#fourth wall aware of the camera?

[josephsaturn]

Star Wars au where the clones have fourth wall awareness

[stardusted-petals]

I swear that Sly's eyes in Night of the Quinkan have something similar to the Mona Lisa effect: no matter what angle you're looking at him from, he's always looking back at you

[kmesons]

i'd like to imagine that in a tgwdlm movie, the audience would be able to tell who is a part of the hivemind because the infected would be aware of the camera. this could imitate the feel of being an audience for a musical performance, with the added bonus of an extra layer of creepiness.

during numbers like "la dee dah dah day" the singers would be making direct eye contact with the audience for the vast majority of the song. there could be a scene where greenpeace girl is looking at the audience while paul confusedly tries to figure out what she's seeing, and as the camera pans, her eyes follow it, while paul's stay looking where the camera originally was. in "not your seed" the singers' awareness of the fourth wall would be less pronounced, since the lyrics are directed at bill, but it would still be noticeable. paul's involuntary dance moves in "let it out" could be accompanied by him looking at the audience and then blinking and shaking his head as though trying to stop seeing it. in "inevitable", the illusion of a happy ending is maintained until, when paul begins singing, there is a shot aimed at emma's back and, as paul hugs her, he looks into the camera.

[averagecygnet-blog]

one thing I absolutely adore about tgwdlm is how completely and irrevocably a stage musical it is. it HAS to be a stage musical - the medium is so deeply baked into the story that it truly would not translate to another medium.

some reasons why:

the musical style is old-fashioned in a way that screams classic broadway. you can't get away from it, especially in songs like "lah dee dah dah day" and "show stoppin number". and it's not just the music, it's the dancing too - have you ever seen a kickline in a movie musical, once, ever? or jazz hands? gimme a break

along similar lines - all the broadway references! hamilton of course, but also wicked and mamma mia and jekyll & hyde

all the attention deliberately brought to the lighting and set! the performers in "la dee dah dah day" loudly saying "lights down!" when it's over; ted, paul, and emma striking the stage after "show stoppin number"; the lighting panels used as sirens, TVs, showcasing hudgins' alexa, and more; ted wheeling the big meteor prop off the stage after "let it out". they don't let you forget that we're in a theater.

all the hokey ass miming and special effects???? charlotte and hudgins having their guts ripped out is flashy and fun onstage because of the intestine props. emma and ted having blood capsules in their mouths. paul, emma, and zoey violently shaking when pantomiming being in a helicopter. ted running in place, moving forward or back to suggest movement across the road. it's all so fun and consistently reminds you that this is a stage

double-casting as intentional obstruction of the truth. we're used to seeing one actor play several roles in a musical, so when a familiar face shows up in a new costume we assume it's a new character. but it was zoey flying the helicopter to clivesdale, and I think it was zoey in the hospital at the end as well. you couldn't pull that shit in a movie because movies don't double-cast.

the role of the audience, the laughter and gasps and reactions and applause, especially the applause at the end when emma is begging the audience members to let her use their phone and demanding to know why they're clapping; sure movies have audiences too but the presence of the audience as part of the story makes a point about societal ideals as something we all have a part in that a movie just couldn't make in the same way

on a related note - emma's sudden awareness of the stage and the audience as the horror trope where the person realizes they're trapped and will imminently die. she knows she can't escape because it's just a fuckin loop. she knows no one will save her because they're all clapping. you couldn't do that in a movie because in a movie there is a fourth wall, whereas on a stage there's nowhere for the characters to run away. on a stage the characters can look you, the audience, directly in the eye, with no camera or screen between you

I will literally never shut up about that curtain call

god damn what I wouldn't give to watch this show performed live

[aimasup]

Spoilers for The March 2024 Welcome Home Update, LONG post warning:

The Eddie Scene

Let's establish two realities: The Neighbourhood (theirs) and The Show (the humans').

(The third is ours, here, actually real, no black gunk and Welcome Home is just a really cool fictional horror project. Irrelevant, just wanted to bring us down to earth)

I like to believe it's an unaware Wreck-It-Ralph situation: The Neighbourhood exists as The Show because that's how they live and what they were created for.

They have a happy home in the commercials and episodes, interviews with humans and playfully leaning on the fourth wall (via Narrator). And when Playfellow Workshop had a really good influential show, they quite literally brought these puppets to life, perhaps too much.

That's where the trouble comes in; we don't know if the puppets being sentient was ever revealed to the public, or what the black rot even is yet. Personally I can't really even guess how much the other puppets know at the moment, not even Home. All we know is that Wally was the first to 'wake up', likely.

So I'm just gonna say what I think about the Eddie segment at the end of the commercial compilation from his perspective alone (bravo to the voice actors and artists my god).

The Neighbourhood...

The Show.

Here's what I assume: both in the Neighbourhood and The Show, Eddie is being given a break from working so hard. Because I believe the script/special was supposed to end here:

Eddie Dear was happy.

[calm jazz music as the title card fades in] And a Happy Homewarming to one and all! Ho Ho Ho!!

End.

Because it makes no sense why The Show staff would spend extra resources to give the puppet Not Quirky Anxiety and end their Christmas special on a worrying note for general audiences.

I think The Show staff wrapped up that scene and left to go check on the rest of the set or something, and the Eddie puppet was left there, alone in Wally's room set because its job is done. Except it isn't, and Eddie became aware somehow.

He sees Home, his friend, and something isn't right

I don't know what this is: my first thought was that it was Home's hand crank, and Eddie was seeing but not understanding the puppets behind the scenes

"Sources say, however, that this puppet’s (Home's) eyes could move through a hand crank on the other side of the prop facing away from the camera."

-(welcomehomerestorationproject.net)

His friend's eyes look dead but they're moving, I thought. But looking at it again, it looks more like a microphone stand a Show staff is holding? Some sort of set equipment. Speaking of the set

Wally's room is too big and leads to nowhere. Is this a visual representation for Eddie's mental state? Did they literally turn the lights off on set? Or can he not see everything right now because his poor fictional brain can't handle our reality just yet?

His hands are fuzzy but there's something in them. Something was under his skin just now. They don't feel like his hands.

"Eddie was a live-hand puppet who required two puppeteers to operate."

-(welcomehomerestorationproject.net)

I imagine he's in a limbo of awareness, he's seeing so many things and not quite understanding what they are, and he's getting more lost and panicked

Can you imagine how overstimulating it must be to go from a clean, happy children's fantasy reality to a world with the laws of physics?

The clock's ticking doesn't quiet down and it's constant. He's sweating when nothing is wrong (?). Gravy was poured on the tree ornament, he's always helped do that, but now it's dripping onto the floor and it's making a gross mess. Little things like that don't have consequences unless the script calls for it. Eddie doesn't know that, and especially he's freaked out by the breathing and the heartbeat.

Maybe it's Home's, or his own, or both, idk.

What's curious is that Frank and Sally are fine and talking about the day's events. This means that Eddie should've been fine after the episode too, relaxed like normal, but he didn't get to. He probably didn't even know when they got there or when Sally left.

This image right here? I think it symbolises the scary clash between both realities by now.

2 (Eddie and Wally) or 4 (counting Sally and Home) out of 9 neighbours being aware is too many. Frank wasn't supposed to have to comfort Eddie. The episode was supposed to end and Eddie can see all of it.

(and yeah maybe romance is an additional factor here)

We don't know if people remember seeing this scene on their televisions. Maybe the episode ended as normal for them. The cameras weren't rolling, so currently, we only get to witness the puppets' descent into decay because someone behind the television is Letting The Neighbourhood In, bit by bit.

Maybe we'll get to see all the other puppets go through the same awareness crisis as the website keeps updating. Personally, I don't think there's an ulterior motive for Home, nor do I think any of the puppets are under strict supervision to behave a certain way for filming episodes, like celebrities.

What freaks me out is that they banter with the narrator and do commercials for real products. They're aware of the fourth wall but only because the fourth wall let them be aware. And it even got me thinking about the nature of existing as a concept (they're fictional characters. they don't really exist? Not in the same way individual humans do anyway. They aren't really supposed to belong to themselves.)

Sorry this turned into ramble rubbish, these are just my thoughts, could be entirely wrong about everything. Welcome Home is just super neat and the amount of effort gone into it shows. Lemme know what yall think, kudos if you read this far

For your troubles 🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍯🥛🍵☕🍶

Extra note: I don't think they require the puppeteers to function outside of episodes either. They just live their lives chilling, don't even know there's a Show. Maybe there's an explanation but for now I'm content with 'it's magic'.

That being said I've seen other theories about the peas and the isolation of Eddie specifically those are real neat

[therabbitthatpostthings]

Okay let's talk about Reality in Welcome Home.

YES THIS IS JUST ME RAMBLING AGAIN BUT I SWEAR I HAVE A POINT TO MAKE. This is more of my collecting my thoughts and trying to make sense of what we have right now.

TLDR: The reality of Welcome Home is separated by the "fourth wall" that the characters are not aware of except for few.

So ever since the first update after the website launched I have been wondering about where the reality shift lies in Welcome Home. How can this be a haunted puppet show with no notable names for actors, production crew, puppeteers, etc. I was basically trying to figure out if this was Hello Puppets or My Friendly Neighbourhood kind of situation. Especially after Sally's Halloween Story, it came ever more clear that they are not fully aware of the fact that people are filming them.

This past update has somewhat solidified what I think is happening. The Welcome Home Puppet show exist in it's own version of reality literally separated by the fourth wall. The neighbours are completely unaware that they are puppets, being filmed, etc. The idea that a magic narrator can talk to them is normal (as it is in many children's cartoons, the Narrator from The Powerpuff Girls and The Storyteller from Into the Woods comes to mind). This really all comes together for me alongside the theory that some of the neighbours are self-aware. I'm not gonna argue who is and who isn't but I don believe the Neighbours featured in promotional material that directly speaks to the viewers or anything outside the show are aware.

(Note: It would be a big stretch to say the things like the TV and radio apprenticed were staged or faked by the Welcome Home Crew)

I think the ones most aware are Wally, Barnaby, Frank and Howdy. Everyone else is rather slowly becoming aware or going through the motions like Eddie. Wally and Barnaby are self-explanatory, they are closest to Home and the Narrator(s). Frank by the way of the Bug Theory and the fact that he "breaks script" to comfort Eddie. Howdy is because I cannot think of a way that he would participate in those commercials without knowing somehow. If Home really is antagonistic towards the Neighbours, I can believe they would act in line. Also during Eddie's panic attack, he doesn't move ever after expresses him desire to leave, because he can't move. He's a puppet. It's worth noting that everyone else has a puppeteer accept Wally and Home. Wally has a handler and Home's eyes are the only thing on it that can move via a crank on the side of it not showing to the camera.

I believe the cartoon reality is the one that the puppets see and why in all of Wally's answer videos we see it in IRL footage. He is not blind to what the show is doing. Eddie's panic attack shows up that what they see and we see are very different. This isn't like a foolproof way of thinking because it leaves a lot of holes but most of those holes have to do with things I believe will be answered later. Like:

What exactly is Home and the power Home has over the Neighbours?

Why did the show shut down?

The benefactor sending the packages

Why is Wally the one that remains? Where are the others?

Why were we able to see what Eddie and Wally sees outside of the reality they exist in?

etc.

Thats last point is still up in the air for me because that easier could of been a storyteller point but the fact that Welcome Home narrator and logo pops up at the end of the Homewarming Special alludes that everything Eddie went through we saw. Or at least it was filmed and probably cut out of the official broadcast.

I don't have any answers. What we do know now is that the show shut down, someone is still present and sending packages to the WHRP and Playfellow. This mysterious black goop has the power to influence those in contact with it, even causing loss of time. The WHRP went through an investigation internally and in the website. W is a part of the website and actively doing their own investigation after "supposedly" making contact with Wally in the post-halloween/pre-March 9th update (which you can see btw on the Wayback Machine). Wally, regardless if he is the one sending the packages, is using them to communicate. He wants someone to find him because he KNOWS we are watching and we are looking for him.

Personally I believe Home or whatever entity is controlling it, is sending the packages and trying to control others. I think Wally is a by product of all this and is trying to find his way out by any means necessary. I will never let my "Wally did nothing wrong" propaganda go.

This all btw does nothing to answer the mystery on the website. I have no idea how this reality breaking allowed Wally yo infiltrate the website. The fact that his eyes are no longer visible on the page means he's not here watching us (for now). Also the "You" character description is missing. As far as the Bug theory goes, I still believe that is Frank trying to give us more insight on what happened/happening. Same goes for W, who we know is human since they described the same events of the phone ringing and hearing Wally that the curator did. I don't believe this is Wally vs the Neighbours. I think this is the neighbours being physically or metaphorically trapped while not able to reach Wally they can reach this website and are doing the same as Wally, reaching out to us. I still believe Home/Entity has some control over them and is connected to who is sending the packages and infecting the WHRP and Playfellow. W is also apart of WHRP but has taken notice to everything going around and is choosing to document their findings since the WHRP is starting to run a tighter ship after the last slip up of W (probably) contacting Wally.

Hopefully this made sense to you guys...

[its-your-mind]

ORV as textposts 30/???

[ID: The Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint webtoon paired with text posts.

1. Kim Dokja surrounded by the blue energy and TWSA pages of the Fourth Wall + "hits the bong and immediately becomes aware of the narrative. hits the bong again and looks directly at the camera knowingly"

2. Han Sooyoung and Gong Pildu landing in Peaceland + "Enter two Clowns"

3. Kim Dokja and Yoo Joonghyuk supporting each other as an explosion goes off + "Hey guys, even though this looks like the development of a gay relationship, this is actually the natural expression off affection between two men who are just bery close to each other because they're gay for each other."

4. Lee Jihye lying down facedown in front of Kim Dokja andd saying "I'm going to pass out now, so don't talk to me" + "Rating: Not Cute. this girl does NOT want to work. she wars to go back to bed because she is sosososo tired. she wants no responsibilities either please."

5. Yoo Joonghyuk and Kim Dokja looking at each other + "The friendship hit different when you hated each other at first"

6. Kim Namwoon peacefully fiddling with toy robots in Tartarus + "Maybe you weren't a terrible person maybe you were just fifteen". End ID]

ID via the beautiful, the brilliant, the gift to this world @princess-of-purple-prose!!

[theendofviolet]

hey, isn't there something OFF about sampo's appearance in the stellar shadowseeker event?

as our lovable trailblazer runs around taking pictures to help march 7th out, they come across familiar characters that they chat with. as the scenes go, there's nothing special about them, focusing on both characters standing across from each other discussing the photos

so why, exactly, is trailblazer's sudden encounter with sampo in first-person perspective?

aside from the occasional event, the typical way scenes play out in honkai star rail is as shown above, with the camera playing a third person perspective to the mc and any character(s) they talk to. sampo's sudden perspective change isn't some gameplay/logistical location issue with the video game camera, either, since third person perspective plays out just fine in the same area with other characters

so, why the sudden camera shift? of course, it could be a whole lot of nothingburgers and the game just wanted you to have a nice one-to-one chat with everyone's favorite scamlord. but at the same time, this is a character who has already faced the camera once before in such a way - the infamous fourth wall breaking scene from the end of belobog, of course - so now the deliberate nature of suddenly having sampo face you - maybe not just the trailblazer, you behind the screen - and teasing about being caught on camera when he's "working" might take on an intentional extra layer of metaphysical meaning

the debate about how far the fourth wall break goes is something that might likely not be resolved anytime soon. is sampo simply aware of being dreamt of by the trailblazer, but has no understanding of being in a game? or is he actually fully aware he's an npc in a video game, and is directly looking at the player and wanting to talk to them, form a relationship with them, directly joking with them? is him teasing about taking photos a way to refer to how players will take photos of their favorite characters in a video game with them 100% unaware of it, as they're nothing but lifeless code?

who knows! either way....sampo koski, what's your DEAL

[cloroxcasserole]

“Jax is an NPC” theory post with a bunch of evidence.

‼️most of this came from other posts, I’m just compiling it‼️

@fungi-rat made this post

Here are the pins so you can see what these posts are talking about

@cccccccoooooo made the below post

Also, as many people have been pointing out, Jax was really upset when there wasn’t any violence. This could either be the fact that he just.. likes violence.. or (the one that proves my theory), since this is about him being an NPC, that would make him from an adventure, and maybe the reason he craves violence so much and does something that led everyone to believe him to be getting angst in this episode, along with getting the most villain-arc looking shot towards the end, this might be because he was a villain in that adventure that he was from. Or he was supposed to be violent or it happened after he became self aware. Or I’m reading way too far into this.

Also in the pilot he just kinda.. teleported? I don’t know but it doesn’t seem like any of the other cast can do that, other than Caine, who isn’t a human. So yeah. @skekilla made the points below

Of course, every good point has a counterclaim! For the first one: I have scrolled through every post goose made since January 2023 over the course of a few hours and I don’t remember seeing anything about the members of the circus remembering anything about the outside world. And for the first one? That could have happened without him being a human. He could’ve just as easily renamed himself in order to try not be recognized and killed by Caine. I’m not going to tag this person, because I don’t want to bother them because it’s clear they don’t like this theory, so I left their handle in the screenshot.

Another point is that Jax breaks the fourth wall by looking at the ‘camera’, and referring to pomni as “a new character”. I also might be reading too far into this but it’s something that just... due to goose confirming that there’s a lot of symbolism, I don’t think they’d do that for no reason. Plus how he said “another one of your NPC’s” which is strange, because NPC’s aren’t allowed in the circus, and so there aren’t any. Maybe, if he is one, he thought that they were allowed in the circus .

Plus this point 👆🏼 I didn’t make it but I don’t remember who did

and the one below made by @zooblenation touching on the same topic.

Point below made by @strawtebby

Below points by @akumax666

Will hopefully add on to this eventually.

as I said in a post saying I would make this, I said I like this theory because of the angst potential. also because I had an au about it in November that I never posted about and I just got excited when I saw people theorizing about that.

[bakuhatsufallinlove]

Have you seen the latest MHA S7 OP ? The visual are so pretty, bkg has such a soft look! These days hori is drawing Katsuki with such smiling expressions so i wonder if bkg is going to have a change in personality like not being angry 24/7 etc what do you think ? His relation with izuku is definitely going to change but will deku accept this new soft side of kacchan?

Listen, my friend, and hear the gospel: Katsuki has always been soft.

Katsuki is known for bolstering his tough guy, shit-talking side, yes, absolutely. But his tough side and his soft side do not contradict each other, they complement each other. He is not suddenly not the guy who explosively roars or tells people off just because he's more comfortable showing himself to be thoughtful, reliable, considerate, compassionate, loyal, and selfless. He is still ferocious, ambitious, self-confident, and smug--a sore winner if there ever was one.

Hell, you see this on clear display in his fight against AFO. He's mocking that guy. Just utterly shitting on him. And it's fantastic.

Katsuki hasn't been "angry 24/7" since before Deku vs. Kacchan 2. I could quibble about how we're reading his character even earlier, but this point inarguably marks a change for him. We're now on chapter 421; the series is not over, but just those 301 chapters since DvK2 represent over 70% of its length. Even cutting the 40some chapters he was down for the count still allots us at least 60% of the story featuring some softer, more introspective, less combative flavor of Kacchan than what we began with.

I'm not trying to criticize you, anon -- but I do want to point these things out, because I think people underestimate and misread this kid sometimes. Don't buy into his bluster wholesale!

We're seeing Katsuki at his most comfortable, right now. We're seeing his truest self. He is allowing people to see the softness he has always had inside him, and I love it.

But Katsuki has always been and will always be feisty, snarky, and a little contrarian. He's always gonna roast the people he cares about for being thick-headed or careless or making his life hard. And then he's gonna be there for them anyway, which is what he's done for Izuku all this time.

As for how Izuku is gonna receive him, I have no doubt whatsoever that Izuku will beam at him with joy, satisfaction, and the occasional awe. He has accepted Katsuki as he is ever since DvK2, happy to be by his side to watch him better himself and then chase after him. They have been getting more and more comfortable with each other, working together, planning together, talking casually together.

I don't think their relationship is going to change much, other than the ways they are going to let each other in more. And gosh, what a joy that would be to see, huh?

It's all gravy from here on out, man.

Also the opening fucking rocked, and I absolutely yelled when I saw explody boy doing his fourth-wall-breaking gentle gaze at the camera. Izuku is very lucky to be the one those eyes land on more often than not, and he's superfan enough to be grateful even if he's not particularly self-aware!!!

[stealthbuffalo]

Controversial opinion: I think the nevermore movie musical should allow a Ezra Squall and only Ezra Squall to break the fourth wall.

And they usually use his “awareness” of the camera to give him just a slightly unsettling feeling, like he’s seeing more than everyone else.

And then in the Wundersmith movie when Morrigan says she doesn’t know any songs he just stares directly in the camera like he’s in The Office.

[toomanyideasandfandoms]

Okay I finally finished the newest Main Story quest for Star Rail and I immediately ran here to thrown down my idea

Spoilers under the cut

SO LIKE??? I HAVEN'T SEEN TOO MANY SELF AWARE STUFF FOR STAR RAIL BUT I CANT BE THE ONLY ONE THAT GOT VIBES WHENEVER AVENTURINE WAS LOOKING TOWARDS THE CAMERA

Like for a second I seriously thought he was breaking the fourth wall like Sampo kind of did. It freaked me the fuck out dhskdhfj

And that got me thinking of how exactly a creator god would work in that sort of universe??? Cause different planets will have different viewpoints or even not have any awareness of such an entity existing. At least for the more creatorish side of the au

It's much easier to go by the "video game characters know they're in a video game" trope, which technically is what self aware au is supposed to mean but I ain't getting into that can of worms.

But man that would just be funny, like as the player sees flashbacks of Aventurine's past he can hear their voice and reaction since he would be in the party during those times. (Lmao then that means he heard me constantly call him suspicious since first meeting-)

Anyway that's all I can ramble out, I grinded for materials for him and I'm TB power out uuuugh.

[carveredlunds]

something about the way, in the first 5 seasons of “supernatural”, while chuck is in the picture as merely a prophet, “supernatural” is just an in-universe book series. sure, there are nods to real world fandom things, like sam girls and dean girls, notorious episodes like “bugs” (though they’re referenced as books, not episodes), etc.

but suddenly, from season 6 onwards (bless the spn wiki for this list), there are references to “supernatural” as a tv show. we have “the french mistake”. we have crowley saying things like ‘castiel, haven’t seen you all season’ (“caged heat”) and ‘exit stage crowley’ (“the man who knew too much”). we have castiel looking directly at the camera and addressing the audience when he says ‘let me tell you everything’ (“the man who would be king”). we have the alpha vampire saying to dean ‘see you next season’ and dean saying ‘look forward to it’ (“there will be blood”). we have dean asking castiel ‘what show you been watching?’ (“sacrifice”). we have “meta fiction”. we have dean referring to the ‘girl of the week’ (“somewhere between heaven and hell”). we have chuck saying sam and dean are ‘his favourite show’ (“moriah”). we have chuck watching tv screens with scenes we, the audience, have seen in episodes and referring to ‘cancelling shows’ (“galaxy brain”). we have chuck saying he’s ‘cancelling their show’ (“inherit the earth”).

there’s something in the fact that, as soon as chuck revealed himself as god to the audience at the end of “swan song”, while the book series “supernatural” still existed in-universe, it also became a self-aware tv show, breaking the fourth wall with dialogue, shots, references, and even episode titles. there’s something about the fact that, as soon as god went from being an invisible and incorporeal force to a physical character, “supernatural” went from making a few ‘wink wink nudge nudge’ references to its audience via the in-universe book series to a fourth-wall-breaking self-aware show. 

before the end of season 5, when chuck was still acting out the part of a prophet, there were meta episodes and references, but once chuck went from a prophet to god, the characters either showed moments of awareness that they were, in fact, fictional tv show characters, or there were whole episodes dedicated to the nature of the show itself. there’s just something in that.

[heliza24]

Wilhelm, The Look (™), and Endings

The recent poll on the confessions blog about the ideal end of the series (King Wilhelm vs leaving the line of succession vs the end of the monarchy) got me thinking about endings. In trying to think of what my own answer to this question was, I ended up reflecting on the way that Season 1 and 2 end, and that got me thinking about the infamous straight-to-camera Wilhelm looks that bookend each season. I’ve always loved those moments and found them crucial to the visual language of the show, but I don’t think I’ve ever really stopped to analyze why. But if I’m trying to decide how I feel about the possible endings of season 3, I should probably stop and figure out why I feel the way I do about the ending (and beginning) shots of season 1 and 2, right? So let’s take a minute and talk through these shots, and what I think they do for story structure and Wilhelm’s character.

I think the main thing those glances to camera do are establish Wilhelm as a protagonist with agency. Just for a second, he’s aware that he’s being watched, and that awareness means that he’s going to make active choices about what happens during his story. I think this makes sense when we realize that the first look to camera happens when Wilhelm is giving his first press interview. Wilhelm has always been in the public eye as a member of the royal family, But this is the first time that the attention of the press has been directed directly at him. It’s the first time that he has been asked to answer for his actions, and the first time he’s had to take responsibility for something like an adult. The camera catches him right as he makes his first decision: to follow his parents’ wishes, do the press conference, and go to Hillerska. It’s not a look of rebellion so much as it is a look of acceptance. All the growth that comes after as part of season 1 comes as a result of the awareness that starts in that moment. I think it’s significant that the gaze at the end of season 1 comes right after Wilhelm has made a very similar decision to the one he made in episode 1. Once again he has obeyed his parents, given the statement to the press that he was supposed to give, and toed the party line. It’s only in the fourth wall break that we know that something is different. We see all the rage and disappointment and heartbreak he has in that look, and we know that moving forward something is going to be different. But the season ends simply on this promise, and doesn’t let us see the payoff. Before we knew whether or not we were getting a season 2, I remember thinking that season 1 felt like a complete story (if not a happy one) but I would be mad if we never got to see all that Wilhelm was promising us come to fruition. 

I think the gazes in season 2 function in much the same way– they emphasize Wilhelm’s agency and show us how much he changes over the course of the season. At the beginning of the season Wilhelm is literally ready to burn it all down, as he stares at us in the mirror as he burns August’s photo. But the look we get at the end of episode 6 is much more calm and confident. He’s taken the rage that fueled his initial revenge quest against August and turned it into the bravery he needs to tell the truth on his own terms. This last look once again acts as a promise; Wilhelm is swearing that he will live authentically, no matter the consequences. But once again the season ends before we have a chance to see him follow through. We know that there will be a whole host of difficulties that arise from his confession, and that last look gives us the confidence that Wilhelm will rise to meet them. But we don’t see any of that, or at least we won’t until season 3. The fact that the season ends here really emphasizes that what was most important about the season was Wilhelm’s growth. The fact that he grew to a point where he could give the speech and stare down the barrel of the camera with confidence meant that the story the season was trying to tell was complete, even though we might expect a longer denouement. I know it’s common fandom knowledge that there was at least one additional shot filmed, of Simon and Wilhelm walking away together. So I think it’s significant that in the edit Lisa and Co decided to end on The Look (™) instead. I don’t want to suggest that the Wilmon relationship isn’t hugely significant to the show, its ending, or to Wilhelm. It is, and I think that’s represented when they lock eyes right before Wilhelm’s final look to camera. But there’s something about Wilhelm growing just enough to tell the truth in front of everyone that means that this chapter of the story is now closed, with no additional Wilmon scene needed.

The other thing that first glance does of course is establish us, the audience, as part of the public that is watching and judging Wilhelm. We’re in the audience for the press conference he gives at the beginning of season 1, and we’re in the stands watching him give the speech at the end of season 2. The relationship this creates between Wilhelm and the audience is really charged. Those looks create an intimacy which makes us care about Wilhelm as a character. But they also implicate us as part of the reason why Wilhelm is always being observed. We’re part of the oppressive force Wilhelm has to deny in order to live truthfully and claim his agency.  When Wilhelm looks into the camera he’s defying *us*. He’s daring us to stop him from getting revenge on August, or disobeying his mom, or telling the truth about the video. We’re brought in as co-conspirators in the same moment that we’re sized up as an enemy. 

Circling back to thinking about season 3, I think it’s a fair guess to assume that the season will begin and end with The Looks (™). I also expect that the last moments of season 3 won’t tie up every single loose end, much like the end of season 2 didn’t address the fallout from Wilhelm’s speech. I expect that last look to feel like a promise, like Wilhelm saying “I’ve got it from here.” 

In general I’m not huge on making super specific predictions. But if I were to guess how season 3 will end, I would predict that any questions about the larger fate of the monarchy will not be answered fully by the show, and will instead be covered by The Look (™). I think this holds true whether or not Wilhelm decides to remain in the line of succession, but that his character arc will feel most complete if he makes the decision to leave.  

If Wilhelm does make the decision to leave the line of succession and this does have national implications, I don’t imagine that we’ll see them fully play out. Wilhelm growing enough to leave will mean that the story that Young Royals is telling is complete. After a lot of consideration, I think this is my desired outcome for the show and my best shot at predicting the general shape of the season 3 finale. I want Wilhelm to grow enough to leave (with Simon) and I want the show to end with us confident that he’ll be able to handle the consequences of that decision, even if we don’t see them all play out.

[hockeylovee12]

Anyone But Him

Prologue-Discontinued Version

Jack Hughes/Original Character

Summary: The day Luke Hughes has been waiting years for finally arrives-Draft Day, little does he know this day will bring a new beginning for more than just him.

WARNINGS: Underage Drinking, mentions of death of a parent

A/N: I'm gonna be so honest I'm not sure if this classifies as a prologue because I couldn't give you the definition of one, but I had already planned out all my chapters when I decided to add this so now it's called a prologue. I have posted previous versions of a story entitled Anyone But Him on this tumblr but I have spent the last few months deciding I want to rewrite it. The previous versions will not be deleted but I will not be continuing them either. Starting from this chapter will be the series I will be writing from. Also I’m aware Luke was drafted in July not June because of Covid but for this story Covid did not happen, but the draft was still switched to a remote version due to something else. This is also posted on AO3 and I hope you enjoy it!

June 20th, 2021, Draft Day

The walls surrounding the spacious living room in Canton, Michigan owned by Ellen and Jim Hughes, appear to vibrate with a mixture of excitement and anticipation as a large crowd of familiar faces gather inside the space, their voices laced with emotion as they eagerly whisper predictions and hopes for the upcoming moment. 

Along the edges of the room, a camera crew stands silently, capturing this important moment. Their lenses remain focused on the nervous faces, surrounding the large television. 

At the center of attention, 17-year-old Luke Hughes sits rigidly on the edge of his seat, his navy blue suit stretching across his broad shoulders and tall frame. 

As he watches the numbers on the television continue to descend, counting down to the next draft pick, his heart relentlessly thumps against his ribcage and his fingers begin to tremble uncontrollably, betraying his conscious efforts at appearing calm. 

To the right of him, his oldest brother Quinn-the one he’s idolized for years-sits his posture impeccable as his fingers move his dark brown hair away from his face. Quinn silently offers a nod, a small gesture of reassurance, in an attempt to ease his youngest brother's nerves. 

On the other side of Luke, his brother Jack, remains calm and collected, his body leaning comfortably against the back of the couch, as he allows a playful grin to curl at the corner of his mouth as if to say “Been there, Done that” 

They’ve been through this before, not in this exact space, but the same anticipation, same nervousness, of waiting to hear your name called, to find out if all the work, all the late-night practices, all the hours you spent watching the same plays over and over again, if all of it was enough to make it to the NHL. 

Quinn had endured this waiting game in 2018, as the Canucks 7th overall pick, and Jack-who had a much shorter waiting period being first overall- felt the same nerves, up until the moment the New Jersey Devils announced his name, and now it’s Luke’s turn. 

The waiting is almost suffocating as the numbers continue winding down. The fourth pick would be chosen soon, a pick held by the Devils. 

Luke turns his head to the space next to Quinn, where the gorgeous girl with light brown hair and a flowy blue dress, is perched on the edge of her seat, her blue eyes glued to the screen with unwavering focus and concentration. His gaze lingers there for a moment longer, his heart fluttering with a feeling he can’t quite name yet. It’s the same girl who knows nearly everything about him, the one who’s shown up to every single one of his games for the past five years, the one who’s spent more nights in his bed than he could count, the one who sees him as as more than just a friend, the one that sees him as a brother. It’s Sadie, his best friend. 

His eyes flutter to the conjoining side of the couch where his mother Ellen and grandmother Penny are seated, their hands clasped tightly together and their eyes beaming with a mixture of pride and anxiety. 

On the other side of Jack, Jim, their father, and his younger brother Marty, share a tense posture from two armchairs, strategically placed next to the couch, their shoulders stiff with anticipation.

The coffee table in front of Luke is adorned with an array of hats each proudly representing a different NHL team. Luke nervously fiddles with his tie, his fingers itching to pick one up, to claim it as his own, to write his own future. But Not yet, Not until his name is called. 

Luke stares at the hats, their colors blurring as his thoughts race. This moment was more than just a personal milestone, this was his whole life, everything he has worked for since he was two years old, everything his family has worked for, his coaches, his teammates, every game, every win, every loss, all of it has led to this moment. His moment.

The final seconds on the screen wind down, and the crowded room falls into a hushed silence, every eye trained on the screen as Tom Fitzgerald, the General Manager for the New Jersey Devils, approaches the podium. 

Luke feels an invisible sting tugging at his spine, pulling him upright, and every muscle in his body begins to coil, prepapering to spring or recoil-whichever fate decides. The pulse in his throat hums, a silent prayer escaping through his clenched teeth, while the rest of the room, a mirror of anticipation, holds its breath. 

“With the fourth overall pick the New Jersey Devils are proud to select…from the USA National Development Program…Luke Hughes”

The words hang in the air suspended for a moment, before reality sets in and the room erupts into chaos, a mixture of cheers and applause filling the room. 

Jack, unable to contain his excitement after learning his baby brother was drafted by his team, practically tackles Luke in a bear hug, his joy contagious, as Quinn wraps both his brothers in a tight hug, congratulating Luke. 

Sadie stands beside him, her own smile beaming with pride and joy “The Devils!” she exclaims with a joyful laugh, as Luke turns to hug her tightly. 

Deafening cheers continue to erupt as Luke’s arms squeeze tightly around each member of his family. 

The TV in the background buzzes with commentary from the draft analysis. Their voices blend together with excitement “...and there you have it folks, Luke Hughes, will be joining his brother Jack in the NHL, what an incredible moment for the Hughes family…”

Luke’s eyes briefly flicker to the screen as one commentator adds, “...and let’s not forget, Luke is already committed to the University of Michigan, like his brother Quinn. What a powerhouse program they’re building there. He’s going to make quite the impact in the NCAA before he takes the ice in the NHL.” 

He turns his eyes back towards Sadie, a mixture of excitement rising inside him, at the reminder, he gets to go to his dream school, with his best friend. He watches Sadie tightly embrace his mom, tears of joy streaming down both their faces, as Jack reaches down to pick up a red hat with the iconic Devils logo, and hands it to Luke, who places it on his head. He made it. 

***

About an hour later the initial excitement and shock had begun to dispute, Luke had finally finished the whirlwind of interviews he found himself in, and he’s able to join the lively party taking place in the backyard courtesy of his parents. 

As he steps outside he’s met with a mixture of chaos and excitement. The nearly 70 people that were previously crowding inside the living room, had all spilled out into the backyard. 

The scent of fresh pizza mingled with the tang of barbecue sauce-an elite combination-accompanied by laughter, chatter and loud music coming from the speakers, fill the outside air. 

Luke maneuvers his way through the crowd of people, exchanging hugs, and fist bumps with friends and family, until he arrives at the barbecue area where a group of his friends are standing. 

He grabs a paper plate from a nearby stack and selects a piece of pepperoni pizza, before standing to the side of the group and listening in, a tap on his shoulder pulls him from his thoughts. 

He turns around to see Sadie standing there with a smile plastered across her face. 

“Congratulations!” Sadie exclaims, pulling him into a tight hug. 

 Luke lets his arms rest around her small waist for a moment longer, the feeling of his heart fluttering returning. 

“Thanks Sades,” Luke replies grinning from ear to ear “I couldn’t have done it without you” 

Sadie playfully rolls her eyes before replying with a smirk “Oh please, you would’ve made it either way” 

Luke shares a similar smirk before countering “Nuh uh I think showing up to my games was crucial to my success. Kinda like having my own personal cheerleader” 

Sadie laughs and narrows her eyes in his direction, delivering a playful threat “Watch it Lukey, You know I’ll push you into pool if I need too” 

The two exchange a look, a look only readable by them as a result of several years of friendship. 

The moment is interrupted by one of their friends Michael, a friend from high school, inviting them into the lively debate over the ultimate question of which pizza topping reigns supreme “Luke, Sadie help us settle this, which is better pepperoni or sausage?” 

“Definitely pepperoni” Luke declares with no hesitation

Michael shakes his head in disagreement, before continuing the conversation “None of you have taste buds!” he claims. 

A wave of laughter washes over the group, when Luke hears a voice call his name “Hey Hughes!”

He turns around to see his close friend Chase effortlessly weaving his way through the crowd to reach him. 

Luke takes a few steps closer to Chase, slightly distancing himself from the group. “Chase, hey man” Luke greets with a casual nod

With a mischievous glint in his eye, Chase leans in closer to Luke and directs his gaze towards Sadie, “Alright spill it,” Chase begins lowering his voice despite the noise around them “Have you talked to Sadie yet?”

Luke Adam’s apple bobs as he swallows hard, his gaze instinctively seeking out the girl in question, who was now energetically tossing her hands up, defending her love for pineapple on pizza. 

“Yeah, I’ve…talked to her” Luke sheepishly responds. It’s not entirely a lie-he did talk to her about the draft-but that’s not what Chase was asking. 

“You know what I mean, about how you feel?” Chase presses his simple question speaking volumes to the complex feelings that stirred within him. 

Chase was one of the few people that knew how Luke felt about Sadie, beyond their platonic relationship, and he only found out after their senior prom prior, when Luke had planned on taking Sadie, as friends-at least that’s what he told her-but their plans fell short, when another guy asked Sadie, leaving Luke somewhat heartbroken, although he wasn’t quiet sure why. Chase on the other hand, quickly put the pieces together, and has been trying to offer encouragement ever since. 

“No” Luke confesses, tugging at the collar of his shirt, suddenly feeling suffocated by the formality of it. “I haven’t said anything, we’ll both be at Michigan come fall and I just I just don’t wanna mess up a good thing you know” 

Luke was more than happy to use the excuse of Michigan to end this conversation, because it was true, Luke didn’t need to worry about it now, They still have at least two years ahead of them, it was plenty of time for him to figure out his feelings. 

Chase claps him on the shoulder, a gesture heavy with unvoiced understanding “Well I guess you got time, just don’t wait too long for someone else to swoop her up, cus she’s a catch” he says a hint of encouragement and teasing threading through his tone “And hey now that you’re a first-round NHL pick, anythings possible right”

“Right,” Luke repeats, reassured by the simplicity in Chase’s logic. Anything is possible, including finally telling Sadie about the way his heart speeds up whenever she’s around or how he wishes more than anything he could lean over and kiss her. 

But not today. Today is a day for celebration. The other stuff well that can wait.

***

The evening sky continues to paint a canvas of deep blues and purples as laughter mingles with the fading daylight. Luke’s hand is still tingling from the countless handshakes and high fives he’s given through the night, when Jack’s teasing voice cuts through the noise. 

“Hey Moosey, come here” Jack beckons flashing a mischievous grin, well this ought be fun, Luke thinks as he walks closer toward his brother, and now future teammate. 

Quinn appears beside Jack, nodding in agreement, a silent partner in whatever scheme Jack has planned. 

Quinn wraps an arm around Luke’s shoulder and steers him through the crowd towards a more secluded area. 

Once their feet are planted in an area, out of sight from the majority of the guests, Quinn being the only one of the three who could legally drink, reaches behind a plant, and pulls out three bottles of beer, which he had snuck from the drink station a few minutes prior. 

Jack and Luke exchange a look-the kind shared by siblings who knew all too well the tale of bending a few rules. 

“Seriously” Luke raises an eyebrow glancing at Quinn. 

Despite prior accusations, typically coming from their mom or dad, Quinn was not accustomed to sneaking alcohol for his youngest brother, seeing as how Quinn still sees him as the baby of the family.

Jack on the other hand, had no issues, flashing a compelling smile, towards the pretty girl, who works weekends at a nearby liquor store, in exchange for her ‘forgetting’ to check his ID, allowing Jack to successfully buy a bottle or two for his younger brother. 

“Only because it’s your night,” Quinn says, the corners of his mouth twitching with suppressed amusement. 

Jack checks over his shoulder before passing one bottle to Luke “Don’t worry, I’ll take the fall if mom catches us” Jack assures knowing Ellen and Jim would not be too pleased to find Quinn drinking, let alone all three of them, especially considering the legality of it. 

Luke wraps his fingers around the cold bottle, and pops the cap off, a fizzing sound erupting. 

“Consider this like a rite of passage” Jack says his voice low but warm, as he raises his bottle towards the middle of the three brothers, a clicking sound occurring as Luke and Quinn do the same. 

Luke brings the beer to his lips, the taste of bitterness and roasted barley trickling on his taste buds. 

“Thanks guys” Luke murmurs, receiving a nod in response. 

The backyard behind them, echos with music, but in their bubble it’s just the three of them. 

After a few more sips, private words and laughs are exchanged, Luke rejoins the party, weaving through the backyard. 

***

Two hours pass by, and the party begins to slowly disperse. Luke navigates his way through the thinning crowd of people, his mind seeking a moment of solitude as the noise and energy surrounding him starts to blur. 

“Luke! A photo?” 

“Congrats again man!” 

“Can’t wait to see you play” 

The voices bounce around him, well-meaning but overwhelming. Finally he reaches the sliding doors leading to the kitchen, and slips inside to the quiet, deserted space. 

Luke, stands alone, leaning against the cool countertops, closing his eyes as he lets out a measure breath. His only company the hum of the refrigerator and his thoughts. 

The events throughout the night play like a movie inside his head, leading to the return of Chase’s question. Sadie’s image flickers behind his closed eyelids, and a smile tugs at his lips as he imagines the possibility of a future with Sadie, a future where they’re more than just friends. 

The soft padding of footsteps interrupt his thoughts as he opens his eyes to find Sadie, walking towards him, her dress swaying gently as she moves. 

“Hey” She says, her voice a calm achor in the sea of festivities 

“Hey Luke replies, the previous tension in his shoulders easing just a touch “Crazy out there huh” 

“Yeah, you’re family knows how to throw a party” she agrees, her gaze lingering on him with a platonic concern “You holding up ok?” 

“Ya just needed a breather” Luke responds with a smile 

“Me too” Sadie chuckles before leaning against the counter next to him. 

“It looks like things are starting to wind down a bit” Sadie gestures with a nod towards the now less crowded backyard. 

“Yeah” Luke agrees his eyes fixated on her “Want to crash here tonight?” Luke offers the same way he’s done so, many times before

Sadie hesitates, her eyes wandering around the kitchen. Her lips part, ready to speak, “I don’t think I can, I came with my dad” Sadie tells him 

“Gotcha” Luke nods, understanding flashing in his eyes. A figure appears near the entrance of the kitchen. It’s Sadie’s dad, David. 

Sadie and Luke move closer together, Sadie’s arm momentarily brushing against Luke’s as Sadie’s father approaches them. 

“Great party, Luke and congratulations again,” David says, offering a firm handshake, that Luke returns. 

“Thank you for coming Mr. Howe” Luke replies his tone genuine

The three engage in some polite small talk, the conversation light and familiar, as David is a good friend of Luke’s parents. 

“How are things going at the station?” Luke asks 

“They’re going well, although we have had some crazy calls about teenagers getting into some trouble, I hope you two are staying safe?” He replies 

“Of course Dad” Sadie answers 

As the conversation continues, several people make their way through the living room, making their departure from the party. 

“I think we should head home, Sadie” David says glancing between his daughter and her best friend

“Right” Sadie agrees, a small speckle of reluctance shown in her posture. 

“I’ll see you soon Sades” Luke says, his voice tingling with a hint of sadness, as the three make their way towards the entry of the home. 

“Definitely” Sadie promises her smile bittersweet as she follows her dad out the door. 

Luke returns to the kitchen, the house feeling slightly emptier. He stares at the space Sadie, previously occupied, and exhales slowly. He has time. 

***

Sadie enters her house the sound of the closing door, echoing softly behind her. She climbs the stairs, each step deliberate. Finally reaching the top she makes her way to her room, flicking te lights on, and quietly closing the door behind her. 

She begins stripping off the baby blue dress and heels, that have been torturing her feet for the last several hours, and replaces them with a pair of comfy sweatpants, an oversized sweatshirt and her fluffy blue slippers. 

She stands in front of her mirror, removing each piece of jewelry, from the dainty earrings to the statement bracelet with a large S and the multiple rings. The only exception being her gold necklace with a delicate chain and a pendant bearing the words ‘one in a million’ a precious gift from her late mother, that she never takes off. 

She moves towards her desk to put her jewlery away, carefully placing each piece back in their designated spots, when a large white envelope catches her eye. 

It’s addressed to her, from Rutgers University. 

A school she has dreamed of attending since she was a little girl, her mothers school. 

Sadie’s fingers tremble as she reaches down to pick up the envelope. A few weeks ago, she applied on a whim to the school, never thinking she would actually get in. 

She moves to her bed, taking a seat on the edge and taking a deep breath, before tearing open the seal and eagerly pulling the contents out. 

She scans through the words on the paper. “I got in” she whispers 

“I GOT IN!” she repeats her voice raising loud enough to be heard through her closed door

“Sadie?” her dad asks the door still shut

Sadie practically leaps off her bed, the letter clutched tightly to her chest as she opens the door.

“Dad I got in! I got into Rutgers!” She exclaims, practically shoving the papers into her dads face. 

Her dad softly removes the papers from her hand, reading through each word. 

“You got in! Sadie I’m so proud of you” Her dad announces his tone genuine, as he wraps his daughter in a hug. 

A surge of accomplishment floods through her body, mixed with a pang of sadness. She had always dreamed of going to this college, but now all she could think about was how much her mom would have loved to see this moment. 

“Sades?” Her dad asks his voice ringing with parental concern 

“Ya sorry” She replies, shaking her head slightly

“How about I make us ice cream sundaes to celebrate?” Her dad suggests a beloved tradition made up by the two a few years back. 

“Ya that sounds good, I’ll be there in a second” Sadie says watching as her dad walks out of her room. 

Sadie takes a seat on her bed, unable to shake the feeling that something else is missing. Sadie's gaze falls to the photos displayed on her nightstand. The one of her mom and the one of Luke and her side by side. staring at her nightstand, the picture of her mom.

That’s when it hits her-Luke thinks they’re going to Michigan together.

A/N: I hope you enjoyed! Feel free to send me any comments or feedback! Updates will be rather slow because I have a lot of school work but the first chapter should be coming soon.