#anti baudrey

[hitchell-mope]

Audrey: I’ve been in a year and a half long situationship.

Lonnie: it’s a one sided delusion because he does not want you.

[bosesmikas]

Descendants stop having Audrey in bland het ships challenge

[qiqi-media]

Poor Baurdey never stood a chance

It really makes me sad that they did all they could to kill this ship before the movies even really started. When I really sit and think about it, to me it’s a little out of character for Ben to sit in a relationship that he’s not happy with, under the impression that he knows the other person feels strongly for him. Now Ben’s a human being, I can see why it was ultimately a good move to have him make said mistake because he was a teenager and he deserved to be able to grow as a character. It’s just that as the years pass, you can tell it was more of a decision to make Bal not look as bad. Because take away all the books and focus strictly on the movies, why were we assuming that Ben and Audrey were in an unhappy relationship? We assumed that because pretty much as soon as it started they were dropping hints that Ben wasn’t interested, he was interested in Mal. Again not taking in the books, we don’t know why they’re together or why they’re still together if he’s not interested and then the rumor flies that they are in an arranged marriage. The death of Baudrey really was just to make sure there was no backlash for Bal. With how they tried to portray them as a dead ship even if Mal wasn’t around the relationship was going to end anyway, was the vibe they were giving off with how hard they were pushing “Ben doesn’t love Audrey, he doesn’t even like her.” On the bright side it makes Baudrey fics all the more interesting because it usually involves Ben re-falling in love with her.

[descendintorantness]

It genuinely makes me sick to my stomach to see people defend Mal’s actions towards Ben. The love spell was appalling, and the only thing more appalling was the fact that the narrative of Descendants then built up this abuser and her victim as some sort of perfect example of pure true love. (Or, when they weren’t portrayed as perfect, the victim, Ben, was always the one who was blamed for it).

Just because the two contexts are different does not mean the experiences of the characters cannot be compared. That argument doesn’t make sense. Even just looking at Audrey and Mal’s expressions during those two scenes, we can see similarities. Were their experiences entirely the same? No, of course not. However, that does not mean that one’s emotions and reaction was more valid than the other’s.

Addressing your three points, I believe that much of your argument is based on unchecked extrapolation.

Point 1: How do you know Audrey doesn’t have real feelings for Ben? Where is that stated? Audrey is one of many characters whose feelings and motivations aren’t very well explained, so I will admit there is no way for us to know her true feelings about Ben. However, her actions and words make it clear that, even if not in a romantic sense, she does care for Ben. In Descendants 3, we see a picture of them together as very young children. They’ve known each other for years. And while Audrey never recieves an apology, Ben wastes no time when it comes to apologizing to Mal. Not to mention the other characters’ reactions to Ben walking into the Cotillion with Uma. Everyone turns on Ben, including HIS OWN PARENTS, for something that isn't his fault, because the only important thing is Mal and her oh-so-precious feelings. Carlos even says he wishes he'd left Ben to die after seeing him apparently break Mal's heart. Mal and Ben are broken up at this point. They are not back together, yet everyone is upset at Ben for not immediately begging on his knees to get Mal back. It wouldn't have been out of line at all for Ben to do to the dance with someone else after what Mal did, especially because she broke up with him. Audrey and Ben were still together when he confesses to Mal in front of the entire school. Not only would this have been heartbreaking for Audrey, I can’t imagine how embarassed and humiliated she must have felt to see her boyfriend openly admit, in front of a whole crowd of people, that he wanted to cheat on her.

Point 2: Mal's toxic obsession with being a perfect princess is often blamed on Ben, but in context of the movie, it is abundantly clear that this was never his wish or intention. Ben (for some godsforsaken reason) liked Mal exactly as she was, and wanted her to feel like she could be herself; and subsequently, consistently put her needs/wants equal to or even above his own. He was clearly putting a lot of effort into his relationship and supporting his girlfriend, only to receive nothing but deception in return. Mal simply brushed off any offers of help/concern, and kept on using magic instead of actually trying to solve her problems. So, while she might have been especially crushed due to her efforts leading up to the Cotillion, taht stress was something she inflicted upon herself. But now let’s compare Mal’s stress and desire to be perfect with Audrey’s; Mal spent months trying to be perfect for Ben, Audrey has spent her entire life trying to be perfect for Ben, for Auradon, and for her grandmother. The emotional and verbal abuse we see Audrey subjected to by her grandmother in the third movie is something we can reasonably assume she’s had to endure her whole life (or at least since she met Ben, as the very small child we saw in that picture in her bedroom). I’d argue that Audrey’s devastation upon seeing all her hard work get flushed down the drain before her very eyes as the boy she’s spent her entire life with, been told she’s supposed to love and who’s supposed to love her, publically proclaim that he loves another girl, is greater than Mal’s heartbreak upon seeing her ex show up with another date.

Point 3: You are correct, Uma is not just any girl, she is another one of Mal’s many victims. Their family dynamic is not explored or even mentioned in the canon of Descendants, so I don’t believe this is a big part of their relationship. However, what is shown as a significant part of their relationship is how Mal used to be Uma’s best friend, only to outright reject her later. Mal made Uma think she was drowning so that Uma would jump in to try and save her, then constantly ridiculed and humiliated her for it, using that act of kindness as an excuse to call Uma ��soft” and “weak”. Mal also dumped rotten shrimp in her hair, caused life-long insecurity around the fact that her hair always smells like shrimp, and rallied practically the entire Island to call Uma "Shrimpy" so that she wouldn't even have the basic humanity of a name. Uma went on a date with Mal’s ex.

I agree, the context of the situations was vastly different, but I strongly disagree that they cannot be compared. However, I would argue that the differences that are there make Audrey much more sympathetic than Mal.

In defence of Mal getting her 'karma' by the love spell in D2, and the people smirking, 'now she knows how it feels!'

It. Is. Different! 1 Unlike Audrey, Mal has genuine feelings for Ben at that point. (and think about the context of that. This is a girl who has never truly romantically loved someone in her life. And now that she has the person she let have her heart is getting taken away) 2. Mal has just come off months of putting herself through hell/Tartarus trying to be what she thought Ben needed. So that she wouldn't cause him issues with being a VK and on the night it was all supposed to pay off, Ben turns up with another girl. 3 Even if it's unknown to Ben and Uma Mal knows that that's not just any girl taking Ben. It's her cousin, her family that's just a deeper level of low/hurt!

So no, you cannot compare Mal and Audrey's feelings in that moment because the context of the two situations was not the same.

[deafchild2000]

The Rose Petal Effect

Link: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13844092/0

Once upon a time, a beautiful princess watched as the king she loved found Happily Ever After without her. For 5 years, she gave herself to her kingdom and ruled justly until the insurgents came. Too late to save the ones she loves, an unseen entity took pity and reversed the hands of Time. There's nothing to guide a princess who couldn't remember the past. All she had were feelings...and rose petals.

[dani-luminae]

"fanfic questions themed around time"; Wednesday, March, September

fanfic questions themed around time

wednesday: name a fic which you have posted which you think is underrated?

I think my “Dark Haven” series is underrated. A version of Auradon where good and evil is reversed is fantastic and I love Bianca’s story, and I definitely enjoy exploring the whole “anti-hero” concept from the second Isle of the Lost book especially considering canon didn’t do crap with it. 

march: do you listen to music whilst writing?

Yes. All the time. I can’t function without background noise, mostly music. YouTube is good for that. The music I choose will typically change based on my mood, the tone of writing, or subject of the writing.

september: share a comment or review which still warms your heart?

One of my favorite commenters on Quotev, Bebé , left this comment on the Ben and Audrey wedding chapter of GtbB Twisted Tale: “I've got tears in my eyes, I love Baudrey so much, we deserved Baudrey and Huma as endgame. This is how the last Descendants movie should've went. I'm so happy that Sophie has found her forever family with Midnight. The dresses Audrey wore has inspired me, I've always wanted to wear a subtle princess themed gown for my own future wedding. The way their song changed made me almost break down in tears. Brilliant chapter!”

Thanks for the asks! 

[hitchell-mope]

Audrey: Any wedding can be a fairytale wedding if you serve porridge and release angry bears at the feast.

Ben: and this is why you’re on the “do not let in under any circumstances” list at mine and Mal’s wedding.

[hitchell-mope]

Ben: You have got to stop trying to flirt with me by making snide remarks about Mal, it’s fucking weird.

Audrey: Why? Is she afraid you’ll leave her once you realise you deserve better?

Ben: No, I’m just tired of trying to convince her not to kill you for it.

[hitchell-mope]

Answering yet another character ask for Ben. Part one.

My first impression of them. I thought he was kind

When I think I truly started to like them. When he sassed Mal.

A song that reminds me of them. It’s not easy by five for fighting

How many people I ship them with. Hmmmm. Off the top of my head. Only Mal and Jay

My favorite ship of them. Bal

My least favorite ship of them. Baudrey

A quote of them that you remember. “Yeah. Mon won’t let him on the couch”.

Your favorite outfit of them. Either his sodden cotillion outfit, sodden motor cross outfit or the jacket with the elbow patches on it.

Your least favorite outfit of them. N//A

Describe the character in one sentence. The best character in the franchise.

What’s the first thing you think about when thinking about the character? How smart he is.

Sexuality hc! Bisexual with a preference for women

Your favorite friendship they have. Doug

Best storyline they had. Either. Everything to do with Mal. Or his fight for the isle

Worst storyline they had. Audrey.

[hitchell-mope]

Ben ships

@hitchellmope

Bal: Adorable, OTP

Buma: I think it'd be an interesting dynamic

Bay: I like it

Bil: So freakin' cute can you imagine?

Barry: Nope. Nopenopenope

Benlos: I could see it being cute

Bane: Honestly? She needs a guy like him

Bennie: They'd be that Jock Couple and I'm kinda here for it

Boug: Eh

Baudrey: Nope

Bad: Just like the name

Bevie: I could see it being pretty good

[hitchell-mope]

(If she wasn’t at the engagement party)

Ben: how should we tell Audrey?

Jay (smugly): I’ve taken care of it

(Outside Audrey’s dorm room)

Singing telegram (to the tune of “Yankee Doodle”): 🎶Mal and Ben are now engaged/It looks like you're a loser/She'll be happy all her days/And you'll become a boozer🎶

[hitchell-mope]

Answering yet another character ask for Ben. Part two.

A childhood headcanon. Mrs Potts taught him how to cook when he was ten.

What do you think their first word was? Book

How do you think they were as a kid? (Like, were they shy, noisy, wild, etc). Probably shy. Adam is his dad after all

The most random ship you've seen people have with them. I don’t think I’ve seen a really random ship for him

A weird headcanon. He’s got a romantic interest in dragons ever since he watched Shrek when he was in 13

When do you think they were at their happiest? When he’s with Mal

When do you think they were at their lowest? When he was with Audrey.

Future headcanon. He’ll be made a saint when he passes on

What do you think is a secret they have that they never told anyone? Possibly that Doug was his first crush.

When do you think they acted the most ooc. Hmmmm. I can’t think of anything. He’s written pretty evenly. Even his less together moments have their reasons.

When do you think they were being "themselves" the most? When he’s with Mal and the other Vks.

If they could meet a character from another show/movie/etc, who would be the most fun for them to meet? Sam Winchester or superman

The most unnecessary thing they ever did? Each and every single hip movement he did in the musical numbers. It was completely unnecessary but oh so welcome.

How do you think they would be as a parent? He’d be the pushover parent. But he’d be able to bring down the hammer of necessary.

The funniest scene they had? Riding the horse mascot during “did I mention”. That was impressive and hilarious.

[hitchell-mope]

Ben if he’d been made to stay with Audrey

[descenderintofantasy]

Like REALLY read this...when it's put like THIS exactly how can you side with audrey over Mal?

I don’t think Mal is controlling

The only time she really tells people what to do is when they’re on the plot mission and she’s their de facto leader. The only time she outright yelled at the other three was when Ben got kidnapped on their watch. For most of the latter half of the first film Ben was giving her a secret test of character (which she passed) so he had the upper hand in that situation. He rightly gets mad at her during the picnic whe she tries to amnesia him. She leaves because she’s mad at herself and rightly feels guilty about what she did. And on the ride back he gives her an earful about her and Uma being not so different. She shuts up and listens. When she thinks Ben dumped her for Uma she’s willing to let him be. She didn’t come up with the island closure in d3. The adults did. She got railroaded by her compulsive desire to please who she considers authority figures. She takes responsibility for her missteps and never blames anyone else for it. To me she is not controlling

For point of reference let’s compare her to Audrey. When Ben wanted to talk with her (I fully believe he was going to dump her) she cut him off with some drivel about a dress fitting. After did I mention instead of outright asking him what’s going on she indulge in petty psychological warfare and snogged Chad. Going to d3. She stole the sceptre and crown. And then attempted to extort Ben by saying she’ll reverse the sleeping curse if he marries her. He turns her down (obviously). And in payback she completely rewrites his physiology by turning him into a beast and sets about turning people to stone. All because she, yet again, didn’t get what she wanted.

TL;DR: Mal isn’t controlling. More often then not she’s the one being controlled and canon Audrey is, like I’ve been saying for ages, what people believe fanon Mal is.

[hitchell-mope]

Answering a character ask meme for Ben

What I love about them? His personality

What I hate about them? The fact that the franchise screwed him over in favour of Harry

Favorite Moment/Quote? “Yeah. Mom won’t let him in the couch” and “it’s up to us dad”

What I would like to see more focus on? I would’ve loved it if his relationship with Mal was at the forefront of the films

What I would like to see less focus on? I wish they’d spent less time on Harry, Chad and Audrey at the expense of Ben’s screentime

Favorite pairing with? Mal

Favorite friendship? Doug

NOTP? Baudrey

Favorite headcanon? If he weren’t the king he’d be banned from paintball and laser tag arenas because he is absolutely VICIOUS when he plays those sports.

[hitchell-mope]

Ben: you’re trying to blackmail me

Audrey: Blackmail is such an ugly word. I prefer extortion. The X makes it sound cool.