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revoevokukil · 3 years ago

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Who is Eredin Bréacc Glas & what’s his Role in the Witcher?

Eredin Bréacc Glas is an Aen Elle warlord in charge of Dearg Ruadhri – the Red Riders – who retain the ability to break through the barrier between certain worlds post-Conjunction. During nights of magic, when the veil between the worlds is thinner, a spectral elven cavalcade goes around the Spiral; earning itself notoriety among the inhabitants of the Continent as the Wild Hunt. Aen Seidhe know about (and may conceal) the Hunt’s true nature in lieu of a tale about the Winter Queen (an Elf Queen), while the majority of the population regards the Dearg Ruadhri as demons; phantoms from hell.

Out of this beautification and mythicisation of Truth emerges the crux on which Eredin Bréacc Glas’s character turns: the power one holds over others by means of truth pales in comparison to the power one holds by holding captive their imagination.

Canvas for a Fantasy

The reader witnesses Eredin first, and solely, through the eyes of a 16-year old girl. Every time Eredin inhabits a role – steps in as a canvas for a fantasy. Be the role that of a mythical skeleton-wraith – a war hound sent by an Otherworld King to retrieve the elves long-lost, prized possession. Be it that of a border patrolling, rude and impatient horse lord doubling as a not-so-nice jailor and partner-in-crime to another “nice elf.” Be it a scheming pretender to the throne with a will to power.

Roles.

On his own Eredin is a black box. Comparatively under-written, he is given no backstory; no hidden motivations. Sapkowski does not tie him more closely to the drama surrounding Ciri’s elven lineage other than making Eredin – like Cahir – a Knight to the Ruler who seeks Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon on the agitation of a Wizard. The twisted mirroring effect between the Continent and the elven Otherworld exists. Aside that, however, Eredin remains essentially a stranger. Both to Ciri and to the narrative at large. A stranger, who does not explain himself.

(I have HCs, naturally, but they deserve an independent piece. For now, I am making an effort to stick solely with the books in making sense of the elf, since I have realised how heavily my own perception of him has so far been influenced by the Witcher games and games-fanon.)

In fact, nothing at Tir na Lia explains itself; the author goes as far as to make Ciri insist on not wanting explanations on anything. This is convenient if the author abhors world-building. It also makes it so everything the reader witnesses at Tir na Lia filters through the incomplete frames of a trauma-fleeing teenager, who is being purposefully kept in the dark besides. Ciri is not a reliable narrator, but she does not stop trying to make sense of things. In other words, Truth pales as but a tiny bit of fly shit in contrast to the imagination. This matters. For appearances deceive – such is the narrative arc with the elves. Therefore, by making the reader’s central point of view unreliable in a context that intentionally seeks to confound and lead the reader astray, commentary is passed on the power of illusions. A theme that repeats in Lady of the Lake. A plot beat that is emphasised in the way A. Sapkowski writes (and does not write) Eredin Bréacc Glas.

I mentioned the lack of hidden motivations: is the throne of the Alder King not Eredin’s motivation? No, it is not. Eredin is driven by a dream of power achieved through regaining control of Ard Gaeth. Nowhere but in Ciri’s imagination does the text indicate Eredin Bréacc Glas has designs on the tor’ch. The matter of Auberon’s death is left open to interpretation – all the more power to the reader – but in the strictest reading the best the prosecution can lay on the warlord is accidental manslaughter; which lacks the intentionality of “an ambitious pretender” required for moulding a relatively under-written character’s entire characterisation around itself – as has happened in CDPR’s interpretation and in fanon canon. The illusion of truth is central to Ciri’s arc at Tir na Lia; the interpretations she makes are valuable. Just not necessarily true as maps.

Like a mirror that shows you only what you show it, Eredin serves like a canvas upon which shines the confusion and fantasy of a 16-year old girl (and the reader) who puts it there. Until no longer.

Narrative Purpose

Imagination, then.

Eredin’s narrative purpose starts showing in the deceptive, mythicized nature of the Hunt, which compels in reality and in the Saga for similar reasons. Humanity is tempted to believe in the existence of justice in the universe, and the Wild Hunt looms large in its imagination in lieu of acting out a scenario people on some level suspect they deserve. Justice. But in case of the Hunt what does that translate into? Hell and punishment. In the worst nature of man, he either seeks licence to pursue his actions (in which case Hunt is the harbinger of war) or fears its consequences (in which case Hunt abducts the wicked). An inexplicable, collective madness – as Geralt puts. Indeed, it is madness to pursue large-scale destruction of one’s fellow man, so man relinquishes his will and becomes a demon in the war horde on its mad path. And, as demons take people to hell, this spectral horde takes souls into the nether-realm. Turns out, the superstitions of dh’oine – about wraiths carrying mortals off to hell where servitude awaits – are not far from the truth.

(Despite their many wonders, Otherworlds were never safe places for mortals to begin with – an Abrahamic religion, which equated them with Hell, simply capitalised on this common indigenous belief, as did Sapkowski and many other fantasy authors.)

Divested of mythical drapes and theatrics Eredin and the Dearg Ruadhri act as raiders while off-world – capturing slaves; likely bringing in treasure, precious resources, and species from across the Spiral. Bringing knowledge! Indeed, they might even act as traders. And in the world of the Alders, the Red Riders patrol the plains, guarding the realm of elves against unicorns and threats implied to exist in the wilds beyond the elves’ barriers. Their function, as opposed to display, is prosaic. Upon meeting Ciri on her way to Tir na Lia, Eredin, inversely to a demon dragging humans into hell, presents as a protector helping a maiden get into paradise. As it happens though, he and the Dearg Ruadhri also ensure nobody leaves paradise.

Thus, the question of what is an illusion and what is reality starts here.

Ciri (and the reader) becomes aware of Eredin’s existence as a result of being “saved” from charging unicorn herds. An elven knight appears as if by coincidence, offering his help in a moment of need. In truth, the help is not altruistic. In truth, an extraterrestrial hunter has come to scrutinize the “catch” that eluded him on the Continent; whom he shielded against vultures at Tarn Mira so she could be chased into the hands of a fellow predator. In truth, Ciri and the reader have already met Eredin Bréacc Glas several times – as a Wild Hunt wraith – but Ciri and the reader do not know any of this just yet.

‘I told you that you were mine!’ roared Bonhart, spurring on his bay. ‘That I’ll do what I want with you! That no one will stop me from doing it! Not people, not gods, not devils, nor demons! Or enchanted towers! You’re mine, witcher girl!’

An armed man with a crown on his helmet and a necklace bumping against the rusty cuirass on his chest, galloped at the head of the demonic cavalcade.

Begone, rumbled a voice in Bonhart’s head. Begone, mortal. She is not yours. She is ours. Begone!

An imposing black-haired elf in a mail shirt, riding a dark bay stallion as huge as a dragon. The horse wears a demonic horned bucranium and its master’s facial features bring to mind a bird of prey – black, dark, evil. Even his toothy smile looks ghastly somehow. Such are Ciri’s initial impressions. They contrast starkly with her first impressions of Avallac’h and the world of elves: after exiting the Tower of the Swllow, Ciri is convincing herself she is not at all astonished by the beauty, or by the very possibility of it, in the world of the Alders where everything – in Ciri’s mind – must be different. Except Eredin is familiar. (He is. They’ve met. Cue the author giggling.) As if an echo of a more brutal, ugly world of violence Ciri knows so far. Ciri’s impressions are therefore almost like the first narrative lead toward an impending mask-break.

The narrative makes Eredin flirt with breaking the fourth wall of his “role” at Tir na Lia pretty much constantly. He is the flashy buoy indicating “something is rotten in the state of Denmark.” Does Ciri not notice? She notices. She views Tir na Lia as a prison after all. The question is: does she believe? Would she rather believe that by entering the Tower of the Swallow she is getting what she deserves by way of a fairy tale, or a nightmare?

(Ciri experiences mask-breaks with both Avallac’h and Auberon. Not similarly with Eredin. Avallac’h – the helpful, caring one – comes close to strangling her and Auberon – the unhurried, mature one – throws a violent fit and a litany of insults her way. But Eredin – the rude, preying one – stays as he is. He does not fulfil Ciri’s fantasies, but he does not shatter his image either – he is as he is. He is the cliff against which Ciri breaks her hopes, realising her error: beautiful looks and profound intentions do not eliminate prosaic realities. Eredin is the prosaic reality. At the same time, what Eredin is really about in private and in his own right remains unknown to Ciri. For narrative purposes, it matters more to show Ciri cannot pin her hopes on anything she does not really understand; and that by seeking to understand (to be more elf-like, to try with Auberon, empathise with Avallac’h, and use Eredin’s nephrite flacon) she enmeshes herself in a game the rules of which she does not determine, losing herself.)

Paralleling Geralt’s losing himself in Toussaint’s fairy tale land, the Saga focuses on illusions of truth at Tir na Lia as well, and has Eredin Bréacc Glas play the part of a “disabuser” who shatters Ciri’s illusions. The narrative turning point occurs after the Bower Scene. Until then, everything goes. Until then, Ciri spirals steadily toward apathetic submission. The first beat echoes at the discovery that all servants in paradise – mute and meek – are human, like her. The second rings out as Eredin intervenes in the deadlock concerning the Alder King’s bedchamber. Third and final nail in the coffin comes as Auberon loses his temper, threatens Ciri with Avallac’h’s laboratory, and shows the girl the present moment in Ciri’s home-world (about which Eredin warned her) in which Yennefer has drowned in the bottom of the lake and Geralt has frozen to death.

That Eredin hides (he is blatantly “out there”, that’s the joke) his and the elves’ twisted nature in thanks to Ciri’s own self-delusion does not occur until only later because the warlord is one of Ciri’s fantasies. Personally. Appearing as someone Ciri on some level suspects she deserves even in a fairy tale world where everything is supposed to be different. Holding up a mirror to the ugliness in her, yet – also – suiting a template for a commanding knight in shining armour in the girl’s mind. (Someone to put her on the throne? As turns out regarding Ciri’s fantasy by the bower scene.) A fairy tale. The kind someone whose sense of self-value has suffered might have.

By way of an example of how Eredin’s purpose shapes up – as the canvas on which Sapkowski sketches out Ciri’s disillusionment – recall their first meeting. The Red Rider’s presence in the field is anything but accidental, and Ciri’s impressions basically call Eredin “sus” from the very start. Ciri though is not in a position to believe the eerier first impressions. I’d go so far as to say she does not really wish to believe. At core, she remains a child of hope.

‘How did you know,’ Avallac’h asked, ‘that we were in danger?’

‘I had no idea.’ The elf scrutinised Ciri. ‘We patrol the plain, for news has got out that the one-horns have become anxious and aggressive. No one knows why. I mean, now I know why. It’s because of her, naturally.’

Her appearance in the Land of the Alders is not news to Eredin. This is not their first meeting. Ciri does not know it, but Eredin does. He helped her enter the Tower of the Swallow. He knows about Ciri’s appearance well enough too, since he has led Dearg Ruadhri in search of her on the Continent; straight onto the trail of false-Ciri over Brugge, even. Eredin and Avallac’h – predators presenting as helpers – know the score. Only Ciri is not in on it; and they are not letting her in, nor indicate in any way that they know more than they show.

It is easy enough, since, as part of the pageant, the heroine’s thoughts already try to stick with the plot. Ciri is too preoccupied with measuring up this warrior on a dragon and presenting herself as graceful, proud, and to be taken seriously. Someone who should have more “elf” in her than she knows. Someone because of whom an entire troop has to ride up – a little different from “a golden carriage and six” and “a retinue of courtiers” Ciri fashioned for herself – the princess of Cintra – but still. Not anything she does not deserve, certainly. Except the warrior is not terribly impressed, and lets the girl know just how unimpressed he is. And here goes a teenage girl’s attention span.

Holding captive one’s imagination entails perpetuating the combat between what we hope we deserve and what we fear we do.

By the time first impressions conclude, Ciri is entertaining the thought the entire meeting might have been the case of a groom riding up to meet his prospective maiden. She has been put before a fact of having to mother a child with one of the elves. Thus, she is considering all kinds of options. This is fresh on her mind when she hears Eredin proclaim her resemblance to Lara Dorren and Avallac’h’s “entitlements.” Not to say that the “gold nugget in a pile of compost” is so dreadfully effective precisely because it picks at Ciri’s insecurity – her hope that she is more than the baseness and evil the world she was born in has been reducing her to. Hope. That her worth can be acknowledged by someone who is equally unlike an “elf-ideal” just as Ciri herself. The girl’s fascination reaches its peak when the warlord hands her a myrtle flower: in Ciri’s imagination, Eredin looms large because he addresses Ciri’s nature in a way Ciri believes is truthful based on her self-image and in contrast to the surrounding paradise she fears she is simply unable to live up to.

It just so happens the paradise is concurrently hell, and Eredin anything but human-like.

Characterisation

For a character whose narrative purpose concerns self-delusion, Eredin’s personality is relatively straightforward. He is not subtle. Neither in words, nor actions. Which is not saying he cannot discern subtleties: he binds insult and compliment elegantly enough toward Avallac’h in regard to Ciri’s resemblance to Lara Dorren. He simply bets on shock and awe, not on the long game. Equally, he pays attention to the immediate weak-seeming links in the net, rather than to whether the prey is best caught with such a net in the first place.

His manner is relatively unadorned; simpler and to the point. Brusque bordering on ungracious, if not downright crass. It does not mean he is unfeeling, nor that he lacks knowledge of manners (different question if he deems you worthy of them). There’s a sense of poetic appreciation to the way he considers the life of a butterfly, and he adjusts his behaviour toward politeness frequently: upon apologising for his harsh words; by taking note (!) of being chided for impatience and convincing Auberon to let Ciri freshen up after her journey; by giving due praise to a rider when praise is due.

In short, Eredin is not dumb. He is reckless. Which makes him come off as direct in comparison to his fellow elves, yet this recklessness should not be mistaken for honesty. (Fandom, for some reason, does.) He is supremely confident in his ability and (under)estimates Ciri, because of which – even while omitting things left and right – he toys with the truth in plain sight, knowing it is unbelievable for Ciri. Because Eredin is, above all, perceptive. Like a Sparrowhawk should be. Lest we forget, Eredin is a warlord and a sentry. That’s his task. He acts, because his duty is to react. He keeps a neurotically close eye on the Swallow when he can, provoking her for reactions upon which to sketch out his own actions. Ciri’s fascination – therefore also her fantasies – are something he takes note of immediately, and works them to his advantage as the person most concerned with not letting her escape. Note, for instance, how he takes the opportunity to test the speed of Ciri’s mare (her prime means of escaping him) while challenging her to a race. Antagonising her gets to her – it’s like catnip. Upon being patronised (as per Avallac’h and Auberon) she flusters or breaks down, but upon being challenged directly, her gears start turning and she starts acting – and Eredin, the hunter, is all about preventing action.

Recklessness, however, makes him unwise. He intimidates and provokes (his modus operandi) to the point of stupidity really, which makes him come across as terrified of failure deep down. This fear seems appropriate and commensurate with the way his eyes light up at the notion of hasting to re-gain control of Eternity (the Gate of Time). Eredin frequently acts before he thinks. And speaks too much – nowhere is it clearer than at the moment when he lets it slip to Ciri she has “a wild talent”, which still won’t be enough to overcome him. He does not come off as a long-term strategist, and he is mistrustful to boot – of his prey, of his compatriots, of Destiny and the very ends for which he is nevertheless resolved to do what it takes as long as it leads to the power he dreams of. Though his eyes shine at the prospect of Eternity, he defers to Avallac’h’s expertise and tries to stick to the plan. Except when the plan seems to grind to a halt, he is quick to look for prompt, efficient means of intervention. Whether or not he knows better. He certainly thinks, he knows better. For Eredin is reckless and fearful the end End will never come.

‘You ought not to draw a weapon on me, Zireael. It’s too late now. I won’t forgive you that. I won’t kill you, oh, no. But a few weeks in bed, in bandages, will certainly do you good.

‘Wait. First, I want to tell you something. Disclose a certain secret.’

‘And what could you tell me?’ he snorted. ‘What can you tell me that I don’t know? What truth can you reveal to me?’

‘That you won’t fit under the bridge.’

He also has a vengeful streak, though pride is a common denominator of all elves.

Motivation – The Witcher Books vs The Witcher Games

Ironically, one of the most significant differences between the books and the games concerns Eredin’s loyalty.

In the Witcher game-series, Eredin is at first a scary framing and exposition device (TW1), then framing device++ (TW2 – the most book-like he gets), and finally a filler for every death-knight fantasy ever, devoid of all personality and a cackling regicide to boot (TW3). It is the service of the last game that Eredin is deemed a megalomaniacal usurper. It is furthermore The Witcher 3’s influence that fanon canon overwhelmingly presumes Eredin desires the tor’ch more than he desires regaining control of Ard Gaeth.

Frankly I think this is just incorrect, and unfortunate.

In the Saga, Eredin is the servant of the Alder Folk and loyal to their cause. He may mistrust the Knowing Ones’ poeticism about pulling the strings of Fate, but he is not shown to be in conflict with neither Avallac’h nor Auberon over the end result – which is so-so much more impactful if achieved than becoming another trapped Alder King on the Spiral, a living corpse with the tor’ch eating into the skin of his neck. Unicorns deem Eredin and Avallac’h their prime antagonists, who dream of power, but they name them alongside the Alder King; for narrative purposes, they act together as a Triad. Eredin himself, when chasing Ciri, places emphasis in a revealing manner:

‘You can’t not know that you’re only delaying the inevitable. You belong to us and we’ll catch you.’

This happens after Auberon’s death, in Ciri’s dream; and on every other occasion the Hunt appears on Ciri’s trail before she reaches the Tower of the Swallow.

Us. We. You belong to us.

Emphasising the collective, Eredin shifts personal responsibility off his own shoulders to those of the Alder Folk and his co-conspirators, but he also draws authority in this way. He acts on behalf of and in unison with a larger body, with a higher end than one’s own individual – indeed insignificant – ambition. There is a collectivist mindset to the way Auberon and Avallac’h describe the way the elves reason.

In the text, two evident forces act upon Eredin: desire for power by means of re-gaining control of Ard Gaeth and fear of failure. Desire for power binds him with Avallac’h and Auberon, and he defers to their plan regarding the means of achieving power. He works with the plan not against it; his incidences of sabotage (e.g. mentioning Ciri’s “wild talent”) arise out of character flaws, for they quite simply do not make sense as intentional acts. From beginning to end, Eredin’s driving motif is to ensure the Swallow never escapes her cage, because the Swallow’s imprisonment is a necessary evil to achieve the Alder Elves’ end: control over Time and Space. Yet Eredin, much more so than Avallac’h, is concerned with the harm Ciri can do rather than with the promise and hope she holds.

‘You must understand, Swallow,’ he rasped, ‘that you’re only delaying the inevitable. I can’t let you leave here.’

‘Why not? Auberon’s dead. And I’m nobody and mean nothing, after all. You told me so yourself.’

‘Well, it’s true.’ He raised his sword. ‘You mean nothing. You’re a tiny clothes moth that can be crushed in the fingers into shining dust, but which, perhaps, if it’s allowed, can cut out a hole in a precious fabric. You’re a grain of pepper, despicably small, but which when inadvertently chewed spoils the most exquisite food, forces one to spit it out, when one wanted to savour it. That is what you are. Nothing. An irritating nothing.’

Insofar, by the way, the Witcher-games got it right. Fear motivates Eredin. Just as he motivates others with fear. In the absence of actual characterisation and writing, however, the games go a little too far with the “mad with fear” motif. Eredin strikes a madly laughing wraith-impression as a matter of course in his profession, naturally, but mind you, as the King of the Hunt, the impression is intentionally performative; the “madness” of it does not match up with the way Eredin carries himself in Lady of the Lake. Eredin is, by and large, level-headed about his goals – which he shares with Auberon and Avallac’h. And as he is shown to be fearful of failure, why would he want to off Auberon if Lara’s father is deemed the best genetic shot for renewing and strengthening the mutated Aen Hen Ichaer by the Knowing One? The only sensible explanation that comes to mind would be that Eredin deems the laboratory a more efficient means of achieving the elves’ aims; for Avallac’h and his laboratory are the canonical alternatives.

Basically, a clear cut regicide – not even necessarily a conniving pretender to the throne – Eredin Bréacc Glas of the Saga is not. These are Ciri’s projections. At best, the narrative gives grounds to believe Eredin is culprit in manslaughter (see reasoning here); for he is astonished once Ciri breaks the news on Auberon’s fate. But by the way I see Eredin’s narrative purpose in relation to Ciri’s point of view of him, there is no “mask” to break, only failed expectations.

Not everything here is beautiful. For the unaccustomed this world means death.’

Upon escaping, Eredin’s words echo in Ciri’s minds as teachings. Not a romantic tale with romantic turns, but that doesn’t stop us from fantasising.

That’s alright. That’s captivating.

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#the witcher #wiedźmin #the witcher meta #eredin breacc glas #aen elle #the wild hunt #ciri #cirilla fiona elen riannon #andrzej sapkowski #lady of the lake #auberon #avallac'h #eredin #the witcher character analysis #the witcher 3: wild hunt #the witcher books #the witcher essay

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ladyintree · 7 months ago

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send 👂 to overhear my muse talking about yours.

she never imagined herself doing this, mostly because she never thought about herself getting married at all. she thought maybe if it happened someday, it’d happen, but because she knew it wasn’t even applicable for someone like her, she didn’t let herself spend too much time thinking about it at all. she definitely didn’t expect that to be how she spent her time out here— most of the time, she’s been trying to look forward, figure out how they could get home. but when her excursion failed, it became harder and harder to stay optimistic, and adapting to the situation seemed much more prevalent.

that’s why it was so easy for her to say yes to mikayla.

they don’t know what this means for once ( if ) they do get home. they haven’t discussed it, but it doesn’t seem to matter, anyway— because taissa’s certain about her feelings. she’s certain that what they have here is already what mikayla described to her when she proposed, and maybe this ceremony they’re planning to do is entirely unnecessary— but that doesn’t matter. mikayla deserves everything tai can give her, and celebrating their love isn’t something she wants to do simply. getting to call her her wife, knowing they’ve done this, it makes it even better. and while tai has mostly been bothered by some of the attempts to make ‘fun’ out of this place, this is not like that for her. she or mikayla could die at any time; they could be torn away from each other in sacrifice. and while they both have ensured each other they’re going to fight if it comes to that, at least they’ll always be certain of this: their love knows no bounds, and they have each other.

❝ do you think it’s stupid? ❞ she doesn’t actually care for an answer, because she isn’t changing her own mind. she knows it may seem silly from the outside, but it’s real to her and it’s real to mikayla. and if this is a chance to give everyone some kind of hope, then she wants to take it. ❝ —- it’s not. not to me, ❞ she insists, and suddenly, she feels shy around nat. she always thought the concept of some man asking a father’s permission to marry his daughter was ridiculous, because it’s not up to them, and she definitely wouldn’t care for mikayla’s father’s opinion. but she does care about nat’s, because she knows what nat has always meant to mikayla, and she knows that she’s the best friend she has. and more than that, too, nat’s their leader, she’s the one they’re all looking to for guidance, the one tai doesn’t want to disappoint on multiple levels. her opinion does matter, especially about mikayla.

❝ i love her. i’ve never— i never saw this for myself. i didn’t let myself think about that, ❞ she admits, and she instantly realizes she’s giving nat a side of herself she’s never shared with her before, but it feels worth it, because if she’s going to declare her love for mikayla so proudly in front of everyone like this, she wants it to be clear. ❝ but loving her is the easiest thing i’ve ever done. ❞ even out here, when nothing feels simple— she has that to hold onto. and she has a lot of regrets and a lot of resentment for the choices she’s made, leading her to constantly question whether for not she’s even capable of doing good. but her love for mikayla reminds her that she isn’t the monster that some people have made her out to be, and she never wants to forget that.

her eyes scan nat’s for a moment before she takes a deep breath, trying to collect herself. ❝ she’s already my wife. that’s what she is to me. i was just hoping . . . we could— i don’t know. ❞ she starts to roll her eyes, mostly feeling silly for it now, but it’s still important. ❝ — you’re her best friend, ❞ she blurts instead. ❝ so i guess i just want to know that you— you think i’m good enough for her. ❞ her jaw clenches, because it sounds ridiculous. this isn’t the way she talks about herself, not with this shaken confidence, but this is for mikayla. ❝ i want — your blessing. or whatever, ❞ she adds with a soft scoff, poking fun at herself. tell me i’m not going to fuck this up, she means. tell me i’m going to be what she deserves.

#this is. Fine #manslaught #answered.#arc: manslaught / first winter.#arc: wilderness.#no sound proofing on these huts smh #you can decide if she tells either of them she overheard or not <3

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magentacravat · 5 years ago

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Yeah, pretty uncomfortable for the Hans fans that "refused" to admit he is the villain. I personally don't think he is the cruelest after all. All villains in Disney pictured as having a charisma and have manipulative thing in them. He just pretty regular. Talking about that, remember that villains such as Frollo and Gaston are also pictured as fellow human being and they don't have any control for magic, but their power to move such a crowd are that what you can called manipulative. That's what Hans did. Basic right? You just tooooo innocent to realized that in another disney movies until Frozen.

While other princesses movies are already told us which one is bad and good from the beginning and showed HOW the heroines got tricked and manipulated from the third point of view, Frozen tried new different path where they made us, the audiences, as ANNA. How we felt, see, and realized how the manipulating really happened to US.

I assumed people said he is "the cruelest" because of that and also since the movie really give him a charming look, compared to the other villains that either wrinkled, old, caricatured face. So the audiences really got the feeling of "betrayed". But difference from other villains, the movie also showed him that he have potentials and that's what actually intrigued the fans why they like him. He played a good role as a reig when Anna chased Elsa, he saved Elsa frlm killing Weselton soldiers, he brought back home Elsa, he straight would search for Anna before the dignitaries stopped him. Is that make his action to Anna any less bad or justified? NO. Of course not. I'm just explaining "why people take interest in him?". Which none of that showed with other villains (or maybe Gothel as she willing to do 3 days walk to get sea shells paint stuff to Rapunzel?)

Anyway, i'm not blaming for him to choose to kill Elsa in the first movie. She stated she could't stop the winter, she freeze her sister heart, yeah i know it's accident, but still she tried to kill her, which considered manslaughter, she also tried to kept running away without tried to lift the curse in her kingdom that probably will make people that tarpped in the kingdom died slowly because of the COLD. If we are in that position, what choice do we have unless to kill her? Right? I'm not buying her as "heroine" make all of that suddenly "okay".

Wow, that last one making Elsa sounds like indeed did some villain stuff indeed lmao 🤣

I believe a reemed arc for him in frozen future stuff because he seems like a "grey" character, but if Disney didn't choose that, then what more than we do?

“Can I say something crazy? Will you marry me?”

Look, I’ve seen a lot of things about Hans on here, and I just wanted to make my opinion clear. I don’t care if you hate me after this, but I have to express my opinion.

It’s okay if you like Hans, a lot of people like villains. Villains are usually my favorite characters. It’s okay if you feel bad for him (only about his family) But if you in any way admire him, or think that he was right to trick Anna, and it was justified, then I have to disagree.

Have you ever been led on by someone? Has anyone ever led you to think that they actually had feelings for you when it was actually all fake? Made stories in your head for you to believe? No? Well I have. And it hurts. A lot. Having someone do that to you is the worse thing in the world.

That is why Hans is one of the cruelest villains Disney has ever made. Because he did something real. He did something without magic, or backup. He did something that people can relate to. He did something that I can relate to. Playing with the mind is a very dangerous thing. And a very evil thing. And a very real thing.

So don’t go around praising Hans for his trickery and mind.

Because playing with the mind hurts more than you can ever imagine.

#prince hans #frozen #hans #hans westergaard #frozen hans #hans frozen #prince hans of the southern isles

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ladyintree · 10 months ago

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taissa lets out a scoff, amused. ❝ bet our teachers were regretting that a few years later, ❞ she notes, because their relationship definitely changed over time, for much worse before it got much, much better. she hums, playfully rolling her eyes. ❝ fine— I guess I was a little into it, ❞ she teases; she just wishes she'd known that much sooner. her eyes scan over her features for a moment before she lets out a sigh. ❝ you have me, ❞ she whispers, leaning her forehead into hers. ❝ you don't ever have to worry about that. ❞

she starts to frown, because thinking about what mikayla's life was like before makes her sad, but that's why it's so much more important to her to give her something good, especially out here. ❝ good. because I don't want you to ever doubt the way I feel about you, ❞ she says quietly, leaning forward to press a soft kiss against her cheek. ❝ you'll always be loved by me, mikayla, ❞ she says, choosing her words intentionally, wanting her to never forget that no matter how long she felt like she could never be loved, she would always be loved now.

she starts to relax when mikayla confirms that she doesn't believe this is it for them, either. they can still try to hold onto optimism, still believe that they can have more some day — but they can also have this, full devotion to one another, like they've already had for months now ( only a few, but time feels so much longer out here, like they've been together and devoted to one another for years. ) ❝ — we would not have a fucking priest at our wedding, anyway, ❞ she says, mostly to ease her own nerves on it, shooting her a playful grin before she's finally able to really process what she's asking. she sits up straighter, her hands sliding back so she can hold mikayla's in hers. she takes a deep breath, collecting her composure, letting go of all of her reservations. it scares her, committing to something like this when it still feels like they're accepting that they'll spend the rest of their lives out here, but mikayla gives her hope, more than anyone ever has before, and maybe together, they can find a way to believe in so much more. she wants that with her.

despite those nerves, despite the worries she has for what this means for their futures beyond their relationship, she's certain how she feels about her. ❝ I love you, mikayla, ❞ she says, taking another deep breath. ❝ — no, ❞ she spits out quickly, eyes closing for a moment, because there's more she wants to say. ❝ you're the love of my life, ❞ she corrects. because no, she wouldn't have gone here if she was back in civilization. it's far too fast, and she has her whole life ahead of her. she was never even certain that she wanted to get married at all. but she knows what she feels now, she knows that the love she has for mikayla desousa isn't changing, and she wants her to be certain of that. ❝ so, yes. I'll marry you. whatever that means here— ❞ she lets out a breath. ❝ yes. ❞

it's probably only because back when they were kids, she didn't overthink every single interaction they had, but she never thought that mikayla's attempts to talk to tai actually meant anything to her— if anything, she figured she was just being annoying, unable to sit still, to shut up. “ it helped that every teacher in the world thought i'd behave better if they stuck me next to you. ” mikayla doesn't really believe in fate, unwilling to consider that she was just meant to go through everything she has, but if she did, maybe she'd find meaning in the way they were constantly forced together their entire lives, even as she tried to fight it in the more recent years. she scoffs, but she doesn't bother to argue, knowing it's true. “ okay, yeah, but— you were into it, clearly, so it's fine. ” she's gotten tamer in the past few months, despite everything— not nice, necessarily, but less angry, at least. “ i just want you, so as long as i have that, i'm good, ” she promises, because while she obviously wishes they could have more than just this, she needs tai to know that she's all that really matters to her.

it's strange to think about how, less than a year ago, mikayla didn't know what it felt like to be loved— now, she can't imagine forgetting it, which is why it's so easy for her to promise tai that she won't. she just hopes that there's never any reason for her to have to, that they'll be able to make it through this alive, together. “ me too. it's like— the only fucking thing i've ever been sure of. ” she wishes that didn't have to be true, that she didn't spend her entire life second guessing everything, but at least after years of doubt, she finally has this.

she never actually intended to bring up anything akilah mentioned that day, anything it made mikayla think about, so she sure she sounds like a complete idiot, impulsively mentioning any of it— but somehow, despite knowing that there is a chance that tai could just laugh at her, brush it off, she doesn't regret it, because she wants tai to know that she wants her. she wants her beyond all of this, to be able to one day live together in a normal house, not some musty attic or a crowded cave, to face normal problems, to go on normal dates— but there is a chance they might not ever get that, so she has to take what she can here. and maybe marriage is stupid, especially out here, something mikayla never even envisioned herself wanting before at all, but just hearing tai say the words my wife makes her take all of that back, because she wants it.

tai's hesitation triggers the same in mikayla, not letting herself respond right away, afraid that whatever her reaction might be would only be wrong, so she waits, nervous. but she gets it, especially since she knows how tai is, how she imagined so much more for herself— she's not giving up on the idea of rescue, but it's easier to get married out here than it is back at home, so they could at least take advantage of that. “ no, i know— this isn't it for us, but — you're it for me. and i don't need some piece of paper or some fucking dumb priest or whatever to tell me that. ” maybe they're too young to actually decide that, but mikayla feels sure of it, that she's never going to be able to love anyone else— she doesn't want to, anyway. she forces herself to shake off some of her nerves, finally managing a shy smile. “ yeah, i want to be your wife. so— marry me? ”

#manslaught #arc: wilderness.#arc: manslaught / first winter.#need to stop yelling at you for all the irony you put in these threads considering i am torturing myself also

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ladyintree · 10 months ago

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she starts to smile, because while she didn't know back then what mikayla was going to mean to her someday, it makes her happy knowing that she gave her some bit of comfort back then. mikayla always did the same when tai felt alone and struggled to connect with anyone. ❝ I didn't realize it meant something to you. it meant something to me, too, ❞ she assures, shrugging her shoulders. ❝ you were one of the only people in our class who, like, I don't know-- talked to me back then. ❞ it's funny thinking about how their relationship turned out those following years, but maybe this was always inevitable anyway, ever since the game of spin the bottle. her eyes roll and she lets out a soft laugh. ❝ says you— you were always a way bigger asshole than me, ❞ she claims teasingly, because she's not even sure if that's actually true. her perception of mikayla has always been skewed for many different reasons. she doesn't need her to finish to know what she's trying to say, her head nodding slowly. ❝ — it's okay, ❞ she says quietly. ❝ now, I can give you whatever you want, ❞ she says quietly, rubbing her hand over her arm. ❝ — with limitations, ❞ she adds, quickly glancing to their surroundings, because there's not much they actually can do here. it's an attempt at a joke, even if it's mostly empty, because it's hard to stay lighthearted about their situation.

she lets out a sigh, relieved to hear that mikayla's content. she smiles again, trying to focus only on her, ignoring their surroundings no matter how hard it can be. ❝ it's enough for me, too, ❞ she says quietly. it's a big part of her even choosing to keep fighting every single day, because she's not sure how she'd keep going on without her, no matter how determined she's always been. she brings her closer, pressing a long kiss to the side of her head. ❝ good, ❞ she whispers. ❝ because one thing i'm always going to be sure of is that I love you, mikayla, ❞ she says, just in time to pull back again for her eyes to meet hers, showing her how much she means it.

her brows furrow as mikayla pulls back, eyes following hers down to their hands. she doesn't know what's on her mind, but her hand gives her a small squeeze, silently telling her it's okay, whatever it is. she's thrown off when she mentions marriage, still unsure where this is going. her eyes follow hers again as she looks up, their eyes meeting once again, and she tries to process what she's saying. it almost threatens to make her panic — not because she doesn't love her with everything, not because she doesn't see a life with her, not because she doesn't want to marry her, but because it means submitting to the wilderness. it means accepting their fate, accepting that they're actually stuck here and the idea of going home may not even ever be a reality. she's had to adapt to that way of thinking months ago, when she first failed to rescue her team. but this is different — it feels like mikayla is accepting that this is their life. and maybe she's not wrong to. it's been almost a year of living this way, almost a year of making this their home and learning how to live with that. and mikayla's right to suggest it— they would have never gone here at this age back at home, but it's what they've come to be out here. this is taissa's wife. so she ignores the way it feels like admitting defeat, ignores the fact that if they're ever brought back home, things are bound to be different. all she wants to think about right now is saying yes to her.

❝ you want to be my wife? ❞ she says quietly, a small, shy smile tugging at her lips as she nods her head slowly. there's a slightly hint of hesitation in her eyes, but it's not about mikayla, and she can feel it immediately, so she tries to clarify before mikayla gets the wrong idea. ❝ I don't want to believe this is all there is for us. all of this— I still want to believe we're going to make it home some day. ❞ she takes a deep breath before going on. ❝ but I do know that I couldn't be in this place without you. I— I don't think I could ever be anywhere without you. yeah, mikayla. i— ❞ she cuts herself off, a more teasing expression on her features as she tilts her head to the side. ❝ — wait, that is a proposal, right? ❞ she teases, unable to stop herself.

mikayla's not sure how much faith she could put in tai's words, not because she thinks tai will forget it, but because if they're still here in a year, she doubts the date will matter to any of them anymore. it's already started to not matter to her, losing track of the day, the month, because it feels meaningless now that every day just feels the same.

“ kind of hard to forget. ” again, not because of any feelings she might have had at the time, but because even just some handmade card was special to her, something completely unfamiliar to a girl who never received anything before. “ well— that was before you grew up to be an asshole. ” she knows it's the opposite, that she's the one who got meaner as they got older, especially toward her. mikayla shakes her head, because she would have never expected tai to give her anything before— if anything, it would have only made her feel suspicious, like it was some kind of joke for someone she assumed hated her to be the only one acknowledging her birthday. “ no, it's fine— probably better you didn't. my dad would've... ” she trails off, not wanting to finish the sentence, because he doesn't deserve to be thought about.

she doesn't think she'll ever get tired of hearing that from her, almost tempted to ask tai to say it again, but she stops herself, not wanting to come off as too desperate for validation. her brows furrow, hand squeezing hers. “ no, baby, this is— this is enough. just being with you is enough. i don't need anything else. ” that's not entirely true, because being back in civilization with her would be preferred, but mikayla can't let herself dwell on that, forcing herself to be grateful for what she has in the moment. mikayla closes her eyes, hating to think about the possibility that they might not be together some day, because it's the only thing that really keeps her going, but she chooses not to argue, to insist that she won't let that happen. “ i won't forget. i promise. ” it feels impossible to, anyway, knowing that this is the only good thing she's ever been sure of.

— that makes her consider something else, pulling back from tai just slightly, looking down at their intertwined hands. she opens her mouth, then closes it again, hesitant to say anything at all, because it feels stupid, bringing it up. but she loves her, and this might be all they ever get to have, so she ignores her nerves, forcing herself to speak before she could second guess herself. “ a few weeks ago, i think, akilah said something— about, like... um, marriage. ” she grimaces, afraid to look up at tai, afraid she sounds ridiculous. “ i didn't say anything about it then, because it felt... dumb. and it's not something i would've ever thought about at this age before all this, but— ” mikayla lets out a shaky sigh, steeling herself to finally lift her gaze and meet tai's eyes, trying to muster up all the confidence she has. “ but i don't know what's going to happen out here, if we're going to— you know. but i do know that i love you, and i'm always going to love you. so it's not... the worst thought in the world. marrying you. ”

#manslaught #arc: wilderness.#arc: manslaught / first winter.#'marrying you wouldnt suck ig' romance!

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