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synergysilhouette · 6 months

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Rewriting the Specialists (you know, for fun)

Finally, the time has come for me to share my rewrite on the underrated men of the Winx Club series! As with my rewrite of the Winx girls and some of the villains, this is not a "what should be," but my own twist on them. As they are now, they feel like they're just love interests, and I'd appreciate it if they had more going on. I also gave some of them siblings (mainly brothers since all the Winx who had siblings had sisters)

Sky--The Crown Prince of Eraklyon, he's often had to live life as dictated by others, due to the stricter ruling style of the kingdom in contrast to others like Solaria. As such, Sky has been raised to understand a variety of subjects and skills, and is especially prided for being one of the few people in the royal family who possess magic, which makes those around him believe his rule with be a prosperous one. When his best friend Brandon falls for Stella, Sky offers to switch places with him; no one will be the wiser since the Eraklyon royal family is rather private, and very few people outside the planet know what the crown prince looks like. He falls for Bloom, though he holds back on engaging in a relationship with her due to the fact that he's pretending to be Brandon, and wonders if he even should be in a relationship with her due to her witch heritage (with witches in Eraklyon having a particularly nasty reputation; Sky himself has had to dodge accusations of having witch blood due to his magical powers, as so many of his political adversaries have tried to accuse him). However, he does confess his feelings for her during her manipulation with Darkar, as well as comforting her when she discovers her own witch heritage. He cares for Diaspro as a friend, but their political engagement makes him feel distant from her, trying (without being obvious) to show his displeasure with the match while still being a friend to her. It's noted that Sky is rather naive, quick to believe others and show kindness and forgiveness, upholding the beliefs of honor and valor as the sign of a true king. When Domino is reinstated, he makes it priority to befriend Oritel and Mirion, destined to prove that he is the one for Bloom. He's also the specialist who's the best with kids, growing up as an only child and wanting a big family of his own someday. It's implied that Flora and Helia's immediate marriage after graduating Red Fountain and Alfea has inspired Sky and Bloom to get married soon as well.

Visually, I'd base his appearance (even though the specialists weren't based on celebrities like the Winx were) on Chris Evans, as well as being voiced by Christopher Daniel Barnes. I'd also retcon the RF uniform. I'd say Sky's look at Red Fountain is predominantly blue and gold, similar to the uniform he wears later in the season (albeit more fashionable, akin to other magical creatures).

Brandon--Sky's best friend and a resident of Callisto. The planet is rather underdeveloped in the show, and in the 4kids dub it's said to be known as a tourist destination with beautiful beaches and artistic traditions. I thought it'd be nice to use an established planet before making one up, anyway. Sky met Brandon as a child while on vacation in Callisto, and the two became fast friends. While Sky's parents resisted Sky becoming too friendly with someone in a lower social circle (reasoning that as king, he'll have to spend a lot of his free time schmoozing with more important people), they saw how popular Brandon was, becoming something of the pride and joy of the planet due to his kindness, handsomeness, and bravery, so they let the two remain friends. However, the boys are envious of each other's lives; Brandon has lived happily in a middle-class family of love, while Sky has grown up in splendor with a somewhat cold family. Brandon wants to know what it's like to be so powerful, though mainly to impress Stella, having already seen how royals feel about him when he befriended Sky, and worries that she wouldn't (or couldn't) accept him as he was if he didn't pretend to be a prince. Out of the specialists, he's the most inclusive, trying to make sure all his friends are comfortable and part of their activities, social or otherwise, and often talks about his younger brother Kaden, who's about Miele's age. He's also the most entertaining, being the most skilled at dancing and singing, able to pick up new skills and hobbies more easy than most people (which is why Sky nicknamed him "Mr. Perfect" and Riven nicknamed him "Mr. Perfectionist"). As royal consort being engaged to Stella, he's taken to busying himself learning all the ins and outs of royalty in order to support her, though Stella makes sure he doesn't overwork himself. His dream after graduating was to be a hero, and one might argue that he's already achieved that. It's also implied that he and Stella are trying to get married before Sky and Bloom since Flora and Helia already got married after graduation (they tried to plan a double wedding, but it'd be too many people).

Visually, I'd base him off of Ryan Gosling, and have him voiced by Justin Cook (I love him as Eijiro Kirishima). It's revealed that he's got some mer lineage, so he does have a capacity for magic, albeit limited. Sky also created a magic suit for him during missions that protects him from average attacks. It's predominantly red with intrinsic designs, a metaphor for his desire to stand out and be seen as special. (Note: I could also see him as being Hispanic like Flora, though you'd probably need some nods to it when visiting his homeworld.)

Riven--Hailing from Dolona, the most edgy Specialist is known as such for a reason. His mother was of noble blood, but after being seduced by a vampire, she was cast out by her family. Years later, they offered her the chance of "forgiveness," not knowing she had had a child with the vampire. Wanting the best life for herself, she abandoned Riven, and his father only occasionally visited him in the orphanage, but never revealed his identity. As such, Riven has a very skewed look on life, wanting to both impress those above him and dominate his contemporaries, not exactly making him a "team player." He was interested in Bloom, but her lack of tolerance for his disrespectful attitude made that fizzle out quickly. He helped Musa rescue Bloom from Darko (who, if you haven't read my rewrite of some of the villains, is in an on-off relationship with Icy; this was an off period), and the two went on a date after this. At first Musa only saw him as a one-time thing, noting his poor behavior, but after being scorned by Bloom, Riven tries a different, slightly more vulnerable approach with Musa, and they begin a relationship. They do have certain obstacles in their way--Musa putting her career before their relationship at times, Riven's insecurity and jealousy, Darcy stirring the pot--but one of the most trying ones is Riven's discovery that he's a vampire. He doesn't tell anyone, afraid that they'll see him as worse than they already do, and takes to drinking his friends' blood when they're asleep. Given that he's only half vampire, he can't fully absorb negative human emotions and use it for sustenance; if anything, he absorbs them and takes them into his own being, making him more negative than he already is. He has a rivalry with Sky, so Timmy and Brandon are some of the few people who can really console him, as well as Flora (because who doesn't like Flora?). It's worth noting that after he gets involved with Darcy and recognizes his vampire powers, he's not just blowing hot air; his comments have bite (no pun intended) and are much sharper and wittier than before, as he's gotten better with reading people, and there's a vague implication that he's gained some of the thoughts/memories of people he's drank from (including the Winx, which he's only done during battle for a power boost and if they've been knocked out). It's also noted that he probably has a lot of family he doesn't know about, given his background and the respective sizes of each of his parent's families. Once he graduates, he sets out to find them and understand more about himself while Musa works on her music.

Riven's redesigned outfit keeps the purple color scheme of season 8, though much cooler and unique, (if you're into comic books, check out Gambit's 2023 Hellfire Gala costume; it's like that but with the chest area covered and the pants tight instead of baggy, as well as a sleeveless option). I'd take inspiration for his appearance from Adam Levine, as well as have him voiced by Ben Diskin. (Note: I could also see him as Hispanic.)

Timmy--A high-spirited elf from Magix with an ironic love for technology, he's kind of seen as an odd one of his kind (even to his parents), since, despite his nature affinity, he was always drawn to industrialism and innovation. But he never let that ruin his vibe, even if he faces discrimination at Red Fountain for being a nerd. This lessons up with time as his smarts pay off in battle and the classroom, as well as his physical form changing with frequent exercise and his friends' fashion sense influencing him (because let's be real; part of rising in the social circle is conventional attractiveness; Timmy was always attractive, but I did want it to be a journey for him to be on the same athletic level as his friends). However, he finds that at first, he has difficulty channeling his magic, which is later revealed to be his overreliance on technology as well as his relationship with Tecna (who's a cyborg and despite her intelligence, failed to recognize Timmy's emotional state was enabling his powers). He eventually strikes a balance, being affectionately called the "tech elf" by his friends, forming a close friendship with Helia, and having a weird frenemey relationship with Riven. Out of all the Specialists, he sees his relationship as one of two halves; he sees Tecna not just as the love of his life, but as his other half, sharing a lot of his thoughts. For a brief period, he considered becoming an android so he and Tecna could be compatible to be a hive mind, but Tecna and Helia discouraged this, not wanting either of them to lose their individuality, nor have Timmy's powers sealed forever (which would happen if he became one with Zenith's technology). After graduating, Tecna and Timmy rent a space together with Flora and Helia in Lynphea, which Tecna believes could strengthen Timmy's powers due to his nature-related heritage and help him get back in touch with his roots.

Visually, I'd base him off of Tom Holland and voiced by Bryce Papenbrook (I know him as Adrien Agreste) or David Kaufman (AKA Danny Phantom). I'd make his magical costume predominantly green with ever-moving patterns like binary code.

Helia--A peaceful shaman from Linphea, he takes pride in his role of spreading kindness and love, lacking the ability to kill or severely harm anyone with his powers, he's been childhood friends with Flora and almost immediate friends with Timmy when he comes to Red Fountain. However, it's noted that his friendship with the specialists has opened up a competitive/prideful side, but only in a friendly way, nothing as severe as Riven. He's known for being shy, and given how secretive the nature of shamans is anyway (I think we only see two in the entire franchise), he's met with skepticism in Red Fountain, since shamans are equated with witches and wizards, who have been prejudiced against. Not to mention he's Saladin's grandson, so there's concerns of nepotism. However, he deflects these stereotypes with his friendliness, often going out of his way to get gifts for the Winx every time he visits them (particularly Flora), as well as his fellow guys at Red Fountain--though he's rather discreet, due to his own shyness and the students' pride. He's one of the smartest and kindest people there, to the point where he's been volun-told to be a representative for the school, despite his anxiety in crowds and fear of public speaking. He's also adored by animals, so Ariel (my version of Roxy) just adores him. He also has an older sister named Theia and a fraternal twin bother named Endymion, who doesn't go to RF due to being a prodigy and being a healer back in Lynphea, having been a favorite of Guru. When going back to Lynphea, Flora and Helia grow even closer, getting an apartment to share with Timmy and Tecna (though Flora and Helia's parents offer to let the four live with them) and Helia and Flora work on furthering their skills in order to spread healing and kindness throughout the realm.

I'd take inspiration from Henry Golding for his appearance (just putting it out there, I always thought Helia was Asian, and I'd make him Southeast Asian for more diversity, probably Malaysian, Indonesian, or Filipino, though the latter works best since Flora is Latin-inspired and her region in Lynphea would showcase this; I'm also open to Indigenous Siberian inspiration), and have him voiced by Seth Green (don't @ me, but his performance as Patrick in "Scooby Doo 2" is what sold me) or Christopher Sean. I'd make his costume black and silver to showcase his mysterious and magical nature, something cool but still low-key. I'd also note that while a cisgender man, he does allow others to use whatever pronouns they want for him, as well as being the specialist most likely to experiment with androgynous fashion sense.

Nabu--A wizard from the richest family in Andros, he's seen as the "prized pony" by everyone in the kingdom and even beyond. As such, he has been courted by many, though the line thinned slightly because of him being a wizard and that reputation being iffy. As a child, there was a bit of a schism because of the fact that both Neptune and Teredor wanting him for their daughters (and the idea of an open/dual marriage was briefly discussed, but they couldn't get the details ironed out, and I'm not sure if I'm writing this as a kids show anymore, but I digress), but eventually Aisha was seen as the ideal candidate. Neither Nabu nor Aisha were happy to be betrothed to someone they didn't know, but unknowingly met and befriended each other (at the time, Aisha was going by Layla and Nabu was going by Ophir), eventually falling in love. Given that Nabu knew next-to-nothing about politics and Aisha needs "me time" every now and then, they have a rather nuanced and fluid relationship, one that recognizes them as individuals while still being passionate for each other, and Nabu is more than happy being a "silent consort" in the public eye as he learns more about his role and Aisha acts as reigning queen. It's also mentioned that he has Romulean heritage and has two younger brothers: Enki and Ashur (wanted to go with the Babylonian origins of Nabu's name). He's often off adventuring if he's not with Aisha, and doesn't do it without his friends the Specialists, who he also concealed his identity from to prevent harm coming to him or his family in exchange for ransom.

Visually, I'd base him off of Jason Derulo, as well as being voiced by Ogie Banks (Clawd Wolf's VA feels perfect), and I'd put him in aqua colors for his wizard robes. I was personally never certain about his race, though I was almost certain he was black. In my rewrite, he'd also be mixed with Native American (I imagine Central or South American) or Asian heritage (South or East Asian, perhaps Japanese or Korean to distinguish himself from Musa, who's inspiration was Lucy Liu, an actress of Chinese descent). BTW, it'd be nice if at some point in the series, he wears dreads like the "Surf Club" owner; I always loved his hairstyle.

Nex--Everyone kinda sees Nabu's successors as inferior to him, and I can see why. In my rewrite, both Nex and Roy compete for Aisha's affections, thinking that she's a normal girl and not realizing she's a princess (since she's disguised as Layla) or that Nabu is a noble man. When they do, I'm not sure if I'd entertain the idea of Aisha being in an open relationship with Nabu, entertaining Nex and Roy's advances before she settled down with Nabu, or if she denied them outright. In any case, I do like the idea that Nex and Roy become a couple after a good deal of time, so Aisha feels less guilty about rejecting them (and the awkwardness of them joining the other Specialists when joining the Winx). While originally seen as a "Riven clone," Nex is shown to be a lot more vulnerable than Riven. Despite sharing the need to impress and dominate, he's quick to beg forgiveness or feel guilt when he goes too far, and it's noted that from a young age, he spent his early years as a servant before coming to RF, and thus didn't have much of a childhood. As a result, his behavior is moreso innocent childishness rather than malice. It's also of note that he is the most skilled when it comes to the culinary field, as well as having a soft spot for kids and animals, though toxic masculinity makes this hard for him to admit, concerned it'd make him look weak or not manly enough.

Design-wise, I'd base his appearance on Sebastian Stan and voiced by Drake Bell (who did a great job as Spiderman, imo). I'd put him an orange for his magical look, and he's from the planet Serenia, explaining his somewhat tempestuous attitude. It's also of note that he's a werewolf, making him reckless in battle because he can take it.

Roy--A sweet noble from Espero, he's noted as being akin to Timmy and Helia due to his shyness, though he's more bashful than either of them, resulting in a smaller social circle. While working to get Aisha's affections, he discovered growing feelings for Nex, which eventually ended up in the two forming a romantic relationship. He's at home in the water, and is quite a talented swimmer. Raised by his father, it's later revealed that his mother was a mermaid, and that he's able to transform into a merman (just like Bloom, he's a late bloom-er), which explains his fascination with the ocean. It's also explained that after transforming a few times, the benefits of being a merman (faster swimming speed and underwater breathing) temporarily transfer to his human form for a short period. He goes on to work for Aisha's father once graduating, feeling at home in Andros and wanting to find his mother, despite not knowing her (his father notes that they only knew each other for a brief time), something that Nex joins him with.

To diversify him a bit more from the other specialists, I'd give him an abnormal hair color like some tritons have, in this case, green (probably a malachite-like shade), with his appearance inspired by D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai (I'm making him Native American here, probably a United States or Canadian Tribe), voiced by Jason Ritter, and his clothes are a deep pink color, having a more flow-y style to them in reference to his aquatic heritage.

Manuel--If you recall, my rewrite of Roxy (or in my version, Ariel), I mentioned that her boyfriend Manuel isn't a specialist, being a human from Earth, but I did want to include him. I'm renaming him Xavier, and he has a similar personality to Sky, being sweet and optimistic, though unlike Sky, he hasn't had the real-world experience to help him mature. As a result, he's easy to take advantage of, and Ariel often has to come to his defense. He almost breaks up with her when she tells him that the reason she left is because she's a fairy and went to a magical school on another planet, but when she proves it to him, he changes his mind. Given that he's not around magic on a day-to-day basis, he's uncertain how to process the info Ariel's given him, questioning everything around him and temporarily having a sanity crisis. He's a skilled athlete, and while most people assume he plays (American) football, he actually plays soccer (AKA association football to everyone outside of America). When the specialists visit Earth, he makes quick friends with all of them, and is honored when Helia does his signature gift-giving and gives him a magic shield should he ever need to protect those he cares about when the winx and the specialists aren't around.

Just like his girlfriend, I'm giving him a design overhaul (well, in text format; I can't draw). Just like how Roxy looks like Tecna, Manuel looks like Sky and Bloom's son--which honestly they could've used for a next-gen series. In any case, I'd make him of either Polynesian (I'm thinking Hawaiian or Tahitian) or Micronesian (likely Chamorro) descent. I'd base his new appearance off of Jason Mamoa, though IDK who I'd cast for his voice since he was never in the show.

Hope you liked my rewrite of the specialists! And make sure to check out my rewrites of the Winx girls and villains. Make sure to let me know if you have any questions.

#winx #winx club #specialists #sky #riven #brandon #timmy #helia #nabu #nex #roy #manuel

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