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thefcguy · 6 days ago

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A brilliant analysis and essay on your character 👏👏👏

It’s clear how much you researched on the topic, and how much time you spent thinking on her backstory, and how much you developed upon them ever since their debut.

I also think it’s beautiful how her love for makeup came from a place of shame, but eventually became something that helps her show the pride she feels about her disability. It’s a a story of rediscovery, understanding, acceptance and pride.

Cosette Bellamy’s Vitiligo

( Art by @booksrbetterthanpeople )

Hey guys, so I realized that it's been three years since 2021, though the day of the fanfic is in three days, the year that my OC was introduced in the fanfic, Envy, where they had a different name and design at the time. This not only led to me becoming friends with Artzy but also later created the science kids as a whole. And I’m pretty grateful for that since it led to me meeting a bunch of people I’m glad to call my friends and I'm enjoying the show more than just shipping since that can take you so far sometimes. So I want to thank them for letting me include my OC in their fanfic and just being a good friend.

Now, you’re wondering why I’m making this post or not, which is fine I guess but it is not stopping me from telling you why. It’s because I realized I made some mistakes regarding my OC when it came to their vitiligo since it's a disability that many people have and are affected by; we should acknowledge that and treat it as such. Especially for someone like me, who doesn’t have it, so I recommend following people who have vitiligo or did enough research on the topic for more information, @vitiligo-is-not-a-trend , @cripplecharacters , and the website, Vitiligo Society, has a lot of information on the topic than I do, so please go follow or see their website or account, I recommend some people on Instagram as well. After doing more research into it, I’m going to try to fix that, while informing you and myself by making this post, being respectful about it, and hoping many people see this. Well, let’s begin and I hope you enjoy this post.

The beginning of her vitiligo

First, I want to say that Cosette is the only one in her family with vitiligo. Her parents don't have it and her older siblings don't have it. Though it is hereditary from their dad’s, Valentin, side of the family, a few of their ancestors, mostly the women in their family, have it but didn't show up for years until well after Cosette was born.

It started to develop when Cosette was around 3 years old. The family was getting ready for the yearly family portrait and their mom, Amarachi, was checking on them and their siblings to see if they were all ready.

Cosette was the last one and when Amarachi did the outfit and face check she noticed that Cosette had a little white spot under their right knee. She scolded Cosette for getting messy on the day of the family portrait and told her to find something to cover them up, not even letting Cosette speak about what happened.

Cosette just did what she was told, not wanting to face Amarachi’s berates and make her more mad at them. So she put on a different dress and anything else to cover her legs and things went well enough.

A month after the family portrait and Amarachi left for her military duties again, Cosette noticed a few more white patches spreading on its body, mostly on their arms and legs a bit. When she told her dad about it, he didn’t know what was going on, so they had to hope for the best and that the spots would go away due to his busy schedule as a chef. So in the meantime, he had Cosette cover up the patches they had, which were on their legs.

So he decides to research what type of condition Cosette might have, that’s how he discovered that they might have vitiligo but to make sure, he planned a day when he could take them to the doctor or dermatologist.

So when Valentin took Cosette to the hospital; they got introduced to a Dermatologist named, Dr. Aganad, who confirmed to them that Cosette did have vitiligo after taking tests.

She told them that it is not a disease or/and not contagious at all, just an autoimmune disorder that is going to affect Cosette’s life a lot and it should be taken seriously and as such. Like she was going to need sunscreen and recommended getting sunscreen lotion since the lack of melanin and a lot of sun exposure would give her sunburns if she didn’t. And that vitiligo was going to make her stressed in a lot of moments in their lives.

While Valentin and Dr.Aganad talk about how he can help as a parent, like being there for Cosette and not treating it lesser because of it, all that Cosette can think about is that it is a good thing that nothing is wrong with them and that she looks kinda cool, and hope that her mom and siblings would think the same way. Especially, with Dr.Aganad telling her that they should embrace their vitiligo in a way that makes them happy.

The Toughest Period of Her Life

At first, Jordyn made fun of them and Yvette didn’t really care enough to stop, Valentin told him not to do that, vitiligo shouldn't be something to make fun of at all, and take it seriously. Jordyn apologized for what he did for once to Cosette, a mix of genuine and that their dad is making him do it.

Cosette appreciated that Jordyn apologized to them and their dad stood up for them, but what Jordyn said still hurt and stung her a lot, even when she tried to get it out of her head, it still hurt.

After a few days, after their 4th birthday, Cosette went back to kindergarten, covering their body because their dad told them to. But went behind his back when they got to Maternelle. Cosette thought everyone was going to think that she looked so cool and everything…

But that was shattered when they stepped into the classroom and everyone had bad reactions to them. The kids either snickered to themselves or each other, stared in confusion or/disgust, or had blank stares that scared Cosette a lot.

Even the teacher looked sideways while trying to welcome it back, hoping Cosette wouldn’t notice at all. But they did and what hurt them was when one of the kids said “Are you becoming white or something?” The rest of the kids laughed while the teacher tried to calm them down. No one noticed the tears that were coming out from Cosette, who tried so hard not to cry in front of everyone, trying to put a brave smile on their face.

So, they just went along with the jokes and tried to push them off as best as they could but it still hurt her a lot. And during afternoon recess, Cosette was just doing some chalk art, then suddenly some girl poured chocolate milk on them and said “Hey I found the cure for your disease!” And ran away with a cheeky smile on her face.

When she tried telling the teacher what happened the teacher just told her “not to take it seriously and it's just a joke, you should try thinking of it as a joke.” Cosette was in disbelief at what the teacher said but shut their mouth because they didn't know what to do or say.

After the school day ended, Cosette came home alone and was alone at the time and when they got into their room, she just sobbed and kept sobbing until she eventually went to sleep because of it.

And while their siblings didn’t make fun of their vitiligo and their dad was trying to help them feel better about it (though he wasn’t doing the best job of it, he was trying), it didn’t change the fact people picked on them for it and that most teachers they had didn’t even try to help it or stop bullying.

She was hoping that her mom would at least accept her and not think so low of her vitiligo. But it was proven wrong when Amarachi looked at it with so much disgust in her eyes and not much without a word, it left Cosette feeling worse about herself and her vitiligo.

It didn’t get that much better when they had to start primary school, where it got harder to not get stares and comments about them since vitiligo started to show on their face and their hair, eyelashes, and eyebrows as well, even if they were small at the time.

The primary school did have a bit less cruelty than kindergarten, but the other kids still picked on them and judged them for having vitiligo especially when it came to their hair.

They would make comparisons to zebras when it came to her hair and even say they could be considered one of the 101 Dalmatians, and many more harsh and rude names.

One day during picture day, they were up next to get her photo taken. Cosette wanted the picture to be good, so she had their favorite outfit and put their hair up in a way that would distract from white hairs on their hair, eyelashes, and eyebrows. That got ruined when they got brown paint dumped all over them, and then a kid, who set up the prank, said “Hope that helps cover up your vitiligo!” Cosette ran off crying and trying to wipe away their tears, trying to pass it off as a joke but couldn't and hated it.

Well, they had a teacher who let them take the picture again, even if the photographer thought the prank photo looked better than the retake photo. That is a secret that Cosette took to the grave for the rest of her life, no one will ever know that secret unless they say otherwise.

It led to the decision because after they got their first makeup kit when they were 8 years old, the thing they always wanted…. Cosette's first chance she got when it came to going to primary school, was to cover vitiligo on their face and put on a hoodie to cover their hair and everything else they could.

She has to camouflage themselves to avoid judgment, especially whenever they moves somewhere because their mom is a military nurse. It just makes things easier but it never felt right to them to do so, it felt very uncomfortable to hide a lot of themself.

While their vitiligo continues to change and grow with them over time, and pretty quickly too, Cosette couldn’t help but feel something was wrong every time they covered it. It was a mix of emotions on how they felt about their vitiligo. Cosette was ashamed of having it because of others making it feel that way and their feelings about it, crying when looking at the mirror before it, wanting to tell others off because of it, and thinking they’re right about it in some way.

Cosette tries to make jokes about her vitiligo to make them feel a bit better but it doesn't. Cosette felt miserable every time they tried to make a joke about it, so they wouldn’t and did not want to feel miserable because of it.

The beginning of acceptance

But, they still love watching makeup videos and tutorials, it brought her a lot of comfort and when she was alone and at home, she would do makeup art or even simple makeup and find an appreciation and love for it again.

She takes pictures of them just in case they want to do it again someday, and it helps with her self-esteem and how she feels about her vitiligo. And over time, she can be more creative and comfortable with her makeup and how it goes with her outfits, and make her vitiligo pop out more.

Afterwards, she saw celebrities with vitiligo like Michael Jackson, Winnie Harlow, and Tamar Braxton, reading about their struggles and how it affected them. Making Cosette more comfortable, accepting, and loving of their vitiligo a lot more.

So, when Cosette was around 12 or 13 years old, she started wearing her makeup the way they loves, which makes their vitiligo pop out a lot more. No longer covering its vitiligo anymore.

She even takes their past photos and posts some of them on their social media accounts, most of it being private and no one in their family knows about. And that something tends to keep to itself in its graves.

Cosette has some days where she hates her vitiligo, others where she is not loving but not hating their vitiligo, and others where they're completely neutral. But, most days, it is happy that they have vitiligo, that her disability is what makes her, her.

Her vitiligo has been dormant for 1 year now, and it is not much of a shock for her. It happened before when she was a 9-year-old, her vitiligo wasn’t active for two years then suddenly came back during the summer, where she lived in Croydon, London.

Nowadays Cosette learns how to deal with people when they’re making fun of their vitiligo, which is ignoring them or making fun of them back. But even then, Cosette knows people like them aren’t worth it because at the end of the day, she knows that she matters and that’s all it matters.

Conclusion

This isn’t the best post, I think there are some parts I could do a lot better in. But, I made this for two things, one, to give my oc some love and lore to them, and two, to get more people knowledgeable of what some people with vitiligo might go through especially if they have had it ever since they were young. Though, it’s not perfect and I would rather have you guys go look at, watch, or read about people, who have vitiligo, who might go through. I hope you enjoy your day, and happy Juneteenth to Cosette, me, and many other black creators and people especially Texans, of which I am one. Bye!

#miraculous ladybug #miraculous #miraculous ocs #miraculous tales of ladybug and chat noir #cosette bellamy

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thefcguy · 6 days ago

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My Miracle Box

So, I have created a bunch of miracle boxes for my AUs. Most didn't work out cause lack of motivation/inspiration.

However, since a new AU of mine (Next Spots) will need a new miracle box... I have created my favorite one for it (that might be used for other AUs).

I will just like to disclaim that, although most of this miraculi are located in the US, and Liiri is a part of this box... it isn't the native american miracle box, or any other.

Mostly cause I have seen many people creating their own versions based on the Native American zodiac, and I was afraid of copy-pasting it. Although I know it's kind of inevitable, considering how many kwamis we have created as a community, but I didn't t want o grab someone's entire miracle box.

I would also like to disclaim that there are just two miracle boxes in most of my AUs, cause I can't create like 5 without getting repetitive.

If you guys want to use it, feel free. Just give me credit.

Eagle Miraculous:

Liiri is the same as canon. They represent liberty.

The Jewel is a pendant.

The power is liberation, and allows the holder to free others from a specific feeling or effect.

The weapon is a bullroarer.

Lion Miraculous:

Maane is the Kwami of Motivation. The jewel is a bracelet.

The power they give is of “Mighty Shout”, enhancing the power of a miraculi, or any natural skill of a holder, as long as the holder is transformed and wants it (5 minutes rule if the holder is a minor).

Their jewel is a bracelet. The weapon is gauntlets.

Unlike the power of the rooster, which can give any power to the holder (as long as it isn’t a part of the Chinese Box), the Lion’s power depends on the previous abilities of the holder, not being able to give them any overly fantastical powers (like laser eyes or flight.)

The Owl Miraculous:

Myynd is the Kwami of Revelation. The Jewel is glasses.

They are an erudite kwami who are usually formal, but peaceful. Almost like a mentor.

The weapon is a magnifying glass, and their power, “Lens of Truth,” allows the holder to see what is happening under the curtains.

It can be used to reveal identities, see invisible things, and reveal what the person is hiding

Wolf Miraculous:

Howll is the Kwami of Authority. The Jewel is a Choker.

Their weapon is a scepter, and their power is “Command”.

The Jewel is a Choker.

(Power created by my friend Nate as a secondary power for the Dog).

Swan Miraculous:

Kissu is the canon kwami of love… and I headcanon them as a swan here. The jewels are earrings.

The power is “Swan Kiss,” and it makes the victim become obsessed with the holder and do whatever they want to. It also makes the holder more convincing.

Their weapon is a Mirror.

Chameleon Miraculous:

Cammo is the kwami of Adaptation. The Jewel is a Belt Buckle.

The power is “Camouflage”, in which the holder gets to copy the ability of the akuma or holder he touches or uses his whip.

Their jewel is a brooch.

Raven Miraculous:

The Miraculous of information. The jewel is a thumb ring.

Odixx is a somber kwami, but, it’s not like Howll, who is forced edge.

They are usually good with advice.

Their power “Shadow Spy” allows the holder to create a small energy raven. They will ask a question to the Raven, choose a target, and when the Raven enters the target, the holder will gather the info, and return. The shadow spy also has a “camera mode” where they can observe a group of people for a certain amount of time, and the holder can project the image, like a security camera.

Grasshopper Miraculous:

Hoppy is the kwami of Renovation. The jewel is an anklet.

Their power is called “Enhancement”, and the holder can improve any device with just a touch. (JuryRigg and Upgrade fusion of sorts).

The weapon is a Scrediver (that can change to any other tool).

Beetle Miraculous:

Fihtt is the kwami of Confrontation. The Jewel is a Panja Bracelet.

They are very hot-headed and confrontational.

Their power is called “Maximize”, and allows the holder to become a giant.

The weapon is a Spear.

Sheep Miraculous:

Hyyp is the kwami of Restoration. The Jewel is a brooch.

The power is called “Blessful Rest”, and it can heal diseases, remove negative effects from other miraculous (like Venom or Uproar) and from akumas.

The weapon is schyte.

Mantis Miraculous:

Sleesh is the Kwami of Concentration. The jewel is a ring.

The power is called “Dissipate” and allows the holder to turn invisible.

The weapon is a Sword.

Scorpion Miraculous:

Poiis is the kwami of corruption. The Jewel is a choker.

The Power is called “Corrupt” and allows the holder to infect a person (sometimes through an object) to obey their whims.

It’s not mind control, but as long as the person is corrupted, they will believe that they love/respect the holder more than anything.

The weapon is an Axe.

Bat Miraculous:

Faang is the kwami of fear. The Jewels are hair clips.

The Power is called “Terrorize”, which allows the holder to create an energy bat that, once bites the holder, makes them hallucinate with their worst fear.

The weapon is a Knife.

Raccoon Miraculous:

Praank is the kwami of Chaos. The jewel is glasses.

The Power is called “Doomsday”, and it brings misfortune to anyone but the holder.

The weapon is a Boomerang.

Shark Miraculous:

Phaam is the kwami of Volatility. The Jewel is a pendant.

The Power is called “Phantom”, and it allows the holder to walk through objects.

The weapon is a Bow with energy arrows.

Bear Miraculous:

Hibeer is the kwami of Absorption. The jewel is a belt buckle.

The Power is called “Void Cave” and it allows the holder to create a pocket dimension on their belly (a fusion of a care bear and lion’s mane from Steven Universe).

The weapon is a hammer.

Dolphin Miraculous:

Waave is the kwami of Communication. The miraculous is a circlet.

The Power is called “Sound Link,” and it allows the holder to create a magical mental connection. It can be used to reach out to an ally, stay in contact with your allies, or try to interfere with Hawk Moth’s powers.

The weapon is a Lute.

Axolotl Miraculous:

Imagge is the Kwami of Connection. The miraculous is a pendant.

The power “Nexus” allows the holder to enter a place where all dimensions are connected.

The weapon is a keyblade.

#miraculous ladybug #miraculous #miraculous au #my miracle box #creating kwamis is almost impossible nowadays #I tried avoiding copying #but I probably still did

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thefcguy · 8 days ago

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Fanart from the old days...

I actually like reading Turn Loose The Mermaids (note: scene is not in the fic but it’s smth out of it ‘ 3 ‘)

Dub by my dearest Val!! EDIT: Credits to the original author of the AU from here on tumblr! THANK YOU SO MUCH @taulun!!! I’M DED CUZ OF THIS FIC

#miraculous ladybug

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thefcguy · 8 days ago

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Kael and the Cosmic Guardians

On the Magical Multiverse, many realities exist simultaneously. There is a reality where Music is present anywhere, or technology and magic are one.

Some realities are shiny, others are peaceful, and others are scary...

Earth used to be a reality with magic, until a legion of bad-intentioned Cryptids decided that the fairies had reigned on Earth for far too long, and decided to hunt them down, and any other mythical being who went against their wishes.

Most of the earth fairies went into hiding in a place called Tir Nan Og. And most humans forgot about their existence.

Years later, the council of fairies decides on an arranged marriage between a fairy and the Vampire King as a peace treaty and for fairies to roam freely on Earth again.

The attempt had an effect on the situation, yes, but fairies are far from actually having freedom on Earth.

The peace treaty led to the birth of a fairy/vampire hybrid, Kael, the Sorcerer of the Night.

Kael grew up in a life of terror and fear, surrounded by half-brothers who hated him and the most wicked of fathers.

But now, after years, he finally has the chance to study at the Magix School for Sorcerers!

Nowadays, Red Fountain, Cloudtower, and Alfea all fused into one school, where the students learn negative magic, positive magic and physical combat.

Fairies, Witches, and Specialists are now a thing of the old generation.

Watch as Kael makes friends, learn spells, and faces enemies...

____________________________

So, after seeing @fayflutter 's post-bad-ending AU for Winx Club, I decided to do one for Winx Club as well.

I am actually combinng it with an idea I had a long time ago after seeing people rant on Diabolik Lovers lol.

This AU isn't just a next-gen cause; I am rewriting and changing some stuff about Winx Club, like how the different planets are now realms/realities.

(I am not removing the sci-fi elements, though).

Most of the Winx's adventures from seasons 1-3 are the same. Season 4 didn't happen, though.

The idea of fusing Alfea, Cloudtower, and Red Fountain came from @teawinx 's Roxy Chronicles.

I just decided to also fuse the witches, fairies, and specialists into one group now, just for the plot, and so we can have new types of magic.

The Winxes and all of her generation are the same, though (fairies, witches, or specialists). This change is just for the new generation.

Not enough time has passed for all of the Winx to be mothers.

Flora and Techna work on the new school (which needs a name), and Mirta is the new headmistress.

... And I am using UoW's idea of Bloom and Sky breaking up cause I hate them as a couple :D

I probably won't work much on the AU for now, cause the Hope Hunters and Next Spots are still here, but I may do some art eventually.

Anyway, that's it.

#winx #winx club #winx club next gen #winx au #winx rewrite

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thefcguy · 9 days ago

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#miraculous ladybug #miraculous #marinette salt #Adrien salt #Lila salt #Sabrina sugar #Sabrina deserves better #sabrina raincomprix #gabriel agreste salt #miraculous salt #Felix salt

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thefcguy · 9 days ago

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Like, even if miraculous is not the best with character development, most of the other heroes had a mini arc on their episodes.

Alya understood why people can’t always be honest, Nino got the confidence to protect Alya, Juleka gained the courage to speak her mind, and Kagami learned friendship is more important than success.

And even if it wasn’t their technical hero debuts, Nathaniel learned to stand up to his mother in The Ruler, Sabrina learned people can change in Daddy Cop, and Ivan learned he doesn’t have to follow his father’s footsteps.

But Zoe had no change in this episode. She doesn’t even learn to stand up to Chloe before becoming Kitty Noir:

She had more of an arc with Plagg in the Kwami’s choice special than with Pollen… and that’s why I usually say she should have gotten the Fox.

Trixx is similar to Plagg, and they could have helped her with her self-esteem.

Zoé Lee - An Analysis (Part 3)

It's time for one of the worst hero debut episodes of the show, and how much it impacts Zoe's character... or, in this case, how it doesn't: "Queen Banana".

But first, I would like to explain what is a hero debut and what I consider to be a good hero debut.

Ever since season 2, the show added this gimmick of, whenever Ladybug and Chat Noir need a helping hand, Ladybug goes after Master Fu, or her yo-yo, and grab one of the other miraculi on the box.

Then, she lends the miraculous during the battle, and, at the end, the hero returns their miraculous, and they end up learning something with the experience.

The miraculous chosen and the akuma usually have something to do with the arc the character is going through in the episode, and the akuma is usually someone from the character's family or someone who is important for their situation.

Sapotis, the first hero debut episode, is about Alya's insistent pursuit of finding out Ladybug's identity, and the idea of trust. Alya thinks that Ladybug should trust Paris with her identity, and Marinette is questioning how much she can trust Alya. And, the akuma of the chapter are Alya's twin sisters.

Anansi is about what Nino is capable of doing to protect Alya, and the akuma of the episode is her sister-in-law.

Malediktator is about what happens when people in power abuse their authority. How alone they end up being, and how they can hurt those under them. It's one of the few episodes where Chloe actually seems to get close to learning something. And the akuma is her father.

Startrain has a lot to do with Max's relationship with his mother, and how close they are, and how much they would go for one another.

Ikari Gozen is about Kagami's loneliness, and how her pursuit of perfection, something that has been imposed by her mother since birth, has isolated her from kids her age. And the akuma is Tomoe.

This would make you think that Queen Banana should be an episode about Zoe and the troubles she is facing... well, let's see if it's true.

To begin with... the episode already goes back to the usual and the first scene is with Marinette.

This doesn't necessarily mean something bad, cause the majority of episodes start with her, but it already shows hints that last episode was an exception to the rule, and the writers went back to their usual way of handling episodes by somehow making the plot about Marinette, Adrien and/or the Love Square.

Then, the episode explains what's happening: Thomas Astruc, a successful director who used to study at François Dupont, is making a movie with students who gave up their break (according to the Brazilian dub) to be a part of it.

Although you might expect me to make a comment about how Astruc is giving himself the best life in the miraculous universe... I honestly think it's a normal thing for writers. Why wouldn't you write yourself with your ideal life in your own work?

And then Chloé finds out that her "half-relative" is going to star in this school production, that is been financed by the government, and then it will air in some cinemas around town... as you expect, she isn't happy about it.

Although the scene isn't out of character for Chloé... I HAVE TO comment on how she is the first main character to have a relevant dialogue on this episode. Not Zoé (who this episode is supposedly about), not Marinette (which would be bad, but, meh, it's the usual), or anyone else of the main cast. It's CHLOÉ. On an episode about Zoé becoming a hero...

Chloé, at the speed of sound, arrives at Dupont ready to "reclaim what's hers". What's interesting about this scene is how the writers are trying to use Chloe to show how "annoying" the fans who complain about Zoe's sudden debut are.

And, being frank, although I like Zoe... her debut could have been handled better. They had an entire special set in New York, and they chose to give focus to a robot girl, and ripoffs of Marvel and DC instead of introducing a character that was going to join the main cast on the next season.

Some fans complain too much, not gonna lie, but the critique about Zoe's sudden debut is valid. And I think they should have handled it a bit better.

And we are already 2:30 minutes into the episode, and Zoe still hasn't said anything important. She just read her lines for the movie, cowered when Chloé threatened, and smiled at Marinette.

And that's her hero debut episode, everybody...

Next, we have a seen where Zoe opens up to Marinette and Alya about how she is unsure of her position on the Bourgeois family, and how she is scared of how Chloé and her mother are alike, and we get to know more about her father back in New York and then...

JUST KIDDING!

It's another scene about Chloé having a temper tantrum to get what she wants.

Then the writers use Bob Roth to comment on how the cinema industry isn't about passion or talent, but about making money and pleasing the executives...

Interesting commentary, but a bit weird on an episode about Zoe getting her hero debut, and the script not giving her any lines yet.

Marinette, who is tired of Chloés nonsense (just like the rest of the fandom tbh), tries to stand up for her friend, but backs down when Chloé threatens to send Zoé back to New York.

Although it makes sense for Zoé to not do anything here (since this episode is about her gaining confidence), it makes sense for her to not speak up yet... however, need I remind you all how this is ZOÈ'S HERO DEBUT and she hasn't had any significant lines yet?

Then we have a scene about Zoé and Mylene sharing experiences they had with acting and being insecure in the past. Either be past plays they were a part of, or movies that gave them inspiration and...

JUST KIDDING AGAIN! WE ARE MOVING TO THE RECORDING SESSIONS NOW!

And Chloé and Marinette have an interaction, which is just perfect for a hero debut episode for Zoé, don't you agree? :D

Next scene, we have Chloé complaining about being the bad guy, and Thomas trying to calm the kids down by saying that last minute changes on the script are normal.

... a bit weird, considering how he complained about American way of wasting time and money on scripts, huh?

(He tweeted about it).

Then we have a scene with Zoé talking to her father about how excited she was to be a part of this movie, how sad she is for not even being on screen, and how scared she is of going back to New York to her old bullies and...

Just kidding! For the third time!

Now, Chloe is finding a way to add Queen Bee Queen Banana into the movie!

Wow, it's a great idea to shove the old bee hero in the fandom's face, who a big part of the fans haven't moved on from her disastrous arc on an episode about the new bee hero. It's not like these fans will start hating the new bee hero for it. :D

(Man, I am very sarcastic on these reviews).

I was going to add another joke on how this was supposed to be a Zoe moment, but I lost the energy for that.

At least, this scene isn't just Chloe having a tantrum... It's also Gabriel being a questionable father, so he can get an Akuma eventually.

I would like to comment, though, on how cool the idea of a villainous cosmic octopus would be.

... it's a shame they only use this idea for a gag.

And then Chloé demands an entirely new villain, and of course, she doesn't know anything about movies or CGI...

(And Zoe still hasn't done anything so far.)

Then, after Gabriel's interference, they manage to actually make the movie, Chloe gets angry and leaves...

Also, sidenote, Marinette's costumes for the movie were AWFUL! I know that students made this, but, in theory, Marinette is so talented... and she has made at least 2 other items of clothing that were better than this.

And Adrien finally does something... after 4 seasons... it doesn't lead anywhere, but uh... it's something?

(I will try to hold back the Adrien and Marinette salt on this one... also, even ADRIEN gets more scenes in this episode than Zoé...)

Then, she gets akumatized into Queen Banana...

I was talking with @nerdy-chocomallow about how bad Chloé's akumatized one day, and... my gosh, Queen Banana is not the exception.

Antibug, Queen Wasp, and Miracle Queen are recolors. Sole Destoryer matches her, but it's uncreative since it's a copy of Sole Crusher, Queen Mayor is just Chloe with a fancy outfit, Chlonika's pretty meh, and Penalteam has a good design and cool powers... but a bad episode.

I feel like Queen Banana is the worst, though, because it's silly, it's too exaggerated (she has a car and a sentient monster), and just unpleasant to look at in general.

And the power is ridiculous, Chloe, utterly ridiculous.

But hey, Zoe finally gets to have something plot-relevant to say! It's pretty basic, cause she is just suggesting surrendering to Queen Banana, and her conflict with her sister has been overly simple and cartoony until now, and the only connection she has with the bee is how her sister was the past holder, and half of the episode has happened already and...

Oops, this scene isn't good at all.

Then we have Zoe's second scene on the episode... where she tries surrendering to Queen Banana, and it fails...

Then, after two scenes in the episode, Zoe ends up receiving the miraculous of the bee... which gives her the power to paralyze the opponents...

Yes, Ladybug chose the Bee for Zoe. Because it's not like the Ox (that would allow her to get close to Queen Banana without turning into one), the Dog (which would allow her to steal the akumatized object from afar), the Rooster (which would allow her to turn invisible), the Mouse (which would allow her to ambush Queen Banana), or the Dragon (who grants the holder 3 powers, which is the number of problems they have) are better options.

And it's not like there are miraculous with match Zoé's arc better, like the Ox, giving her resistence and determination to stand up to Chloe, the Mouse, which would give her confidence cause she is not alone, the Dog (which could show how her love for her new friends is stronger than her fear of Chloe) are available.

And fun fact, they swapped the concept of the Bee Miraculous! Originally speaking, it was Subjection, which perfectly fit the power of venom (you are ordering the person to stay still, after all). Now, it's the concept of action... which is the most abstract thing ever!

Like, seriously, all of the kwamis represent an abstract concept, but action is WAY TOO MUCH ABSTRACT. As Baljeet from PnF said once, "Even not doing anything is a choice" (choosing not to act is already an action).

And the only connection between the concept and Zoe that I found is that Zoe is an ACTor... get it, actor and action...

And then we have Zoe's conflict of the episode... You guys are probably curious, considering the episode didn't give us any struggle for her, besides being vaguely afraid of Chloe (vaguely afraid cause the only one who reacts to Chloe's threats of sending Zoe away is Marinette).

Zoe says (in the Brazilian Dub) that she is "Too Weak"... and that is the most generic excuse ever! Just like action, weakness is too abstract for us to work with.

If she had worded it differently: "I am too powerless", or "Chloe's too powerful", it would have worked out better.

It would even tie to the bee's old concept of "Subjection", cause Zoe would be giving Chloe a taste of her own medicine (and even then, I don't think the bee is the best fit for Zoe).

All of this just makes the connection between Zoe and the bee too weak. She isn't the only exception (I still think Alix and Evolution combo is a bit too far-fetched), but since Chloe fits the animal and theme so well, it doesn't help Vesperia's image. And speaking of her!

Vesperia makes her debut! Because it's not like there are other characters that have been around since season 1 that deserved to get their miraculous first right?

Nathaniel? Ivan? Sabrina? Juleka? Rose? Mylene? Don't know them! And it's not like there are 4 heroes this season that didn't gain a transformation sequence, right?

Irony aside, I also think that her personality is very uninteresting. The thing they do in miraculous is how the holders get to unleash a new side of themselves while transformed.

Marinette gains the confidence to be a great leader. Adrien gets the freedom to be more playful. Gabriel gains the freedom to be more eccentric.

However, the secondary heroes are mostly the same as their civilian counterparts, but are very obedient towards Ladybug.

They tried changing things up with Vesperia, but, honestly, she is basically Chat Noir 2.0, and it's not that interesting.

I honestly feel like Vesperia should be angrier. Since Zoe's always so stressed because of her family, I think Vesperia should be more violent. She should shout a lot, be intense during battles, and even be a bit disobedient towards Ladybug and Chat Noir. Like Miley Cyrus on Wrecking Ball.

The battle with Queen Banana is pretty... meh, to be honest. The bee miraculous wasn't even that useful.

All Vesperia did was paralyze the sentimonster... which, was kind of useful, but... come on, other miraculi would have been more interesting.

And the entire battle is the heroes just praising Vesperia, which doesn't help a lot to beat the allegations of her being a Mary Sue...

The episode ends with a scene that didn't help with Zoe's image at all.

In this scene, Zoe uses her acting skills to make Chloe use the anti-akuma charm, cause she didn't want to wear it.

Honestly, I don't blame Zoe at all for that. She did what she had to, and it worked.

The episode itself shows that Chloe was going to be akumatized again.

But this doesn't help Zoe's image with the rest of the fandom. If the buildup for this event had been different, I feel like the moment would have gone unnoticed... but considering how the entire episode is about making Chloe seem bad, and Zoe seem like a victim, the scene leaves a sour taste to many (not me).

Now, time for the final consideration.

The Good:

Chloé finally had an akuma that wasn't a recolor.

Vesperia's design is good.

The Bad:

Where do I even start?

The episode isn't about Zoe. She barely has screen time, lines, impact, or depth. She is just there to be sad and use the bee miraculous.

Chloe's tantrums, Marinette's frustrations, and Adrien's sort of attempts take up too much of the screen time.

They don't build any connection between Zoe and the bee miraculous.

Queen Banana is a bad akuma. Design-wise and ability-wise.

The episode happened too soon. Zoe gained her miraculous right after her debut, while Juleka, Rose, and Mylene only got theirs way after, and the remaining four heroes were squished in Penalteam.

Vesperia doesn't have anything remarkable about her. Her design is good, but she doesn't have an interesting personality or dynamic with the rest of the group.

They keep on forcing the rivalry between Zoe and Chloe, and they are not the perfect opposites that the show thinks they are.

Audrey, who should be the key problem for Zoe to face, isn't seen anywhere.

In the end, Queen Banana is a very bland episode. It's just the writers trying to shove on our faces how bad Chloe is, and how Zoe deserves the miraculous more than her... without giving Zoe any moment on the spotlight.

We don't get to learn how she feels about having her dream taken away from her, she doesn't talk to her friends about how she is feeling... actually, forget about that. She doesn't talk in this episode. Period.

Below is how I would write Zoe's hero debut as the bee wielder.

My Ideal Vesperia debut:

The episode would start with Zoe walking down a hallway of the hotel while she is typing something on her phone. She eventually arrives at a door, and she takes a deep breath before opening it.

On the other side, she sees Andre, Audrey, and Chloe sitting around a huge board game. Andre welcomes Zoe to the "Bourgeois Family Game Night," and Audrey quickly complains about it. Chloe, on the other hand, seems very excited about the idea of pleasing Audrey, and threatens Zoe that she will regret it if she does better than her.

Zoe seems a bit scared, but she is determined to try to have a good family time.

Meanwhile, on the houseboat, Marinette is reunited with Alya and her friends. Alya asks if Zoe's not coming, and Marinette answers that she is having a family game night.

Everyone shivers, and Alix comments on how it's more of a torture night with Chloe over there.

Back at the game night, Zoe is trying to have fun while playing, but every time she tries to advance, Chloe glares at her, which makes her only advance a little.

When Andre tries to do the same, Chloe is even more aggressive, shouting at him to stay in the same place.

When Audrey's turn arrives, she rolls the dice while on her phone, and she cares so little about the game that she orders Claude (Chloe) to move her piece for her.

Chloe, eager to please her mom, obeys her every whim.

Zoe takes the chance to comment on how it would be cool if her father were there, since he was great at board games.

Audrey gets angry at the comment and calls Zoe's father a loser. Chloe, while not knowing anything about the guy, agrees he is a loser (since she mimics everything Audrey does).

Andre tries to calm her down, even if he seems to have some sort of respect for Mr. Lee.

Zoe, then, shuts her mouth, but caresses her shoes (since I like the headcanon of them being a gift from Mr. Lee).

Meanwhile, the scene changes to a dark room full of geeky stuff (board games, video games, and mostly comics), where an old, tall man is looking at the window.

He grabs his phone and types a number. It turns out that his guy is Mr. Lee, and he is trying to speak with Zoe. However, she hasn't been answering his calls for a long time.

Back at the hotel, Chloe ends up winning the game, and Zoe and Andre congratulate her. However, Audrey just yawns and stands up.

Then Chloe grabs her arm and asks her if she isn't impressed. Audrey not only says she is not impressed, but says she and Zoe are just powerless parasites in her eyes that waste her time.

Zoe tries to console her sister, but Chloe snaps at her, saying she is just a useless drone in a family of queens, like her father. In the end, Andre tries to mediate the fight, which only leads to more chaos.

While the three are too busy bickering, Zoe leaves the room, feeling sad, and goes to the rooftop.

While she is there, Armand arrives with a cup of tea for Zoe and asks if there is any problem.

At first, Zoe acts as if everything is fine, but she eventually vents to her butler about how she is struggling to fit in with her family.

Zoe explains that she never felt so powerless and so below when she was with her father, and that she doesn't know what to do. She is tired of how her mom and Chloe are treating her and how Andre never stands up to them.

Then Armand says that all Zoe needs to do is have faith in herself to get on their level, and Zoe just says it's easier said than done.

While they talk, an akuma flies past them in the family's direction.

Long story short, the Akuma enters the board game, and the Bourgeois Family gets akumatized.

The board gets split into three, each villain (Style Queen, Malediktator, and Antibug, cause Queen Banana is awful).

After they get akumatized, the whole city becomes a board game, and each villain has their own henchmen to fight.

When Ladybug and Chat Noir arrive at the battlefield, they are even more confused about what to do next. Most of their allies are now henchmen; they don't know anything about the akuma, and they don't have much time to think.

Zoe, then, walks to them and explains what she knows. Ladybug thanks her and summons her lucky charm on top of a building.

The object shows her and Chat Noir that they need the bee. Chat is a bit reluctant about giving this miraculous to someone again, but Ladybug trusts the magic of the Lucky charm and goes after Zoe.

When Ladybug tries to give Zoe the miraculous, Zoe tries to deny it at first, saying she will never be on her family's level.

Ladybug tells Zoe that it's not true, and her family doesn't have the right to boss her. And, even if they try, Zoe will always have someone to have her back

Zoe, then, accepts the bee miraculous, and she transforms into Vesperia.

The trio then splits. Ladybug goes after Antibug, Chat Noir goes after Malediktator, and Vesperia against Style Queen.

Antibug takes the chance to shout at Ladybug for benching Queen Bee, and Malediktator blames Chat Noir and the heroes for the issues his family is facing.

Meanwhile, Vesperia gets to be the one to give Style Queen a reality check. While she is dodging attacks, she uses her spinning top to launch debris at her, puts her in her place, says she is the real loser, and so on.

After each hero breaks their board game piece, the three reunite them at the Hotel, and Ladybug tries to give them magical charms.

Chloe and Audrey refuse to use it, but Vesperia then threatens them with using Venom to through them down the Eiffel Tower, and they accept their charms.

After Zoe gets back to the family game night, she says she refuses to continue playing it, and when she is threatened by Chloe and Audrey, she says that they can't do anything to her, cause her father and her friends have her back.

When Audrey tries to call Mr. Lee a loser again, Zoe says that if he were such a loser, Audrey wouldn't have been so scared of allowing Zoe to move in after being threatened with having her dirty secrets exposed to the public.

The episode ends with Zoe calling her father so she can tell him about how her new life in Paris has been going.

______

Is my chapter pitch idea perfect? No. Honestly, I think it has a lot of points that can be fixed. But, I just finished my college semester, and I wrote the majority of this post across one night (sorry for the typos).

What I am trying to show is: they could have come up with something different for the plot of ZOE'S debut episode. If they wanted an episode to finish Chloe's downfall, they could have done it another time.

Anyway, next time I will talk about the rest of Zoe's presence on season 4 (or lack of it) and why her rivalry with Chloe doesn't work.

Spoiler Warning: There will be Zuko and Azula mentions!

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