My Decision: Thoughts, Theories, and Some Changes to how I do Things from here
Ok...so here it is. I’ve decided to keep F/O-ing Aaravos. What happened in season 3 wasn’t unexpected. The creators hinted numerous times about his role in season 3, and I knew something was coming. I just wasn’t sure how to process my feelings on it.
Warning: If you care about spoilers, don’t read any further. Spoilers for season 3 of The Dragon Prince is below.
I came to the conclusion it wasn’t that he did bad things...but who toward. That being Viren. The villain of the show. I like Viren as a character still, and I guess now I see what Jason Simpson (his VA) in an interview was saying. He likes Viren as the complicated villain he is...but if he wasn’t just joking around, he doesn’t feel the same about Aaravos. At least this season.
I think it’s because those that genuinely like Viren’s character (not agreeing with his actions, but not disliking him as a character) will have a harder time with the scenes where Aaravos is doing something to him. Like the webbed up eye so he could see Aaravos’ ghostly apparition or the scene where the caterpillar emerged from Viren’s mouth but much longer and larger...and then continued to change in the final episode. As well as the many times he used clever wordplay on Viren to steer his thoughts into bigger plans...plans I think Viren would have had already, but until he became king he didn’t have the power to go through with it and was still in the habit of not overstepping his boundaries.
Viren is capable of lying and could be lying to himself about what he wants from Xadia. He just got power, he doesn’t want to lose it over a risky decision...but Aaravos knows what Viren is like, and uses that to his advantage.
If you like Viren’s character...you’ll probably have a hard time still liking Aaravos in those scenes. Because Viren IS the bad guy...and Aaravos IS manipulating him slowly but surely. It still isn’t clear what this means, or why...but I’m sticking to my belief Aaravos’ role isn’t as a villain, but he is an antagonist. There’s a difference between the two.
The show creators say mixed things on him. In their Tweets we get quite a bit of subtle but ominous warnings...and a confession his design was an attack on the fandom, from Aaron Ehasz (show co-creator) as a joke. Then Ehasz repeatedly says throughout several interviews that Aaravos is very complicated, and has said once that Aaravos is “disliked, that’s not the same as bad.” This being in response to Justin Richmond (the other co-creator) saying “and obviously he’s bad enough they literally tried erasing him from the {history} books.” Ehasz’ exact response being “he’s complicated” and Richmond saying “he’s interesting enough they tried erasing him from the books.” Ending in the above line from Ehasz of “he’s disliked. That’s not the same as bad.”
He was making a clear distinction between the two words, probably anticipating the suspicions from the fans hearing or reading the interview of his (Aaravos’) place in the story. This doesn’t make him good either...canonically I can’t call Aaravos “good” in any sense right now. Except good at being sassy and a show-off. lol
But I won’t put him fully in the villain category. Sol Regem was willing to kill the future King of the Dragons and an elf of Xadia if they didn’t let him kill the human with them either way. Yet he’s in all the promotional posters for some reason as well as the prologue opening. That part, of course, is made more clear in the first episode of season 3, though. He was flying toward the Dark Mage from the prologue in episode 1 of season 1. Then flying blindly as his face was burning after the confrontation.
He’s clearly also important to the plot...but I can’t call him ‘bad’. Not great...but not a villain.
The last bit of evidence is Aaravos’ actual name. It’s of Danish and Arabic origin and means “between light and dark, not good or bad.” Every other name has been spot-on:
Callum-Dove King: He’s a Sky Mage, and the Skywing elves are strongly influenced by bird themes, much like Moonshadows have strong ninja themes and the Startouch...is literally covered in stars and wearing a constellation on his clothes. Callum is a Sky mage, doves are birds, and he’s working toward a peaceful future. Doves are a symbol of peace.
Ezran-Helper: Look how helpful he was this season especially!
Viren-Leader of heroes: Uh...ok I don’t know WHAT heroes...but he is a good leader. Say what you will about his character, he has leadership skills. Aaravos didn’t have to teach him that stuff.
Claudia-Lame: Ok this is a bit harsh...but it is the ‘crippled’ lame. She’s...not doing well now. She isn’t physically crippled, but mentally and emotionally she is pretty badly wounded.
Ziard-Wizard: He’s a Dark Mage. A wizard. Spot on.
Sol Regem-Sun King: They literally say his name meaning...SUN KING. He was a king of the dragons once and is an Archdragon of the Sun.
Zubeia-Beauty, grace any of those. She really fits that name. She is beautiful.
Avizandum-Reserve Judgement: I interpret that to mean on Aaravos. He locked him in the place behind the mirror because he isn’t sure how to deal with him yet before Viren and Harrow slay him (Avizandum.) Aaravos is literally in 300 year jail time right now, and Avizandum was still deciding if he should execute him or not for whatever he did.
That or he’s reserving judgment on humans, which is why he defends the border instead. We might find out eventually...cause that is still a mystery. Why is the king of the dragons guarding the boarder 24/7? I get he was basically the ruler of all of Xadia...but it’s still an odd choice.
Anyway, Aaravos. Names clearly mean things in this show. I think his is the hint that he seems bad right now, but he isn’t. He isn’t good, but he isn’t bad. I don’t know how they’ll pull that off...but I’ll be impressed if they do.
There was also still more evidence on a theory I have that he’s telling the story is true as well. In the prologue, he calls Avizandum by his human-given name: Thunder. He says “the humans called him Thunder. For when he spoke his voice shook the earth and the sky.” In the episode we learn what happened to Avizandum, Aaravos is the one to say the name, but Viren doesn’t recognize it.
Viren is the one that tells Aaravos what they called Avizandum. Which was “Thunder.” If Aaravos isn’t an omniscient narrator and has been imprisoned for 300 years or so...how would he know this in the prologue if he didn’t in that scene? Coupled with the opening sequence of his hands uncurling a map, the lighting and desk surface or the shade of blue of his skin being nothing like in his prison. I could be wrong, and while I’d be disappointed to be...oh well.
What I’m saying is...Aaravos lives to tell the story if my theory is right. Which means he isn’t bad enough the writers have to kill him or something else...I don’t know how they’ll do it if it’s true, but I will be quite interested to see it.
Aside from the Sunfire elves in Lux Area, who I don’t think deserved what happened, his actions are all for a purpose related to what’s happening...but if we knew his perspective maybe it would seem less like a random evil act, which contradicts him being complex if it was just a show of his power and how ruthless he can be. Because from our perspective there wasn’t a reason to kill the Sun Queen other than “look how evil he is! Oooh!” Which doesn’t go along with the information we’ve been given so far. There’s more to this scene, I’m sure. Though it could just be that he killed her so she couldn’t reveal what he whispered in her ear...which was also a strange move. See? He’s complicated and there are still a lot of mysteries surrounding him and his actions. Aside from that, the only one Aaravos has done much of anything to is Viren. Anything kind of graphic and sort of gross (at least with the caterpillar.) Who is again...the Bad Guy.
So all that to say...yes, I’m going to keep him as an f/o. But in doing so I’m ignoring the show canon on this blog. As in I won’t be trying to work my S/I into the narrative as much anymore for the time being. I’m going to treat the blog similar to how @justafictionalthing where I don’t worry about canon or accuracy to the character’s personality in the source material to a T. I still love the show, don’t misunderstand. I’m going to watch it to the end of the saga, whatever happens...but on this blog, for the time being, I’m treating it like the Aaravos here and the canon are separate.
My Aaravos, the interpretation on this blog, is aware of his source material. If anyone’s read Inkheart, think of it like that. Fictional character comes out of their source material but still exists in the story itself as well. I might make a little story or something explaining this, but that’s the angle I’m going for in all future Takeovers and commentary.
I don’t dislike his canon portrayal, I know he’s more than what we saw...but for the blog it just doesn’t work right now. My S/I would never be ok with what he’s been doing...and keeping it hidden from her goes into some risky territory... I like that kind of stuff if there’s a happy ending payoff, but for the overall blog and my way of selfshipping, which has turned more “I’m actually with this character, not just writing myself in their story,” it doesn’t work.
TL;DR: I don’t hate or even dislike canon!Aaravos, but he doesn’t work well with what I want on this blog. I’m still with him, but the version you guys have gotten to know on this blog. Sassy but friendly and knowledgeable, and now separated from his source material almost Inkheart-style.
I’m too attached to who he is now from relationship development to drop this. I still like his canon self, but he’s changed a lot on this blog. If you don’t like that, watch the show for the ‘true’ Aaravos experience. Nothing but soft and sassy here for now. With some dark stuff if I’m in the mood for it.
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Movie Buff Questions
1. Favorite action film?
Imogen: Die Hard, Terminator 2
Shakya: The Dark Knight, Terminator, Alien, Ip Man +any Tarantino
2. What movie(s) could you watch over and over and not get tired of?
I: Grease, Inception, Gone Girl, Superbad, Hot Fuzz
S: There Will Be Blood, Deathproof, Grease, Django Unchained, Birdman, Whiplash, plus again, any tarantino let’s put it at that)
3. Any old school favorites (pre-70s)?
I: Rear Window, North By Northwest, Breakfast at Tiffany’s
S: On the Waterfront, Citizen Kane, Rebel Without A Cause, Psycho, A Streetcar Named Desire, Casablanca, Singin In The Rain, Dr Strangelove, 2001, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Apartment, The Graduate, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, 12 Angry Men, Ben Hur are allllllllll amazing
4. Top 5 directors?
I: David Fincher, Sofia Coppola, Christopher Nolan, Wes Anderson, Denis Villeneuve
S: Paul Thomas Anderson, Martin Scorsese, Stanley Kubrick, Quentin Tarantino, Coen Brothers, Damien Chazelle/Alejandro G. Iñárritu
5. Favorite dead actor/actress?
I: Grace Kelly, Heath Ledger, Audrey Hepburn, Anton Yelchin
S: Heath Ledger had a lotttt of potential and Brando was great too
6. Favorite movie from the 90’s?
I: Clueless, Fight Club, Seven, Saving Private Ryan, American Beauty
S: Goodfellas, American Beauty, The Big Lebowski, Boogie Nights, The Usual Suspects, Good Will Hunting, Reservoir Dogs, Fargo, Dances With Wolves, Scream, Sister Act, Trainspotting. American History X, Forrest Gump, Casino, Leon, Schindler’s List, Jurassic Park I could go on and on
7. Ever been/are you such a hardcore fan of an actor actress you watched/will watch any movie they were/will be in?
I: James McAvoy
S: Christian Bale, Gary Oldman, Leonardo DiCaprio
8. What movie are you looking forward to coming out the most?
I: Star Wars the Last Jedi, Blade Runner 2049
S: Alien: Covenant, Dunkirk
9. Pixar or Dreamworks?
I: Pixar
S: Pixar, but Dreamworks for Sinbad, Prince of Egypt and Spirit
10. Favorite animated movie?
I: Fantastic Mr Fox
S: Spirit, Fantasia, Ferngully
11. Favorite musical?
I: La La Land, Grease, The Lion King
S: Singin’ In The Rain, Grease, Moulin Rouge, La La Land, Oliver!, The Sound of Music, (does High School Musical count )
12. Are you against book-to-movie adaptations?
I: Nope
S: Noooo
13. Your guilty pleasure movie(s)?
I: The Narnia movies, X-Men Apocalypse, The Proposal
S: Burn After Reading, Snatch, In Bruges + Independence Day, Ace Ventura hahahaha
14. Robin Williams or Eddie Murphy?
I: Robin Williams
S: Robin Williams easily
15. Favorite chick flick?
I: Clueless, Ever After
S: When Harry Met Sally (is that a chick flick or)
16. Ever watched a movie just because you heard the effects were awesome?
I: Star Trek (ending up loving it), Avatar
S: Avatar, Gravity, District 9
17. Favorite indie film?
I: Memento, Lost in Translation, Drive
S: Reservoir Dogs, Drive, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind, American History X
18. Favorite movie heroin?
I: Sarah Connor, Princess Leia, Liz Bennet, Lisbeth Salander
S: Ellen Ripley
19. Favorite movie action hero?
I: John McClane, Indiana Jones
S: Jason Bourne, The Terminator (arnie)
20. Ever read a book so you could understand the movie?
I: Gone Girl, The Life of Pi
S: A Clockwork Orange: Watched the movie to understand the book, but never got past the first 20 pages or past the rape scene in the film
21. Favorite kids movie?
I: How To Train Your Dragon, The Parent Trap
S: Space Jammmmmmmmmm
22. Favorite Disney movie?
I: The Beauty and the Beast
S: Snow White (childhood fav)
23. Favorite movie soundtrack?
I: Anything by Hans Zimmer, Howard Shore (LOTR)
S: Anything by Hans Zimmer, Justin Hurwitz and Howard Shore. PLUS Proven Lands - Jonny Greenwood, Dirty Walk and Doors and Distance - Antonio Sanchez, Revenant theme- Ryuichi Sakamoto, Nightcall- Kavinsky, The Child Pt. 1 & 2- Jed Kurzel, any classical pieces in Kubrick films.
24. Movie that makes you cry every time?
I: Atonement, Schindler’s List
S: Schindler’s List, Titanic hehe
25. VHS, DVD, or Blu-ray?
I: I watch my stuff online srry
S: VHS was amazing, we had a massive collection when I was younger. Nowadays I would say Blu-ray purely because of quality. Quality of sound is more important to me though (BOSE!!!).
26. Best experience going to the movies
I: Seeing Star Wars The Force Awakens in Gold Class
S: When my boyfriend randomly picked me up at 10pm to go see Arrival as a surprise because I’d mentioned I wanted to see it once.
27. Top 5 actors?
I: Matthew McConaughey, Christian Bale, Ryan Gosling, Ethan Hawke, Leonardo DiCaprio, Daniel Day Lewis, Ewan McGregor plus all the ones Shakya mentions that I don’t mention-- I LOVE EVERYONE
S: Daniel Day Lewis, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kevin Spacey, Robert DeNiro, Jack Nicholson, Gary Oldman, Christian Bale, Ed Norton, Benicio Del Toro, Christoph Waltz, Javier Bardem
28. Top 5 actresses?
I: Amy Adams, Lupita Nyong’o, Viola Davis, Naomie Harris, Felicity Jones, Natalie Portman, Kate Winslet, Brie Larson
S: Natalie Portman, Frances McDormand, Emma Stone, Ellen Page, Julianne Moore, Amy Adams, Michelle Williams, Kirsten Dunst
29. Movie you completely regret seeing?
I: X- Men The Last Stand
S: 2012, The Accountant, Pacific Rim, Nymphomaniac P1 & 2
30. Movie you wish was never made?
I: X-Men The Last Stand HAHAHA
S: Eragon
31. Movie your parent showed you?
I: The Wizard of Oz, Grease
S: Legit everything, we still have Movie Night every Friday (and we’re not allowed rewatches)
32. Last movie you watched?
I: The English Patient
S: The Apartment
33. An overrated movie?
I: Batman (1989), also agree about The Notebook
S: The Notebook, Super 8, 500 Days of Summer, Brokeback Mountain, Zoolander, Rain Man
34. An underrated movie?
I: Before Sunrise, In Bruges, The Nice Guys
S: Nocturnal Animals, Drive, Snatch, Blood Diamond, Dogma, Biutiful, Tree of Life
35. Favorite comedy movie?
I: Hot Fuzz, Superbad, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Blazing Saddles
S: Burn After Reading, Tropic Thunder, Annie Hall, The Big Lebowski, Wayne’s World, Snatch, Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey, Borat
36. Movie quote you live by?
I: “I’m so much happier now that I’m dead. Technically, missing.” You know, bc fuck Nick Dunne.
S: There’s not any quote I LIVE by but I do love this scene:
‘Michelangelo? You know a lot about him. Life's work, political aspirations. Him and the pope. Sexual orientation. The whole works, right? I bet you can't tell me what it smells like in the Sistine Chapel. You never actually stood there and looked up at that beautiful ceiling. Seeing that. If I ask you about women, you'll probably give me a syllabus of your personal favorites. You may have even been laid a few times. But you can't tell me what it feels like to wake up next to a woman and feel truly happy. You're a tough kid. I ask you about war, you'd probably throw Shakespeare at me, right? "Once more into the breach, dear friends." But you've never been near one. You've never held your best friend's head in your lap and watch him gasp his last breath lookin' to you for help. If I asked you about love, you'd probably quote me a sonnet, but you've never looked at a woman and been totally vulnerable. Known someone that could level you with her eyes. Feelin' like God put an angel on Earth just for you, who could rescue you from the depths of hell.’
37. Movie quote that will always make you laugh?
I: “Where the white women at?”
S: ‘I eat pieces of shit like you for breakfast!’ ‘You eat pieces of shit for breakfast?’ -long pause- ‘No!’
‘Shut the fuck up fat man this ain’t none of your goddamn business’
‘I have uh..uh.. lactose reflux’ ‘You’re lactose intolerant or you have acid reflux? They’re different things’
‘A shootout is a fucking shootout!!....Like a Western’
‘You think that’s a Schwiiiiiin’
‘I eat the Canadian? I don’t know what you’re talking about’
‘I don’t read the script, the script reads me’ ‘What the hell does that even mean??’
‘oh nothing Tommy, it’s….tip-top, it’s just i’m not sure about the colour’
All the other quotes I find funny are completely random movie quotes that my family has just turned into a joke and that we can easily incorporate into conversation e.g. ‘whadaya gonna do ranger rick, shoot me?’ ‘I could do that’, ‘you sir, too sir’, ‘I don’t want Nenat’, ‘I drive’, ‘you want uhhh money or something’, ‘yeah i like dags’, ‘there is no spoon’ ETC you get the point
38. Film(s) you’ve watched on a date?
I: Any action/superhero movie that has come out recently.
S: The Conjuring 2, La La Land, Arrival, Sausage Party, The Accountant (bf loves accounting but it was shit), Fantastic Beasts, Captain America: Civil War, Shine (anniversary reshow with Geoffrey Rush doing a q&a after teehee), Nocturnal Animals, Suicide Squad, Moonlight, Sully, War Dogs, Jason Bourne, heaps more that I can’t remember
39. Favorite cult film?
I: Pulp Fiction, Fight Club
S: The Big Lebowski, Taxi Driver, Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction
40. Directors you’d like to see work together?
I: David Fincher and Denis Villeneuve could be interesting
S: Coen brothers and Guy Ritchie would be fkn awesome OR Coens and Tarantino would be screenplay heaven
41. Actors you’d like to see work together?
I: Felicity Jones and Oscar Isaac (can you imagine the chemistry)
S: Miles Teller and Emma Watson ;---)
42. Films you wanted to watch, but never got around to watching?
I: American History X, 28 Days Later
S: Amadeus, The Deer Hunter
43. Favorite teen movie?
I: Clueless, 10 Things I Hate About You, Fast Times at Ridgemont High
S: Juno, Grease, The Breakfast Club, Rebel Without A Cause
44. Top 5 favorite films?
I: American Psycho, Her, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Seven, Inception, There Will Be Blood, Inglourious Basterds, LOTR, No Country For Old Men ARGH SO MANY
S: There Will Be Blood (no. 1 fav), Good Will Hunting, No Country For Old Men, Raging Bull, Fargo, The Dark Knight, Goodfellas, LOTR, American Psycho, Deathproof, Tree of Life, The Usual Suspects, So many so many.
45. Favorite superhero film?
I: Logan, X-Men Days of Future Past, The Dark Knight
S: The Dark Knight, The Incredibles
46. Favorite cop film?
I: 21 Jump Street, Hot Fuzz, The Departed
S: Reservoir Dogs, Fargo, Seven, Mystic River, The Departed, Silence Of The Lambs
47. Favorite road trip film?
I: Fear and Loathing Las Vegas
S: Borat HHAHAHAH
48. A disappointing film from your favorite actor?
I: Pick any rom-com of Matthew McConaughey’s
S: Jack Nicholson in The Bucket List and Anger Management. So fucking bad. Good actor, shit movies.
49. A disappointing film from your favorite director?
I: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
S: The Lovely Bones, Only God Forgives
50. The first movie you ever remember watching in theaters?
I: I don’t remember any, but the first film I saw was A Bug’s Life
S: I genuinely have no idea
51. A movie that was better than the book?
I: The Shining (lmao bc Stephen King hates the movie)
S: Yeah The Shining and There Will Be Blood (based on Oil! which was beautifully written but nothing beats PTA’s adaption)
52. Vin Diesel or Bruce Willis?
I: Vin Diesel is so cute but I like Bruce better
S: it’s not a motorcycle baby it’s a chopper
53. A movie that not many have heard of that you’ve seen?
I: Hunt For the Wilderpeople
S: Vampire’s Kiss, Children of Men, Ip Man (VERY good foreign film), Dr Strangelove, Inherent Vice, Shame, Biutiful, Macbeth, Cool Hand Luke, Room In Rome, To Sir With Love
54. A movie that changed the way you view the world?
I: To Kill a Mockingbird
S: American History X
55. Favorite sci-fi movie?
I: Star Wars, Star Trek, Interstellar, Arrival, Gattaca
S: Alien, Predator, The Thing, Interstellar, Arrival, Terminator, 2001, Matrix, The Fifth Element, E.T
56. Movie you completely nerd-out over every time it’s mentioned?
I: X-Men, Star Wars, LOTR
S: LOTR obviously
57. Movie that you’ve seen all the behind-the-scenes action for?
I: Inception
S: LOTR again, hours on end of it omf
58. Movie where your favorite actor was the only good part?
I: Natalie Portman and Ewan McGregor in the Star Wars prequels
S: Leonardo DiCaprio in The Basketball Diaries
59. Movie from an actor you hate that was better than you expected?
I: Kristen Stewart (Adventureland), but I don’t hate her at all, I was just surprised at her performance.
S: Mo’Nique in Precious, never hated her, she’s brilliant, it was the first performance I’ve seen of hers and it made me despise her character so much. SO GOOD but so awful.
60. Most visually stunning movie you’ve seen?
I: The Revenant
S: Tree of Life, 2001, The Revenant, Apocalypse Now, The Master, Interstellar, LOTR, Jurassic Park
61. A movie your parents introduced you to?
I: The Wizard of Oz, Life is Beautiful, Grease
S: Hahahaha basically every movie no joke, but my dad showed me lots of Chaplin
62. Favorite genre?
I: Thriller/crime/mystery/suspense
S: Drama, gangster movies, thrillers/horror/psychological thriller/horror you get the jist
63. Least favorite genre?
I: Romantic comedies
S: Romcoms or superhero movies (not including tdk)
64. Comedy movie that you didn’t find funny?
I: Sausage Party
S: How to be single, Anchorman, Sausage Party
65. Horror movie that didn’t scare you?
I: The Conjuring, Paranormal Activity
S: Insidious just so bad, The Exorcist, The Shining, Rosemary’s Baby, Let The Right One In (Swedish version NOT American Let Me In). None are terrifying, just extremely unsettling and disturbing
66. Favorite remake of an old movie?
I: The Departed, True Grit
S: True Grit, The Thing, Scarface, The Departed
67. A movie that started a passion for you?
I: Her. The first “good” movie I watched that got me into film culture.
S: Well I was brought up with hundreds of great movies from my childhood which made me love film as a child, but standout ones from my childhood I can remember especially well are LOTR, Spirit, Fantasia, all very music based films too
68. A movie that sparked an interesting conversation?
I: Interstellar (about time, paradoxes, and space)
S: Donnie Darko, No Country For Old Men, Psycho, The Usual Suspects, 2001, Whiplash -- all have brilliant final scenes, Split: my bro and I spent an hour talking about what makes a good movie and why it was so bad
69. The main movie you remember from your childhood?
I: Grease… slightly inappropriate for a kid but most of the adult stuff went over my head anyway
S: Lord Of The Rings of course, first full length film I was shown and Neverending Story is another one I remember well.
70. The first movie you saw on it’s opening night?
I: Star Wars The Force Awakens
S: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows P1 and P2, La La Land
71. A move that made you ache for love.
I: Before Sunrise
S: Blue Valentine
72. Favourite foreign film/s?
I:
S: Let The Right One In, Life Is Beautiful, Cinema Paradiso, Ip Man, City of God, Pan’s Labyrinth, REC, Biutiful
73. Favourite horror film/s?
I:
S: The Shining, The Exorcist, Rosemary’s Baby, Carrie, Halloween, Texas Chainsaw, Psycho, REC.
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