#“asha just wanted him to grant every wish”

[somecallmejohn]

Some Magnifico defenders really are the type of person to tell Ariel that she had it coming after being taken by Ursula because she had signed a deal with her, cuz fuck ethics amirite?

"The people of Rosas agreed to live in the kingdom under Magnifico's rules and to give away their wishes" OK... cool motive, that doesn't make his actions and decisions ethically right tho.

[artsekey]

Disney's Wish

Look, Disney's Wish has been universally panned across the internet, and for good reason.

It’s just…kind of okay.

 When we sit down to watch a Disney film—you know, from the company that dominated the animation industry from 1989 to (arguably) the mid 2010’s and defined the medium of animation for decades—we expect something magnificent. Now, I could sit here and tell you everything that I thought was wrong with Wish, but if you’re reading this review, then I imagine that you’ve already heard the most popular gripes from other users across the web. So, let me focus in:

The biggest problem with Wish—in fact, the only problem with Wish—is Magnifico.

Whoa, that’s crazy! There’re so many things about Wish that could’ve been better! The original concept was stronger! The music was bad--

I hear you, I do. But stay with me here, okay? Take my hand. I studied under artists from the Disney renaissance. I teach an adapted model of Disney’s story pipeline at a University level. I spent a ridiculous amount of time getting degrees in this, and I am about to dissect this character and the narrative to a stupid degree.

First, we need to understand that a good story doesn’t start and end with what we see on the screen. Characters aren’t just fictional people; when used well, characters are tools the author uses (or in this case, the director) to convey their message to the audience. Each character’s struggle should in some way engage with the story’s message, and consequently, the story’s theme. Similarly, when we look at our protagonist and our antagonist, we should see their characters and their journeys reflected in one-another.

So, what went wrong between Asha & Magnifico in terms of narrative structure?

Act I

In Wish, we’re introduced to our hero not long into the runtime—Asha. She’s ambitious, caring, and community-oriented; in fact, Asha is truly introduced to the audience through her love of Rosas (in “Welcome to Rosas”).  She’s surrounded by a colorful cast of friends who act as servants in the palace, furthering her connection with the idea of community but also telling us that she’s not of status, and then she makes her way to meet Magnifico for her chance to become his next apprentice.

Quick aside: I'm not going to harp on Asha as a character in the context of Disney's overall canon. Almost every review I've seen covers her as a new addition to Disney's ever-growing repertoire of "Cute Quirky Heroines", and I think to be fair to Asha as an actor in the narrative, it serves her best to be weighed within the context of the story she's part of.

As Asha heads upstairs for her interview, we're introduced to the man of the hour: Magnifico. He lives in a tower high above the population of Rosas, immediately showing us how he differs from Asha; he’s disconnected from his community. He lives above them. He has status. While the broader context of the narrative wants us to believe that this also represents a sense of superiority, I would argue that isn’t what Magnifico’s introduction conveys; he's isolated.

Despite this distance, he does connect with Asha in “At All Costs”. For a moment, their goals and values align. In fact, they align so well that Magnifico sees Asha as someone who cares as much about Rosas as he does, and almost offers her the position.

… Until she asks him to grant Saba’s wish.

This is framed by the narrative as a misstep. The resonance between their ideals snaps immediately, and Magnifico says something along the line of “Wow. Most people wait at least a year before asking for something.”

This disappointment isn't played as coming from a place of power or superiority. He was excited by the idea of working with someone who had the same values as he did, who viewed Rosas in the same way he does, and then learns that Asha’s motivations at least partially stem from a place of personal gain.

Well, wait, is that really Asha's goal?

While it's not wholistically her goal, it's very explicitly stated & implied that getting Saba's wish granted is at least a part of it. The audience learns (through Asha's conversation with her friends before the interview) that every apprentice Magnifico has ever had gets not only their wish granted, but the wishes of their family, too!  Asha doesn’t deny that this is a perk that she’s interested in, and I don't think this is a bad thing.

So, Is Asha’s commitment to Saba selfless, or selfish? I’m sure the director wanted it to seem selfless, wherein she believes her family member has waited long enough and deserves his wish granted, but we can’t ignore the broader context of Asha essentially trying to… skip the line.

Then, we get our first point of tension. Magnifico reveals his “true colors” in snapping at Asha, telling her that he “decides what people deserve”. This is supposed to be the great motivator, it’s meant to incite anger in the audience—after all, no one gets to decide what you deserve, right? But unfortunately for the integrity of the film and the audience's suspension of disbelief, at least part of Magnifico’s argument is a little too sound to ignore:

Some wishes are too vague and dangerous to grant. Now, there’s visual irony here; he says this after looking at a 100 old man playing the lute. The idea that something so innocuous could be dangerous is absurd, and the audience is meant to agree.

... But we’ve also seen plenty of other wishes that might be chaotic—flying on a rocket to space, anyone? The use of the word vague is important, too—this implies wording matters, and that a wish can be misinterpreted or evolve into something that is dangerous even if the original intent was innocuous. His reasoning for people forgetting their wish (protecting them from the sadness of being unable to attain their dreams) is much weaker, but still justifiable (in the way an antagonist’s flawed views can be justified). The film even introduces a facet of Magnifico’s backstory that implies he has personal experience with the grief of losing a dream (in the destruction of his home), but that thread is never touched on again.

              What is the audience supposed to take from this encounter? If we’re looking at the director’s intent, I’d argue that we’ve been introduced to a well-meaning young girl and a king who’s locked away everyone’s greatest aspiration because he believes he deserves to have the power to decide who gets to be happy.

              But what are we shown? Our heroine, backed by her friends, strives to be Magnifico’s apprentice because she loves the city but also would really like to see her family's wishes granted. When this request is denied and she loses the opportunity to be his apprentice, she deems Magnifico’s judgement unfair & thus begins her journey to free the dreams of Rosas’ people.

              In fairness, Magnifico doesn’t exhibit sound judgement or kindness through this act of the film. He’s shown to be fickle, and once his composure cracks, he can be vindictive and sharp. He's not a good guy, but I'd argue he's not outright evil. He's just got the makings of a good villain, and those spikes of volatility do give us a foundation to work off of as he spirals, but as we’ll discuss in a bit, the foreshadowing established here isn’t used to the ends it implies.

              While I was watching this film, I was sure Magnifico was going to be a redeemable villain. He can’t connect with people because he's sure they value what he provides more than they value him (as seen in “At All Costs” and the aftermath), and Asha’s asking for more was going to be framed as a mistake. His flaw was keeping his people too safe and never giving them the chance to sink or swim, and he's too far removed from his citizens to see that he is appreciated. Asha does identify this, and the culmination of her journey is giving people the right to choose their path, but the way Magnifico becomes the “true” villain and his motivations for doing so are strangely divorced from what we’re shown in Act I.  

Act II:

His song, “This is the Thanks I Get!?” furthers the idea that Magnifico’s ire—and tipping point—is the fact that he thinks the people he’s built a kingdom for still want more. Over the course of this 3:14 song, we suddenly learn that Magnifico sends other people to help his community and doesn’t personally get involved (we never see this outside of this song), and that he’s incredibly vain/narcissistic (he's definitely a narcissist). I think feeling under-appreciated is actually a very strong motivation for Magnifico as a character-turning-villain, and it works very well. It’s justified based on what we’ve seen on screen so far: he feels under-appreciated (even though he’s decidedly not—the town adores him), he snaps and acts irrationally under stress (as seen with his outburst with Asha), and he’s frustrated that people seem to want more from him (again, as seen with his conversation with Asha in Act I).

              But then… he opens the book.

Ah, the book. As an object on screen, we know that it's filled with ancient and evil magic, well-known to be cursed by every relevant character in the film, and kept well-secured under lock and key. But what does it stand for in the context of the narrative's structure? A quick path to power? We're never told that it has any redeeming qualities; Magnifico himself doesn't seem to know what he's looking for when he opens it. It feels... convenient.

I think it's also worth noting that he only turns to the book when he's alone; once again, the idea of connection and community rears it's ugly head! Earlier in the film, Amaya-- his wife-- is present and turns him away from taking that path. In her absence, he makes the wrong choice.

This decision could make sense; it contains powerful magic, and if it were framed in such a way that the people of Rosas were losing faith in Magnifico’s magic, as if what he can do might not be enough anymore after what they felt from Star, going for the book that we know contains spells that go above and beyond what he can already do would be logical. Along the lines of, “If they’re not happy with what I do for them, fine. I, ever the “martyr”, will do the unthinkable for you, because you want more.”

            It would keeps with the idea that Magnifico believes he's still trying to help people, but his motivation has taken his self-imposed pity party and turned it into resentment and spite.

 But, that’s not the case. Instead he talks about reversing that “light”, which has had no real negative or tangible consequences on Rosas. Everyone had a warm feeling for a few seconds. Again, it’s meant to paint him as a vain control freak, but… he hasn’t lost any power. The citizens of Rosas even assume the great showing of magic was Magnifico.

Act III

              Then, we get to the consequences of opening the book (and perhaps my biggest qualm with this film). The book is established as being cursed. Magnifico knows it, Asha knows it, and Amaya—who is introduced as loyal-- knows it. The characters understand his behavior is a direct result of the book, and search for a way to save him. This is only the focus of the film for a few seconds, but if you think about it, the fact that his own wife cannot find a way to free him of the curse he’s been put under is unbelievably tragic. Worse still, upon discovering there is no way to reverse the curse, Magnifico—the king who built the city & “protected it” in his own flawed way for what seems to be centuries—is thrown out by his wife. You know, the wife who's stood loyal at his side for years?

              It’s played for laughs, but there’s something unsettling about a character who’s clearly and explicitly under the influence of a malevolent entity being left… unsaved. If you follow the idea of Magnifico being disconnected from community being a driving force behind his arc, the end of the film sees him in a worse situation he was in at the start: truly, fully alone.

              They bring in so many opportunities for Magnifico to be sympathetic and act as a foil for Asha; he’s jaded, she’s not. He’s overly cautious (even paranoid), she’s a risk-taker. He turns to power/magic at his lowest point, Asha turns to her friends at her lowest point. Because this dichotomy isn’t present, and Magnifico—who should be redeemable—isn’t, the film is so much weaker than it could’ve been. The lack of a strong core dynamic between the protagonist and antagonist echoes through every facet of the film from the music to the characterization to the pacing, and I believe if Magnifico had been more consistent, the film would’ve greatly improved across the board.

I mean, come on! Imagine if at the end of the film, Asha—who, if you remember, did resonate with Magnifico’s values at the start of the film—recognizes that he's twisted his original ideals and urges him to see the value in the people he’s helped, in their ingenuity, in their gratitude, & that what he was able to do before was enough. Going further, asking what his wish is or was—likely something he’s never been asked— and showing empathy! We’d come full circle to the start of the film where Asha asks him to grant her wish.

Pushing that further, if Magnifico’s wish is to see Rosas flourish or to be a good/beloved king, he'd have the the opportunity to see the value in failing and how pursuing the dream is its own complex and valuable journey, and how not even he is perfect.

 The curse and the book (which, for the purposes of this adjustment, would need to be established as representing the idea of stepping on others to further your own goals/the fast way to success), then serve as the final antagonist, that same curse taking root in the people of Rosas who’ve had their dreams destroyed, and Asha works with the community to quell it. Asha’s learned her lesson, so has Magnifico, and the true source of evil in the film—the book—is handled independently. Magnifico steps back from his role as King, Amaya still ends up as Queen, and Asha takes her place as the new wish-granter.

This route could even give us the true “Disney villain” everyone’s craving; giving the book sentience and having it lure Magnifico in during “This is the Thanks I Get!?” leaves it as its own chaotic evil entity.

All in all, Magnifico's introduction paved a road to redemption that the rest of the film aggressively refused to deliver on, instead doubling down on weaker motivations that seem to appear out of thin air. Once the audience thinks, hey, that bad guy might have a point, the protagonist has to do a little more heavy lifting to convince us they're wrong.

Look at the big-bad-greats from Disney's library. There isn't a point in the Lion King where we pause and think, "Wait a second, maybe Scar should be the guy who rules the Pridelands." Ursula from the Little Mermaid, though motivated by her banishment from King Triton's Seas, never seems to be the right gal for the throne. Maybe Maleficent doesn't get invited to the princess's birthday party, but we don't watch her curse a baby and think, Yeah, go curse that baby, that's a reasonable response to getting left out.

What do they all have in common? Their motivation is simple, their goal is clear, and they don't care who they hurt in pursuit of what they want.

Magnifico simply doesn't fall into that category. He's motivated by the idea of losing power, which is never a clear or impactful threat. His goal at the start seems to be to protect Rosas, then it turns into protecting his own power, and then-- once he's corrupted-- he wants to capture Star. The problem is, there's no objective to put this power toward. Power for power's sake is useless. Scar craves power because he feels robbed of status. Ursula believes the throne is rightfully hers. Maleficent wanted to make a statement. Magnifico... well, I'm not really sure.

[artist-issues]

I remember during the making of Tangled, the filmmakers said they had to work hard to design Rapunzel’s tower to be beautiful and seem like a cozy, fun environment, while also making Mother Gothel seem sweet and loveable, if manipulative.

Because, they said, if the environment is too much like a prison, and Gothel is too much like a villainess, the audience wouldn’t believe in Rapunzel as a character. They’d think she was either stupid or cowardly, to stay in such a nasty situation without trying to escape sooner. But if her circumstances seem just livable enough, just sweet enough, that you can see some of the appeal, then you wouldn’t blame her for waiting so long to leave.

Why didn’t they do that with Wish?

Why didn’t they think that relatability through?

Nobody is really feeling compelled to root for the everyday Rosas citizens during the movie. You don’t feel like rooting for Asha’s cause, or even Queen Amaya’s. Because you think to yourself, “why did it take the townspeople so long to ask the question ‘why can’t we just have our wishes back?’”

Asha comes up with those culture-breaking questions, inexplicably, in the first twenty minutes of the movie. It takes the rest of the townspeople about 24 hours to suddenly start asking that, too.

So why don’t you root for them?

Because when something bad happens to them, part of your brain goes, “why didn’t they see that coming, though? Why didn’t they ask questions? That one’s a little bit on them.”

And you don’t really feel that feeling you got with Mother Gothel, where you were like, “Oh yeah, I can see why the main character trusted this villain; the villain really seems to care about the hero, if you didn’t know what she was after.” You don’t;t get that same feeling with Magnifico. Because the whole idea of what he does—by erasing people’s memories and yelling at them and having no moments with regular folk where he’s warm and personal and building trust—is so malicious that we don’t believe the other characters couldn’t see it.

We COULD HAVE believed it. If they’d added in good writing and character moments to make it believable.

When Magnifico interacts with the people who trust him and are duped by him, he’s up on a stage, flashing superpowers they don’t have and then disappearing back into his tower after only granting one wish. He’s not on the welcome tour with Asha. He doesn’t know his own palace staff by name. He’s done nothing to build the trust all the side-characters unquestioningly give him. So even at the end, when everyone’s like, “aw, we wanted to believe in Magnifico,” we don’t feel it. Because didja? Why? Everyone could see that coming.

Meanwhile Mother Gothel tells Rapunzel she loves her most every time she leaves. She laughs with her. She reinforces every conversation they have with the idea that she’s desperate to protect Rapunzel. She brings her her favorite soup as a surprise and remembers the ingredients. She goes to get white paint on a very long trip so Rapunzel can paint. She compliments her strength and beauty—even if it’s backhanded. She calls her “dear,” and “darling.” She knocks thugs out with sticks, returning even after she argued with and supposedly ‘gave up’ on Rapunzel, all to supposedly’ protect’ her. So when Rapunzel realizes it was all an act, and she’s wrathful and furious and grabs Gothel’s hand, we DO feel it. Because we believed that Rapunzel really didn’t see this coming, so the shock stings worse. We don’t blame Rapunzel, and we do blame Gothel.

Just another example of what #NotMyDisney forgot about themselves.

[terrythemerry]

I just watched Wish (2023) and it made me realize something kind of sad about Disney’s treatment of villains.

So Disney has a long history of villainy from the OG Evil Queen who is willing to murder a girl just for being pretty to the misguided like Auto thinking he’s protecting humanity in Wall-E. They are mean, jealous, prideful, vain, and many relish in just being the worst of the worst. However every now and then we get a glimpse of more complexity. Zootopia’s Bellwether dealing with years of racism and mistreatment, Gantu trying to stop what he thinks is a monster in Lilo and Stitch, Up’s Muntz being a heroic explorer before paranoia consumed him, etc. The thing that makes me sad about these villains is that not one of them has ever had a chance at redemption or change in Disney’s eyes and nowhere is that sadder to me than their latest villain, King Magnifico.

(Spoilers below)

King Magnifico is the magical founder of a utopian society that accepts people of all races, religions, and backgrounds. Who created this wonderful place after what is heavily implied to be a violent invasion destroyed his homeland when he was but a child. This past trauma led him to study magic and become a powerful sorcerer so that nothing could hurt him or the people he cared about ever again. His magic is a protection that he extends to all who choose to live in the city. The city is vibrant with a colorful community full of artisans, musicians, and dancers. He takes no taxes from them, but does take their one true wish upon joining this society.

When given these wishes it is understood that he will ensure their safety and possibly grant them one day. Something important to note about the physical manifestations of the wishes is that they give off a warm and comforting aura as they represent some of the purest parts of a person’s soul. Magnifico has been surrounding himself with this magical comfort for a very very long time by himself and I don’t think it’s unfair to say he has become addicted to their presence. The wishes are giving him a magical comfort through the kind souls within them, a feeling he could’ve probably also gotten if he had spent more time with his people.

It doesn’t look like he ever really got the chance to commune with his people properly because somehow the society kicked off on his wish granting abilities. People had to give him their wishes if they wanted them granted and eventually the ones that he couldn’t grant in good conscience or out of fear started adding up so he began locking them away. Keeping them safe so no harm came to the people. The rare occasions that anyone else interacts with these wishes is during wish granting ceremonies that the people are borderline rabid for. With good reason, it is their souls they’re thirsting for after all even if they don’t really know it.

However, Magnifico clearly doesn’t see it that way. He sees it as he’s given these people a wonderful safe haven from the horrors of the outside world where they can be whoever they want to be, do what they want to do, make what they want to make, and still all they see in him is a tool to fastpass to something else they want even more than the peace he’s given them.

This is clearly shown early on, before any of his evil behavior starts to take root, in relation to his assistants. We get a expo dump after the first song telling us that Asha wants to become one of his assistant to increase the odds of her grandfather’s wish being granted as there is a correlation between past assistants and having wishes granted. Something important here is that there have clearly been many assistants, suggesting that it’s a revolving door position without really explaining why. Who would want to keep finding assistants over and over again, when really you should find someone who could do the job long term right? Well we get to find out the likely reason when Asha steps up for the role.

When Asha comes to interview for his assistant position he sees she is nervous, he tries to calm her down, and he even manages to relate to her through fond memories of her kindly father who he clearly knew. After seeing her true resolve to do good he decides to trust her with something few people in the entire kingdom get to see, the vault of wishes. To which Asha doesn’t even hesitate to ask, after politely being told not to prior, if he’ll grant her grandfather’s wish.

Magnifico is blatantly stricken by her request, sadly remarking that most people at least wait a few months before doing so a.k.a pretend to be interested in helping him rather than trying to use him to grant a wish. This is likely why the assistant job is a revolving door. Magnifico tries to find someone who he thinks will truly and selflessly fulfill the role only to discover time and again that people are just using it to get direct access to him to ask for a wish. Then he can’t trust their true intentions anymore and moves them along.

After Asha makes her request he does take the time to look at her grandfather’s wish but dismisses it as too dangerous because it is the vague desire to inspire the next generation. Clearly we as the audience know that her grandfather means to inspire them to do good, but we have to remember Magnifico has seen the worst of society. He has seen the darkest wishes and desires of mankind and survived them. He brushes Asha off telling her she’s too young to understand, which is honestly true. She’s lived her entire life cloistered in peace and comfort thanks to him and the rules he has made. She has never had to know war, strife, or hardship thanks to him, yet she doubts his decision without understanding the trauma that guides it. This is what I believe pushes Magnifico into his villain arc, something that I don’t think we’ve ever really witnessed in a Disney movie.

Usually a villain already is the villain by the time the film rolls around, even the twist villains. Lotso had already been deliberately sentencing other toys to torture. Prince Hans was already planning to murder his way to a throne. Evelyn was already plotting her revenge. Magnifico wasn’t though. He was the hero. He had saved his wife and a whole city’s worth of people from whatever drove them from the mainlands. He wasn’t physically abusing/mistreating people like Gaston even if he was vainly basking in their adoration.

When Asha pushes him on the wishes he pulls back from her, identifying her in his mind as a threat and treats her as one. He dismisses her and tells her that her family’s wishes will never be granted by him, but he will still keep them safe as he has been doing. Essentially meaning nothing will change for her from what it has been. You know a happy loving existence of complete acceptance and wholesome family life or as Asha interprets it, a fate worse than death.

His interaction with Asha triggers him, as she’s pushed at the flaws in his reasoning for holding onto the wishes. The flaws are true, but his mind is clouded by fear of a lack of control, likely stemming from the horrors he witnessed in his childhood when he had no control. He also likely has a bit of an addiction to the warm fuzzies that the wishes give on top of his fears. While he’s ruminating on that some massive wave of magic blows through the kingdom and messes with the thing he’s already stressed beyond reason about, the wishes.

Magnifico frantically searches for any answer, even considering a dangerous tome of forbidden magic that he knows is trouble before his wife manages to talk him down.

The fact that he could even be talked down rather than ignoring her outright shows that Magnifico does have good in him. He’s just reacting out of a genuine panic. His panic is only worsened by huge mob continuing to beg him for wishes in exchange for doing what should be the selfless act of defending their kingdom from what is essentially perceived as an attack. Not having any faith left in his people he turns back to the evil book to give him the key to stopping this perceived attack.

Just to be clear King Magnifico goes to the big bad evil book not to gain more power for funsies, but to try to find a way to stop a perceived threat. Everything he does from this point on, such as threatening his wife, can no longer be fairly tied to him, because as the movie repeatedly tells us he is under the EVIL book’s influence. His wife even looks through the same book to try and see if there is a way to break the sway she knows it has over him, but says she can’t because the EVIL book said no.

Yada yada yada and Magnifico is sealed inside a magic mirror and smugly told to rot in the dungeon by his previously loving wife.

Seriously?! What the heck?! This guy was the perfect candidate for rehabilitation. He wasn’t flawless, but he wasn’t a murderous psycho like most of the other Disney villains. Disney loves to preach kindness, acceptance, and good will with their heroes, but never does it allow the message of change.

I was shocked going back through the catalogue and slowly realizing none of their villains, regardless of how tragic their origins are, are ever truly allowed a second chance. The hero may offer it, but the baddy never is truly expected to change or reform. Which is honestly super messed up to me. People make mistakes. Some can be small/insignificant, but some are big and do hurt people sometimes. That doesn’t mean they can’t change for the better.

Now I’m not saying every villain is redeemable or good, it’s just a bit surprising that for all the messages of kindness and acceptance we haven’t really gotten forgiveness in 100 years. Seeing the “bad guy’s punishment” just deeply bothered me this time. Probably because so much of the bad that Magnifico does is clearly a trauma response and as a punishment for not acting appropriately to said response he gets sentenced to eternity is magical cell.

[annes-andromeda]

Wish Rewrite

I have this tendency for rewriting material I either don’t like or think had wasted potential. At the time of writing this, Wish hasn’t come out in theaters but I did pirate it as there was an early screening. I also read the junior novelization and bought the concept art book. Needless to say, I was disappointed by what I read/saw.

I feel like Wish could’ve been better. Granted, the story and characters are not terrible, but they certainly leave much to be desired. This is literally Disney’s 100th anniversary, yet it doesn’t really feel like it. Not only that, but the movie felt incredibly rushed. Yeah I know that most Disney movies try have a run time of 90-100+ minutes, but I think a few more minutes could’ve been added to this film.

So, I decided to indulge myself and outline some changes that I think could’ve made the story slightly better. These ideas are by no means perfect, and in the end, this is all in good fun.

Spoilers ahead btw

The main story of Wish is essentially that Asha wants to get a job as Magnifico’s apprentice so that her grandfather’s wish is granted. But Asha finds out about the King’s true nature, and after questioning him, doesn’t get the job, and Magnifico vows to never grant Sabino or Sakina’s wishes.

Asha makes a wish on a star, and the star comes down, Magnifico tries to hunt down the two of them, he uses an evil spell book to create a staff, Magnifico destroys some wishes, Asha gets help from her friends, they sing a song to defeat Magnifico (I ‘wish’ i was joking), Star gives Asha a magic wand, and all is well.

Oh, and Amaya is… there.

It’s nothing complex, pretty cut and dry. And I don’t have a problem with a simple story! But this feels like it’s… missing something.

Firstly, I’d change the title. Disney already has a boat called Wish, and not every movie needs to be one word like Tangled, Frozen, and Brave (amongst others), so the story could be renamed “Asha and the Wishing Star” or “Asha and the Kingdom of Wishes”. Idk, something that evokes a classic fairytale book feel (or that does confuse people with a boat).

((Side note #1: I honestly enjoy that the story started off with a book, as a nod to classic disney movies, especially Snow White. That was cute))

Secondly, and I know I sound like a broken record at this point…

AMAYA👏🏼SHOULDVE👏🏼BEEN👏🏼A👏🏼VILLAIN👏🏼ALONGSIDE👏🏼HER👏🏼HUSBAND👏🏼

The original plan, according to the concept art book, was to have Magnifico and Amaya to be a villain couple who were partners in crime and owned a black sphinx cat named Charo. However for… reasons, the creators took the ‘safe’ route and made Amaya the good one out of the two.

But the problem is, by erasing Amaya’s evilness, the creators of Wish essentially removed any purpose or personality she may have had and thus, she was left to become a literal ‘supporting’ character. First supporting both Magnifico and Asha, then leaving Magnifico to prop up solely Asha.

Deadass, you can literally remove Amaya from the story and nothing would change. Which is probably why she was exempt from much of the promotional stuff minus the dolls. Because she literally serves no purpose but to be… there.

So, in my version of Wish, Amaya would be a co-conspirator to her husband and yes, I’m adding Charo too. Her personality would be inspired by classic female villains such as the Evil Queen from Snow White, Lady Tremaine from Cinderella, and Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty.

Vain, glamorous, cunning, and unabashedly evil, Amaya would be the Morticia to Magnifico’s Gomez, the brains to his brawn. She’s the girlboss, he’s the wife instigator. Magnifico spoils Amaya rotten with countless gifts and praises, whilst Amaya is the more calm and collected evil compared to her husband’s ever-growing temper.

While she starts the story with no magic, Magnifico just can’t leave his wife hanging and shares the power of the evil spell-book with Amaya. And yes, even Charo gets in on the fun, turning from a small house cat, to a massive shape-shifting beast who breaths blue fire similarly to a dragon (shut up i think it’d be cool)

Magnifico and Amaya essentially keep the wishes of Rosas locked in the castle as a form of obedience. By giving the citizens false hope, it makes them more dependent on the royal couple, and the two have more power over everyone.

Anyways, let’s get to the main characters: Asha and Star.

I don’t have much of an issue with Asha’s character, more so her design. I already made a post showing my redesign of her, so that’s out of the way. Tbh tho, I also have an issue with the rest of the costume design of Wish, being a big costume nerd myself. The movie’s supposed to take inspiration from the Mediterranean, primarily places such as Spain and Morocco (and the Amazigh people for Asha), but the fashion feels like generic European medieval fashion.

I feel like the whole storyline of Asha’s interview with Magnifico was pretty pointless, so I would have it that she just starts off as the kings apprentice, whilst also working as Amaya’s scullery maid.

The couple took Asha in when the girl lost her father at the age of 12 (according to the film), and she’s been working for them for five years. Asha works not only to support herself, her family, and her community, but also as a way to distract from the grief of losing her father. Which is no issue, as Amaya always bombards the girl with chores, and Magnifico only teaches Asha the most basic of magic for fear of her growing more powerful than him.

I made Asha work as a scullery maid not only as a reference to princesses such as Snow White and Cinderella starting off their respective stories as maids, but also because scullery maids acted as assistants to the kitchen maids. Dahlia works in the kitchen, Asha and Dahlia are best friends, I figured it made sense.

But anyways, on the day of Sabino’s 100th birthday, Sakina tells Asha to take a break and return home, as she hardly visits anymore due to work. Asha says she’ll try asking the king and queen to get off early, but that she can’t make any promises.

Asha meets with Magnifico and asks for the day off, but the king refuses. However, wanting to keep her loyalty, Magnifico finally shows Asha the wish chamber, and even allows her to witness the wish ceremony that night. But once Asha starts questioning the king on his methods, any goodwill between them begins to fade.

Another thing I’m disappointed in, is that originally Star was going to be a shapeshifting humanoid inspired by the Genie and Peter Pan, and may have even had a romance with Asha. But, the idea was scrapped for the more cutesy, ‘marketable’, version of Star.

In my retelling, I’d choose to do this human shapeshifter version of Star, but I’d name him something else. The star Earendel was mentioned in the concept art book, which is the farthest known star from Earth and not only means ‘morning star’ in Old English, but is also named after the Tolkien character, Eärendil.

I would call this shapeshifter Star Earen, and because Disney loves their animal/cute sidekicks, Earen can have the ‘Kirby’ Star as a companion, just like how Asha has Valentino and Magnifico and Amaya have Charo.

((Side #2: Anybody else notice that Star lowkey looks and sounds like Kirby😶))

Earen and Star journey down to Rosas once they hear Asha’s pleas for guidance. Once Asha tells of Magnifico and Amaya’s lies, Earen reveals that he actually met Magnifico decades ago. The amount of years shocks Asha, as she realizes that the King and Queen might be far older than what they are.

((Side note #3: I didn’t realize this till someone mentioned it, but if Sabino is 100 and he gave Magnifico his wish at 18, then he’s been waiting 82 years for his wish to be granted. Which means it’s likely that Magnifico might be immortal. That, or Disney didn’t think this shit through (most likely)))

Anyways, Earen actually attempted to stop Magnifico and Amaya’s ploy to keep the wishes of Rosas locked away, but he was sealed within the heavens until he and Star heard Asha make her wish.

We can have it that the king and queen spun the story so that Earen was made out to be an evil that once threatened Rosas, but Magnifico banished him and saved everyone, essentially making himself out to be the good guy and manipulating the narrative.

Asha and Earen must now work together to expose the lies of the royal couple, and along the way, the two begin to fall in love. Earen disguises himself as a peasant boy so as to remain inconspicuous, while Asha tries to go about her job as if nothing happened, evading the King and Queen’s suspicions.

Star gives Asha a stick infused with stardust once finding out she is, quite literally, the sorcerers apprentice. It is also so that she may defend herself, as Earen has his powers and a sword (similarly to Peter Pan).

Unlike Magnifico, Earen and Star teach Asha the wonders of magic and the potential she wields, showing that there is no need for her to hold back when her gift can help so many, including those she loves.

The three manage to sneak into the kings study, but only have time to retrieve Sabino’s wish and return it to him. However, Magnifico and Amaya, now strengthened by the powers of dark magic, find Asha and Earen and threaten to destroy all the wishes should Earen not surrender to them.

And as a way to ensure that Asha doesn’t foil their plans, Magnifico destroys both Asha and Sakina’s wishes, despite Asha not being eighteen yet. However, the evil magic allows him to do so. This act weakens the two women, and infuriates Earen.

Earen then willingly complies despite Asha’s opposition, and Sabino takes Asha and Sabina to the seven (well six) teens for aid, who are in hiding after Simon ratted them out and who now serves as a puppet to the king and queen.

Despite loosing her wish, Asha finds the strength to carry on through the memory of her late father, enlisting the help of her friends and Star, who managed to evade the royal couple’s grasp. The team must work together to save Earen, whose power will be drained by Magnifico and Amaya. And if such a feat were to happen, then Earen would die and Rosas would be lost.

The five teens go into the woods to distract one of the royals, with the aid of the forest fauna and Star. Amaya chases the group alongside Charo while Magnifico tortures Earen and begins stealing his power. With the help of Dahlia, Asha sneaks into the castle to confront her former mentor and save Earen before it’s too late.

At first, it seems that the heroes have the upper hand with Magnifico neutralized, but then, Amaya swoops in riding Charo, who now takes the form of a giant dragon. Earen transforms into a dragon himself and battles Charo and Amaya, while Asha continues battling Magnifico. Star even comes to help after the original plan fails.

However, the unholy trio have the upper hand, and Amaya strikes down Earen, giving Magnifico enough time to not only drain Earen’s power, but to trap Star within his staff. With their combined powers, Magnifico and Amaya gather all of the peoples wishes, even stealing the wishes of those not yet of age, which includes the teens.

With all the wishes gathered, the couple and their pet destroy all the wishes, taking their energy for themselves.

Asha falls into despair as she watched her friends, love ones, and community succumb to the grief of loosing their wishes. The king and queen force Asha to apologize to the people, mocking her and making her feel even more guilty.

However, Earen comforts Asha despite his weak state, telling her it’s alright and that she shouldn’t be ashamed of wishing on Star, as he brought the two of them together. The two kiss, the strength of their newfound love and hope shining through the darkness and inspiring the people of Rosas to rise up.

As the sky and stars become alive, Magnifico’s staff is destroyed, releasing Star in the process. All the evil magic he, Amaya, and Charo used is sucked out of them and vanquished, and Earen is restored to full vitality.

Think of this as the transformation scene from Princess and the Frog. Asha and Earen get new outfits, with Asha even gaining a crown and a new wand from Star.

((Side Note #4: The “transformation” in the finale of the film is so stupid. Asha could’ve literally gotten a new dress once she becomes a fairy godmother, but instead, Star just made her sparkly. How magical🙄))

Rosas rejoices, as they realize they don’t need the king to make their wishes come true, and they can pursue them themselves. With Magnífico and Amaya banished from Rosas, Asha and Earen become the new rulers, being names Prince and Princess respectively.

And that’s basically how I would’ve done Wish. It’s not perfect, but it’s just an idea. I’m just disappointed that Disney do something better for their 100th anniversary.

[sparkling-nov]

Like king magnifico, Asha has Experience what its like to have your wish Shattered in front of you, she was Very Young when her Father got sick and all she wish for was for him to get Better and she Wholeheartedly Believe her wish will come ture for she does live in a kingdom where wishes come ture and her father told her that "the stars are there to Guide us, to reminds us to Believe in Possibilities" but however her father did not get better from his Illness and he Passed away when asha was only 12 years old, After all that wishing her wish Didn't come ture and her wish actually Broke In front of her, However unlike king magnifico even Though the stars Didn't Grant her wish when she needed them the most, she Didn't stop Believing in the stars or Hold a Grudge Towards star when she met them, Nope she keeps her father's Belief in her heart and was very grateful when star came to help her, Asha doesn't want what Happened with her father to happen again with her saba so she's very Determine to make sure he gets to live out his dream Before he Passes away but this Doesn't mean asha only cares about her saba even though she did ask king magnifico if he can Grant sabrino's wish, but asha Wasn't looking for sabrino's wish when king magnifico showed her the wishes Doing the "at all cost" scene she just so happened to see sabrino's wish. Asha STILL wanted to become king magnifico's Apprentice for Other peoples wishes she Actually says to magnifico "And that's why i want to work for you." when he tells her why he Does what he does, Only for asha to find out that 98% of people's wishes will never come true and they can't pursue their wishes themselves either All though There is nothing really wrong with them, that is what makes asha upset, she's not upset that king magnifico doesn't grant every wish Imaginable, she's upset that it's basically Illegal for people to pursue their OWN HOPES AND DREAMS! You Would be upset too! How is she Selfish in anyway for that???

And about Asha being "adorkable" yeah, she can be very Awkward sometimes but its only Because of king magnifico. Every time asha is being "adorkable" is because she is Nervous or Scared of magnifico,

Nervous about meeting King Magnifico for the First time.

Scared King Magnifico will see star.

Scared her Plan to lure king magnifico away for the castle will fell.

All of asha's "adorkable" Moments were out of Fear Because they Involved king magnifico in some way, meaning asha's not quirky for the hall of it She's Actually just scared of a Grown man trying to kill her😭 it actually makes sense for her to act the way she did Around king magnifico and was probably a foreshadow on how their Relationship would go.

So um yeah...i kept seeing people do this meme and i wanted to do it :)

[kingmagnificoofrosas]

I just cannot get over this one kid in the cinema who went "But he isn't evil!"

We are talking children here! Children don't really know or understand anything about ptsd and trauma (mostly, yet) they just observe! And if a KID between the age of 5 and 10 observes Magnifico and can read between the lines and conclude he isn't evil, what excuse does that leave for haters calling him one?

Now, more analysing cause you've been loving those and I enjoy doing them 🛡⚔️ (I might repeat some points but in a alightly different way)

Every single arguement I've seen haters or anti-Magnifico people make so far was either straight up stupid, ignorant, uneducated, defiant, baseless and or senseless. And then we also have the hardcore Amaya/Asha fans who just go on hating on Magnifico just "because!"

Or those who go "He's the worst villain ever." Yeah, Sherlock, maybe thats because he isn't one? 🤨 Like, seriously, you take Magnifico, compare him to aaaaall the REAL villains like Jafar, Frollo, Scar etc. And you wanna tell me he was anything like them because his trauma forced him to get himself posessed by evil trapped in an evil book and only went bonkers after he was literally posessed? And his sole motivation was to protect and keep safe at all costs ?

And then come the arguements 🫴🏼

"He's vain and narcissistic!"

Because he acknowledges the fact that he's handsome and like's to see himself in mirrors? 🤨

"He didn't grant every single wish! He shouldn't have kept them."

He didn't grant every single wish because of his trauma caused fear/paranoia and kept them for the same exact reason. However, he always meant well.

Yes, I agree that a traumatized person shouldn't be in any leading position, nor should they be in the position of making important decissions. But lets take a look at his motivations and goals again!

His motivations :

- Never have anyone suffer a fate like he did

- Never have people have to see their hopes and dreams get shattered

- Never have his past repeat

Quote - "Everything I do is to make sure that never happens again!"

His goals :

- Protect and keep people safe

- Make sure people live happy, content, free of hardships and strive

Further comparisons

All the other villains when singing - Sing openly about their evil plans, desires etc. showing they're evil!

Magnifico when bursting into song :

"promise as one does, I will protect you at all costs. Keep you safe here in my arms. I will protect you at all costs."

"If you're ever feeling like you're lost, I'll come find you. Man all fronts, there's no ocean I won't swim across to be right by you. And not just once, here and now I swear on my response. I'll remind you-"

"I let you live here for free and I don't even charge you rent. I clean up all your messes and I'm always there when you need to vent. I give and give and give and give, you'd think they'd all be content. And all I really want is just a little respect."

Back to the arguements Anti-Magnifico people make and even more comparisons ⬇️

More for the vain and narcissistic

Gaston - treats everyone like trash and thinks the whole globe spinns around him only. Doesn't care if he walks over dead bodies looking good.

Evil queen - Wants to kill her stepdaughter because she's prettier than her.

Mother gothel - Kidnaps the baby princess, locks her up because the magic hair makes her stay young and pretty, doesn't give a toot that the king and queen are suffering immense heartbreak and guilt. And to keep the princess locked in, gaslights and belittles her.

And then we have Magnifico ✨️

"I'm handsome and I know it." Likes to look at himself in the mirror and is happy and content with his looks. Hurts not one single fly with it. Doesn't put others down.

"He's power hungry!"

Why did he want to keep his power? - Because he was terrified if he would lose it, he wouldn't be able to protect anymore and his past would repeat.

"He threatened everyone and destroyed wishes!"

Again, he was posessed? Do people understand what posessed means? Amaya knew this book would control him! Not him controling the book!

In the end, I don't even care for people who disagree with me. But one thing I just don't get is : Why are some people so out to prove to us Magnifico-defenders that he's evil? Like, are these guys for real? We push forgiveness and love and the other side pushes hate, ignorance, unforgiveness and bitterness. Why does someone feel the need to spread negativity rather than positivity?

I won't stop defending Magnifico 🛡⚔️🩵

[chillwildwave]

TWK AU / Antares’ Angst

Sooooooo, um, guys, guess what? *inserts drum roll*

I’M FINALLY GIVING MY STARBOY SOME ANGST!!!!!!! *woop woop*

Go Wave, go Wave, go Wave! Okay, okay just pulling your leg but I always though that giving Antares angst would be a bad thing (idk why but don’t ask) but actually it’s quite a great idea since this could give a purpose of the whole theme of the rewrite.

You know, I was especially intrigued by @oh-shtars depiction of StarBoy aka Sueño aka the most tragic boy ever written in the fandom, okay yeah, you get the point that he’s tragic because he’s been under Magnifico’s wing for a long time so yeah, I don’t know if Antares would follow the same path but I guarantee that it will be quite different from a few of the star boys, so Sueño, if you’re seeing this, you’re not alone, Antares has tragedy too! Sooooo, angst buds forever, right?

*Anyways, on with the show!* 👐

So we know in the rewrite, Antares plays a key role where he guides Asha on a journey to find the dark truth that the royal couple had been hiding all this time to give the wishes back to the people, but also, you’ve seen that Antares’s personality is energetic and naive like Aster but unlike him, he lies a lot, like, he lies about everything, this is only in the beginning of the rewrite but as the story progresses, he learns to tell the truth but this is an angst post, so I’m going to write about why Antares lies and why his naivety is affected in the whole plot…

Prepare For Sympathy!!!!! 👹

So the Kingdom of Rosas is depicted as a dystopia where people are manipulated into believing the king and queen have the same power as the stars of Starfell, however, Starfell is depicted as a utopia where everything is just about perfect for every single star, as a tradition, every 4 days, when a star turns 18, they get given a crystal which is actually a little seed that goes inside their brooch as used to use their magic to grant wishes for their people, that tradition has been held since King Xanthos entered the realm.

Speaking of Xanthos, as a child, Antares looked up to Xanthos as his father figure ever since he combined clouds and cosmic dust as explained in the prologue, he was described as someone who is calm and collected and was always willing to let the stars have a chance of pursuing their own path and he’s also a master of the star ceremony, he always chose the right stars to go down to grant people’s greatest desires.

Antares always dreamt of being with the humans, he always sensed curiousity of what the world would look like from Starfell, so much so that he mostly creates human style sculptures using his magic (in the style of Ember from Elemental), as much as Xanthos appreciated his curiousity, he said that Antares was only a young star and that he knew tge dangers of the human world since the king and queen unleashed power to rule Rosas, causing such outrage from Starfell, as it would release a black hole, and Xanthos wanted to make sure that Antares was safe, he knew as well, but this didn’t stop him from curiousity.

And ever since the black hole came around, Antares didn’t seem to bother, neither did the rest of the stars, since they though they lived that perfect life in Starfell, but one fateful day changed everything…

On the day of Teletì (ceremony in Greek) which is an annual star ceremony as stated before, there was a green rope aimed right towards Antares, poor him, he was close to being caught by that green light, but luckily, Xanthos covered him with his power, even though his power was far too strong, the couple’s magic was far more stronger than ever imagined, but it was much stronger to tarnish one of the stars, so with the couple’s power, they chanted a mysterious spell that PIERCED Xanthos’ seed… In front of Antares, with the other stars hiding in place.

From there, he was already close, close to death, Antares held him in his arms, tearfully begging for Xanthos to answer him, until he saw his whole body transforming into loose ribbons, drifting themselves apart from one another, announcing his dissolve into existance, distraught, Antares wept while he watched Xanthos’s body drift away up into the dark night, as ribbons and angel wings.

Antares’ tears were so strong and powerful that every time he cried in a tragic event, a golden tart would land on a cloud as it turned black and was replaced with vines which would be a metaphor of danger and low-self-esteem, and when that happened, the stars hid even further, claiming that Antares must’ve came from the Black hole, this was a major threat in his lifetime, the first time he was called a monster, not a star, not a star…

Ever since that event, Xanthos’ daughter, Evangeline decided to take over as Queen of Starfell, but this time, it was where she didn’t allow any star to go down to the human world because of what happened to her father, which was suspected when the couple unleashed a power so destructive, it could destroy any star’s inner being, so she was strict and overprotective but always reliable on keeping her habitat safe.

And as for Antares, that’s why he lies so much, it is because his entire life he thought was a blessing but after the infamous event with Xanthos’s death, he was blamed by everyone because of a secret power with his golden tears, resulting into faking a smile and pretending everything’s okay but he knows he wants to be safe, he wants to find a home where he can feel comfortable, so when Asha wished on a star, he darted down to Earth and the story goes on from there!

Thanks for reading!!

Also some sketches I did when coming up with the idea since I wanted to join the angst table, it looks like Sueño isn’t the only one.

The Teletí ceremony.

Xanthos’ death.

Antares feeling low self esteem after Xanthos’ death.

Plus a bonus for the fandom as well, cuz why not, just me and Flicker witnessing Sueño and Antares crying as he’s introduced to the angst team.

@annymation @uva124 @flicklikesstuff @signed-sapphire @your-ne1ghbor @tumblingdownthefoxden @thisnameisnotspokenfor @rascalentertainments @rylxdreams @ceyasstuff @frogcoven88 @mythartist21 @spectator-zee @peapeapeapa @ryoli @hopeyarts @emillyverse @gracebethartacc @gracebeth3604

[dreamingmantis]

So here are some of my imaginings of what could have happened with human star. This isn’t a full rewrite (in case it seems choppy), just me rambling about many of the ideas I had. Though, I may write some of these. But please, ask or talk to me about it. It's so much fun to imagine. This is a long post, so I've put the rest under the cut. ✨

Some people have mentioned Star being mute. I’m not sure if they are actually referencing the star we got in the movie, so I’m just going to say that his voice is the last thing he finds in his humanoid form, and that he does in fact, mime things. If he talks, it's very little.

I want to know more about Asha’s father and her relationship with him. He seemed to be some sort of philosopher or astronomer. He drew maps, and he always recognized a certain star that only appeared at certain times of the year, right above the castle, and moved in an arc over it with the Earth's rotation. He called it the wishing star. You know, the star. He had a powerful wish too—one that he gave to King Magnifico before he tragically passed. But, he doesn't have full control over the wishes... yet. The wishes of those who have passed ascend to the stars, where they hold them safe.

Perhaps she's already known about his evil intent, even though no one else does. I'd also like to see more of Asha's flaws. If she's caring or people pleasing to a fault, I almost want to see it cause a problem. Maybe she accidentally impedes on something important and completely messes it up, possibly even the wish ceremony in an attempt to get her grandpa's wish granted (to inspire future generations). It would give more impact before she runs into the woods and sings This Wish. (just please don't say "throw caution to every warning sign" cause... what?)

Do you know the concept art of when Star first comes down to Earth? I think after Star's light envelopes the island, he would awaken in the forest, confused as to why he is so far from home. Asha finds him, and of course, is equally confused. He sees her and slowly realizes that she is the one who called him down and that he's on Earth.

I would want to see lots of shapeshifting here. There could be a song as he slowly gives his magic to the trees and the animals that explains who exactly he is, and by extension, how the galaxies, planets, and life are formed. He personally knows many of the stars we know about (you know, like Spica or Arcturus). In fact, when she tells him about her seven friends, he is reminded of seven stars he knows deeply, the Pleiades (his guiding constellation). She knows about them because her father showed her.

I think that concept would also give more depth and lore to King Magnifico’s sorcery. What he keeps in his room are akin to chemistry experiments, if you will, so it’s clear that he practices some sort of alchemy. He could have only retrieved magic like this from the cosmos, possibly the life force of the stars. She asks him if he can grant her grandfather’s wish. He shakes his head or signals. He can't. And of course, he doesn’t know or have the wish. King Magnifico is in possession of it.

Imagine they fly, like a Peter Pan-esque way (or maybe in the end, because they have to stay hidden). I want her to talk more about her father. Maybe he has an observatory. If the stars need to align a certain way for Magnifico to perform an ultimate spell, one of the keys to stopping him would be there.

He's still naive to exactly what's going on, yet he imparts wisdom, almost by accident, that make Asha realize. Since he isn't fully familiar with humans and their world, he probably messes with some items he sees and definitely knocks some things over. (I don’t know why but I imagined him hiding inside a jar.) But he's so fascinated by the smallest things in the world. Asha doesn't want him to be seen because she knows they'll be in deep trouble, but what if Star runs off out of curiosity and impresses a small crowd of people with his magic tricks. But of course, someone goes to pass along the word and soon enough, it'll reach Magnifico. I'm sure he wants to meet her friends too, but she has to try to hide him as she interacts with them and maneuvers her way up the castle.

I want the idea of humans being like stars of our own to slowly come to light over the story rather than in one song. Star can see all the wishes in people’s hearts, like the cores of stars. He can see each person for who they truly are at the core of their beings, in their purest forms. He wants to show her at some point, so, he takes her hands. And he feels a profound love for the first time. He feels the love she has in her heart for her family and her. For the first time, he can see where the wishes he hears come from, because...

After everything, Asha and Star finally reach the castle and find all the wishes. Star instantly recognizes their forms. And here, Asha finally sees the wishes of her family—her mother, her grandfather. But one is missing. Some people have died never knowing their wishes they gave to King Magnifico. Star has seen and held them before, because the wishes of those who have passed ascend to the stars, where they hold them safe. That includes Asha’s late father’s. And Star is the one holding it safe. So, he reaches deep within himself and pulls it out. She hold it in her hands, and it breaks her heart. His wish was for all people to know that in a world of matter who they are, their dreams are within reach. They shouldn't ever stop looking up because someone told them they can't. If they're going to sing At All Costs with the original words, this is when it would be. It would be so profoundly magical, like an I See The Light kind of moment. Their love for these precious wishes and for each other. Imagine, Asha’s holding her father’s dream in her arms, and very carefully, she passes it back to Star for safekeeping, yet at the same time, they’re holding each other.

Imagine, just imagine, that he was the star on her father's map.

Magnifico still ultimately wants to capture Star and keep him inside his staff forever so he can dictate the world. And Star holds some of the wishes of the passed? That’s even better for his quest for power. In fact, he aims to become so powerful that he can pull the wishes down from the heavens. He could extend his power into the cosmos. And if Asha made a mistake earlier in the film, people would be much more likely to believe him at first when declares Asha a traitor and lies that she's the one who destroyed their wishes. Also, he needs a bit more epic of a villain song.

I think they would be forced into hiding. Asha's friends are there and they still sing Knowing What I Know Now complete with some Star shapeshifting.

Her friends hadn't showed up as promised. Perhaps Magnifico had put an end to their uprising. Either way, Asha and Star confront him. Star is the last person she has by her side, and with a few words of his spell, he sucks him into his staff. He finally has the power he's craved. He can pull the wishes down from the heavens and crush them. She is alone when he commands the clouds to cover the stars and says his line of “There will be no more hope" (I don't remember the exact wording). She looks out to see the kingdom in hiding, wondering if her friends are really there like they said they would be. It's dark and storming, and she's so alone in the moment that it seems that Magnifico has already won. There are no stars in sight. Yet, she remembers how Star showed her that each person is made of everything that comes from the stars. So she begins to sing: So I look out to the stars just like me.

It turns out, her friends are there. They show up right when she needs them most and begin to sing with her, their hearts alight like the cores of stars. It's not enough. But the kingdom sees hope, and that's when they begin to come out. I mean from across the island, from their homes. He still casts a spell, and while weighed down, they still sing. That way, Magnifico's "mirror mirror" sequence could also extend across the whole island.

And Star breaks free. He ascends, high, and the wishes Magnifico attempted to pull down to Earth are let free. And when the clouds dissipate, he's sucked into his staff and defeated.

It would honest be funny if Star plummeted just to appear over the balcony and surprise her. And then... this is when they kiss.

So, she reunited with her loved ones as was in the ending, and of course, he must return to the heavens soon. (And be the guiding star). Asha loves him, but she loves her friends and family too, and her kingdom needs her. So, he bestows a new gift on her that she's worthy of. She would become the first fairy godmother and have the ability to commune with the stars. She can go between the heavens and Earth. She would have a dress transformation that would be reminiscent of the one in Cinderella. Sabino also begins to pluck his lute and play When You Wish Upon a Star in the end. When Star does return home, maybe, he leaps like a shooting star over the castle. Get it?

I appreciate that the setting alludes to the various cultures of it's inhabitants from around the Mediterranean region (I would love if even more variety was shown as a Mediterranean person myself), but I really want more of Asha's specific cultural background to be portrayed. I'm trying to think exactly what role Queen Amaya would have in the narrative. I've heard her and Magnifico were supposed to be the first villain couple which sounds so cool! I'm trying to imagine how exactly the dynamic would be there. If you have any ideas then lmk. ^^

[dani-luminae]

Here's a more minor gripe with 'Wish' I haven't seen anyone else talk about: ppl like to say "Magnifico built Rosas so he can do whatever he wants with the wishes!" but like... did he? actually build it I mean. Cause it sounds more like he put a castle on a rock and went "come live here and give me your wishes!" and that's not actually *building* a kingdom.

The people built their homes and established their careers and jobs. They're the ones who built everything that ties them to this kingdom (so they can't *just leave!!!!!* like Magnifico defenders keep saying). And Magnifico knows it! He relies on the people for power! That's why he captures them all at the end!

Like IDK. maybe that sounds like a reach but every time I see that argument I'm thinking 'did he magically assemble every home and building?' and if it answered that in the movie I missed it.

I've wondered the same honestly. A king and a kingdom is nothing without the people who inhabit it.

Magnifico relies entirely on the people for the power that he holds onto so tight. He needs them to rely on him, promising that one day he will grant their wishes, when they deserve it - which keeps them from leaving the kingdom, but also because this is their home and livelihood. He wants to be powerful and adored and can't handle being questioned even benignly when his people are worried about a threat that he exaggerates in order to scare them into giving any possible information about it.

Even when he's imprisoned all the wishes and knows that crushing them can give him even more power, he still refuses to let any of the citizens leave Rosas. (For what? I have to wonder. Does he think he can get more wishes out of them? Is he scared they might run off and find someone else in the world capable of fighting him?)

And I don't think that the movie actually explains much about the origins of Rosas. We have Asha's introduction and then a brief bit from King Magnifico about the 'values' of the kingdom, and all it says is that he founded Rosas; but that wording is vague enough that "put a castle on a rock and went "come live here and give me your wishes!" could actually be completely correct.

[neilgill]

Wish Defense I: The 'Complaints'

“Be to her virtues very kind, Be to her faults a little blind.” ― Matthew Prior

Disney's Wish was actually great and I'm here to defend it.

I'd like to start by negating most of, if not all, the 'complaints' this film's been getting. Please join me as I do this in 12 brief points:

Asha is a great protagonist. She is not just 'quirky' or one-dimensional: she's caring, strong, beautifully flawed, and doesn't solve every problem on her own; the movie makes a point of every one of these. I never saw her as a clone of someone like Mirabel or Anna. And she does have a character arc: she matures and learns to work hard for what she believes in. She learns that doing the right thing is difficult, but it's necessary. All this makes for a beautifully put-together character that gets through challenges and comes out stronger. Why aren't people talking about how great that is?

Magnifico is a great villain. He's an amalgam of familiar villains like Maleficent, Ursula, and Gaston, done in ways that seem fresh and unique. I've seen a lot of people say his motivation seems to change every few minutes or so, but I disagree. Him using his traumatic past is his excuse for his bad behaviour: that's what narcissists do. Just look at Mother Gothel and all her gaslighting. He was always a self-absorbed jerk who wants everyone under his heel, and whose darkness just got revealed more and more. And his 'villain shtick' is a cool and terrifying one: stripping people of their hopes and dreams to make them docile subjects who depend on him. He takes away their agency, essentially their souls and who they are as people. That is the bad thing he's been doing from Day 1, it's what makes him a villain: the film tells us that. How can people defend him? It's like people defending Gaston all over again. He's a great villain in that he goes against the values the story holds dear, challenges the protagonist in personal ways, is wonderful to hate, and is rightfully depicted as in the wrong for doing bad things. He's the selfish one, not Asha as the 'critics' are claiming. Why aren't people talking about that?

Star is a great secondary character. He is intentionally supposed to be a character that harkens back to those like Jiminy Cricket or Timothy Q. Mouse (I have a very personal connection with Dumbo, so this was important to me). People are REALLY misinterpreting that concept art of them: Star and Asha were never supposed to have a romance because Human Star would look like her grandfather. And 'Starboy' would just be a copy of Peter Pan or Genie, which people would definitely slam, thus I'm glad they changed him. See point 11 for more on Star and why his current form is the one they went with. People just care about having a Jack Frost clone (if they did go that route, they'd probably be slammed for copying Dreamworks, knowing 'critics'). The idea of a mute, magical sidekick, something that we haven't seen since Tinker Bell, is a pretty fun one that feels new and cool. And it's important to note that he never grants anyone's wish: he just helps out, letting Asha and others know that they themselves have to make it come true. Why aren't people talking about that?

I was really worried Valentino was going to be little more than a gag, but he wasn't. He helps out here and there, especially when aiding the Teens in freeing the wishes, proving his importance to the narrative. Plus I did find him pretty funny.

The Teens do stand on their own. I went into the movie knowing they were going to be new versions of the 7 Dwarfs, but each of them felt like their own unique person to me, especially Dahlia and Simon.

The animation is gorgeous: you have to watch it in HD or 4k, which people are doing for other films like Spider-Verse or Nimona, just not this one. It is far from 'lazy' or 'Disney Junior level': it harkens back to art styles Walt Disney himself loved. I can't believe they managed to replicate the feel of classic Disney backgrounds, like Snow White or Sleeping Beauty, so perfectly with modern technology. It looks like a painting, or a tapestry. Disney movies are still beautiful. Why aren't people talking about that?

The music is great: I've caught myself singing every song at least thrice. Each song brings something to the table. 'This is the Thanks I Get' fits Magnifico's character, and is something in the same vein as Gaston's song; you cannot tell me that one rent line is worse than 'nobody spits like Gaston'. I still get chills listening to 'This Wish' and its reprise. I don't know how people online are starting to think it's a bad song, but now others are just jumping on the bandwagon. You can see Asha's love and struggles within the song, and it even has the melody of 'Part of Your World'; how can you hate that? I've seen so many people personally connect with that song, myself included... Why aren't people talking about that?

'At All Costs' was never a love song between Asha and Star: Julia Michaels just wanted a love song (find that Variety article), and now it can be used for all kinds of love. I actually did tear up watching that sequence for the first time, seeing Asha hold her grandfather's wish dearly in her arms. I've seen people say it reminds them of what a parent would sing to their child, like 'You'll Be in My Heart', and I think that's just so wonderful and heartfelt. Why aren't people talking about that?

I don't have the actual post, but I'd like to bring attention back to what an artist on the film said: every 'Easter Egg' is meaningfully placed, a tribute to what has inspired generations. Not one of them felt shoehorned in to me. This movie is a tribute, a love letter, a celebration of what people have loved for 100 years. Why aren't people talking about that?

Magnifico's defeat is far from silly. It makes sense given the rules the world of the film runs on: the fact that 'we are made of stars' is a good Chekov's gun that carries a lot of meaningful importance. Each of us is special, each of us has magic, and each of us has hope. And this is where evil dies and good endures: Magnifico cannot comprehend that anyone but himself is worth anything, thus why he cannot quell this and it is the reason for this downfall. He, the villain, loses because he lacks the virtues the heroes possess. Why aren't people talking about that?

The story of this film is special: as confirmed by the staff, the film is an allegory for Walt Disney's life, and the story of Disney overall. Asha is Walt Disney, Star is Mickey Mouse: a magical force of creativity and inspiration that lights up a dark time. Because of the special nature of this, even though I'm a die-hard Disney fan, I'm fine with there not being any romance in this film (even though I'd like it back someday). This was intentionally made as a simple film à la Snow White, which was meant to be a happy, hope-giving film for people back in the 1930s. Just like this film is supposed to be now. One last time: why aren't people talking about that?

This is the first of a few posts I'll make defending this movie, so for other Wish fans out there, please stick around. I don't care if I get dragged for this: I'd rather stick up for my beliefs and defend myself my way than let online bullies like Schaffrillas, Aldone, or Astor Rhymemaster stop me from loving something I really enjoyed. I really hope this movie gets the Atlantis treatment and becomes a beloved cult classic down the line. Until next time.

[kzmi-j]

Okay, so Wish SUCKED ASS, I think we can all agree on that. The concepts were a ton better than the actual movie, there was so much missed opportunities and ruined potential, and I'll said it many time and I'll say it again :

MAGNIFICO WAS A GREAT CHARACTER, and he had SO MUCH potential, and I'm SO angry, but I love him SO much.

The part about his family? Ruined potential, it could've been an insane backstory for him. And I feel like it created a huge plot hole in his character.

His wife turning against him? Ruined potential, the concept of the evil couple was amazing! Why didn't they stick with it, I don't know, but it sucks.

Him being the villain in the first place doesn't make any sense. He's not a villain, antagonist to Asha sure, but he isn't a bad guy at all. The point in all Disney movies is that every character says what they think when they sing. Even Hans in Frozen when he sang with Anna did throw some hints about his true intentions, but not Magnifico. I listen to At All Cost so many times, and there is not one hint that he was evil from the start.

In his mind there was a war coming to Rosas, he felt threatened, and he wanted to do his best to protect his people and they were still ungrateful. It's the whole point of This is the Thanks I Get?, he felt betrayed. The part that he's a narcissist? It's so irrelevant. It hasn't been mentioned once before (beside the "you're right, I am a handsome king." Can you blame him? He is handsome.), and they put it here to excuse their decision of making him a villain. 'Bou-hou Magnifico loves himself more than anyone else, that's why he's bad'. No? All he did during YEARS was to protect Rosas, and I couldn't agree more with him when he says that some wishes cannot be granted because they may be dangerous in the future. He thinks of his people over everything else, because he knows their wishes, and they don't. He protects them from themselves. But he doesn't destroy their dreams, he keeps the wishes safe and keeps their hopes up that one day their wish might be granted.

So, why didn't he grant Sabo's innocent wish, then? Because he felt pressured. Asha barely stepped into his office and asked him to grant her grandpa's wish. When he explained why he wouldn't grant it, she insisted. He cracked, and this one line made him the villain. "I decide what everyone deserves." Well, yeah? He's the King? And he has been a GOOD king until now.

Not to mention that he wasn't evil until he opened the book. Really, like I said, This is the Thanks I Get? is a bullshit song that justifies his 'evilness' and makes a giant plot hole, but in the end, it was just him panicking. His people are ungrateful and unhelpful, Rosas is still in danger and he's frustrated. He decides to take the book because it seems like the only choice left. You can clearly see the switch. He becomes happier, crazier, his emotions are out of control, because he's controlled by the book. From then on, Magnifico isn't himself, and THEN he is the villain. Not before. Only from here.

The people of Rosas are good. Magnifico included.

I'm a huge Magnifico defender as you can see, change my mind. He's my baby and I love him.

I didn't mean for it to be that long buuuut

[emillyverse]

Out of context + Production change + Creators freaking out !

HELLO KOW FANS!!! How are you???

For this weekend's updates we have great news! I managed to finish the 17 sketches of the first scene of KoW (that giant that tells the backstory of the emergence of kings who grant wishes, for those out of date)... YAYYYYYYYYYY!!!

Unlike last week, I won't be showing the comics here, instead I'm presenting them "out of context"!

I'll throw some random images here, and on the day the Comic comes out, you guys try to come back here and try to see where I fit each reference!

Ready?

Set?

GOOOOO!!!!

(throw the images there and run away, good luck understanding them)

Still talking about Comic, I had already mentioned that this is my first time working on a big project. I don't really know how to do things, I just know that I must do them and reach a result that the team and I consider satisfactory.

With that in mind, I was studying some creative processes and came across that of the great director Hayao Miyazaki .

I believe many of you know him, the internet hasn't stopped talking about him since "The Boy and The Heron" won the Oscar for best animation, besides @annymation already mentioned it in her fanfic, but in case anyone is new and doesn't know him, he is one of the biggest names in animation directors in Japan and the world.

Anyway, I discovered that, in his creative process, Hayao Miyazaki began to storyboard his films himself, sometimes without a pre-determined script, he just sat down and sketched out what he wanted or how he visualized the scene happening.

I tried this with a scene I was trying hard to write in my own original story and had a very fun and satisfying result. So, I decided to try to apply this process to making KoW: basically I'm reading the scenes that Anny wrote and trying to capture their essence by sketching as I read. Let's see what happens! Something tells me that this will make the Comic production process lighter and more fun for me, and that's a good thing considering that busy days are coming in my life (good busy days) !

However, this does not mean that the process will speed up. No. It may still be a little slow. But it does not matter. Calmly and with smiles, Me, @annymation and @uva124 let's make it happen!

OOOHHHHH ! AND SPEAKING OF SMILES!

I want to share something that made me, Anny and Aled freak out last night!

Yesterday, we were talking about my favorite topic: Aster.

I arrived presenting an idea I had while hiking — for Aster to get a star tattoo on his chest, with the words "Lacaille 8760" naming it.

And then this happened:

(prints taken directly from Anny's cell phone, showing conversations from our rewriting group. enjoy, we don't do this every day!)

So yes.

That's exactly what you're thinking.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN

I PRESENT TO YOU.....

THE VISION OF PARADISE !!!! 😍❤️‍🔥

(throw this and run away because asha is chasing me)

This is it.

To the next.

Kisses full of light and stars!

~ Emy

________________________________________

( @uva124 COME HERE LITTLE AND REBLOG WITH YOUR VERSION OF OUR DEAR )

( @annymation @signed-sapphire @chillwildwave @flicklikesstuff @gracebeth3604 @frogcoven88 WAKE UP ALL OF YOU, COME SEE THIS)

[annymation]

What things annoyed and infuriated you the most in Wish 2023 (or Canon!Wish)?

OOOOH BOY! You just gave me permission to open a whole can of worms! Let's gooo!

Okay so here's a list:

I don't like how weak the reveal of what Magnifico actually does is. Asha finds out that he doesn't grant all the wishes, awesome, that would be a cool reveal, except, it's not a reveal, she freakin KNEW THIS! Asha herself said to a kid "It could be you someday" COULD! Asha, you said COULD, as in, there's the POSSIBILITY he'll grant that kid's wish, not a certainty! Not to mention if he only grants ONE wish per month then OF FREAKING COURSE not all wishes are granted. Okay, case in point, there's no grand reveal that the king is doing something no one knew, Asha apparently just forgot how their kingdom works.

Now hear me out, I am NOT one of those people that says Magnifico is a hero and Asha is a villain, I wanna make this clear, because although I find people who legit think like that kinda funny and I reblog their takes from time to time, I also find it frustrating that Disney managed to make a STRAIGHT, WHITE, MAN, IN A POSITION OF POWER, MORE LIKABLE THAN THEIR SECOND BLACK PROTAGONIST! ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? IT'S SO EASY TO MAKE US HATE HIM!!!-ahem- But, although Magnifico is the most likable character in the movie, I do not see him as a hero, no no no, keeping the wishes away from the people of Rosas is bad, pretending that he'd grant Sabino's wish only to say SIKE was bad, saying he'd never grant Asha family's wishes was bad. So, am I saying Magnifico is a villain?... No. That's topic number 2, Magnifico wasn't a villain, he was a jerk. A jerk does not a villain make. I didn't feel threatened by that man for not a single minute, and that's including when he was possessed by the evil book, speaking of which.

That dang book both ruined and saved the movie honestly, because yeah, although it's a stupid way to make Magnifico an actual villain, but in a way that makes us sympathize with him since he's not in his right mind, and the last thing you want is for the audience to feel bad for your villain... Well, there's exceptions of course, but that's a whole other subject. But even though the book caused all this damage, it also gave us King unhinged, campy, straight up evil, fruity, voiced by Chris Pine having the time of his life Magnifico, and I loved every second of it, I ate possessed Magnifico up, I was living for every cringe cliche evil dialogue that came out of him, like hell yeah, that's what I've been waiting for, that's what it's all about WOOOOOO!!! I loved him so much I just copy pasted his personality into the Magnifico in my rewrite, although, my version is actually willing to kill teens, while Canon Mag seemed more hesitant for some reason, my headcanon is that Magnifico was fighting the curse deep down, and that's why his magic actually didn't hurt anyone, so... That's sad, hope he breaks out of the mirror and kills them all Idk

We're on topic 4 and this is not even half of my problems oh my... Anyway, Asha is boring. And I mean like, in a way that feels intentional, how did they do it? It's fascinating how she has nothing going for her, she doesn't stand out, doesn't have any internal conflicts at the start of the movie, something ALL Disney princesses have: Belle doesn't fit in with her village, Mulan struggles to make her family proud, Mirabel struggles to make her family proud x10.000, Moana wants to explore the sea but can't, Ariel wants to explore the land but can't, Jasmine wants to get out of the castle but can't, Cinderella is a victim of domestic abuse, ya'll get the idea, all these girls get their struggles that make them compelling, what's Asha's struggle that has been with her for most of her life?... Uh... Her grandpa, this dude we just met and seems pretty happy... Doesn't have his wish granted yet... Ok, what else? Oh yeah everyone in town seems to love her and dance along with her to show tourists how cool the kingdom is... Uhum... So yeah she has no compelling struggles that hook us with her from the start, and the conflict she DOES get, as I explained before, feels underwhelming.

The setting, oh the setting. Like, don't get me wrong, the architecture is pretty, but nothing about it screams SPAIN to me, where is the cultural food? Where are the bulls? Where's the stuff we associate with the Iberian Peninsula? They did such a good job in Encanto, what the heck happened? Oh and did I mention that most of the animals that appear in the forest are not even native to the Iberian Peninsula, there would be no racoons in a medieval setting there, considering they're an invasive species that was brought there from North America, something that, I assume, wouldn't be possible back then, as I don't think the americas were even discovered yet, but anyway, there they are, racoons hanging upside down from their tails, something they can't even do. Sorry for expecting biology accuracy from my disney movie guys, but you can't just make Encanto, that was freaking amazing with it's inclusion of so many gorgeous latin American animals, and then do whatever Wish is, like bruh where were the Lynxes??? They're an endangered species there, Disney could've raised awareness!!!

The music...

Valentino was absurdly annoying, and it would be SO EASY to make a baby goat cute! Baby. Goats. Are. Cute. SO WHY DID YOU MAKE HIM UNFUNNY GOAT THAT MAKES BUTT JOKES???

Characters were unmemorable, Asha's mom didn't do anything, Sabino, whose supposed to be the backbone of the story, is barely a character, and again, it's not like Disney hasn't made likable elderly people before, Moana's grandma, Mama Coco, but my guy Sabino was just... There.

Aaaand I probably could go on and on but I can't think of anything else, feel free to share your own problems with the movie yall.

[fanfictionfangirl]

My take on Amaya and Magnifico as a Villain Couple:

Because why did they not get to be the villain power couple in this??????

I can totally see Amaya as a power hungry and ambitious woman that wants status and prestige more than anything else, and uses manipulation as her main tactic.

Or for Magnifico, he could either always have been self-centered, or every wish he denies gets absorbed by him, thus making all those wishes made with bad faith or malevolent emotions part of him, and over time turning him into a narcissist. That would work as both a metaphor for how power changes a persona and an interesting element to how the frick his powers work, because what was that???

And personally, I think he should have had the power to see people's intentions, a bit like colors or a feeling or whatever, with which he could know if someone wished for a knife to cook in the kitchen or if they were planning murder. Because that's a massive flaw I think. Though the canon orbs could work too, but I just think that it would be cooler.

And Magnifico would be clear that wishes can be dangerous and as such has iron rules when it comes to wish granting. Like that he will never do anything involving life and death for example. You wish for a kitty? Go to the local animal shelter. You want to resurrect your dead wife? Forget about that. You want a fire breathing dragon? That's a safety hazard, go home and become a firefighter. It would make so much sense.

And Asha could be wrong. You know, a protagonist who believes that they are right but actually aren't? I know, revolutionary. In her quest to make sure everyone gets their wish granted, she would accidentally cause both wonders and chaos, putting the people into a frenzy. Like in the film, they would start questioning Magnifico, who would then try to bring back stability to his kingdom. And then 'this is the thanks I get' would get to be an actual villain song!!!! He sacrifices so much time for his people, he brings balance and peace, makes sure that everyone is provided for and yet the moment something isn't perfect, they question him. Which would be where either his ego, or the negative emotions he's absorbed from the wishes come into play. He needs to get rid of this disturbance, so that things get back to normal. But it fails and people get agitated and he slowly loses his cool, becoming more and more aggressive with his approach, until it can't be justified anymore and is now purely about revenge. He's now a full villain. His background isn't, but his actions are. Now, Amaya sees a threat and she tries to get rid of Asha through manipulation. They are a duo, one working as her enemy, the other pretending to be her ally. And it would be glorious!!!! Because they'd be a freaking VILLAIN COUPLE!!!! Do you know how awesome that concept is!!!!!!!!! And I've been deprived of it!!!!!

How Magnifico and Amaya got together is a mystery in the film (except if I just never heard of it) and I think that would be fascinating if they were villains.

For their Villain Backstory, this is what my brain came up with:

When they were young adults, and Magnifico came into power, he spent hours every day harnessing wishes, deciding what to grant and what not to, and defending his decisions to the people who were still coming to terms with this new change. Wish granting was something new and coveted, but also something looked at with sceptism. One day, after the "wishing hours", a young woman come to him. Magnifico told her that the time for wishes was over and to come back the next day, but she wasn't deterred.

She told him that she was here for a wish not meant to be heard by others. He answered that he wasn't interested in such a thing, and that people should witness whatever he decides to grant to others, so that they too could judge his decisions. Seeing that he would not yield, she introduced herself as Amaya and that her wish was to marry him. Surprised, he looked at her, but shook his head and told her that he refuses. She told him that it could be true love, he told her that there was no love.

Amaya demanded to know what it was if not love, to which he answered; Greed. Ambition and desire for power was what pushed her to him like that. Unhappy, she agreed, but pushed on. As the king of Rosas, a country so new and so unstable, he did not have the strength and endurance to leader them in the long-run. One day he would collapse under the weight of the wishes and this country would fall with him. Magnifico tries to disagree, but she interrupts that if there was someone else, a partner who would talk to the people and stand by his side when he made the necessary decisions, then he would have the support needed to move on.

Conflicted and weary, he states that she wants the power of his eyes. Amaya confirms. She wants the power to see into people's heart and feel their intentions, which in turn is a burden to him, who has to feel them and yet make rational decisions over whether to grant their wish or not. More than that, she adds, is that whenever he has to reject a wish, he absorbs it and is saddled with the weight of its emotions. It's true, every wish he reveals and cannot grant becomes part of him, and a weight he has to carry. But the young woman is also a risk; she has very high ambitions. If Magnifico were to make her queen, Rosas would find itself with a leader who looks out for herself first. Seeing his indecision, Amaya says that in exchange for the title of queen, she will grant him a wish too. That surprises Magnifico, people don't grant him wishes. She tells him that she would learn to love him.

While he is flabbergasted, she explains that she will always see for herself first, that is why he is so uneasy around her, but when she loves him, she will look out for him as a priority too. And when he is a priority, so will all of Rosas be, because without Magnifico, there will be no Rosas. With this deal in front of him, where he gives Amaya the power to leader a country and gets what is needed to keep it together, Magnifico accepts. And with their wedding, Amaya is granted the title of queen and the sight to see people's intentions.

Is this flawless? Absolutely not, but I'd honestly give anything for them to have been a villain couple, where Amaya resorts to emotional manipulation as easily as breathing and Magnifico actually has good points.

[king-magnifico-haven]

🌟 King Magnifico: Hero? Or Villain? 🌟

🌟🌖 There’s no shortage of red flags that come up whenever King Magnifico’s on screen, but in my opinion, none of them have to do with him being a villain. They all have to do with him being a fallen hero, a character that’s taken advantage of at every opportunity.

The Youtube video ‘Wish is Everything Wrong with Disney’ and the most vocal of Magnifico Defenders have already beautifully explained my reasons for thinking this, but after watching certain scenes and listening to ‘This is the Thanks I Get’ (even with its agonizingly horrible lyrics) I just wanted to share my opinions too, as a Magnifico Defender. 

The scene between him and Asha is meant to portray him as a villain, but there’s absolutely nothing in this scene that shows him off as evil. Instead there’s quite a bit showing him crying out for help. He confides in Asha about his wish, but is promptly ignored. She quickly jumps into asking for her grandfather’s wish to be granted.  

The frustration and disappointment in Magnifico’s voice at that point is crystal clear (hats off to Chris Pine). And keep in mind just mere moments ago, he confided in her about his wish. Something he probably doesn’t share often. He even mentioned her father. There was so much potential for a positive friendship, or maybe even relationship (if the movie had been written without Amaya), but everything’s completely skewered. 

‘Wish is Everything Wrong with Disney’ exquisitely gets a couple of points across, this being one of them: the scene between Asha and Magnifico was meant to portray Magnifico as this heartless bastard of a villain. It was also meant to villainize his system. But as we can clearly see, the citizens of Rosas aren’t suffering under his system. It’s a well-known, established system in which the citizens are merrily thriving. Outside of Simon, the only thing the citizens are suffering from is an addiction to wish ceremonies. 

And it’s stated, several times, how the wishes are given up willingly. Not just by Magnifico himself, but by Asha. Who happily sang about the very same wish system in ‘Welcome to Rosas’. 

It would’ve made a lot more sense if Asha had just moved to Rosas, and was told something incorrect about Magnifico’s wish system, only to find out everything’s a lie, but that’s not how it went. She ends up being like ‘omg Magnifico’s wish system is the greatest’ to villainizing the same exact system in her interview. 

In regards to Asha’s interview: Magnifico loses a couple of points for mocking Asha because ‘you’re young, you don’t know anything, really’ and for pretty much telling her ‘haha, I’m not granting your grandfather’s wish, sorry, loser’, but it was at that point he came off as more of an irritated hero than a villain. Nothing about either of those actions has him come off as anything even remotely close to Scar or Frollo. Maybe more of a Gaston?  

But not even really him. Magnifico’s just pissed at this point. Disney doesn’t really do death that often but he could’ve easily banished Asha and her family from the kingdom. However he pretty much just said ‘sorry, not today’ and walked off. 

Then there’s several scenes in which he speaks with the townspeople. Here lies the fault with how Amaya was handled. In my opinion, she pretty much doesn’t do anything but stand beside him. He speaks to the townspeople about a potential threat, they immediately go into a frenzy about another wish ceremony, and then we see him with his ‘OMG I’m so done’ look. Perfect opportunity for her to step in and take the baton. 

Amaya says absolutely nothing to comfort him during these critical scenes either. We get the ‘you’re such a handsome king’ and the hand kiss scene but there’s nothing deeper than that. Nothing that says ‘I love you, my dear Magnifico’. It’s about as surface level as the citizens of Rosas worshipping him because he can grant their wishes.  

Then there’s ‘This is the Thanks I Get’. Amaya’s absent throughout the entire song. She could have intervened at any point to comfort him. He was heading downstairs with the Evil Book. She could’ve have found him and said something along the lines of ‘oh no, please don’t do that, my love, we can work this out’ or ‘it’s okay, my love, Asha doesn’t mean any harm, she just loves her family’. Or maybe something like ‘it’s okay, my love, the star doesn’t mean any harm’. She could’ve been the very person that changed the course of the movie. 

You know, the power of true love and all that. 

We’ve seen her calm him down before. It worked. He was receptive towards her. He continued being receptive towards her. Even as he surrendered to the Book’s influence! 

Come to think of it, Simon’s the only thing that indicates Magnifico’s any bit of a villain. Not even The Book points to him being a villain because of course he was kinda possessed by it. He was terrified by a potential threat against their kingdom, due to his past, and went into Panic Mode. Unable to find any answers on how to deal with said threat in his books, he turned to the worst option available: The Book. He even said he didn’t want to be ‘tethered’ to The Book, but ‘desperate times call for desperate measures’. 

Without anyone around to convince him to put the book down.

Not Amaya, not Asha, not Valentino, Simon, a royal guard, the ghost of Asha’s father-no one. Magnifico was all alone. 

It kinda seems like he was alone the entire time. 🌖🌟