#The Pharaoh rewrite

[miraculous-rewrite]

Obviously Amun takes many notes from the ACTUAL god Amun, but with a couple of ‘creative liberties’ Aka Hawkmoth not knowing a particularly large amount of egyptian mythology

[miraculous-rewrite]

Miraculous Rewrite- Amun (a Pharaoh rewrite)

Now, UNLIKE Reflecktica this episode is a bit of a hot mess. we need to alter some stuff to not only to make things make more sense, but also to fit the narritive we’re constructing. 

My main beef with this whole thing is the blatant disregard for actual egyptian history and mythology, but in fixing that, we had to in fact change most of the rest of the story to go along with it, so here we are.

So, as Alya is not as focused on discovering who Ladybug is for obvious reasons, the cold open we have is instead of Marinette and Alya laying down on the floor of Mari’s room, looking at their history textbooks and studying Egyptian history. Tikki hovers behind their heads, commenting on how interesting it is that the two are studying that country’s history. 

The girls turn to look at the Kwami, asking why, and she does her computer thing in canon and brings up the exhibit at the museum, telling them to see for themselves. They share a glance between the two, before shrugging. Alya claims it could end up being fun, and Mari even remarks that Alix’s father is heading the exhibit, so they could get a private look. 

Marinette wonders out loud what Tikki was doing back in Ancient Egypt, asking if she has any fancy stories she’s been keeping from the two of them. Tikki giggles and tells them that they should just wait and see. 

Of course when the two of them are at the exhibit, it’s specifically shown that Alix had gotten them a private look see just before the museum would otherwise be open. Her father is showing the girls around, excited at seeing two girls interested in history without being forced to learn for a class, and chatters on about some of the artefacts in the exhibit hall. Alix makes small mocking gestures behind her father’s back, but shows interest like the others, fiddling with the pocket watch hanging off her shorts. 

While Marinette has been dutifully following behind M. Kubdel as he spoke, Alya’s a more… let’s say.. Active listener. Darting here and there around every newly introduced artifact, taking pictures with her phone, searching for something. Eventually Alix rolls her eyes and asks her what she’s doing.

“Someone on the Ladyblog tipped me off about there being some kind of hieroglyph in here that looks an awful lot like Ladybug and I wanna find it.” M. Kubdel laughs gently and asks her that if there was a reference to Ladybug, if that means the heroine’s been around for thousands of years.

“Probably! Maybe she’s some kind of immortal demigod or something!” Alya trades a knowing glance with Marinette, who takes then to chime in.

“Maybe the Ladybug Title has been passed down through generations? If she is there that might be the First Ladybug herself!”

M. Kubdel considers what the two girls said, a hand on his chin, and though he doesn’t say whether he thinks the two are right or not, he escorts the trio over to the papyrus sheet, telling them this is one of the newest pieces, and therefore likely to be what this “tip” might refer to. 

Before either girl can get a look at it, the two are nudged not-too-gracefully out of the way by an older man, who Alix and M. Kubdel recognize. 

“Ah! It’s been put up for display!” He exclaims, otherwise not caring about the two girls he’d shoved out of his way. 

“We’re fine, thanks for asking.” Alya testily retorts. 

“Jalil!” M. Kubdel finally shouts, Jalil coming back to earth and pulling his shoulders up embarrassedly. “Those are your sister’s friends.” He finally straightens up, expression pained for a moment before turning to the two and offering them both hands up. 

“Very sorry. It’s just, father hasn’t allowed me to examine this papyrus until it was put up and I suppose my overeagerness got the better of me.”

On the other side of town, we see Adrien checking the Ladyblog and seeing the pictures Alya’s been posting here and there with captions about seeking information on Ladybug, and he grabs Plagg, running off to ask the Gorilla to take him to the museum. 

Though that scene doesn’t last long before we cut back to The main group, Jalil scanning over the papyrus and scratching ideas into his notebook. Alya still taking picture after picture looking for the Treasure hunt Tikki put them on. Marinette, polite as ever, asks Jalil what he’s working on.

He explains that Akhenaten, the Pharaoh that tried to turn Egypt monotheistic had a wife, the beautiful Nephrititi. Ahkenaten’s son, Tutenkaten, was made pharaoh at a young age after Akhenaten was more or less forced to retire and after he did, Tutenkaten changed his name to Tutankhamun to show that he was endorsing the numerous gods of Egypt again, including the very popular Amun. But Nephretiti died very quickly after her husband and Tut was forced to be raised by aunts and siblings before dying young. 

M. Kubdel tries to insist gently that Marinette and Alya were well aware of the story, but before he could finish his sentence Jalil continued.

“But! Tutankhamun wasn’t content with that, and had all of his priests and devout practitioners, mostly those that worshipped Osiris, Anubis, Medjed and all other underworld gods to gather and create an audience with the underworld to barter for his mother’s life.”

As he continues on, talking about the forty devout followers that were to be sacrificed in Nephretiti’s place and how, with magic being reintroduced in  the world, one could possibly attempt it again, Alix and M. Kubdel stiffen. Alix’s gaze darting to the ground, and M. Kubdel’s grip on his own books and papers tightening. 

“Tutankhamun wanted to revive his mother, do you think that maybe-”

“Enough of this Jalil!” M. Kubdel finally snaps. “You’ve had your head in the clouds for the past two years and it’s starting to take its toll. Your sister is doing her best to keep going and not vanish into fantasies, you’d do well to follow her example! Learn the difference between myth and history before you come in expecting anyone to listen to you!” 

Alix, moodily comes forward and grabs Alya and Marinette’s arms “Let’s just go.” said quietly, before Jalil ended up heading the three off and running off in a fit.

We follow Jalil now, standing outside the Louvre, pacing back and forth and muttering angrily. He knows it’s real, with actual superheroes wandering around was magic really SO out of plausibility? What’s wrong with wanting to try it out? Sure he didn’t have anyone who was devout to the old gods but he could at least try! Don’t they owe it to Mom to at least try?

The Akuma lands on his amulet then, the voice that Hawkmoth speaks to him in isn’t his own, but a gentle, soft voice. A maternal voice. Hawkmoth speaks to him as the voice of Nephrititi, saying that while her own son was stopped by the spotted hero, Jalil, you can defeat Ladybug. You can be given the power of Amun, You can bring your mother back. 

When Jalil straightens, he raises his head up and says that he will right the wrongs of others. He will become Amun. and he will petition Osiris himself to return her.

Look, I really didn’t like the Pharaoh’s design, I thought it was dumb, so let’s get something more regal up in here. Since he’s embodying Amun, that’s what he’ll take after design wise. A colorful shawl wrapped around his shoulders, a collar of lapis lazuli and gold with a now golden scarab amulet in the center, and a two peaked headdress.

In his hand is an Ankh, and from the tip of said Ankh shoots a golden light. After shooting a few civilians it's revealed that the light turns those who are hit by it into ancient egyptian reflections of themselves. Dressed in robes and running over to Amun to bow at his feet. Amun takes the looped head of the Ankh and taps them on the head as they approach. Telling them what god they now worship, and the civilians then begin to call out praises to the god they were assigned. 

Adrien gets on the scene just in time to narrowly avoid worshipping Osiris himself. Ducking behind a bicycle rack and transforming. Marinette and Alya haven't quite heard the commotion just yet, The two of them instead focusing on cheering the now dour Alix up a little. Their attempts are eventually busted up by Amun reaching the three of them. Since his Akuma form is less ridiculous this time, he’s easy to identify and thus his plan was easy to guess. Alix puts her hand between Marinette and Alya and Amun and tells the two of them to leave. She’s his sister maybe she’ll have a bit of sway. 

And man is Alix Luuuuckkyyy that Jalil doesn’t ACTUALLY think he’s Egyptian royalty right now. The last thing this girl’s blood pressure would need is her brother trying to claim her as his wife. It also helps that M. Kubdel shows up to ask what the heck is going on as the museum staff is freaking out, and spots Alix trying to talk down the Akuma that was once her brother.  To be fair Alix wasn’t overly TRYING to get Jalil to give up, just to buy others enough time. But thankfully for her, Amun is doing this for her too. So instead of turning her he lifts her over his shoulder and insists that they’d get their mom back together. 

M. Kubdel, also hearing this, tries to approach Jalil himself to try and rescue Alix, but Amun doesn’t even give him a second glance before aiming his Ankh at him. M. Kubdel is assigned Medjed and is even upgraded to a ‘priest’ instead of just a devout. He’s sent up to lead the devout followers in the ritual, but Amun doesn’t have the complete set yet.

So he says out loud they need the rest of that papyrus, but before they can make it back into the area, Ladybug is on the scene. 

Alix of course is cheering for her, even calling out ideas on where the Akuma may be hidden, but Amun isn’t letting her get near enough to test any theories herself. Laying cover fire from his Ankh one beam of light after another. 

Alix takes then to help out a little more directly, kicking Jalil and nailing him in the solar plexus before getting back on her feet and making a run for it. Amun is about to blast her, when Chat Noir shows up and knocks the Ankh from his hands. He plucks a few strands of grain from his hair and comments idly about how a bunch of priests can really throw a good punch. 

Amun growls at him and throws a proper punch at Chat, which is easily blocked. But when Ladybug tries to rejoin the fight now that she was no longer at a distance, Amun was able to grab hold of his Ankh and takes a shot at Alix’s retreating form. Alix avoids it, barely, but the beam begins to ricochet around the room. Putting both Ladybug and Chat Noir on the defensive as they have to avoid getting hit. To cover his escape further Amun fires two more shots that begin to bounce. Ladybug and Chat Noir are forced to go back to back to cover each other and Amun is able to escape.

Back with Alix, she’s made her way back to the Egypt exhibit, and is in the middle of engaging the security cages when finally, no matter how unfortunately, a beam of light hits her. Amun approaches and deems her the priestess of Anubis. And as she recites prayers she lets him in to grab the papyrus and study it more. 

When we next clip back to Ladybug and Chat Noir they’re still on guard against the ricocheting light beams and Ladybug ends up coming up with the solution of slowly, if in perfect rhythm, they could make their way out at the same time to avoid either of them getting hit. So, after a moment of arguing about rhythm, they end up harmonizing in a Jagged Stone song together as they make their way out (Think that one scene in kim possible) And they begin to make their way outside.

Once outside it’s realized that Amun has almost completed his ritual. The forty devout are there, he just needs a third priest, the priest of Osiris. And as the last person in the area whose not actively a superhero, he’s currently chasing down Alya to fill that position.

Alya is recording the whole thing of course, and keeps making snarky comments about what other gods from other extensive pantheons she’d rather worship. 

“I’m more Hermes girl myself! Maybe I could become a handmaiden for Freya!”and things like that to get Amun more and more flustered. 

Ladybug takes then to use lucky Charm, and like before, she comes up with a false Ladybug costume. The camera highlighting the costume, a nearby firehose, the papyrus, the Ankh, and a streetlamp.

While the plan is, obviously a little different, it’s got the same bones as it was in canon. Ladybug ducking away and changing into the outfit away from inquisitive eyes, and offering herself up as the Preist of Osiris as it would be the ultimate revenge on Tutenkhamun’s behalf. Amun agrees and sets Marinette in front of the crowd, before reaching to remove her Miraculous’. She holds her head out to let him take them off himself, only to discover only when they’re in his hands that they’re fake. She puts the real earrings back on and re-transforms. Her normal uniform appearing in place of the fake one. But now that she’s close enough to him she grabs hold of the Papyrus, and with it his chant, as well as his Ankh. Tossing the papyrus to Alya and the Ankh to Chat. Amun reels, looking between either one unsure of which to go after first, and when he makes a break for Alya the rest of the trap is sprung. 

Chat takes the firehose and wraps it around the Ankh and uses it as a counterbalance to wrap around and secure itself onto the streetlamp. Which Alya runs directly in the path of. She’s able to hop over it without being too obvious, but when Amun runs after her Chat pulls the hose to become a tripwire and Amun falls flat, his own body weight crushing the Akuma. 

After purifying the Akuma Alix approaches her brother, and, in a rare display of tenderness, asks him to explain the embalming process to her again.

The timeskip after the end of the fight still leads to late evening at the Dupain-Cheng household, only this time with Mari and Alya in pjs by her computer, looking at the pictures they’d taken of the papyrus, taking notice of the Tikki glyph as well as the Ladybug one. Alya exclaims, wondering how they’d missed it before. And Marinette wonders out loud how many Ladybugs there have been in the past.

Tikki explains that Ladybugs show up when there need to be Ladybugs. And many men and women have worn the mask before her. Alya recants that it might be a good cover story though, if that particular matter was kept a secret. After all, Ladybug being an immortal deity makes for better news anyway. 

Gilligan cut to Adrien, face pressed against his desk, a new Ladyblog article in front of him, Plagg dispassionately patting his head. 

“I’m way too young for her! She’s been out of my league this whole time!”

“It’s okay kid, Camembert gets better with age and so will you.”