tony coughed, “So now what?” The rest of the crew is standing around awkwardly in what Cap calls their “civilian clothes.” He’s sporting a plain white tee and a blue baseball cap (of course, because America) while Tony has opted for a more business casual look with a fancy short sleeved collared shirt and a tie. That’s about as casual as he gets but you just hope that he can try and relax and have fun today. There’s nothing that Thor could wear that wouldn’t make him look like a super granola California surfer guy. His man bun is attracting a lot of female attention, but then again, you suppose that that happens most of the time anyway. Bruce, of course, manages to look awkward in whatever clothing he’s wearing. He has a lot of purple shirts but he’s decided to go with the one you got him for Christmas with a small pocket over his left breast that you told him was where he was supposed to put his matching pen you also had made. You think it’s sweet that he’s wearing it today. Clint is also wearing some shorts and a tee along with some actual worn in sneakers; he probably blends in the most with the crowd.

Then there’s Nat- your girlfriend. She could pull off anything of course but today she’s just wearing some shorts, a black tank, and some combat boots. She’s quite the opposite of yourself in terms of the color palette she prefers but you secretly love that her neutral-toned basic pieces allow her red hair to shine and frame your favorite part about her- her face and those green eyes. Her hands are casually in her front pockets and she would almost seem relaxed if not for the fact that she was perpetually scanning the area around her and moving her eyes around to check for potential threats wherever she goes. You sigh and grab one of her hands into your own and pull her towards one of the stores and motion for everyone else to follow behind you.

“Well, me and Nat are going to the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique so can you boys wait for us nearby? Thor, I think they sell giant turkey legs at that stand over there,” you see his face perk up at the mention of huge slabs of meat and he’s gone before you can blink.

“Aw, c’mon Thor! You can’t just push the kids out of the way like that!” Bruce groans and goes after him followed by Clint, Steve (who has entered reluctant babysitter mode) and Tony because apparently he just coincidentally wants to “go in that vague direction.”

“Okay, but I am not allowing them to touch my hair,” Natasha warns and you just give her a peck on her cheek before dragging her into the store. It’s like what you imagine Princess Jasmine’s salon is actually like as there are golden chandeliers, giant mirrors, and long silky curtains and drapes of all different colors decorating the giant space. Two of the stylists greet you with great big smiles and start giving you information on all of the different packages they offer.

“Of course not,” you smile. “Remember, this is my makeover, buddy. And I don’t want you stealing away my thunder anyway when you’re already a billion times prettier than me.”

“Get in the chair, you dork,” she snorts as you take a seat in the styling chair and the ladies begin their work. You decide to go with some simple makeup (just a little bit of blush, neutral eyeshadow, winged eyeliner, some lipgloss in the shade that Aurora wears, and light mascara with only a tiny bit of sparkly highlighter) and a giant Elsa-braid.  

“Oooh, help me pick out the perfect ears!” you squeal dragging Nat over to a wall of an assortment of glittery Minnie Mouse ears next. A pair of sparkly white ones with a red bow catches you eye which Nat notices and she reaches up to grab them for you.

“If I have any input, I’d like to see wearing these in the bedroom,” she says in that sultry voice as your face blushes and she slips them onto you.

“Shush, Nat, this is a public place with little kids,” you swat at her but can’t help but catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror and you tilt your head modeling them off for her as she smiles watching. “But I do look really good in these,” you admit. “I didn’t know you were into that kind of stuff,” you say to her in a lowered voice and pray that the store is busy enough that no one can hear your private conversation over all of the noise. She just gives you a grin which tells you she’s up to no good and pulls out her phone to show you a pair of very expensive, but stunning cat ears from a website you personally would have been afraid to visit off of private browsing mode.

“I don’t know, maybe playing cat and mouse could be kinda fun,” she says suggestively and you give her a quick kiss on her lips.

“Hey, don’t make me mess up my lipstick,” you warn with a laugh.

“Not until we get home, I promise.”

You meet with the boys just in time to stop Thor from consuming half of all of the turkey legs this poor vendor has and Tony suggests that you all go on a ride.

“How about the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train?” you suggest. “You know, from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs?”

“I understood that reference,” Steve’s got this huge smile on his face when you mention what was one of the only Disney animated films that came out pre-WWII. 

“Well, apparently the ride is just as old as you Capsicle,” Tony mocks him and pulls up his phone which he has on a website that shows all of the times you have to wait in line for a ride. “Because the train broke down while the dwarfs must have been hi-hoing to work.”

You can’t help but get a bit sad and your sulk a little bit before Nat gently rubs your arm and shoots Tony an angry glare. “Buuuuuuuut,” he begins obviously intimidated by Romanoff. “Luckily, I am an engineering genius so I’ll see what I can do to fix it.”

Perhaps the only perk of having a super egotistical genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist for a friend is that they never take “no” for an answer and can talk their way into pretty much anything when you need a favor from them. The seven of you eventually found your way to the control room which was underground in the infamous tunnels that only workers were allowed to see. 

“I don’t know, Tony, I get kind of claustrophobic and being underground probably isn’t good for my stress,” Bruce worries as Tony is nagging him to help him with the tools. 

“Hey, it’s the happiest place on earth, so get the hell in here,” he says and you hear Bruce groan. You, Clint, Nat, and Steve just decide to awkwardly wait outside while they’re arguing over mechanics and Tony is criticizing the Mouse for “not having adept technicians” when you decide you’d rather go explore around the corner and at least look for a bathroom. You excuse yourself and head into the labyrinth that is Disney’s Underground Maze and can’t help but stare at all of the half-human half-animal creatures you run into. There’s Chip & Dale without their costume heads on so it just looks like two normal guys’ heads floating on top of the bodies of some obese chipmunks, the White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland is standing in a corner cursing out his girlfriend over the phone, and someone else with Tigger’s head and a woman’s body almost bumps into you. That’s when you stumble upon what looks like another dressing room and you peak in to find that it’s full of all of the Princess character-actors putting on their makeup and wigs.

“Oh my God, you’re Y/N!” a super perky voice catches you by surprise and you almost trip over yourself before the owner of that voice manages to catch you. She’s wearing the most magnificent mint green ball gown which is sleeveless. You know it’s a wig, but she’s got the most voluptuous red curls that frame her kind face so nicely that you can’t help but stutter as she smiles at you. After all, you’ve always had a thing for redheads and though she’s a little too bubbly for your taste, you have to admit that she’s very beautiful.  “Wow, it is so cool to meet you!” Princess Ariel exclaims before she starts complimenting you on all of the work you do. “I’m such a huge fan of yours!”

“Thank you very much, it’s nice to run into someone that thinks so,” you say. “And I’m such a big fan of your’s, I mean, of Ariel’s since I guess you are her.. or.. are you? Um, what should I call you?” you feel so embarrassed tripping over your own words confused about what the rules are for breaking out of character but she just laughs it off. You had no idea that the employees here could be so nice.

“I’m off the clock right now so you can call me Stella,” she winks and you try to play it off like you totally know what’s going on. “How long are you going to be here in Orlando?”

“A couple of days. I really want to visit all of the different parks.”

“Well,” she reaches into the dressing room and grabs what looks like a sticky note and a Mickey Mouse pen. “Let me know if you’d like someone to show you around, you know, after hours. I can give you the secret tour; get us a dinner reservation somewhere nice,” she winks at you again and then you finally catch on to what she means after she hands you the note which you see has a phone number on it. 

“Oh, uh-”

“Thanks, but my girlfriend knows I won’t kiss her if she’s been eating seafood,” you whip around to see Natasha standing there looking like she’s death itself about ready to take this poor girl away to hell. 

“I, uh, I gotta go,” Stella hurries into the dressing room closing the door after her and you’re left with an angry assassin with her arms crossed just waiting for an explanation.

“Natasha, I swear, I had no idea she was flirting with me.”

“I know. That’s exactly how she took advantage of you,” she almost darts into the room but you block the door before she can go kill anybody.

“Hey, she was not taking advantage of me,” you retort. 

“I saw how you were mesmerized by her hair and that stupid starfish clip.”

“It’s a wig, Natasha. You know I like my women to be naturally redheaded... even if they get a little green sometimes,” you playfully push her understandingly taking her two hands into yours and pulling her closer. “I only have eyes for you,” you whisper and she rolls her eyes trying to resist the puppy  eyes you’re giving her.

“Okay, but if she flirts with you again then I’m ripping that wig right off.”

Natasha won’t let go of your hand as you find your way back to Tony and Bruce who have finally finished repairing the ride. Coming back up above ground, the sun’s glare kind of blinds all of you and you notice Clint looks especially bothered.

“Hey, save that perfect hawk-vision of yours,” you pull out a pair of sunglasses from your bag and offer them to him.

“Thanks,” he says slipping them on over his squinting eyes before Thor, Tony, and Nat erupt in laughter. Clint just stands there confused for a second as his eyes readjust just before he realizes that the sunglasses you’ve given him are from the Pixie Hollow collection and are bright pink with tons of sequins all over the winged-shaped frames.

“You know what? My eyesight needs protection more than my masculinity, which I am completely comfortable with, so you guys can just go blind. Have fun staring at the sun,” he proclaims trying to block out the sounds of Tony struggling to breath from laughing too much and Thor’s giant belly laughs.

“Hey! I will expose you!” he threatens. “Security! Security?! Yeah, this guy has a giant weapon on him! Yup, the hammer guy? That's him. He’s right here.”

Thor turns around so fast with his hammer up to Clint’s chin. “You be silent right this instant, Barton, or else I shall smash you fairy princess glasses with my hammer right here and now.”

“No! Those are mine!” you scream as Natasha just keeps recording everything happening on her phone. 

To be continued...

[erictmason]

Top 10 Disney Cartoon Shows

Turns out that last list didn't quite get all the Disney out of my system, so I'm at it again.  Only this time, it's about Disney's efforts on the small screen. It's actually kind of hard to overstate the significance of Disney's choice to get into the television animation game back in the 80's.  Before then, whatever else one could say about its merits, animation on TV meant one thing: cheap (well, OK, that and "short films imported from a radically different era", but let's not split hairs here).  That isn't to say quality animation could not be found on television pre-Disney, but rather that said quality (both in the visual and writing departments) was rarely if ever the priority.  But when Disney came along, with a mission statement of bringing with it the level of craft that had defined their theatrical films (though naturally they were never really aiming that high), that changed, and animation studios of all stripes suddenly had a reason to pour a lot more effort into their animated TV shows.  I don't think it's unfair to say we're still living in the world Disney helped create, in fact, whether it's the overt influence many of Disney's shows have had on the newest generation of animators or else by virtue of the space they helped to make where such shows can exist and thrive.  So, with the reboot of "Ducktales", the Disney TV animation studio's first breakout success, having recently launched, I thought it would be an appropriate time to look back at that vast, storied history of Disney TV cartoons and pick out my personal picks for the best of the bunch. As usual, there are a few provisos, a couple of quid pro quos if you will.   1.) It has to be a show made by a division of Disney Television Animation, not just airing on a Disney-owned channel.  That means no Lucasfilms, no Marvel, and no imports from, say, Canada or Japan. 2.) TV shows only, no shorts or compilation shows.  So much as I adore them, the current run of "Mickey Mouse" shorts will not be on here, sorry. 3.) It has to have aired in its entirety.  I feel like it's unfair to judge a TV show on a list like this without being able to see it as a whole, so as intriguing as, say, "Star VS. The Forces of Evil" is, it isn't eligible since it's still producing new episodes. With the rules established?  Let's make some magic!

10.) Aladdin: The Series (1994-1995): Here's a bit of irony for you: half the reason Disney ventured into television animation in the first place is that, at the time, the future of their theatrical animation division seemed in doubt.  Not long after, however, along came "The Little Mermaid" and the Disney Renaissance, and suddenly it was the television side looking to the theatrical side for source material.  Quite a few Renaissance pics got the TV show treatment as a result, but for my money the best of the bunch remains "Aladdin: The Series", mainly because it's the one that feels most of a piece with the original movie.  Part of that, of course, is that "Aladdin" was already a bit more suited to the adventure-a-week formula, since that's kind of where the roots of the original story already run.  But part of it is also that the ways in which the show expanded on the original's world were genuinely clever.  Pulling not only from Arabian mythology, but Greco-Roman, Aztec, Egyptian, and beyond, the show managed to deliver remarkably-solid adventure stories, few of which ever continued from the other but all of which worked surprisingly well together to create a world that felt remarkably alive and vibrant.  Sure, Aladdin himself remains a fairly uninteresting protagonist, Dan Castellanata can't hope to replace Robin Williams as The Genie, and Iago is a lot less fun when he's asked to be a constant lead presence rather than a humorous diversion.  But even so, "Aladdin: The Series" succeeded at taking the original's lead, running with it, and in the process delivering a show that felt exciting and interesting to watch week from week just to see what new corner of its world it would uncover.

9.) Phineas and Ferb (2007-2015): OK, confession time?  I actually don't like this show very much.  I hardly dislike it or anything, but I was never able to really get into it the same way I could other entries in the remarkably-specific sub-genre of "TV Cartoons Aimed At Kids Which Manage To Also Garner A Sizable Teen/Adult Audience" like, say, "Steven Universe" or another show that's probably on this list.  Nonetheless, I can't deny this thing is maybe the success story of modern-day Disney television animation, lasting longer by far than any other show on the list.  Nor am I unaware of what made it so popular: the strong, heavily-geometric character designs, the charming musical numbers, and the mad-cap, self-aware comedy.  It's that last piece I find most interesting, because I think it speaks most strongly to what helped "Phineas and Ferb" stand out from the pack: it's kind of like the kid-friendly version of "Family Guy", at least in the sense that it derives its humor less from the story or characters, who are deliberately archetypal, and more from its ability to use those archetypal characters as delivery machines for rapid-fire punchlines predicated on equal parts dry wit and pop-cultural reference.  In other words, it never becomes itself an "adult" series, indeed its whole perspective is an exaggerated version of childhood, but it does use an "adult"-oriented style of comedy most other kid's shows didn't really utilize back when it started.  That kind of unique creative choice can often do a lot of help a show stand out from the crowd, and, with four seasons, seven years, and over 200 episodes (to say nothing of TV specials and movies), I think it's safe to say that's exactly what this show did.

8.) Fillmore! (2002-2004): Man, why don't more people remember this show?  Following up on the renewed popularity of crime procedurals thanks to both the "Law and Order" and "CSI" franchises being at their peak, it takes the structure and tone of a 70's/80's-style crime drama and refits it into the world of Middle School.  Cops become Hallway Monitors, overzealous politicians become overbearing teachers, and Grand Theft Auto becomes bicycle theft.  It's that last part that proves the most amusing; since murder is pretty obviously not going to fly on a kid's show, the crimes they do come up with display a remarkable breadth of creativity.  Trying to chase down a graffiti vandal turns into a "Silence of the Lambs"-style criminal vs. criminal scenario, fandom obsession leads to dangerous sabotage, smuggling food into school is treated like something akin to drug-running, that sort of thing.  And best of all, while the show is entirely aware of its own absurdity, its sense of humor is 100% deadpan, and the result is that it really does play like a "straight" Cop Drama despite its setting.  It's a unique tone that is equal parts engaging and funny, and it creates this really interesting one-of-a-kind style that no other show has ever really tapped into, either before or since. Top it off with a great pair of lead characters-the titular Fillmore himself, a Good Guy With A Past played with a crisp cool to match the show's tone by Orlando Brown, and his reformed-ex-con partner Ingrid Third, another notch in veteran VA Tara Strong's belt, and you've got a great kid's show that's every bit as gripping as the shows it parodies, even as it also gets some solid laughs along the way too.

7.) TaleSpin (1990-1991): For the most part, it's easy to draw the lines that connect the Disney Afternoon's initial shows to the pre-existing Disney properties they're based on.  "Goof Troop" is really just those old-school Goofy shorts about domestic life updated to match with 90's-style family sitcoms, "Chip 'n' Dale: Rescue Rangers" plugs the titular duo into kid-friendly adventure romps, and so on and so forth.  But "TaleSpin" is just so weird in that respect: it may borrow three of its key characters from there, but it can't really be said to be based on Disney's 1967 version of "The Jungle Book".  Instead, those characters-or rather heavily modified versions of those characters re-conceived to fit in to the show's new setting-are placed into an entirely new world, which itself is something like a steampunk fantasy version of 1920's America, guided by the spirit of old-school Adventure Serials.  But the very oddity of its construction allows "TaleSpin" to feel at once familiar and new, able to ground itself by way of those "Jungle Book" characters you know and love (with the twists it puts on them being endearingly clever, like making Shere Khan a Lex Luthor-style corporate mogul) while also spring-boarding out into a wide variety of classic adventure stories.  Daring duels with pirates, high-stakes air races, and even the occasional flight of overtly-magical fancy...there's a lot of Tales to Spin here, and the show consistently does so with an admirably clear-eyed sense of its own genre and how to best play with it.  And again, it's all connected to a charming cast of characters.  "TaleSpin" is a tricky little thing to pin down, then, but for that very reason it's way too memorable to overlook or ever forget.

6.) The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1988-1991): "Winnie the Pooh" stories are a tricky thing to do right.  They'd been around for close to half-a-century even back when Disney first adapted the property into a trilogy of animated short films during the mid-to-late 60's, and that history, combined with the stories' enduring popularity, means we all have a fairly solid idea of what they "feel" like.  Moreover, by their very nature, the best "Pooh" stories are short, simple things with only the barest hint of narrative intent or moral center.  Which means trying to expand on them in any significant way runs the risk of stuffing them with more familiar story-telling tropes and styles that simply do not belong there.  So "The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh" deserves a lot of credit, if not for dodging that fact entirely (as was increasingly common in kid's TV shows of the time, it made sure to center a lot of its stories around "lessons" in a fashion much louder and more overt than the source material), then at least for managing to make a show that consistently felt like it captured and exemplified the right spirit even so.  A lot of that, it should be said, comes down to the voice actors; not only did Paul Winchell (Tigger) and John Fiedler (Piglet) return to reprise their iconic roles after having sat out the previous "Pooh" TV show, "Welcome to Pooh Corner", but this also marks the first "Pooh" project where the title character is voiced by Jim Cummings, who has played the role in every other "Pooh" production to come out of Disney in the nearly-three decades since.  Their performances aren't just consistently entertaining, they also lend a sense of spiritual continuity that benefits the show greatly.  More to the point, though, the animation has an intriguing physicality to it that recognizes the stuffed-animal nature of its core cast, as well as a delightfully-poppy color scheme.  The writing, meanwhile, uses a particular blend of sweetness and humor that feels at once akin to the original Disney short films, but also distinct and enjoyable unto itself.  Wordplay, slapstick, and gentle philosophizing, hallmarks of a good "Pooh" story since the very beginning, all show up in "The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh", but the show always puts a just-so slightly-modern touch on each one.  To be sure, "New Adventures" plays in the same ballpark as more typical Saturday Morning cartoon fare, but it does so with the invaluable lessons of Pooh himself pretty clearly having been taken to heart in the process, and the resulting show is simply delightful.

5.) Adventures of the Gummi Bears (1985-1991): Technically speaking, the first Disney Television series is the short-lived plush-toy spin-off "The Wuzzles".  Meanwhile, the first real breakout hit for the studio was unquestionably 1987's "Ducktales".  But the one that first really established the studio, granting it the foothold from which it would build its future successes, is "The Adventures of the Gummi Bears".  On paper, it sounds very much like a "Smurfs" wanna-be, centered as it is on a tribe of small, magically-inclined creatures with matching names set in a vaguely-Medieval England fantasy world.  But in execution, it winds up weaving a remarkably-compelling tale with a surprisingly-dense internal mythology which it treats with an impressive degree of respect and earnestness.  That isn't to say it's some Super Serious Epic (we'll need to go a bit up the list for that show), but even as it keeps things primarily centered on kid-friendly slapstick and gentle goofing off (and does a fine version of it in both cases too), there is nonetheless an underlying spine of genuinely weighty world-building to it that adds just the right amount of extra heft to even the lighter aspects of the series.  The way our main characters, the Gummi Bears of the title, slowly but surely discover more and more aspects of their history and culture (much of it tangled up in an ugly war stemming from prejudice and distrust), all the while hoping for the day they'll be able to reunite with their own people, underlines almost every episode, pulling you in and often taking you by surprise.  As well, while all clearly archetypal (in the old Seven Dwarves tradition of being named for their defining traits, even), those characters are all delightful to spend time with, again thanks to a strong cast of voice-acting veterans like Paul Winchell, June Foray, and Bill Scott, and a dynamic that feels warm and lived-in.  Moreover, this is the show that Disney's TV animation really used to show off its skills, with some of the most fluid, engaging use of motion in any cartoon of the era; some episode are naturally stronger than others, but the best of them are genuinely gorgeous stuff.  It is, in other words, a show with an intriguing story that feels very much like the best sort of Bed-Time Story, inviting and friendly on one level but with a deeper center just beneath the surface to pull you in and keep you coming back, and realized with a strong, compelling craft.  So it's really no wonder that these "Gummi Bears" were, in their way, the ones to start the long-lived legacy of Disney's TV cartoons.

4.) Recess (1997-2003): There came an interesting point of transition for Disney's TV animation studios toward the end of the 90's.  The Disney Afternoon block, long the most visible home for their shows, was finally shutting down after a solid seven-year run, and a new once-a-week block, fittingly named "1 Saturday Morning", was rising up to take its place.  The block managed to last a decent five years, but very few of its shows managed to make much of an impact.  But among the ones that did, the clear front-runner, to my mind at least, is "Recess", a love letter aimed not only at the nostalgia of the playground but also to the iconic TV comedy "Hogan's Heroes" (compare the theme songs to both shows, and then look at the mix of archetypes that comprises the core cast for each one).  That mixture allows the show to present a vision of childhood that is simultaneously deliberately hyperbolic-the age-old notion of schoolyard hierarchies is here portrayed as a rich, thriving society unto itself, complete with its own king and economy-while still grounded in relatable ideas and characters, especially as regards the oftentimes contentious relationship between the students and teachers.  That latter aspect especially speaks to why "Recess" is probably my pick for the best overall show of the "1 Saturday Morning" era, too; yes, as is typical of a show aimed at kids, it plays to their own feelings by painting the teachers as alternatively cruel and inept for the most part (while quite a few episodes focus on the difficulties the kids have with their parents, too), but it never forgets their own humanity in the process, and some of the show's best moments stem from that fact.  Still, at the end of the day, it does really come down to that "Hogan's Heroes" influence I mentioned.  No real kid has ever assembled the complex schemes and adventures that are "Recess"' primary source of stories, but I promise you every last kid has dreamed of it, and by placing those scenarios in the world it does, where the audience can at once recognize how much this is an exaggeration but still grasp what reality it draws from, it makes this really intriguing atmosphere that sparkles at once with a kid's sense of wonder and an adult's sense of humor (a lot of the best jokes stem from sharp wit that connects a young adult's perspective to adult concepts like a full-time job or balancing responsibilities).  It's a style quite a few shows, cartoon or otherwise, have tried out over the years, but "Recess" is one of the very best examples of the form.

3a.) Gravity Falls (2012-2016): If you were paying close enough attention, you may have noticed something about the opening credits of animated television shows around the beginning of the '00's: series creators were being prominently credited.  It was indicative of a larger amount of trust and control being placed in distinct creative voices as the industry slowly eased out (or tried to, anyway) of the merchandise-driven business model that had defined it for most of the 80's and 90's, and across the board it led to some very distinct visions making their way onto screens.  For Disney, the example du jour is Alex Hirsch's "Gravity Falls", a show whose existence is all the more surprising when you consider just how very Not Disney its premise-kid-oriented "Twin Peaks" riff by way of "The X-Files"-really sounds.  And yet here we are, with a show that is at once a razor-sharp comedy, a poignant examination of what it means to grow up and what we do and do not have to leave behind in the process, and a veritable parade of some of the most off-the-wall horror-sci-if-fantasy mash-ups of all time.  And the thing of it is, the glue holding all of that together and keeping it coherent, allowing the show to build effortlessly both towards fantastic punchlines and deeply emotional culminations, stems from Hirsch: in interviews, he talked about how much of the show's premise stemmed from reflecting on the tourist-trap vacations he himself took as a child, and indeed, a lot of the series' best moments (an early episode centered on a haunted convenience store springs to mind in particular for me) succeed by tapping into that particular vein of childhood, where the simple change in environment that comes with vacation lends even the most mundane things an air of mystery.  By the same token, so too do the characters feel keenly drawn from reality (even as they do still possess a cartoon's foibles and exaggerations); Dipper and Mabel are two of the most believable pre-teens I've ever seen on TV, both in their own way smart enough to no longer be children but struggling with the greater maturity necessary to really become grown-up, Grunkle Stan feels like every huckster you've ever seen on TV right down to the niggling sense that there is a tremendous amount more to him than what we see, and the change in perspective the show gives us on Wendy, initially kept at arm's length because of Dipper's crush on her only to emerge more fully as a person once he recognizes her own feelings on the matter.  And then on top of all that, it's connected to a genuinely-compelling mystery that the show gradually teases out more and more, and those who are paying attention really do have an honest shot of piecing the puzzle together before the characters do, adding a new layer of visceral excitement to the experience.  But the real strength of the show is that those twists and turns, as much as they might pull us deeper into the puzzle box, are really more about exploring and growing the characters first and foremost.  That's the key to "Gravity Falls" above all, to my mind: yes, its internal mythology is uniquely well built, and yes, pushing the envelope on how genuinely scary/dangerous it's allowed to get is fascinating, but it never loses sight of how much its characters are the real heart of the story, and how much that fact helps this weird, wild mixture really come together.  

3b.) Darkwing Duck (1991-1992): Yes, the #3 slot is a draw, because when it came right down to it I simply could not pick between the two shows I was considering for it.  Leaving "Gravity Falls" off felt simply unacceptable to be, but neither could I find it in my heart to axe this, maybe my personal favorite of the entire Disney Afternoon era, from the list.  Because the thing of it is, when you really think about it, "Darkwing Duck" shouldn't work at all.  Superhero parodies were old hat even by the early 90's (indeed, at that point they probably outnumbered actual superhero shows), while spin-offs had long ago developed a reputation for being cheap-and-easy cash-ins (though the extent to which "Darkwing Duck" is, in fact, a spin-off of "Ducktales" is a touch debatable, I suppose, even as they share a handful of characters).  But despite the odds against it, "Darkwing Duck" does indeed prove to be a consistently entertaining piece of work, and a lot of why boils down to the remarkably-multilayered construction of its title character.  That isn't to say Darkwing is the only good thing about his own show; his rogue's gallery is an amusing assortment of pastiches of classic Villain archetypes-the plant-master, the crazy clown, the evil double, and so on-while the supporting cast, including "Ducktales" veteran Launchpad McQuack and excitable youngster Gosalyn Mallard (a character who, by rights, should be insufferable, but is instead genuinely endearing thanks in no small part to her voice actor, the late, great Christine Cavanaugh), is equally enjoyable.  As well, the show's sense of humor has an ahead-of-its-time sardonic edge to it that was nowhere near as commonplace in kid's cartoons by that point, but which here provides just the right level of sharpness to the comedy.  And the animation is fascinating, too, with a far more "Looney Tunes"-style sensibility to a lot of its best moments (which in turn informs the characters a lot; there's more than a touch of Daffy to Darkwing, but we'll get to that in a minute), while also showing just how far the iconic Disney "duck" design could be stretched while still being recognizable.  But it really is Darkwing himself who makes the show, because despite the core conceit being fairly simple-poking fun at the inherent egomania of the superhero by portraying one as a glory hound interested more in publicity than actual heroism-there actually prove to be quite a few layers to him when you really get into it.  For one thing, he's actually quite good at his job; for as many times as his inadequacy is the butt of the joke, "let's get dangerous" is more than just a catchphrase; it's a sign he's about to show you what he's really capable of.  For another, his sincere affection for and protectiveness of Gosalyn shows there really is a heart underneath all that bluster, and that if he could just get out of his own way, Darkwing might well be capable of true greatness.  But all too often he is, in fact, his own worst enemy (there's that Daffy Duck influence again).  It's all played mostly for laughs, sure, but, especially thanks to Darkwing's VA Jim Cummings, who navigates each of those layers coherently and effectively, it comes through clearly even so.  And it elevates the entire show to this unique, interesting place that has helped it stand the test of time. 

2.) Gargoyles (1994-1997): As established during our introduction, the entry of Disney into the world of television animation in the mid-80's was a real paradigm shift in the industry.  But a few years later, in 1992, came another, arguably even more profound game-changer: "Batman: The Animated Series".  Every last element of that show-its writing, its visual style, and especially its revolutionary craft-proved profoundly popular, not only with viewers but people inside the industry.  Soon enough, almost every TV animation studio around mounted a response: for Marvel Television, it was the "X-Men" cartoon, for Hanna Barbera it was "SWAT Kats".  But far and away the best answer came from Disney, in the form of Greg Weisman's fantasy epic, "Gargoyles".  From stem to stern, this is maybe one of the richest, most satisfying stories Disney TV ever crafted, and in stark contrast to just about every other show on this list, that doesn't come with a "but it's not as serious as all that" caveat.  There's comic relief, to be sure, but still, this is nonetheless an entirely-earnest Modern Fantasy Epic, comprised of equal parts deep-cut cultural/mythological references-everything from Shakespeare to Arthurian Lore to the tales of Anansi the Spider, all realized with a remarkable degree of understanding and specificity-and exceptionally well-structured characters.  Stoic Goliath, striving at once to protect what little remains of his kind while also seeking to do good in a world he struggles to understand; Elisa Maza, a sharp-minded detective who is always determined to stay on top of the situation no matter how crazy it becomes; Demona, a tragic figure consumed with anger and grief who seeks greater and greater means of destruction; Xanatos, one of the greatest masterminds of all time, always one step ahead, always a new scheme at the ready.  "Gargoyles", in other words, weaves an impressively intricate tale that inhabits a sprawling, detailed world with rich, compelling players, by way of some of the most impressively-intricate long-term story arcs I've ever seen in a cartoon show.  Whether it's the gradual transformation of Xanatos from inscrutable antagonist to complex Family Man (even as the extent to which he can ever really be trusted remains in question) or the slow-burn, exceptionally rewarding progression of Goliath and Elisa's relationship, or even things like the young, impetuous Brooklyn slowly growing up into a possible leader, "Gargoyles" hones in with perfect precision on how best to expand these characters over time.  Likewise, watching as the scope of the world, and our own understanding of it, expands to include concepts like aliens and mutants amongst its gods and monsters is impressive and fascinating.  And the series paces itself equally perfectly.  There is a genuinely organic quality to "Gargoyles"' arcs, both character and plot; it never feels static or overly obsessed with the Status Quo, but it also does not rush through anything.  Each plot twist, each character epiphany, feels earned, and all the more powerful as a result.  And, cherry on top, the animation is top-tier stuff; it is perhaps not as overtly stylized as "Batman: The Animated Series" (though its focus on night-time settings and a darker color palette feels evocative of that show), but the combination of a Disney-esque sense of character design with the show's strong narrative backbone leads to exceptional results even so.  "Gargoyles" may have been made in "Batman"'s image, but it wound up being a one-of-a-kind classic in its own right. 

1.) Ducktales (1987-1990): There are a number of reasons "Ducktales" more or less has to top this list.  Its pedigree, for one thing; drawing a lot of its premise (and directly adapting several of its best episodes and story lines) from the famed Carl Barks "Uncle Scrooge" comics (though notoriously, Barks' most famous successor, Don Rosa, has a less-than-sunny attitude toward the show) provides the show an exceptionally well-built and endearing structure.  Whether it's outer-space epics or intercontinental treasure hunts, espionage action or magical mayhem, there's no breed of adventure "Ducktales" cannot comfortably tap into.  Another thing to consider is its place in history; almost every other show on this list owes its existence to one degree or another to this show, which proved to be exactly the sort of powerhouse success story the Disney TV studio needed in order to prove its chops, and that means "Ducktales" holds a special place in animation history too, given how much Disney TV has played a part in it as a whole.  And naturally, there's the animation to consider too; it may seem a touch standard-issue today, but compare "Ducktales" to just about any other contemporary cartoon of its era, and you'll realize just how much care goes into keeping characters on model and letting them movie not just fluidly, but also in a way that's enjoyable to watch.  And last but hardly least, there's the stellar cast of characters (and voice actors); Huey, Dewey, and Louie may all be interchangeable, but their dynamic is lively and enjoyable anyway.  Webby, meanwhile, is a fantastic foil, not only for them, but for Uncle Scrooge.  And naturally, Scrooge himself (given an iconic performance by the late, great Alan Young) is just fantastic, a multi-layered, larger-than-life character who is nonetheless so much fun to simply spend time with you never want to stop.  But the thing of it is, "Ducktales"' real claim to #1 is a bit harder to quantify than all that, because even as it excels on just about every level, it doesn't have, say, the same depth of theme and character as "Gravity Falls", or "Gargoyles"' tapestry of plot lines and character arcs.  Its animation is certainly high quality, especially for the time, but it's not that much better than "Adventures of the Gummi Bears".  And yet, even so, "Ducktales" is the one everyone remembers, and I feel like that comes down to it adding up to something more than just the sum of its parts.  There really is this unique, ineffable energy to "Ducktales" that is equal parts charming, endearing, exciting, and thrilling, and it enhances each and every one of the things the show already does so well to a special level all its own.  Some of that can be chalked up to nostalgia, sure, but a lot of it, I think, can also be ascribed to the sheer sense of discovery innate to the show.  Not simply in the various people and places our heroes encounter (though there's that too, naturally), but in the fact that this new effort on Disney's part was hitting its stride, and in so doing opening up a whole new world of possibilities, for the show itself and for the future.  Which is maybe being a touch too grandiose about it, but even so, "Ducktales" has endured enough to make me think there may be something to it.  And hey, if literally nothing else, it really does have one humdinger of a theme song.  

[imagineeringreality]

Disney Meet ‘n’ Greets

Meeting characters is something I genuinely never get bored of doing and I really feel you are

too old feel the joy of meeting them. I have no doubt that if you've been to Disney, one of the parts of the holiday that will stick with you the most will be meeting a character.

During our November trip we met our fair share of characters and one of those (or two technically!) were Alice and The Mad Hatter who were brilliant. The Mad Hatter was being his usual self and talking utter nonsense and offering a lot of tea with everything! We queued a short while for these guys but even if the queues are longer, the brilliant thing with the outside meet and greets is you can see the interaction with the other guests. Especially when you see the children completely soaking up every second of the experience. It is so freakin' adorable!

Thumper is probably my favourite character to meet (along with Chip and Dale who are always SO cheeky!). He is one of my favourite animal companions in general but life size, he is beyond cute. My sister had also never met him or Miss Bunny before so we made sure this was all scheduled in as a priority. We were fairly close to the front of the queue which again, meant we got to watch the other interactions. The day we met him, I was wearing my Thumper hoody with the full intention of making this obvious when it was our turn to see them both. So we walked up, I pretty much took off my layers on top of the hoody despite the -3 temperature (slight exaggeration) made sure the top was visble and he proceeded to link my arm, give me kisses and we walked off together! This is something I really enjoy of the characters is that they really pick up on you as a person and also, if you make it clear they are a favourite of yours, they go that extra mile to make memories.

Talking of characters you love, my sister is a Winnie the Pooh fan and she was on a one woman mission to locate him and have a hug during our time in DLP. We visited him just outside Casey Junior and queued for what felt like HOURS. I wish I was joking. He was adorable though and I have not met him since Florida 2013 so it was nice to be with my sister and Winnie in one place again :)

For me, a Disney trip is not complete without meeting Mickey Mouse. Meeting Mickey on his 90th birthday last year took some serious planning as he was a very popular Mouse! Mickey Mouse has a permanent meet and greet in Fantasyland at the back of the park. Right near Dumbo the Flying elephants and Toad Hall restaurant. This is open all day and wait times can often reach 2 hours plus. Now, I am an organised and self confessed impatient person and I was not about to wait that amount of time. So, we had a plan. Extra Magic Hours (EMH) commenced at 8am…we were slightly off course for leaving on time and left our hotel around 8:10. We got to the ticket gates to go through (always go left! It’s human nature to turn right so naturally the left hand gates will be quicker!) and got to the Mickey Mouse meet and greet pretty quickly. I think in total we queued for around 30-40 minutes so we saved ourselves a fair amount of time by setting that alarm. Top tip would be to be at the gates ready for EMH but 8:30 was close enough!

Mickey’s meet and greet is also not a standard one, for any regular Disney guests you know they are usually outside when you jump in a rope queue and wait it out. The for Mickey Mouse is set in a cinema screen where they run old Mickey Mouse movies starring his classic friends such as Donald and Goofy to which really is entertaining. The design of the screening room is beautiful. With the stage and red curtains just like how I imagine it was back in the day when Walt first started out.

Meeting Mickey himself was magic. In my opinion it is a key part to any Disney trip and I would highly recommend getting up early to meet this one before jumping on any rides during EMH!

There were quite a few other meet and greets during our trip (especially a whole dinner at Cafe Mickey) but I think that one requires a review and tips in itself. I will get to this soon enough, there is quite a lot of that lovely evening to cover!

Love

xxx

[placetobenation]

Fun and Fancy Free

Release Date: September 27th, 1947

Inspiration: “Little Bear Bongo” by Sinclair Lewis and “Jack and the Beanstalk”

Budget: N/A

Domestic Gross: $2.04 million

Worldwide Gross: $3.165 million

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 67%

IMDB Score: 6.6/10

Storyline (per IMDB): Disney version of fairy tale “Jack and the Beanstalk”, featuring Mickey, Donald, and Goofy in the main roles. Also contains another short film, re-released as “Bongo”.

Pre-Watching Thoughts: We continue on with the Disney canon and we have the fourth of the six package films to be released during this time. It was no surprise that Disney was still feeling the effects of World War II and were still in money-saving mode, but unfortunately the quality of the films has taken a bit of a hit after starting out so strong. Since there are only two shorts in this film instead of multiple shorts like in Make Mine Music, hopefully this film will be a bit more streamlined and that it will be a vast improvement on the previous films.

Voice Cast: So we have a bunch of returning actors for this film which was fine since we get a lot of familiar faces on the screen in terms of the characters and therefore, we didn’t have a reason to add that many new voices. The returning actors making an appearance here include Cliff Edwards who returns as Jiminy Cricket, and we also have Walt Disney himself, Clarence Nash, and Pinto Colvig voicing Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy respectively. This is actually a pretty sad moment because this would be the last time that Disney would voice Mickey Mouse aside from archived footage of him being used way down the line. We also have legendary singer Dinah Shore return as the narrator and singer of “Bongo”, and finally Billy Gilbert returns as well as he provides the voice of Willie the Giant. Of the new people that were brought in, we had puppeteer Edgar Bergen serve as the narrator for “Mickey and the Beanstalk”, and he even brings his puppets Charlie McCarthy and Mortimer Snerd to assist him. His special guest is child star Luana Patten who had appeared in “Song of the South” and makes an appearance here, and finally Anita Gordon appears as the singing harp and the King’s Men also make a return here as the singing crows in Happy Valley. It was good to have some familiar voices involved since they have become synonymous with the characters they played and they played their roles well in this film.

Hero/Prince: N/A

Princess: N/A

Villain: For the first time in quite a while, we have a few villains in the film which was interesting since we didn’t have a clear hero or heroes unless you consider Bongo, Mickey, Donald, and Goofy as heroes though for me they didn’t quite make it. We first have Lumpjaw the bear who tries to steal Lulubelle from Bongo only to fall victim to him and his unicycle and he is swept away in the river, and he was a fine villain though he was on the lower end of the villains. In that same vein, we also have Willie the Giant who steals the golden harp from Happy Valley to help him sleep, and he tries to kill Mickey, Donald, and Goofy when they come to his castle only for them to reclaim the harp and Willie is seemingly sent to his death when they destroy the beanstalk though we see he survives and continues to look for them. Willie does seem to be a gentle and fun giant though he does show some unpleasant tendencies when he goes after Mickey and his pals, but it is not enough to rank him high on the list and more than likely he might be at the very bottom since he is a gentle giant. It is important to note these package films don’t focus on a lot of these first few categories since there are multiple segments and there is no real interlocking storyline.

Other Characters: We do have a solid number of characters sprinkled throughout both segments and even in between the two segments, and we start that right off the bat with Jiminy Cricket making his return to help bridge the two segments. For “Bongo”, we have Bongo the bear himself as he goes from being a circus act to living in the wild which he has a hard time adjusting to, and then we have Lulubelle the bear who Bongo falls in love with and ends up fighting Lumpjaw for. We also have the other animals in the wild who end up befriending Bongo and the rest of the bears who stand in fear of Lumpjaw until Bongo gets rid of him, and while none of the characters have dialogue the story is still well told by Dinah Shore. For “Mickey and the Beanstalk”, we of course have Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy who are starving farmers who climb the beanstalk to the castle, and we also have the singing harp that Willie steals and Mickey and his friends rescue. Given that there were only two segments in this film as opposed to the multiple segments in the previous film, it was fine to have this few characters in the film since they were fine being in their own segments.

Songs: After the last film which featured a lot of songs that were already known, we go back to original songs for the film and we have a lot of songs to carry the film. We kick off with “Fun and Fancy Free” which was the title track for the film, and as I mentioned before it always seemed like they just wrote a song that features the film title in it. The next song is when Jiminy sings “Happy Go Lucky Fellow” which he does a fine job at, and then we go right into “Bongo” as Dinah Shore sings the songs “Lazy Countryside”, “Too Good to be True”, and “Say It with a Slap”, all of which were fine songs for the segment and Shore shows why she is a legend in the music business. We then have the few songs for “Mickey and the Beanstalk” which include “My, What a Happy Day”, “Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum” which was sung by Willie, and finally “My Favorite Dream” sung by the harp which was also a trio of fine songs for the segment. Again while these songs may not rank high in the overall canon, they were fine enough for this film and were good for their specific segments.

Plot: Unlike Make Mine Music which was pretty much just a series of segments set to music with no real flow between them, we follow the formula similar to the Three Caballeros where we have two segments that are tied together in a very loose way. Jiminy Cricket acts as a host of sorts and the two segments that we get are told in the style of a story being told, “Bongo” through a record narrated by Dinah Shore and “Mickey and the Beanstalk” told by Edgar Bergen to his guest Luana Patten. It was pretty clear that “Mickey and the Beanstalk” was the main segment of the film and “Bongo” was just here to help fill out the film, and I also liked how we only had two segments which made the film feel more streamlined as opposed to having multiple segments with no consistent flow. It is nice to see Mickey, Donald, and Goofy together in a film especially considering this would be their only film that wasn’t a short segment, and since they wouldn’t be in a full-length film again it was a fun enough short to feature them especially in a familiar fairy tale.

Random Watching Thoughts: We get another theme song shoehorned in to match the title of the film; How much did this choir get paid for doing these films I wonder?; It’s good to see Jiminy Cricket again on the big screen; “Misery for the Masses”, just the kind of book everyone needs in their collection; Cleo the goldfish makes a return as well; Even though it is the 1940s, those newspaper headlines could easily be used today with what is going on in the world; Since when did cats like to eat crickets?; I like how Jiminy talks to the dolls like they are real people even though he knows they’re dolls; I don’t know how many children would have classical records by the likes of Beethoven and Brahms in their collection; Wrong story about bears there Jiminy; That is the most talented bear ever if he can do all those things in the circus; Even back then, they brought up the poor conditions for animals in the circus; That had to be the easiest escape from a locked door ever; The two chipmunks in the tree looks just like Chip and Dale; So Bongo is easily able to climb a pole in the circus yet he can’t climb up a tree; It is always interesting how they portray the beauty of nature in the eyes of the animals; The animals took a quick liking to Bongo even though they were earlier laughing at him for not being able to climb the tree; I feel like some of the designs of the animals were just copied over from the animals in Bambi; Ahh, the real quiet of nature while the insects cause a major commotion; Nature turned on Bongo extremely quickly after luring him into it; I do like how they showed how hard it is for Bongo to transition from a domesticated bear to living in the wild; Even in nature we have love at first sight; Even though my views on these package films have not been too positive, I will never deny that the animation in them is fantastic; Where did all those bears come from?; Lumpjaw just sounds like a name for a villain; So bears show affection for each other by slapping each other in the face; Bears clearly have no rhythm when it comes to square-dancing; Lumpjaw makes a complete mess of the forest by knocking all those trees down, you would think he was a lumberjack; How lucky was Bongo to have his hat catch on a branch to save him from falling down the waterfall; I’m surprised that even though they are bears, they didn’t catch flak for the fact that a male bear was slapping a female bear in the face; My how the world has changed as a little girl staying with an older man and two puppets was perfectly acceptable in the 1940s, but today he would be accused of being a potential pedophile; Charlie the puppet is quite the cynic; Only a harp would be able to keep a valley completely happy and when it was taken, the land fell into depression; That is the saddest excuse for a sandwich ever when it’s two super thin slices of bread and a thin slice of a bean; Donald says that he’ll be all right as his eyes spin like crazy; Charlie is a dark puppet if he’s talking about killing a cow in front of a little girl with no remorse; Fun fact of the film: there was talk about showing a scene of Mickey selling the cow and the two he would be swindled by were none other than Honest John and Gideon from Pinocchio, and another potential scene saw him be sold the beans by Queen Minnie Mouse; Another interesting fact is that Walt Disney was originally against the idea of doing “Mickey and the Beanstalk” because he thought it destroyed the characters; It’s amazing how long that cottage was able to hold out before being destroyed by the beanstalk, and that they are able to stay asleep as long as they are even if they are being thrown around by the beanstalk; So reading up on this short, it was originally intended to be released on its own and production began after Dumbo, but RKO Radio Pictures doubt on the film coupled with World War II forced it to be released like this; Donald you fool, why would you taunt the giant mosquitos?; Goofy is going through so much trouble trying to get his hat on that giant glob of J-ELLO; Is it just me or does the model of the harp look like an inspiration for a certain fairy we will see in a few films?; I love how they hyped up the giant to be a mean and scary thing only for us to find out he was really a gentle giant; Chocolate pot roast with green gravy just doesn’t sound appetizing; So he gets excited about the pot roast only to then make himself a sandwich; Since when did Mickey have the ability to be a palm reader?; The harp is smart to sing the instructions to Mickey so he doesn’t get caught; You know everyone talks about the giant falling when they cut down the beanstalk, but no one talks about the potential damage the beanstalk causes on the areas where it crashes down, especially considering how big it is; How was Willie able to survive falling down the beanstalk like that?; So we find out that the house is overseeing Los Angeles since we see Grauman’s Chinese Theater.

Overall Thoughts: Overall, this film was a significant improvement on the previous two films though it still pales in comparison to the films that came out prior to the package films. It’s hard to completely fault Disney for taking this route as they were still recovering from World War II and the loss of profits overseas, and it’s clear that they were just trying to get through the decade any way they could while saving as much money as they could. That said, we have seen a pretty big decline in the quality of the films after starting the decade strong though again the onset of World War II was a bit out of their control. Hopefully, the last two package films can match this one in terms of its quality and help end the decade on a high note, and as for this film it is about in the middle as it is one of the better of the package films.

Final Grade: 5/10

[sykntired]

Could you describe each of your characters' homes? Or - for those who don't own any form of a "house" - the location they usually hang around? I know it's an odd question and you don't have to answer it at all, but I'd love to know!!

This isn’t an odd question at all! It’s a GREAT question, and one I was overjoyed to find in my inbox. I tried not to include too many details in my answers because I like leaving things open to others’ interpretations, but hopefully this gives you somewhat of an idea :D

Syk: She lives in a series of underground burrows connected by tunnels. The entrance is in the knothole of an old hollowed-out tree. From there, a ladder leads you down to the main area of the house. The floors are dirt (with a few dusty, mismatched rugs here and there).The furniture is mostly wooden; some pieces have been cobbled together using stolen materials. Think Chip n’ Dale: Rescue Rangers, just on a larger scale.

In the summer, she prefers to stay in her burrow where it’s nice and cool. She’ll venture out close to dusk, but she’s back home before the sun rises. She’s less elusive during the colder months.She doesn’t have running water, but she does live near a creek, so finding water for bathing/cooking isn’t an issue. The creek is also a decent source of food for her: fish, mushrooms, frogs, etc. Jolee: Unlike Syk, Jolee lives in an actual house - a cute two-story bungalow in a quiet neighbourhood. The exterior is painted a light shade of yellow - bright and cheery, but not obnoxious.

Inside, the house is compact and cozy. The kitchen and living room have been merged together to save space, but this fusion also serves another purpose: it gives customers a comfortable place to wait while Jo puts their orders together in the bakery. She can keep on eye on them from the kitchen as she’s working! Her kitchen is modeled after my mom’s kitchen, actually. I can’t take a photo right now, but I will soon, and when I do I’ll edit this post since I know this is probably difficult to visualise.

The interior of the house is decorated with lots of cheap trinkets and unusual-looking knick-knacks, carefully arranged on shelves of all shapes and sizes. The walls are probably a neutral colour... Possibly beige, or cream, or maybe even olive green. Something that’s easy on the eyes.

Her bedroom is small, but not cramped. Enough room for a big bed and a dresser! I like to imagine the decor is mostly food-themed. She probably has pizza and donut shaped pillows all over the bed. Also Clem's jacket! She sleeps with it every single night.

Pirate Saria:

She knows she's always welcome to stay with her brother and his friends, but Saria prefers to be on her own. She doesn't have her own house, so I'll talk about some of her favourite hang-outs instead.

The beach: Saria found a small, secluded beach on one of her adventures and has regularly returned to it since. There are several massive rocks here she likes to climb on and an empty cave in which she stashes her 'treasures'.  She also met Emaline on this beach!

The marketplace: Even though she doesn't like socialising, she still occasionally likes to be among other people. She finds them entertaining. There are probably tall palm trees surrounding the marketplace, and I imagine she perches atop them and watches folks come and go. Sometimes a merchant will spot her and chase her off because she has a reputation for being a thief.

Jay's house: Saria and Jay share an unusual relationship. He's laid-back, smug, and considers himself to be God's gift to women everywhere. Saria is more like a wild animal. She hisses, scratches, bites, and really isn't interested in dating anybody. Yet somewhow they're together! Ideal? No. Hilarious? Yes.

Jay's house is already in a hideous state of disrepair thanks to his slovenly lifestyle. His neighbours wish he'd die, but when they see him bring Saria around, they want to die instead. She has a knack for taking a bad situation and making it a thousand times worse. At least Jay isn't loud for the most part! When Saria comes to visit, she can be heard yowling, hissing, and spitting at the most ungodly hours. Once a vase went through the window at 3 in the morning. Another time a neighbour spotted her running around on the roof like a maniac. Where was Jay? WHY DOES HE ALLOW THESE THINGS TO HAPPEN.

Jay:

Jay doesn't work, but he never seems to be short on cash due to his stupidly good luck. Too bad he doesn't recognise the value of a dollar! His money is frittered away on useless things that end up broken in a week anyway. The house he lives in, at one time, had the potential to make a nice home for somebody. Instead, Jay moved in and destroyed it.

He lives in an affluent neighbourhood, but isn't well liked by his neighbours. They've done everything in their power to make sure he knows he's not wanted there. Unfortunately for them, Jay is totally oblivious. His lawn is overgrown and full of trash. The front porch is littered with cigarette butts and fruit roll-up wrappers. The inside of the house is decorated with broken appliances. His fridge doesn't work (and smells awful!). His diet pretty much consists of unheated poptarts, snack crackers, and Chef Boyardee straight from the can.

Don't feel sorry for him, though. He thinks he lives like a king.

These are my 'main' characters, but I may edit this post later to include others once I've had some time to think about it! Thank you for the question!