#tree adams wrote the soundtrack for the 100

[disneyat34]

Encanto at 35

A review by Adam D. Jaspering

Encanto is the story of Mirabel Madrigal. A young Colombian woman, she lives in an enchanted house, in an enchanted village, with her enchanted family. Unfortunately, Mirabel has the misfortune of being the only Madrigal without a magical gift. Unsure of her role or purpose within her family, she lives life one day at a time. One day, signs and omens appear, indicating something is not right with her family and her home. Her fate is apparent for the first time: Mirabel will be the one to save her family, or else, she'll be the one to destroy it.

“Encanto” is a Spanish word that doesn’t translate directly into English. A close approximation is “enchantingly beloved,” acting as a noun. Both enchanting as beautiful and enchanting as magical. In the context of the film, Encanto both describes the village setting, and serves as the village’s name.

It’s surely no coincidence that the word also ends in “Canto.” Alongside the family name “Madrigal,” the theme's primary focus is apparent. A musical affinity is deliberately interwoven into the film.

Lin-Manuel Miranda returns to helm the music and lyrics. This time, he brings more of his signature flair. With Moana’s soundtrack, Miranda was imitating a classical Disney showtune style. The songs were great, but they were formalist creations. He wrote songs for Disney the way he believed Disney songs were supposed to sound.

The music of Encanto is more representative of Miranda’s style. We hear his trademark wordplay, hip hop influences, boisterous appreciation of showtunes, and a blurring of genre lines.

Miranda went above and beyond experimenting with the various Latin music subgenres. The movie’s Colombian setting presents both traditional folk music and modern styles. All of it formed into a theatrical pop construct. To people unfamiliar with Colombia's musical styles, it sounds beautiful, exotic, and inviting. To those who are, it sounds like a cavalcade portrayal of an underrepresented land.

Just like everything else Lin-Manuel Miranda touches, the fan response and commercial success followed. Encanto’s soundtrack was at the top of the Billboard chart for nine weeks. Every song appeared on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, with five songs cracking the Top 50. “Dos Oruguitas” earned Miranda another Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song. The album went platinum in just four months.

But as popular as the soundtrack is, there is a film supporting it that needs to be discussed. Encanto is a movie about a multigenerational family. There are twelve people living under one roof. It’s plot requires a functional understanding of the Madrigal family tree, their history, and the interpersonal relations among them. The movie has an important duty. It needs to make all of its lore known, understood, and remembered before the movie can begin.

In the past, Disney films have had difficulty supporting large casts. It’s difficult to introduce a large number of people, while expecting the audience to remember their names and personalities. It’s also a challenge for the movie to find enough screentime and plot to justify all these characters. Would Mirabel’s large family serve a purpose onscreen? Or would it be like 101 Dalmatians, only important in terms of sheer quantity?

The movie uses two different methods to spit out its exposition. The first, in a prologue, a young Mirabel is told her family history by her grandmother. As a family elder is teaching her family history to an eager young child, we the audience are eavesdropping on the conversation. We learn the origins of the Madrigal family’s gifts, the nature of the magic, and the magic candle at the center of it all. informative and it feels natural. It’s an organic way to present details slowly and purposefully without relying on omniscient narration.

The second method is stranger, but just as effective. In the movie’s opening number, the now adult Mirabel introduces us to her family. In a fast-tempo patter song, not only do we learn the family’s names and relationships, we learn each of their associated magic gifts. “The Family Madrigal” is a silly and unconventional way to learn the character roster, but it’s effective.

Mirabel isn’t breaking the fourth wall by singing directly to us. Throughout the film, a small assortment of kids observe and comment on situations occurring. Much like a Shakespearean chorus, they frame and contextualize important plot points. Ideas that couldn’t otherwise be expressed visually or verbally are directed towards them, even if they’re off camera. They also ask rhetorical questions, keeping the plot threads moving in intended directions. It keeps the story of the Madrigal family from becoming cloistered. It reminds us of the stakes throughout. The movie doesn't concern just a privileged family, but an entire village. Their personal problems have municipal consequences.

For brevity’s sake, we won’t explore every member of the Madrigal family. Suffice to say, each member of the supporting cast has a role and function in the story. Nothing feels extraneous or redundant. Everyone has a unique design and characterization, differentiating them. Everyone contributes in someway, be it to move the plot along, to lighten the mood, or to visually depict changing circumstances. Everyone adds to the film, building on circumstances rather than distracting or overshadowing. Nobody is ever just their one gimmick.

Mirabel’s sisters get two major explorations of the film’s theme. As is tradition in musicals, both Luisa and Isabela reveal their inner secrets and frustrations through song. Long kept hidden from everyone, including themselves, simple words will not suffice.

Luisa’s gift is abnormal superhuman strength. Her song, "Surface Pressure,” is a revelation that her strength has made her incredibly insecure. Due to her gift, she can literally move, lift, or carry anything. Every chore, every duty, every task, she feels obligated to take on the burden. She obediently does so, feeling guilty about ever resting or declining a request. Doing anything less would be a waste of her gift.

Luisa knows full well nobody else can do what she does (or at least not as effortlessly). She also knows these duties must be done for the good of the Encanto. If she doesn't get the work done, she's unfairly placing a burden on others. She's an involuntary workaholic who's placed the world on her own shoulders.

Isabela’s gift is the ability to grow plants and flowers instantly. The beautiful botanical displays implore her to be an epitomized version of femininity. Her song, "What Else Can I Do?,” is a confession that despite her outward perfection, she’s deeply unhappy.

The image Isabela puts forth is one immaculately curated. Her horticultural gift has always been at the forefront of her entire image. She can create a wave of pink flowers instantaneously. So she dresses and behaves like a girl whose persona requires so many pink flowers.

So much so, Isabela has had to suppress any interest or affection that would betray such an image. She has spent so long trying to be a perfect beauty, it’s become effortless and boring. She’s never had the opportunity to pursue any latent interest. Such as a newly discovered thirst for creative expression.

Both of these are in contrast to Mirabel’s character arc. With no magic gift to call her own, Mirabel has always felt like an outsider in her family. She’s felt unimportant and insignificant. She has no immediately obvious and presentable talent in a family of superstars. She’s generic. With no gift, she has no purpose, and therefore no direction. Mirabel can do anything, but can’t do anything with that freedom. Her sisters have great talents, but are stuck doing one thing forever. Neither party is happy, but for opposite reasons.

But despite these suppressed miseries, all three remain loyal and faithful to their family and their Encanto. As unhappy as they are, leaving would be even worse. And they know this as a fact.

Throughout the film, we see the complete Madrigal family tree, but one member is conspicuously absent. Whenever his name is brought up, the topic is swiftly dismissed. We only get a ominous, uniform warning: ‘We don’t talk about Bruno.’

Early on, we have no frame of reference of Bruno’s fate or what he did to earn such a reputation. What heinous act did he perform to be disgrace by his home? What legendary crime has expelled him from his family? What grievous misdeed has made him such a pariah? With all the secrecy and displeasure, one is fully ready to accept Bruno as the film’s villain.

As Mirabel investigates her family’s secrets, all signs point to her long disappeared uncle. She can’t accept his status as an unperson any longer. She needs to know the truth. Again, the truth comes out in song form.

In a film full of hit songs, “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” is the biggest hit of Encanto. For months after the film’s release, the song dominated popular culture. It spent weeks atop the singles chart, and was a viral sensation. It’s difficult to compare mathematically due to the changing states of music consumption, but all indicators imply the same thing: “Circle of Life” was popular. “Let It Go” was big. “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” was a sensation.

The song details the ire, the fear, and the resentment everyone has towards Bruno Madrigal. We hear of Bruno’s many transgressions. We learn both why everyone dislikes him and why they’re glad he’s gone.

But as Mirabel learns, Bruno did nothing wrong. His so-called faults are severely hyperbolized. Everybody’s stories are sour grape justifications for their feelings. Bruno is gone. Rather than miss him or mourn him, everyone convinces themselves they're happy Bruno is gone.

It’s clear something is awry. Even if the rumors and reputation weren’t disingenuous, they don't answer Mirabel's questions. She needs to know why Bruno is gone and why he disappeared when he did. Everyone is making excuses, justifying their feelings towards Bruno’s absence. Whatever Bruno did, Mirabel will never know by asking. Everyone is lying to themselves. They'll of course lie to her.

Bruno’s gift is precognition. He’s an interpretation of the Cassandra myth. In Greek mythology, Cassandra was blessed with the gift of foresight. However, no matter what she saw, she could never convince anyone of the oncoming truth. She was doomed to witness tragic events she could not prevent.

The difference being, when Cassandra spoke the truth, no one would believe her. When Bruno spoke the truth, everyone blamed him. The various prophecies espoused by Bruno are impartial accounts of the future. Whatever happens, happens. Bruno is just the messenger. But he gets the blame all the same.

So what drove Bruno to exile? On the night Mirabel learned she had no magic gift, Bruno tried to discover what had happened. Such an anomaly surely meant something important. His ensuing vision was unlike any he’d seen before: a quantum flux of two possible futures. He saw Mirabel standing in front of the Madrigal home. In one state, the house was healthy, sturdy and strong. In the other, the house was in ruination.

Bruno couldn't blame his niece for the impending fate of his family. Nor could he present such bad news to his family. Rather than disappoint them, scare them, or lie to them, Bruno fled. His family thinks he abandoned them in a time of need. Instead, he's kept a dark secret to himself for years, scared to face the consequences. A self-imposed life of isolation is preferable to traumatizing his loved ones.

Knowing that she's possibly destined to doom the family, the burden is now on Mirabel. How can she avert a tragic fate? How can she prevent the fall of her Encanto? And what's causing the magic to fail in the first place?

The matriarch of the family is Mirabel’s grandmother, Alma. Like Mirabel, Alma has no magical gift herself. Instead, Alma is the one who is responsible for her family’s gifts. Many years ago, it was her who found the candle’s magic. In the 50+ years since, she presides over Encanto, making sure her family’s gifts are being used to the benefit of all. She has no gift herself, but considers herself responsible for the entire community.

In her desire to maintain a pleasant life for all, Alma has mandated perfection from her family. Not harshly, and not maliciously, but mandated all the same. Her words and actions have put forward an attitude of domineering control. As such, the Madrigals have internalized a need for perfection and obedience. Anything else would be sacrilege. But how can one function when the platitude “Respect your elders” determines everything in your life?

Encanto has a unique feeling to it, separating it from other Disney films. Mirabel doesn’t go on a grand adventure to learn something about herself. There’s no villain causing pain and suffering who needs to be toppled. There’s no MacGuffin that will fix every problem once acquired. There’s no quirky animal sidekick. There’s no battle between good and evil or right and wrong. It’s just a family and their long-seated problems which are coming to a head. This family just happens to have magic powers and live in a magic house.

In truth, Encanto feels more like a Pixar film than a Disney film. Pixar’s stories are more introspective and personal. They tend to center on relatable and enthusiastic characters whose comfortable lives are upended. They go on a journey to fix their status. They learn something essential about their lives and their self-worth. They find solace in others, helping solve their problems, too. Problems get solved, not in a way expected, but in a way needed. Disney heroes strive for something good. Pixar heroes find something better in themselves.

Mirabel has been an outsider in her own family. She hasn't realized how unhappy she’s been all these years, subjected to such a life. She hasn’t noticed how stressed and tense and stifled her family has been. She hasn’t realized how domineering and controlling her grandmother has been. It’s always seemed normal to her. She’s only known this as her life. She's never questioned it. But now, faced with her family's destruction, she begins seeing literal cracks in the façade.

Things need to change, but how? Everyone else is comfortable with their lives, convincing themselves they’re comfortable, or afraid of upsetting others. Mirabel's actions seem either inflammatory, disrespectful, or petty. How can she convince her family to talk about their feelings when they have a complex song and dance number about not talking about subjects that upset them?

The crux of the movie is generational trauma. Trauma experienced by a family elder has the ability to affect their children and grandchildren. Sometimes it's physical and abusive. Sometimes it's psychological and manipulative. In the case of the Madrigals, it’s a chronic need for perfection.

The movie never explicitly states when Encanto takes place. There’s a deliberate timeless quality to the picture. It could easily take place in the present, or at any point in the past hundred years. The only piece of technology seen throughout the film is a color film camera.

But there are strong indicators, assuming one is versed in South American history. In a flashback, we see Alma and her departed husband as a young married couple. Their happy life is upended when forced to flee their home. Soldiers move in on the city, violently ransacking the town. These enemy soldiers are only seen illuminated from behind. Those in the know would recognize them as soldiers from Colombia’s Thousand Days War.

Even without the historical context, it’s an easily sympathetic backstory. In a short span, she survived a war, became a refugee with newborn triplets, and saw her husband murdered by nationalists. It was a major traumatic experience. So much so, the mystic forces of the world bestowed Alma with a magic candle. It created a secluded valley where she and other refugees could live in peace, isolated from war and bloodshed. 

The candle also awarded her family line with magic gifts to serve this new village. Alma was indeed blessed with great fortune, but has never forgotten it came at a dire price. She never wants anyone to live through a fraction of what she’s experienced. Anarchy cannot destroy any more lives. But there’s no point in saving everyone from misery if the process itself is causing misery. Her obsession with perfection is eating away at her family.

Bruno’s vision wasn’t Mirabel either fixing or destroying the family. It was both. She needed to destroy its dysfunctions to save them. Mirabel never received a gift because it was her destiny to fix this. Had she received magic powers, she’d only be another extension of the trouble. This the type of problem that can only be seen by an outsider.

Coincidentally, Pixar has explored the idea of generational trauma twice. The first in the 2017′s Coco, and again in 2022′s Turning Red. Both films center their conflict around fantasy. Both integrate the fantastic and the dramatic. Both agonize over the troubles and problems that have rippled through generations. And both are resolved in a satisfying way.

Released between these two pictures, Encanto seems like a natural companion piece. But while both Turning Red and Coco intertwine their protagonists’ personal journeys with their exploration of family troubles, Encanto falls short. Pixar’s offerings focus on the invisible conflict between children and elders throughout. Generational conflicts are explored from the start to the conclusion. Much of Encanto is spent recognizing whether there’s even a problem to begin with.

By the time Mirabel recognizes her family's issues stem from her grandmother's actions, the film is rapidly approaching the finale. The idea is dropped into our laps almost unceremoniously. The movie declares its theme like a mystery detective announcing the culprit.

In fairness, the plot thread isn’t pulled from thin air. The subtext was always there, just shoved into the periphery. The movie wanted us to focus on other things instead. Things like Bruno’s absence and Mirabel’s prophecy. The movie was dangling red herrings, trying to keep its fantasy elements in the forefront. It's as though the writers were ashamed of the conclusion. As though family drama and grief processing were too mundane for their fantasy world.

When Mirabel and her grandmother discuss their issues, the resolution arrives questionably fast. It’s emotional themes are localized to one scene, and that scene is handled in a very mature, low key, expedited way. It’s a sensible discussion between a grandmother and her granddaughter. It’s not a bad representation of an introductory therapy session, but it feels insubstantial for a movie. Its more of a forced resolution than an actual satisfying conclusion.

In both Turning Red and Coco, the cycle of generational trauma is broken with storytelling twists. Actions, revelations and discoveries overwhelmingly change their respective families. Everyone learns something they couldn’t have possibly understood before the adventure at the core of their movie. The trauma is broken because their entire worldview is now different.

But in Encanto’s case, the trauma is broken because the writers want it to be broken. Mirabel reaffirms her love for her family. Alma promises to be patient and understanding. And this solves their problems. It’s an easy, unearned path to resolution hiding behind sentimentality.

It’s also a major stylistic mismatch from the fantasy concepts we’ve seen so far. There’s no discovery of a long-held secret. There’s no radical upheaval in the family dynamic. There’s no sacrifice or loss or change in the family’s magic. Mirabel and Alma have a conversation, apologize, and that’s it.

It’s ironic that such a treatment befalls a film about the struggles of who you want to be conflicting with who you’re expected to be. Disney had an idea of what ending they wanted, and forced it to end in such a way.

It’s even more ironic that this wasn’t the only time such an occurrence befell the film. It happened during the character design phase. Luisa is an ox of a character. She’s able to lift entire buildings without effort. Being such a strong person, Luisa is naturally drawn bulky with muscular limbs and torso.

One would think this would be a fairly straightforward portrayal of a strong character. But the animators had to emphatically fight the producers to keep this character design. From the producers’ perspective, the overly-muscular woman would be off-putting and intimidating. She’d look unappealing on merchandise, and kids would stray away from any product featuring her.

The opposite wound up happening. Girls in the coveted youth demographic absolutely loved Luisa and her design. She was the breakout star of the film. What little merchandise existed featuring Luisa sold out quick.

Meanwhile, Disney gambled on the stereotypically girly Isabela, whose products only sold average. Funny enough, Isabela’s character arc concerned her frustration towards her conventional femininity. She considered her curated, manicured ways confining and unsatisfying. But it was that artifice that was slapped on bedsheets and bookbags. It’s like the merchandising gurus were hoping kids didn’t pay attention to the film.

It’s not until Isabela abandoned this life that she found happiness. Such a departure is visually represented by fluorescent highlights in her hair and a splotched dress. Like Luisa, this design was also sought after, but not as readily available as other merchandise. Both wound up being available in greater quantities, but not until after the Christmas buying bonanza.

Even the casting process squared expectations against reality. Mirabel is voiced by actress Stephanie Beatriz. Except for a supporting role in the film adaptation of In the Heights, Beatriz didn’t have a history in music or musicals.

Beatriz is most famous for her role as Rosa Diaz, a hardened, intimidating police detective on the sitcom Brooklyn Nine-Nine. This is likely why the filmmakers first approached her for the role of Luisa. They assumed Beatriz was identical to her character in real life. In reality, Beatriz is a substantially upbeat, energetic, feminine person. Detective Diaz is almost an opposite of her actual personality. Aside from the family strife, she was uncannily similar to Mirabel. Beatriz was soon offered the film's lead role instead.

In all, Encanto had a problem defining its very definition. It was made in defiance of corporate expectations. Disney assumed they knew what audiences wanted, and what shortcuts would be acceptable. Those assumptions were not only wrong, but often backwards. 

During production, Disney CEO Bob Iger stepped down from his position, replaced by Bob Chapek. This change in leadership combined with a misunderstanding of audience expectations is troubling. These are the necessary circumstances to bring about another dark age in Disney Animation. But since this blog’s exploration into Disney’s past has caught up with Disney’s present, we can’t tell for certain. We’ll have to wait and see.

In conclusion, Encanto is a very energetic and colorful film. It has a vibrant soundtrack, memorable characters, and a good sense of humor. But its trenchant themes are left unintegrated, leaving its message contrived and superficial. While the narrative itself is anemic, the film's strengths carry it ably. It’s a well-built house, but it’s on a lousy foundation that needs repairs.

Beauty and the Beast Fantasia The Lion King Frozen Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Cinderella Alice in Wonderland Sleeping Beauty Mulan Zootopia Tangled The Little Mermaid Aladdin Lilo & Stitch The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh Pinocchio The Jungle Book Robin Hood The Sword in the Stone Bambi The Emperor’s New Groove Encanto The Hunchback of Notre Dame Moana The Princess and the Frog The Great Mouse Detective Big Hero 6 101 Dalmatians Bolt The Three Caballeros Lady and the Tramp Frozen II The Rescuers Down Under Atlantis: The Lost Empire Wreck-It Ralph The Fox and the Hound Fantasia 2000 Peter Pan Dumbo Hercules Meet the Robinsons Brother Bear The Black Cauldron Raya and the Last Dragon Melody Time Oliver & Company Treasure Planet Tarzan The Rescuers Pocahontas Saludos Amigos The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad Winnie the Pooh The Aristocats Ralph Breaks the Internet Dinosaur Fun and Fancy Free Make Mine Music Home on the Range Chicken Little

[nicksilveirart]

(SING!) Story Not Told, chapter 7 – Set It All Free while I do it My Way

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Click to read chapter 7:

Okay, she had promised him she’d write a punk song for the following day. Okay, he was a tad bit too enthusiastic about her voice. Okay, it felt good to be appreciated. But Ash was regretting her promise as she laid down at the couch in her house. What was she thinking? A song, written in one day? Lance took months to write his’! They weren’t masterpieces? Correct. But they weren’t trash. She was tired, and had thought of at least 10 different melodies, but all of them sounded wrong. Guitar on hand, she tried playing a punk version of Freedom is a voice, only to find out the cheesy lyrics sounded like a war cry when turned punk. “Half tone lower?” No avail. She wrapped her jacket around her waist, and grabbed her guitar case and a notepad. “Maybe changing the environment a little.” She locked the door, and took a bus to the other side of town. She walked through parks and stores at the sidewalk, to find a nice place for writing under a tree. She played a few melodies she had in mind. Those who went past her either smiled or frowned, but she couldn’t care less. “You put me through a rollercoast-“ “Ash!” She nearly jumped at the sound. She knew that voice. She missed that voice. “Adam?!” A smaller, and younger looking porcupine jumped at her. “Adam! What are you doing out here?” “Candy!” He said, as he shoved some goodies into his mouth. “Want some?” Ash shook her head. “I missed you, where have you been?” Ash was distressed, looking from left to right nonstop. “Are mom and dad with you?” “No, but I am.” Ash jumped at the voice, who chuckled. “You’re welcome. Your folks asked me to take him home.” “Tara!” Ash said, hugging the otter close. “It’s been forever!” “Tell me about it! Just because you ran away from home, doesn’t mean you had to run away from your friends too.” “Ah, shush.” The other girl laughed. Ash kneeled down to her brother’s height, and hugged him close. “My, you’ve grown!” He giggled, and held two fingers high. “Two inches.” “And he’s been telling everyone about it, too.” Tara finished. “I’m a big boy, people should know!” Both teens laughed, as Tara took a seat near Ash. “You got the time?” “Relax, wouldn’t have brought him over if we couldn’t spend some time.” Ash sighed out in relief, falling backwards in the grass. “Good.” “A composer now, hm?” She said, chuckling lightly. “Trying. I got into a singing competition, the judge wants me to write a song.” She laid her guitar down as her brother cuddled close to her. “Is it the competition I saw on the news, that’ll pay-?” “$100 grand? That’s the one.” “Starting a career with an original? Now that’s something!” She laughed. “I don’t know if I’m going to win, Tara.” Tara merely shrugged. “I think you will.” “Why? I never wrote a punk song before.” “Well… The judge asked you to do it.” She winked. Ash raised her brow. “He did that to make me feel better.” “Why’d he do that?” “Because he’s a sweetheart.” “Ohh, you using your magic on him uh?” She nudged her friend. “I'm not!” Ash sighed. “I broke up with Lance.” “Who?” Tara said, scratching her head. “Long story. We’ve been dating for almost two years, the other day I caught him cheating, we broke up, that’s it. I went to Mr- Buster, because I had no one else to turn to, he said Lance was a jerk, was holding me back, and I was better off without him, said he had been cheated upon and knew what it was like, some of the contestants also said he wasn’t worth my time.” She swallowed hard. “So I decided to listen to their advice, and didn’t take Lance back when he offered. He called me while I was with Buster, and I got upset over the things he said, so he said he wanted me to write a song.” “You’ve been using your ma-gic!” Tara singsonged. “Anyways, he gave you a chance to show your originals right? That’s great!” “It would be if I had an original that was upbeat.” “Sing the one you have!” “He said he wanted something new! With beat, and loudness, ‘perfect soundtrack for a heartbreak’, his words!” “Listen sister… You remember I consider you my sister, right?” Ash nodded. Tara then turned to grab the guitar, and played some chords. “Good. Now... It might seem crazy what I’m about to sa-ay…” “Oh my god Tara, don’t go there!” She cracked up laughing, soon being joined by her friend. “You didn’t even let me finish!” She said, pretending annoyance. “But listen. Okay, he was trying to make you feel better. But you think he’d risk the reputation of his theatre to put you up? That place hasn’t had a show worth watching in years! My mom used to take me there when I was a kid, and oh my god, the plays were terrible! The one event held there that I liked was one from Moon himself, it was called ‘Improv Comedy’, something like that. It was a monologue about family, the theatre was already discredited by everyone. It was a great show, and it was presented to ten people! Ten people Ash! That’s how low the place went… But I started going regularly to the shows, and I’m saying, he is a great screenwriter. I would know. He wouldn’t risk one of his competitors putting up a bad song just to make you feel appreciated. You know what I think? I think he may be seeing something there that you haven’t seen yet.” Ash opened a soda can. “You think he wants me to write a script for a play?” “No, I think he considers you a good songwriter.” “Tara, the one original I have sucks!” “Not to him, he wants you to write more!” She turned to her friend. “Listen… You played your original to him, right? He likes it. AND he writes like Orson Whales! He’s a good writer! If a good writer asks you to write something, I think he likes your writing skills.” Ash froze in thought. “Same thing, I’m a movie director, right? And this one time, no previous warning, Steven Seagull dropped by to watch the recording. And after we wrapped up, he looked at me and said he couldn’t wait to see my movies.” She grabbed her friend’s shoulders. “Steven Seagull! He’s like the top of top directors of all times, and he liked my directing skills! That’s like… Uh… That’s like… Quick, rocker name!” “What?” “Tell me the name of a rocker!” “Uh… Steven Tiger!” “Steven Tiger! That was Steven Tiger walking up to you and says ‘Ash, I like your songs, and I want you to compose more.’” She crashed both her hands down her friend’s shoulders. “BOOM! THAT JUST HAPPENED!” “Ow! Stop it, people are staring!” “Let them stare! Eyes were made to see!” She said, gradually speaking louder. She turned to the park’s goers. “Hey! Take a picture, it last longer!” “Stop it!” Ash practically jumped on the otter. “You’re putting up a scene!” “Ash! A good screenwriter asked you to write a song! He saw something there!” “He’s not a songwriter!” “Writer nonetheless! Maybe he never wrote a song, but he knows good writing when he sees it! Since when do you think so low of your own skills?! The Ash I knew believed she could do anything at all because she always had what it took! You can't write a song? A mere song? What happened to you?! Someone believes in you. I believe in you. While you look at your work and say it is terrible because it isn't perfect, you're not gonna go anywhere! Perfection doesn't exist, Ash. The one thing between you and your song is your head. It is holding you back! Set it free from its cuffs, and write the goddamn song!” Ash was frozen in place. Tara handed her the guitar, smiling. “So, let’s?” She took it.

Buster had no idea where the show house was, and his phone’s GPS system was even more lost than him. He could swear he had heard the mechanical voice sigh once or twice, but he carried on. He was going to find Lance, and he was going to have a word with him. Coming to a halt, he sighed in relief as he saw a Hawaiian-styled joint at the alley. The place looked shady, but calm. Was he going in there? Yes, yes he was. Going right past the entrance, he found the backstage door, where he was greeted by a familiar female koala. “Entrance is over there, sire.” “Laura?” “That's me, do we know each other? What’s your name?” “Buster. Buster Moon.” She froze in place. “May I come in? My godson is presenting tonight and I want to wish him good luck.” “Buster, I’m…” “I don’t care. May I come in?” She opened the door. “See you around, Laura.” If Buster wasn’t already too mad for his liking, now he was pissed off. His cheating girlfriend just had to work here. He couldn’t get Ash out of his mind. He was mad at Lance for cheating on her, and he was mad at himself for believing Laura’d change. He went to the wings, and talked to a dorky beaver. “Hey there! You happen to know where I can find Lance? He’s a porcupine, guitarist…” The beaver pointed to a separate room. “Thanks. You rock!” Buster ran to said room, halting at its entrance. He heard muffled singing from inside. Damn, his voice makes me want to kick his ass. He took a deep breath, and opened the door. “Hey what do ya want, we’re rehea- Buster Moon, my champ!” He gave him a yellow smile. “Man, I knew you’d come here for advice, but I didn’t expect it’d be this soon.” “Can you please pretend you’re civilized for a second, Lance? Thank you. I want you to stop harassing Ash.” “Harassing?” He shrugged. “What are you talking about there, Moon?” “The call you made her earlier today is what.” “Aww, can’t a fuzzy wuzzy teddy bear put up with another guy calling his girlfriend ‘babes’?” He laughed. “I can’t believe Ash asked you to come here!” Buster’s blood was boiling inside his veins. “For one, if you make fun of me I am going to fix your buck teeth with my hands. For two, Ash doesn’t like you calling her ‘babes’, or even calling her, for all matters. For three, she didn’t ask a thing, I’m here on my own. And for the billionth time, she is not my girlfriend.” The female porcupine laughed at his face. Lance merely chuckled, as he took her hand and kissed it. “Yeah right, I believe you. You confront her boyfriend over the things he says, you threaten him, by the way, you being in no condition to back up your threat…” That’s what you think, smart ass. “You came all the way over here, to tell me to stop calling her?” He laughed in disbelief, as he fixed Buster’s suit slightly. “Partner, you are the definition of a jealous boyfriend.” Buster grabbed both his hands, and pushed him into a couch. The female stopped laughing. Buster went right past her, standing tall over Lance. “One, you are her ex. Two, this is your last warning. If you go near Ash again for anything that’s not apologizing, I’m going to make you regret coming out of the uterus. You got that?” “Whoa!” He sat straight, facing the koala. “Didn’t knew you liked playing tough, Moon.” “I don’t like it, I found it necessary. One last time. Do you understand it?” Lance nodded. Buster started walking to the door. “She has the hots for older guys, you know.” Buster froze in his tracks. Lance stood up, and started walking to him. “Me?” He chuckled. “I’m 24, Buster. 22 when we started dating. Wow, twenty-two when I first saw that form…” Suck it up, Buster commanded himself. “Sleeping cuddling close to her, after a good night of sex… She was fresh off the oven those days, too. So pure and innocent… An escapee looking for someone who loved her, and made her feel older. Lucky me. You know how virgin girls are…” Lance put both his hands at Buster’s shoulders, gently patting them. This is his game, Buster thought. “If she hasn’t hit on you by now, don’t worry, because she will soon.” He hugged the koala, and patted his back. “You might as well enjoy, like she does.” He finished, walking back. Father, forgive. Turning around, he sent his fist crashing down the porcupine’s face, earning a startled scream from the female. Not satisfied with sending the younger male tumbling to the ground, Buster proceeded to kick him. “You piece of a-! Look at me, look at my face!” He picked the rocker off of the ground, and threw him at a chair. There was blood on his shirt. “You are a poor excuse to an animal! You mark my words, Lance, next time I hear you talk about a girl like that, or if I find out you are out there playing girls, I am going to come back. You don’t want me to come back!” That’s it. He had vented out. Shoving Lance to the ground once again, he went for the door as the female porcupine went to her boyfriend’s aid. “Oh. And have a nice debut, Lance. Ma’am.” Bowing his head, he shut the door behind him.

[jerepars]

Unbelievers Extended Story Notes

Hyperlinks appear in blue (underlined on mobile). The story is posted here.

Betty shut off the water and instead grabbed a handful of tissues off the counter. She wiped at her face with the soft Kleenex sheets harshly, in hopes of getting all the mascara on her cheeks off before it dried and she’d have to scrub. When she was done, she took a step back and considered her appearance as a whole. She smoothed out the wrinkles along the bodice of her periwinkle dress and adjusted the draping of her pale pink cardigan around her shoulders. The pastels of her party outfit were a contrast to her soured mood. Only her wooly black tights suited her soul. Betty took a few deep breaths and tightened her blonde ponytail.

Someone was bound to need the bathroom soon with the amount of Pabst Blue Ribbon and Korbel Brut (and Martinelli’s apple cider for the responsible crowd) flowing at the party. If she didn’t make her move quickly and get out of the bathroom, she’d be interrupted by a knock. Or, even worse, her sister—who’d been holding hands with Jason Blossom all night—might come looking for her. With a final wipe at her eyes and a nod of confidence at herself in the mirror that she could keep up her best fake happy face, Betty opened the door and stepped out into the hallway.

This section was influenced by Paramore's "Fake Happy", especially the part that goes: And if I go out tonight, dress up my fears, you think I'll look alright with these mascara tears?

I found it fitting because of the details we know about Betty. I've noticed in canon that she is, for sure, extrememly emotional, and the moments when she really lets go and gives in to her saddness are when she's alone. Most of the time in public, to the outside world, she puts her happy mask on even when everything isn't going all rainbows and butterflies for her. Only a few get to see her at her worst.

As it turned out, the whips didn’t sting less and they’d chosen the exact worst moment to enter the kitchen. A game of suck-and-blow—using a card from a stack of Cards Against Humanity, no less—had broken out in the kitchen. Archie was in between Cheryl Blossom and Ginger Lopez. He got the card successfully from Cheryl but let it drop (also successfully) when Ginger leaned into him. Ginger was his latest crush and when the card fell, he kissed her anyway, his hands moving to her waist and the game participants whooping and cheering behind them.

So, suck-and-blow is from Clueless.

Also, "Jughead is Cher Horowitz" turned into an excellent thread on here and I am happy to have been a participant.

Betty’s history with boys after her second kiss with Archie was scarce. She went on a date with Trev Brown, who’d held her hand and stared into her eyes of jade and and made her laugh, but was so nervous when he kissed her that it was mostly his braces pressed up against her upper lip. Betty was the star of the Riverdale High Welcome Committee when Adam Chisholm moved to town just a month ago, and he’d been instantly smitten with her, something she wasn’t used to. They went on a few dates and she’d even had her first makeout session in the back row of The Bijou with him, but she broke up with him a week later when she felt a void, not completely enamored with him. Adam was great, and she had his undivided attention—which was new for 14-year-old Betty who’d wanted Archie’s attention for so long—but something was…missing.

I was just thinking...if Riverdale ends up being one of those shows with three or more seasons (though with the current trend in the show's writing, I'm not sure we're even going to get more than a 10-episode order of season 3), won't we have to be introduced to Adam Chisholm when he moves to town? Since I went pre-canon and then diverged from canon, I figured I might as well throw him in there early and make him Betty's point of "experience".

There was something not there that kept her from linking her loop of the chain to Adam’s. Because the thing was, Betty had always been a dreamer. It was the reason she felt so deeply, the reason she put her heart on the line, the reason she was holding out for something or someone that would move her. She was unwilling to accept that love or a kiss couldn’t be like it was in a movie or a book. Because if it couldn’t be like that, what was the point of depicting it that way? And didn’t the people who wrote like that do so because they believed in that kind of love, in that kind of groundbreaking kiss?

After breaking up with Adam, Betty was sure she would know right away if she had something special with someone like “The Shoop Shoop Song” talked about because of one thing: it’s in his kiss.

I really wanted a 14-year-old Betty to be completely hopeful and a total dreamer. When Betty recruits Jughead to join The Blue & Gold in 1x03, regarding Jason's death, she says, "Nothing this bad was ever supposed to happen here, but it did."

If Riverdale is a story of a loss of innocence beginning on the fourth of July, then prior to that? To me, Betty would have held on tightly to her childhood fantasies, even relying on "The Shoop Shoop Song" to guide her way.

So Jughead was more concerned about how much bigger the cracks in his family’s foundation could get until they splintered completely. New Year’s Eve was a terrible celebratory tradition for alcoholics, and his father was an alcoholic without a resolution.

Every day Gladys talked about FP’s madness and self-abuse because of the alcohol, about how he was always in his own way, and about how she was sick of dealing with it. Every day she talked about leaving. And Jughead thought that she would be right to take off before she was consumed, if she really felt like that was what she needed to do. He was scared to know if she really had a plan to make that happen and even more scared to know if he would even be part of the plan. He wasn’t sure how he’d feel either way, if his mom wanted to take him with her and Jellybean, or leave him behind to deal with his father alone.

Motion City Soundtrack has a few songs about the New Year and New Year's Eve. I made reference to "Resolution" here, using the title in the first quoted paragraph. Part of a verse from the song goes She put up with so much of my madness and my self-abuse. She would tend to my wounds and fill me with food when I'd stumble in drunk for breakfast. She was right to take off before she was consumed. So I worked that into the paragraph about Gladys and FP.

“Maybe I should be more like you,” Betty said to her raven-haired friend as they reached the curve of the train tracks, where the separation of the north and south side of town began. “I shouldn’t believe in anything.”

I decided to name the story after the Vampire Weekend song "Unbelievers" pretty much because of the line Girl, you and I would die unbelievers, bound to the tracks of the train. Much earlier in the narration Jughead is described as an unbeliever and we get back to that here, with Betty's dialogue. Before I wrote a single word down, in my head I could hear this song playing in the background as I pictured Betty and Jughead walking through the snow toward the diner.

Another thing to consider is if the theme song for Bughead in 1x13 is "Believer", then this canon divergence, which would have happened a year earlier, is on the extreme opposite end. But it still ends with a kiss.

“You should just name the meal after me, Pop,” Jughead suggested to the older man. “A double cheeseburger with onion rings on the side: The Jughead Jones Special.”

Pop Tate’s laughter filled the room and warmed the soul. “I’ve already got your picture up on the wall, Juggie.” He pointed his pen in the direction of the glossy 5”x 7” of Jughead (with a cheeseburger in hand) pinned above the frame of one of the booth window sills. With a tap of the pen against his notepad, Pop added, “Can’t have the drop-ins thinking I practice favoritism, true or not.”

In case you were wondering, Pop calling Jughead by the nickname "Juggie" is, in fact, canon in 1x13 (1:00 to 1:02). You know, if any adult in Riverdale is going to call him that, I am 100% behind Pop Tate being the only adult who does.

Jughead only shook his head in response as he began walking toward the door, his boots echoing high and lonesome against the industrial tile of the diner floor. Betty followed closely behind him.

&

Jughead’s family had never had cable, not even when they’d lived in the house with the tree house in the backyard. It was growing up a Jones that had made him such an unbeliever that good things would come his way. He never let the taste of defeat wander too far from his mind. But alone at night, sometimes he imagined that when he grew up, he’d be a reclusive author, and if he did have cable, between the reruns of classic movies and his shelves full of books, he was pretty sure he’d never even have to leave the house.

Ah, yes, we have reached the obligatory reference to a song by The Gaslight Anthem in this one. The second verse from "High Lonesome" goes and the pounding in the street was your heart in four-four time, and the taste of defeat was never too far from your mind. Then, the song concludes with when our boots they hit the ground, they made a high and lonesome sound. It occured to me that I've already sort of used this song for a Bughead story before, in the last part of Lionheart. I suppose what that really means is that this is one of my favorite songs by them.

This story got kind of ridiculous. But hey, that's what I'm all about here.

[metastation]

Hello lovelies! We're back from hiatus, kind of! We were planning on returning the first week of August to dive back into our S1 recaps, but we just had to make an exception when given the opportunity to nerd out about music with "The 100" composer Tree Adams! Join us for a deep dive that goes from shippy flails (yes of course we asked about the Kabby theme and "I See You," we know what you guys want) to technical nerdery (there's a spreadsheet breaking down the specifics of the sound of all thirteen Grounder clans and Claire DESPERATELY wants to see it) to how Tree created the new sound of Becca's island to bring Raven's story to life and used music to take us on the evolving journey of Octavia's arc.

Plus tune in for some hot scoop on his new project Duskriders, another female-driven dystopic sci-fi adventure with Tree Adams music . . . only this time, he is his OWN Rothenberg because he wrote the graphic novel himself.

We had a total blast, and Tree is the freakin' greatest. Go buy the S3 and S4 soundtracks, or check out our Spotify playlist of all the tracks he referenced in our interview here.