#anti descendants c4

[qiqi-media]

I was rewatching D2 and saw that Evie had said none of the C4 was too popular on the Isle and it just leads to more confusion on how they even ended up becoming the saviors of the Isle in D3. I would've loved to see how the OG Isle that hated them for turning their backs on evil would've reacted to them being okay at the end of D3 (right before the engagement party) with Mal closing the barrier forever and really only seemed mad because she had lied to them about it.

[miscellaneousjay]

DESCENDANTS RANT!!!!

In other news, after exploring the Anti Bal and Bevie hashtags on here and revisiting how Mal was pre-D1 (“Isle of The Lost” book), I am now a Bevie shipper and I feel like Evie should’ve been leader of the Core Four…or Terrific Three if Mal decided to stay on the Isle indefinitely and opted out of accountability and therapy.

Whoever said that Mal should’ve just traveled for a little bit, I agree: Mal should’ve pulled an Uma in the middle of D2 and went on a journey of self-discovery. She could’ve dropped the pressure, the lies, the mistrust, and the fear that she built all of her relationships on, essentially did her own version of therapy, freed herself from the mental, emotional, and psychological influence of Maleficent, and really got right with herself in order to get right with everyone around her and take righting her wrongs seriously as the first step of EARNING the trust of the people she cares about. Like, let’s not get it twisted: Maleficent II was top dog BULLY of the Isle! Having read the first book in the series, I do remember that it is canon that she emotionally and physically abused Carlos and Evie, she got Evie and Grimhilde banished for 10 years, and I’m pretty sure Jay was only her friend out of fear that Mal could and would sic Maleficent on him and Jafar the same way she did Evie and EQ. He ain’t have time for that! He was really only her friend out of self preservation. That being said, if either of the Core 4 VK girlies had to end up with Prince Ben, it should’ve been Evie.

Unlike Mal, Evie was actually raised by EQ to not only be a villain, but to also be a princess and later on a queen. I dare say her upbringing was similar to Audrey’s. The difference between the two is, that Evie was humbled early in life by growing up destitute on a crime-ridden island where no one cared who you were and what your title is. Everyone is broke, hungry, and fighting for resources. Audrey grew up having, wanting for nothing, spoiled. She’s used to things going her way. Irdk how attentive and straightforward Book!Ben is because, while I haven’t read past the first book yet, I have seen all of the movies and he didn’t seem to realize how rude Audrey really was to people. However, Book!Ben did let us know that he wasn’t feeling her like that and Movie!Ben used Mal spelling him as a way to break up with her…instead of just telling her to her face how he really felt. This would’ve given them the clean break up that they both deserved. They might’ve remained friends after that or stopped being friends totally until she got her attitude in check (the way she made Jane feel even more insecure about herself was foul). In contrast, after goodness classes (therapy) and unlearning certain Isle social behaviors either the easy way or the hard way, Evie made genuine connections with people and the bond between her and the other C4 members grew stronger because she was kind to and respected everyone. So much so, that she worked her way up to being Ben’s Royal Advisor and opened her own boutique…where everyone was going for outfits! Like, she literally and effortlessly became everything that they wanted Mal to evolve into, but she really couldn’t rise to the challenge because everything was always about HER and what SHE wanted.

Lastly, Evie is just as much witch as Mal or even Uma! I would’ve loved to see her do some major mirror sorcery (portals, beauty, etc.).

P.S. Evie, Uma, and Audrey def would’ve gotten along off the strength of them all being Mal’s victims at one point in time.👑

[qiqi-media]

Another question: what's the whole point of VK Day and why is Mal and co deciding who should be coming to Auradon or not instead of Ben, the 'king' himself? It's like giving applications to SA victims to seek refuge.

Also, I see where you're coming from with Lonnie. The poor girl was written so poorly that they, the writers don't even bother to include her in the disastrous 'wedding'. I think she and Audrey were never close, so maybe she wasn't so quick to defend Audrey, but still she could have done something. In addition, I was reading a response to a ask I sent in terms how the writers treated Lonnie and this person says Lonnie was this 'token Asian' that was forced in descendants.

As for Audrey, I believe she was suffering from a lot of trauma and genuinely needed help. She was neglected by her parents, her grandmother emotional manipulate and abuse her, Ben openly cheats on her with Mal...it's too much for her to bear. Agree?

I'm pretty sure the point of VK Day was because nobody wanted to go, the movie contrasted from the books in this regard. In the books they make a dumb system 'to be fair' to the kids who wanted to come to Auradon that they have to apply. (This is dumb because the C4 who were the worst ones on the Isle got hand picked and ended up living the best lives in Auradon while the kids they terrorized watched.) They didn't want special treatment given to particular kids (Which happened anyway because Dizzy, the one Evie wanted off got picked ) but when they realized nobody was really applying VK day was created to like hype up the kids to apply. But there's other dumb things involved like, they had to say something about their favorite C4 member....You mean the Isle bullies(Mal really but you know the C4 was a gang altogether) , you're asking kids applying for freedom which of their former tormenters were their favorite? Then I believe there was something about parent's permission which in a normal situation that's like duh of course but it was canon that most villain parents were abusive until D3. So why would actively abusive parents let them get away from them?? Whole thing was stupid and they should've just left Ben in charge because at least when he was the only one running it was no apply for freedom bs.

As for why the C4 were even in charge that my friend I have no idea why because there's literally no reason to. It would make sense for Evie out of the four to be involved because she wanted to get involved after D2 but the other 3 especially Mal who showed a complete lack of care to anybody on the Isle, no idea why they decided to get involved. Not only get involved but to completely become the face of the program. In D3 streets were named after them, kids were shouting for them and for what?? Literally cannot figure out why, it would make sense for kids to hate them seeing as how if Auradon was ruled by someone not as kind, they would've ruined the chances of them even being freed multiple times. They also had no actual political power in Auradon, Mal got what she had because she was Ben's girlfriend and the other three were her best friends so they got special treatment. Why are they now having heavy involvement in the freeing of the others kids who again they terrorized when they were in a gang on the Isle. So why all of a sudden kids love them and are cheering them for 'paving the way' is just fan service at this point. I heard no one shouting their love for King Ben the person who they actually would be freed by and started the whole program, not one peep.

Not sure about the books, but in Audrey's diary she regards Jane and Lonnie as her closet friends who she would eat with frequently. To me it's more about her relationship with Ben, like okay let's say she wasn't as close with Audrey, she definitely wasn't too close with Mal at this point either so maybe she was being happy for Ben. But no next time it happens she takes Mal's side and pretty much shows no regard for Ben in that scene. Even with her sub-plot it was very generic, there's just very inconsistent writing going on with Lonnie so I can see why people say she's the token Asian because she really wasn't given much to do or say at all she was just there.

Audrey was failed by everyone in Auradon really. That's why I've always believed firmly the adults should've held themselves responsible in D3. I don't even think it's the cheating that really broke her, it hurt her a lot for sure. I hate that people act like they were just a high school relationship, he was. along with the other Aks was her life partner and was dropped and betrayed just like that with no reason.(From her POV until she found out he was drugged) But I really think it was the isolation, and berating that she got afterwards that really contributed to it. Her own grandmother even after seeing her react to the engagement instead of comforting her, berated her like it was her fault. So I definitely agree, even at the even of D3 Audrey's story doesn't feel over. Like how is she supposed to just live in peace with all of them after that? That's why in my mind she always ends up leaving Auradon and creating a new life, because how would she be friends again with people who treated her so poorly?

[qiqi-media]

The main flaw that I see in the C4 at the end

The main thing I think that Disney did wrong as whole with the core 4 was constantly trying to get them to dodge accountability. Not even necessarily for things that they personally did, it was mostly them (Evie) covering for Mal. Evie is a fan favorite because there’s not really anything to dislike about her, she got some amazing character growth first movie and the coddled Mal for the rest of them. So the only thing that annoyed me about her in the books and Audrey’s diary was her constantly justifying their (Mal’s) past behavior because that’s what they were taught to do. That’s 100% true they were taught to do that and living the lives that they only knew how. I also understand that this is a way for them to cope with any bad actions that they committed in the past, instead of facing them they write them off as things they had to do to survive. The problem comes when the results of their past actions come back to bite them (Uma, Mad maddy, Audrey etc) and they (Mal) refuse to just do something as simple as apologize or fully admit that they were wrong. (I’m using ‘they’ simply because the other 3 went along with the whole ‘you’re different now’ silently agreeing not to take responsibility). 

People like Uma, Audrey and Mad Maddy were always going to pop up simply because Mal didn’t want to do something as simple as apologize or at least take responsibility for her actions. Had Uma not been kind enough to help at the end of D3 and still decided to hold onto her grudges against Mal she would’ve been fucked and it ultimately would’ve been her fault. You wronged her, refused to acknowledge that you did wrong, or apologize so she owes you nothing. Any time Mal looked like she was about to feel remorse there was Evie (In Audrey’s diary and the books) ready to coddle her out of taking responsibly. “You were different back then” Evie I understand this is what you tell yourself as well because you, yourself were a victim of Mal’s at some point but the only thing that comes to mind every time she says that is SO??? If you beat the shit out multiple people because you were taught nothing but violence and they confront you telling you that you’ve left them with either mental or physical permanent  damage even though you’ve now changed and haven’t laid a hand on anyone in years what are you going to do? Apologize, because whether or not you’ve now changed you realized that your past actions were wrong and regret them and see the consequences that they’ve left. Only somebody who ultimately didn’t think what they did was wrong would continue to stand in front of a person they hurt and justify and write off their actions. That’s my problem with how Disney ended up writing this off. We’re constantly being told that Mal changed and that she’s different now yet that’s their(C4) only response when the people they’ve hurt come to them for answers. How changed are you?

[qiqi-media]

How I feel about Mal Bertha and her character PART 1

 This is not a Mal bertha Biography and it is biased in the sense that I don’t like her at all. Read with caution.

Descendants 2 was actually the first movie of the trilogy that I had watched. My little sister was watching it and I happened to be passing by and sat to watch it with her when it caught my eye. 2017 me had a completely different opinion of Mal bertha than today not because I was younger but simply because D3 hadn’t come out yet and I hadn’t watched the first movie or even knew there was books. I can’t stand Mal bertha, not even the D1 version of her and that’s the one even Mal antis love. I didn’t like her in the first movie but it was more of a “I wouldn’t be friends with her.” I didn’t think that she was unforgiveable and that it was impossible to give her a second chance. She made her own bad choices but she expressed genuine regret for them and was only 16. Despite me, loathing Mal’s existence I related to her in sense that it’s scary wanting to change but you don’t know whether or not your actions have caused too much damage. 

In D2 watching it as a stand alone I saw a girl wanting something other than the ‘happily ever after’ and deciding she would go for what would make her happy when she went back to isle. I was desperately hoping that after the ‘It’s going down’ scene that she would go back to the isle and not choose to stay somewhere she wanted to leave. But we know how that went and the ending left me bitter and sad not for her, but for Uma. She began to leave a bitter taste in my mouth when she broke up with Ben and came back and just expected him to get back together with her. I’m going to go around every version of her character.

PRE D1

She was a dick. That’s the simplest way I can put it. I don’t like even acknowledging pre d1 Mal because it leaves me with this very negative view of her character that I don’t think was necessary. I feel like this is a big fuck up, wanting to have Mal be her ‘evilest’ before coming to Auradon. I understand the reason why they wanted to show her growth and change throughout the series. But after looking at some real life scenarios with a similar Mal situation it made me look at it differently. Imagine this: someone who severely bullied you and harassed you and everyone around getting to go to a new place and get the best treatment there, then she’s congratulated with becoming queen of that land and not only that she then decides she’s going to be queen of the place she was bullying and harassing people at without ever properly apologizing. This happens in real life and these people get exposed which is why I don’t like it. It would be different if Mal actual grew throughout the series but it was real just her gaining more power and the scenery changing from Pre D1-D3. She also continued to make the same type of ‘mistakes’ with no actual direct consequences all she had to do was cry and they forgave her. She would be okay if it Descendants was a stand alone movie. But knowing the type of life she would get to live after all of this behavior puts me off from reading it. It would also be different if Mal lived a simple life in Auradon (Aka not trying to take control by dating the king and then stepping all over said king) She got more than what she deserved to have. In my opinion she did deserve the chance at all better life just like all the other kids who didn’t commit any crimes to be locked up. But in the eyes of people she victimized she wouldn’t deserve to be Queen become royalty, live in castles and get gifted with limos and bikes. 

D1

 D1 is the version of Mal everyone generally likes however, like I stated before I didn’t like her even then. At the start we see someone who is clearly trying to please her mother so if her mother wants bad behavior she gives her that. Throughout the main plot she did things of her own accord that she can’t use her mom as an excuse for. There’s a couple different things but a lot of them had to do with Ben and I’m making a whole post on how Ben was treated like shit throughout the franchise so that will be addressed then and not in this post. However for a reference she drugged him with a spelled cookie into falling in love with her for the wand. He wasn’t even willing to eat the cookie at first but she guilt tripped him into eating it. We could brush this off as her doing whatever she needed to do to get to the crown but to me she took advantage of the situation by actually going on dates with him. He was already spelled and willing to listen to whatever she wanted so besides for her own personal interest why would she go on the dates? (Granted a 16 year old wanting to get cute and have a nice date with a nice boy is not a fault or wrong in any way the fault here is all of this was happening when Ben was not in his right state of mind until the spell washed off.) Her taking advantage of Jane’s insecurities was not cool either and I’m interested in what ways she would’ve tried to use Jane if it was easier to get to the wand through her. Since her main crime in my opinion was Ben and since he’ll have his own essay post I’ll focus on Audrey here.

Her disrespect to Audrey

It was unnecessary, she had no reason to have had Audrey’s name in her mouth as much as she did D1. It would make more sense for Mal to like Audrey’s sassy boldness to me not shit talk her every chance she got. At the start they had a small passive aggressive conversation that could’ve just been left at that because technically they burred the hatchet between the two families. It was a “hey I don’t fuck with you, you don’t fuck with me” type of a situation that could’ve grown civil. However, throughout the movie in comparison to Audrey who really just had a problem with Mal’s mother until she spelled ben then it became direct problems with each other. Mal was continuously talking shit about Audrey as if Audrey was the one who fucked with her family. This time her upbringing can be referenced, on the Isle she most likely was allowed to openly hate things and Audrey was most likely raised to at least pretend to be polite. But from the Audrey we’ve seen she clearly doesn’t care about holding her tongue she’s straightforward with how she feels and she didn’t have a problem with Mal she had a problem with her mother. The only time she talked about Mal directly was about the hair spells which she ended up being right about (Mal’s addictive reliance on magic in D2 and Jane at the end of D1).  After completely ignoring Audrey’s feelings and literally stole her boyfriend (not even on the the you can’t steal a loyal man type of shit she literally stole him he wasn’t even allowed to consent to it.) She later in Audrey’s Diary multiple times tries to reason this with she never meant to directly hurt Audrey and that she didn’t really want Ben she just wanted the wand etc etc. The evidence doesn’t back this up Mal, you’ve made your disdain for Audrey clear and talked shit about her to Evie right after you spelled Ben the did I mention bs claiming “Chad will see her horrible personally” as if you knew her personally and that Chad didn’t grow up with her. Mal can say she didn’t mean to hurt Audrey but she clearly didn’t mind that she did.

 I’m going to make a whole separate on Audrey and how I do think she gets a lot of slack because people can relate to her, but also how her treatment in comparison to Mal’s is unfair. 

 I did think she deserved a chance to show remorse for her behavior (spoiler: she didnt) Again, I like to look at things from the pov of other characters for things like this. If I was an Auradon kid who was friends with Mal and ended up finding out she was using me and plotting to take over and destroy the place I lived with/for her mother but changed her mind last minute. I would see her as forgivable I just wouldn’t want her around me. In other words I would expect her to start her own new life, not continue trying to live the one where she was plotting without even actually apologizing to people. AU: After descendants instead of continuing to date Ben she breaks it off and goes to an Art school frequently coming back to visit Auradon and after high school she goes on a quest (with the C4 of course) exploring all kinds of different kingdoms and countries because she was locked up on the isle her whole life. In the future she possibly returns to Auardon and even could get back together with Ben with a proper start.

D2

The first Descendants Movie I ever saw so it holds a special place with me and I actually rooted for Mal the first time I watched it. I sat in to watch at the argument scene and knowing all of the plots now and after rewatching  it my opinion has change greatly. We see a blonde and very stressed Mal who’s dealing with the pressures of becoming a royal in order to secure her place with Ben. I do feel bad for Mal when she was talking to Evie, she was trying to reach out to her friend about her situation and was basically told to stop talking about it. I understand Evie’s feelings of wanting to leave the past behind but I can also understand Mal feeling like she’s cornered and can’t even talk to her best friend. I can also understand her feelings of ending up overwhelmed with her decisions from going to somebody who did whatever whenever to becoming a royal with duties I get the pressure. If Mal decided that wasn’t the life she wanted to live and went back to the isle where she felt more comfortable I don’t see anything wrong with that. She wasn’t required to stay in Auradon if she felt like she was unhappy there. That says a little something about Auradon to me if somebody would rather live where they ate rotten food than live there.  My sympathy for Mal stops there because everything else was a result of her own actions and things she brought onto herself.

1. The royal situation

Let’s get one thing clear nobody was forcing Mal to hand sign up for the prime and proper royal life. She did that herself.

Nobody told her that she had to dye her hair blonde and have a complete wardrobe change, she did.

Nobody said she even had to continue the terrible relationship she had with Ben and go straight into being a royal in order to basically become Ben’s wifey, she did.

She’s saying all of these people are expecting things of her when 6 months ago she was stealing candy from babies when she was the one who let people have these expectations. She decided to take up the role herself because that was what she wanted. Let’s be honest with how it happened Mal would not live in Auradon if she had to be a regular citizen she wanted to be in control of everybody and to have power because that how she always lived. However once she realized that nobody was just about to hand her this power just for being with Ben unlike with her Mom  (getting to rule the isle just because she was her daughter and not because she actually worked her way up there) and that she actually had duties and work to fulfill if she wanted to be the boss. She let her pride get in the way by feeling she had to prove she could last with Ben and become an Auradon girl and ended up miserable and blaming Ben for  something she decided to do herself.

She then had the responsibility to fulfill all of those duties and she was struggling unlike anybody else who would’ve had to abide by the “don’t use magic” quote on quote rule she decided to use Magic after claiming she’d give it up and was still a hot ass mess. She can’t even use the excuse that was to help her with her lady in training because she was using it to not be late to class and later to try and manipulate Ben.  @ishiphumasohard made a good response on why it was unfair for Mal to use magic as her ‘right’ because at what point would it be unfair to other kids? While all the other kids have to show up on time to school Mal gets to use magic to turn back time instead of just being on time. If other kids studied all night for a test Mal can use a speed reading spell. If there was a cooking contest Mal can spell her way into a feast while the others would have to the actual labor. You get the point, because magic is not universally used by everyone in Auradon and it’s an unspoken rule that it’s not to be used then she should have followed this rule.

I will say the girl was stressed and was feeling alone, I already gave my sympathies for that.

The magic situation really hit the fan when she felt comfortable enough to spell the boyfriend who had already put enough trust in her to continue their relationship that started with her drugging him for her own benefit. Compared to her Ben did seem to be taking it easy but maybe like her, he didn’t want to show it. It seems Ben and Mal had a sort of pack to work hard together to become ‘the king and queen’ of Auradon they were supposed to be in it together. In my opinion it would make more sense for Ben to be hiding things from Mal than the other way around due to the nature of their shitty relationship. But that’s just not how it went down and after Mal tries to spell Ben into not finding her spellbook he gets RIGHTFULLY ANGRY. That entire scene was her fault, she could’ve explained herself and why she was using magic and that she was having a hard time but she once again decides to take advantage of Ben’s trust. Then proceeds to make sure she ends the  fight with her being the victim. So much so that the entire fact that she spelled Ben was never brought up again.

Going back to the isle 

She then decides to go back to the isle, if this was really her decision I wouldn’t mind it. There’s nothing wrong with her liking the isle better than Auradon if that’s where she felt at home. The problem was she was clearly emotional and let’s be honest, if she had called all of her friends together and actually broke up with Ben and told them this was her decision to go back to the isle before leaving they MIGHT (hard might) not have ran after her like they did. Not only that the duties that we were speaking of earlier, she didn’t formally pull out of anything which is why it irked me when she was so irritated that they came back for her.

Some people actually didn’t like her attitude as soon as she got back on the isle because she expected to run it. That wasn’t surprising to me honestly, because for her whole life that’s how it was, only person she was scared of was her mother. She quickly realized however now that her mom isn’t around and in lizard form nobody was scared of her. Most unrealistic part of D2 was how Mal didn’t get jumped as soon as people realized she got back. Like I said Isle Mal was a straight dickhead and had too many enemies to be walking around like she was. 

Another point was when she got her hair dyed by dizzy, the shop wasn’t open, she saw this, ignored it and went in anyway. Not even because her and Dizzy were tight like that she just expected her to do what she wanted (get the pattern with Mal here?)

 Skipping her scene with harry because it did nothing to the plot.

The rest of the C4 and Ben come to get Mal back as expected and she acts all surprised and angry. Ben apologizes to her and instead of apologizing for what she did and then explaining that she doesn’t want to go back to Auradon and be a lady of the court. She continues the narrative that Ben wanted her to change and that she’s not good for Auradon so she’s going to stay on the isle. What’s the difference between the two? The first one is her taking responsibility of her actions and deciding for herself that that’s not the life she wants. While the other is acknowledging none of the blame and deciding to run away not because that’s not what she really wants but because everyone will turn on her so she has to run first. It painted a narrative that nothing of this was her own doing while at the same time making it seem like she is doing the right thing by backing away which in hindsight probably was the better decision. Mal’s feelings weren’t the problem I understand them, she thinks she won’t be accepted as herself so she wants to leave before they can kick her out but that’s not what caused her to leave and she knows it. You got caught doing something shitty and instead of apologizing you ran away.

After Ben gets kidnapped she lectures the C4, again she does have some blame in this. With the way the fight ended it made it look like Ben was in the wrong so he was going to try and apologize regardless if they brought him or not. The rest of them came to keep him safe and as her gang members come back for her. Was this not something she considered after she calmed herself down? Ben honestly had no reason to be directly on the isle unprotected besides to sneak and apologize to you so are you really going to just blame the C4 for bringing him there and getting him captured?

Then when Uma, who has him captured plans a meeting she antagonizes her like that’s what is best for Ben at the time. Even in the mist of Ben being in danger she thought it was a good idea to try and piss off the person holding him captive. If you don’t remember what she did she called her shrimpy, insulted the smell of the restaurant and said she never thought of Uma while implying that Uma always had her on her mind for no reason. None of that was necessary to ask what Uma’s conditions were to give Ben back she just couldn’t help herself. 

She didn’t care about Dizzy

Who had just performed a task for her and right after she paid her got robbed and had the place trashed just for Mal to say she’ll be alright. This should’ve been foreshadowing at the very least that she wasn’t ready to be making decisions for other people’s lives because besides her own and her friends she didn’t care for many especially those on the isle.

It’s going down

Even though it was in the song and not directly her words again antagonizing the person who has Ben held captive and threatening his life, insulting them is stupid. This entire scene is messy and they shouldn’t even had been able to win a fight against pirates outnumbered. When has Mal ever picked up a sword???

Car ride Back

She gets mad when Ben has sympathy/ shows understanding for Uma. She somehow realizes that it’s wrong Uma kidnapped him but was comfortable spelling him without a second thought. In my opinion she thought she had some type of ownership over Ben she could do what she wanted to him and if somebody else did it was wrong. (Even though this can be applied to what she did in D1, I’m only talking about D2 because most people agree she showed regret for her actions in D1) When he calls her out on her hypocrisy she goes mute and does that thing, of letting her mouth hang opened whenever she gets called out on her shit.

END OF PART 1

I was going to make this one long post but I’ve been putting this off long enough so here is part 1, no idea when part 2 will be up. I do hope to have the Ben posts up before that.