#bal should have had a duet

[hitchell-mope]

Do you have any unpopular opinions on descendants? (Or about Mal and Ben) I've seen a lot of your posts pop up in the descendants and bal tag so I was curious if you had any unpopular opinions!

My main unpopular opinions are that bal and devie should’ve gotten several duets together and that Audrey should’ve been incarcerated after d3 for treason. Oh. And that Harry should never have existed in the first place. There is almost definitely more but that’s all I can think of right now. But hopefully that answers your question

[hitchell-mope]

THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN THE PERFECT TIME FOR A DUET

Don’t you love me?

[ginnyrules27]

Unpopular Opinions about Descendants: Mal and Ben should've had a duet, Ben should've had Gifts in the movies (like you gave him in your Choosing series), and the franchise should've been a TV series instead of movies.

I'm going to go ahead and break this up so I respond to each one :D

Mal and Ben should have had a duet:

strongly agree | agree | neutral | disagree | strongly disagree

In my opinion, the fact that Mal and Ben never had a duet is well annoying to put it mildly. Especially when you look at the other Kenny Ortega couples: Troy and Gabriella start their franchise off with a duet and Luke and Julie have a duet almost every episode. You can almost call If Only a Bal duet because of Ben's voice in the background but that's not enough.

Ben should have had gifts:

strongly agree | agree | neutral | disagree | strongly disagree

Though I might be biased because I use that in my fics, yes, he should have had gifts! All the AKs (at least the royal-borns) should have them! After all, magic can be done with royal permission so a christening would have been permission enough!

The franchise should have been a tv series instead of movies:

strongly agree | agree | neutral | disagree | strongly disagree

Are you me? Do we share a brain? Because that's what I've been saying to whoever'll listen! Maybe the movies could have been season/series finales but somethings just don't work if you don't lead up to them (looking at you Mal's change from D1 to D2 and Audrey as the villain of D3 when she was getting along with the VKs at the end of D1)

[infinitelytheheartexpands]

Month of New Operatic Works #5: Gustave III (live audio recording from the 90s although I couldn’t find the location)

Generally, when experiencing a new opera, even if I know the story and/or some of the music, I try --and am able-- to go in with little to no actual expectations. This is what I like to do. I like to give things a chance and let them impress me (or not, in some cases).

However, I simply was not able to do that with Auber’s Gustave III, ou le bal masqué. Not the “give things a chance” part, but the “go in with no expectations” part. Reason being: Giuseppe Verdi’s Un ballo in maschera, which is one of my favorite operas by my favorite opera composer, was based on this opera, and this was considered the inferior opera that had already, deservedly fallen into obscurity by the time Verdi and his librettist Antonio Somma borrowed the libretto to last-minute fill a commission (which, ironically, due to censorship they never actually filled, but I digress). So as much as I wanted to go in neutral, that was in the back of my head.

And well, in short, while I still agree that Ballo is absolutely the superior opera, Gustave III holds up surprisingly well.

So Ballo and Gustave have basically identical plots (obviously) and structure, with a few changes:

Where Ballo divides 3 acts into multiple scenes, Auber mostly stays away from scene divisions in order to stick to the general grand opéra principle of 5 acts: Scenes 1 and 2 of Act I in the Verdi correspond to Acts I and II of the Auber; Act II of the Verdi is Act III of the Auber; the three scenes of Act III in the Verdi are Act IV and Act V, Scenes 1 and 2 in the Auber.

Gustave III has a bunch of characters with only a line or two who don’t add much to the story, so the cast list is significantly longer. However, all the principals are basically the same, down to voice type (except Anckarstrom is a bass and one of the two head conspirators is a tenor, so that means people would actually be able to tell the two head conspirators apart @simone-boccanegra).

Gustave III has two ballets: one in the first act when Gustave (who IRL was a major arts patron) oversees rehearsal of a ballet to be premiered soon during his morning routine, and one in Act V, Scene 2, that’s just...people dancing at the ball. The former particularly overstays its welcome just a bit (although the latter ballet is longer, but I think it Bops More and it would be more fun to watch), but I think my experience would improve if I were able to actually watch them (there is no filmed production available).

Anckarstrom does not get an aria in Gustave III. His Act I aria in the Verdi is a full-fledged duet with Gustave here (which I admit is probably better; I love that these two now get a full duet, and also unless your baritone can pull it off, “Alla vita che t’arride” is...somewhat boring). However, nothing in the Auber even remotely corresponds to “Eri tu che macchiavi quell��anima”, which... :(.

Technically, Gustave doesn’t actually die in the Auber, which is admittedly more historically accurate (he died about two weeks after the shooting) but is less theatrically effective (he just gets carried offstage while dying).

I’ve never heard or seen a full Auber opera before, so I wasn’t really sure what to expect musically. To me, this sounds like a little of everything: a little Gluck, a little Rossini, a little of his grand opéra contemporaries (for reference, the original quartet of singers for whom the roles of Gustave, Anckarstrom, Amélie, and Oscar were created [Adolphe Nourrit, Nicolas-Prosper Levasseur, Marie-Cornélie Falcon, and Julie Dorus-Gras] all also appeared in the world premieres of Halévy’s La Juive [as Eléazar, Brogni, Rachel, and Eudoxie] in 1835 and Meyerbeer’s Les Huguenots [as Raoul, Marcel, Valentine, and Marguérite] in 1836, so their roles would all be relatively vocally similar across operas and composers), and intriguingly, stuff that could only be described as either proto-Verdi or proto-Offenbach.

Generally, I find it is in the more comic scenes that Auber is best able to marry music with situation and stands up best in the shadow of Verdi. Particularly impressive are the ensembles that end Acts I and IV, as well as the entire “grand bal” section of the climactic masked ball. There are some places where Auber attempts the kind of musical irony that Verdi hits so perfectly on the head, such as in the ensemble that ends Act III and the dialogue at the ball between Gustave and Amélie, and while he makes a good attempt at it, it just doesn’t have the same effect.

The more serious scenes are overall not as effective, but there are some exceptions: both Madame Arvedson’s and Amélie’s big scenes (respectively in Acts II and III) are Gothic brooding leaping off the pages of the score (the former also throws in some rollicking vibes). The love duet in Act III has the seeds of Verdi’s writing in some places, and while it takes some time to get going, it stands up admirably in the end. The final scene doesn’t have the sheer heartbreak of Verdi’s take, but it gets a great mood.

(Unusually for grand opéras, the fourth act, which usually at the very least has a showstopper aria if it isn’t the strongest scene in the opera, is the weakest act, with the only highlight being the really wonderful quintet that ends the act.)

Scribe’s libretto is pretty much everything you’d expect based on either a) other Scribe libretti (I stg 99.9% of libretti for French operas over an about 50-year period were at least partly his doing. the man is indefatigable.) or b) the Ballo libretto. Some of Ballo’s best masterstrokes, such as the “laughing chorus” of the conspirators and the lot-drawing scene, have their origins here, and while Auber (as already stated) doesn’t quite live up to the dramatic potential, it must be said that at the very least, it’s there. Also, there’s a lot of innuendo and insinuating that Gustave is bisexual, which? we love to see it. (Also, it is more likely than not that the real Gustave III was gay, so there’s that.) Gustave, Anckarstrom, and Amélie should have just had a threesome.

In short: it’s not a masterpiece, but it’s good. a pity (although somewhat understandable) it’s been virtually completely forgotten. there are Bops. the story is great, if not ideally realized. I enjoyed this a lot.

Links:

the recording I listened to

and the French libretto (there were some small cuts in the performance, so be prepared to skip a few lines every so often)

[rpsocsandcanonohmy]

Thoughts on: Zendaya Mal (au and character) Lack of bal duet Bengil Jaylos Gilonnie Bal Devie Beas Ben Australian Ben (his actors from Melbourne Australia)

Zendaya Mal:

Honestly, I’ve always fancasted Zendaya as Mal. I think they chose Dove Cameron more for the recognition than for her ability to play the character and Zendaya more fits who Dove tries to be. In the AU, I can’t really picture anyone else and I love how much more development she goes through there than in the canon series.

Lack of Bal Deut:

Once Upon an Dream. I swear, if we don’t get once Upon a Dream, I’ll never watch a new DCOM again.

Ben/Gil:

Adorable. Fairytale logic dictates they should end up together but I don’t ship it too much as I headcanon Gil as Ben’s long lost older brother who’s the real heir to the throne and that would be...incesty...

Jaylos:

The ship that makes the most snese to me for Carlos once they’re in Auradon. I don’t see it on the Isle as they don’t really become friends unti just a short while before the movie but I think they’re endgame.

Gilonnie:

My favorite crackship. Athletic types, height difference, gym buddies, dates eventually end in them sparring in an empty arena...perfect. I can picture Gil trying to use his old Isle tactics on her and getting a broken jaw out of it so then he pesters Ben and Doug on how to flirt with Auradon girls because he’s completely lost.

Bal:

A great ship. But they need a break. Ben still has to learn how to run a kingdom and if he’s smart, they won’t get married for a long time. Mal still needs to figure herself out and she’s been emotionally stunted for years. She needs therapy and probably some medication before she’s ready for a relationship.

Devie:

Pretty cute. I think they’ll have a long and happy relationship and will likely be the first to have kids when they reach that point. Evie will try to work from home as much as possible then but I can totally see Doug becoming a stay-at-home Dad.

Beast Ben:

In the D3 trailer, at least it’s happening. I imagine it’s some sort of curse meant to slow them down and I hope we get to see him lose all humanity and just be a beast bc angst. As far as an idea, it’s amazing and we should have had it in D2.

Australian Ben:

If only...If only.... It’s nice for an AU but in canon, it’ll never happen

[theloniousbach]

COUCH TOUR: FRED HERSCH, LE BAL BLOMET streamed on Facebook Live by FRANCE MUSIQUE, 26 JUNE 2021

While I think I did see notice of this performance, I had not calibrated time zones. Instead, it snuck up on me via a Facebook notification. Snuck up on me and I am glad it caught me.

I came in the middle of the opener, If I Should Lose You, an appropriately titled standard as Fred Hersch plays in front of people again. It was familiar with Great American Songbook conventions and Fred Hersch conventions of variation, harmonic reconfiguration, and invention. I knew happily exactly where I was even if I didn’t, as usual, place the specific tune.

I was moments late as I was rallying my local jazz friends to the great news that Kenny Barron with Kiyoshi Kitagawa and Johnathan Blake will be at our local venues. Hersch would be can’t miss and so is Barron (and Cyrus Chestnut is in an all-star configuration, so that gets the third of the top tier by my estimation).

And France Musique talked over and then faded out Hersch launching into the Thelonious Monk closer. Damn.

But, in between, there were four cuts from his quarantine album, Songs from Home, one segueing into the wonderful Love Theme from Spartacus (another, oh yeah what is the name of that one tune. I wondered if it was Emily and it is a movie, not musical theme, so late 50s/early 60s, not 30s to early 50s, but Alex North not Johnny Mandel).

They were:

—Wichita Lineman which already had nuances when Glen Campbell sang it, but Hersch got inside all of them wonderfully;

—After You’ve Gone which started like a wacky player piano—it is from the 1920s after all—and stayed true to itself even as Hersch worked his usual magic.

—Black is the Color which was the segued from tune. That’s a favorite folk song and it’s not a folk song here, but again the possibilities and richnesses are there.

—All I Want, a landmark from Blue. Thinking about Joni Mitchell’s chording on that album and always, the tunings, the dulcimer (some strumming of the strings was evocative), and her gravitation to jazz were all brought forth and discussed in Hersch’s version. That was the tune before the truncated Monk, so another mighty juxtaposition.

Midset were some Hersch originals:

—Pastorale which consciously evoked Robert Schumann. And that got me thinking about what makes the European Tradition different from Jazz. In many ways, this was just Fred Hersch music as he is nothing but thoughtful, lyrical, playing a long game in his variations. But this wasn’t quite jazz. Rhythm is the easiest thing to point to and that’s part of it, but not all. I bet it has to do with the structure of the variations which indeed may have been more composed.

—Song Without Words: Duets which followed Pastorale and was the jazz counterpoint to my discussion posed by its predecessor. That said, I remember another version during the last year where the Duets aspect stood out. I did notice the two handed ness, but in that earlier version I felt the duets were not left hand/right hand but inner and outer fingers, it was that subtle.

Wonderful all around but I did miss my/our/his Monk. But it was a gift.

I donated to his partner’s Global Haitian Health Network as I now tend to do in appreciation for these opportunities to see him from my couch.

[dxscxndxnts]

You know what I need from Descendants 3…

I need a song called “What Love Is”

And I need it to appear like 5 times throughout the movie, but different people singing and different lyrics with different stories to tell.

Like it should start with the rotten four talking about their family-like relationship and how each of them individually learned “What Love Is” (“And now we know what love is.”)

Then we can have a Mal and Evie duet where they tell each other about their boyfriends and how each of them show their significant others “What Love Is” (“They helped us learn what love is.”)

Bonus points if Carlos sings about Jane, but that ship is still in development, so I wouldn’t push it (“She’s teaching me what love is.”)

How about a cute Bal moment where Ben is so happy that Mal has learned to love. It’s just like what Beast had to go through, and Mal has finally learned and taken ahold of “What Love Is” (“And now we have what love is.”)

Lastly, I need a darker, edgier duet of Harry Hook and Uma with Harry trying to confess feelings for her and she keeps pushing him back. I feel like an emotional duet, especially between China and Thomas because them voices will climb, would bring someone to tears. They keep singing over each other and arguing their point and it’s like a heated conversation but singing! She keeps saying she doesn’t know “What Love Is” ("I just don’t know what love is.“)

And even though no one taught him, Harry discovered through being around Uma "What Love Is.” (“I’ll help you see what love is.”)

Thoughts?

[silverloreley]

I saw Descendants 2, in English (without subs), so I have now a pretty good grasp of how the movie is, but I’m not ready to make a full review yet.

It Italy it’ll be out in September, but for the first weeks or so I won’t be home, so end of September I’ll be able to make an exaustive commentary of the movie.

I’ll say a bit now, just an outline, while you wait for the full review.

I can say I was somewhat deluded by it for some aspects, but pleased for others, so I found it good enough. Not nearly close enough to my ideal, but I’m incredibly glad the movie took care of a bit of Mal’s issues and we got Bal kisses without the dreaded triangle Mal/Harry/Ben.

I liked Uma far more than I expected, but we didn’t get to see Ursula or any old villains so... meh.

Also the grand finale Sea Witch!Uma against Dragon!Mal felt too bland, as did everyone’s characterization. The first movie did a better job in outlining new characters than the second did with introducing new ones and consolidating the old ones. Chad and Gil were the greatest delusions to me, one for the utter stupidity of his filler role, the other for the wasted potential.  Dizzy was lovely and cute and I adore her already. I liked Harry to bits, even if he looks a tad too psycho for my tastes.

For the Core Four, Jay had too little time, Carlos was only sort of there, Evie became an useful sidekick who makes dresses and and gives indications, but that’s it for her actual character. Waste of great characters, I’m calling it.

The Carlos/Jane subplot was silly and I think it was one-sided on Carlos’ side, while Jane only wanted a boyfriend for the sake of it, just like the first time we saw her. But points for showing she’s becoming a competent lady in charge of important stuff.

The songs were catchy, but unnecessary, except It’s Going Down and Chilling Like A Villain, but the latter lacked depth. The Space Between was a great song, but I couldn’t care less for it in the economy of the movie. I’d have rather had the If Only reprise, maybe as a duet with Ben.

I hate the new hairstyles. All of them. Not even Evie is safe. And the shoes during the Cotillon scenes are generally terrible, but I guess it was because the actors had to splash in water the whole time.

Moreover, there are a load of questions I had floating in my mind while watching. Why Carlos and Jay went from Tourney (which Jay loved and was his entire arc in the first movie) to fencing? Where does it comes the whole Mal vs Uma conflict since they never outright spoke about it? (I know it’s in the last book, but I couldn’t put my hands on it so I have no idea. Also, the movie was supposed to tell me anyway) Why should Audrey, a full fledged princess, call Chad, beacon of uselesness, to change her tire? There wasn’t a better way to write them out? I have more, but I’ll keep them for the full review.

[veryfineday]

Monday 4 May 1829

8 10/60

11 25/60

at my desk at 9 20/60 - 1/2 reading Bulletin no.2 - then from 9 50/60 to 10 10/60 wrote out the first 15 1/2 lines of Thursday last - Dr.Tupper came for 1/4 hour and staid till 10 1/2 - then wrote 3pp. and the ends to M-[Maraina]

‘as for maKing a will, it is always satisfactory for those who have anything to leave, to make one - wishes are then clearly expressed and Known - But you can judge best on this point’ - Trust to Mr.Williams - he’ll see the propriety of something being done about the Insurance - the navigation shares will, whatever be their present circumstances be worth having - not to fear about her school and friendly society - the people to pay their subscriptions from 1st January last - glad the settlement business is concluded - ‘I can easily fancy C-[Charles] is anxious to get off their coming abroad - ThinK of this, Mary, and tell me what you really thinK about it - walK before breakfast - do the best you can - ..... I thinK perhaps the people will quarrel with you, if you are away all next winter - Mary, try to thinK of all things - How is Mr.C L-[Charles Lawton]? Judge and act for the best - we must have some serious conversation about this - at present I am hurried’ .....

mention Miss H-[Hobart] ‘introduced me very nicely to lady S-[Stuart] de R-[Rothesay]’ my being at the ball on the 30th ‘magnificent - the supper the most splendid thing I ever saw - 2000 persons invited, and all that suite of rooms full - in spite of such a numerous assemblage - the supper was really good, and nobody wanted a change of plates or anything - never saw such order - we had all sorts of things hot and cold that were proper for supper - pines, peaches, strawberries, etc. etc. all sorts of fruit - the plateau,and gold ornaments, and natural flowers, and massy silver plate magnificent - no china to be seen - all, all plate - Titles English and foreign, stars, garters, etc. etc.  a brilliant assemblage - I went with the Comte and Comtesse de Noé - he wore his orders, and looked a very courtly beau - she all civilly to their humble servant - capital people to be with, Knowing every one - never was I so entourée de noblesse - Poor Cameron has not 2 ideas of Parisian toilette - I had madame de Conte (Mademoiselle Aspasie that was) to drive me - black gauze over black satin, and chapeau de bal with bird of paradise plumes - said by Mrs.B-[Barlow] to have entered the rooms with an air distingue’, and to have been très bien accueillie par m[ada]me l’ambassadrice who was a blaze of diamonds - Miss H-[Hobart] was dancing with the duke de Chartres; but it was impossible to get near her; and I literally had never an opportunity of speaking to her, for came away at 2, not venturing to stay later, not Knowing, if we did, when we could get the carriage up- we went early (at 10) and were near an hour in the line of carriages before we could get into the court - On Friday I had madame de R-[Rosny]  I really know not what to do amongst them all - this day-week saw ‘madame G-[Galvani]  the only thing I am as yet decided upon, is to hear all, and not attend much to anything’

no place surely excells Paris for scandal - ‘it is London en petit’ - mention about her watch (vide journal Wednesday 29 April) - mention not having a moment to spare for some time to come - going to attend a course of lectures on geology at the Jardin des plantes - Cameron very gauche - miss H-[Hobart] said I had been unlucky - should not mind her ignorance of being a finished Parisian lady’s maid, were she not so much an English house maid at heart - Know not if I can Keep her - if I can, she must be strangely metamorphosed - but M-[Maraina] to be at ease about it ‘It really does not annoy me in any way’ - all for the best - it will reconcile my aunt to my having a French woman by and by - must have a thorough lady’s maid ‘if I visit which is doubtful; for I am balancing between this and study’ -

expect miss MacLean in 6 weeks - but all uncertain - wish she was here - must have some one - the B-s[Barlows] well - going to Italy in October to winter at Rome or Florence (where they have particular letters to Lord Burghursh) or Naples - ‘the archbishop of Canterbury is very kind in doing anything he can for them - ‘Jane danced at the ball with stars and orders and looked very well - In fact, Mary, we will all very fine people - nothing wanting but yourself’ but you (M-[Maraina]) must study French’ - miss H-[Hobart] told me she sang duets with prince Leopold the other night, who was very civil and attentive - she is really a nice girl - God bless you, Mary!’ etc. etc.  mention Cameron’s being obliged to sleep upstairs, and and consequentially not under the same locK and Key as ours .....’ I only hope she will be steady - sent off to the post at 12 55/60 my letter ‘to Mrs.Lawton Lawton hall, Lawton, Cheshire, Angleterre’ -

went out at 1 1/2 tooK george - looKed at the apartment de la Ferme No.20 would not do at all - rooms too low tho’ only a 2nde. then called and sat 40 minutes with madame Droz (Mademoiselle de Sans that was) rue de la Sourbière no.23. a premier 3 bedrooms salon, salle à manger, anteroom, cuisine, garret and cellar, bad entrance and stairs (no porte cochère) 1400 per annual - She looKs ill and has been so this year past - going to the baths near the pyrennees - near Barèges - on mentioning the death of her little boy, she burst into tears, tooK my hand held it some time and asked if I felt for her - hoped to see me again - she recommended a tapissier  Monsieur Van Raveschot  rue Pot de fer  Saint German près Saint Sulpice No.5 - only just set up for himself - very reasonable - would change a 3rd. less than a 1st rate old established tapissier -  

went to no.43 rue du Bac to see Monsieur Doseur about the apartment rue Saint Florentin, no.8 - he asKed what rent the porter had said -answered 2700 franc - I observed this was out of the question - loyer beaucoup diminuè - It appeared (he let it out) it had been let at 2200 franc and he wanted some advice - would take 2500 franc - I said there was no remise, and only one window in the drawing room - would give 2000 franc left him to consider about it, and give an answer tomorrow -

then to no.5 rue Pot de fer - saw the tapissier au 4 éme - to come at 4 tomorrow afternoon - made nearly sure of 2000 franc being taken for the apartment - for when I mentioned it to madame Droz, she said she thought 2000 enough - told her it was the very sum I had fixed upon offering -

then went to Mrs.B-‘s[Barlow’s], sat 3/4 hour hour with her and Jane - told them what I had done - and got home at 4 50/60 - had had George with me all the while - then wrote from line 15 1/2 of Thursday last to the bottom of p.17 - dressed 

Dinner at 6 5/60 - came to my room and from 8 to 9 1/4 wrote out pp.18 and 19 of my journal - coffee at 9 20/60 - talKing to my aunt as usual about apartments - came to my room at 10 - reading till 10 55/60 to p.226 Bulletin no.2, for February last - very fine day -

Margin symbols:  +  Vc  L  Vc  Vc  +

[hitchell-mope]

Now all three zombies movies are on Disneyplus

I’m definitely gonna watch them all. Eventually. Probably after I’ve finished all eleven Star Wars movies, yes even rise of Skywalker, but mark my words I’ll most likely be downright apoplectic should the lead couple have any duets together because as you all know. I’ll forever be pissed at how bal were completely shafted in that department

[hitchell-mope]

I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times

You will never, ever, in a million years convince me that space between was a romance song when evil like me and do what you gotta do exist. The fact that the only other two duets in the franchise were about Mal and her mother and Mal and her father just goes to prove that the girls are sisters and nothing more. Not a purely healthy sisterly dynamic by any means since the song started with Evie about to apologise and segued into Mal putting the blame squarely on herself, and the fact it essentially cements the fact she mentally replaced Maleficent with Evie in terms of parental approval, at least for that instalment of the franchise, but a fully sisterly relationship nevertheless. And besides. It should be a good thing. If they’re actually sisters it means Evie gets a semi decent parent in hades without Mal being deprived of the same. So it’s a good thing that damned cult never happened. Now if only they’d seen sense to give bal a duet and Devie a dance sequence. Ah well. I still have let it snow and JATP. So it’s not entirely a lost cause. Even if I am still pretty steamed about it to be perfectly honest with you all.

[hitchell-mope]

What is it with Disney not giving their main couples duets anymore?

[hitchell-mope]

I’m a little mad

I’ve watched let it snow on Netflix once a month since it came out back in November last year, mostly for Mitchell Hope, and I’m two episodes away from finishing JATP. And I have internal rants at descendants whenever I watch the former. Always when this scene comes on:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VESKpib67tM

And toady I watched the perfect harmony. And again I got mad at descendants:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YduFDvZqIhQ

Yeah I know I can’t change anything that happened now outside of ZM. But the fact remains both bal and Devie were severely shortchanged by the franchise. Well. Mitchell Hope and Zachary Gibson specifically were shortchanged. And it just makes me mad cause Mitchell’s a decent singer and Zachary’s a dancer so it’ll always vex me that we never got a bal duet or a solo Devie dance sequence. But like I said. Can’t change anything outside of ZM. Which of course means if you’ve been reading the chats and lyric pages I’ve gone rightfully overboard with the Ben and Doug appreciation. It’s just me doling our justice where it’s due

[hitchell-mope]

What I’ll never forgive descendants for

No bal duet

No Devie duet

No Uma solo

Harry’s existence

Audrey being forgiven not dying

Harry not drowning

Ben and Doug/Mitchell and Zachary being basically ignored by ads and interviews when they are the main male lead and secondary romantic lead respectively

Ben only being shirtless once (yes he got soaked through thrice. But. I needed. The torso.

Doug never wearing T-shirt’s (I saw the picture of Zachary shirtless on the horse and it opened my third eye)

All the damned auto tune and needless rapping

And so much more

[hitchell-mope]

Canon vs popular fanon vs me (well. ZM). Part one. Ben

Canon:

Never got a duet with his fiancée

Ignored by promotional material

Pinball protagonist

Bit of a pushover

Repeatedly spelled

Gets manipulated a little too easily

Only a beast for a little while

Deserved better

Fanon:

Who?

With h*rry

Infantilised

Innocent

Mal’s beard

Seriously who is this guy?

Should’ve stayed with Audrey

Why did he choose that one?

Me:

He’s a badass

Gets duets with his fiancée

Can transform into a beast at will

Has magic

Has purple hair

Anger issues aimed at his father

Not a pushover

Has a huge part in the plot

[hitchell-mope]

@a-alextinista sent me this yesterday

“Just I wanted to show you this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXZGidhHjs0.

It’s about the deleted scene when Ben eat the cookie in Descendants 1. The guy who is dancing tell in the comments Disney had the complete deleted scene with Mitchell singing. And...it was supose to be a duet...between Mal and Ben”

Thank you so much for this @a-alextinista It’s extremely appreciated. Though now I’m wandering why the franchise hates bal fans. But still. Thank you so much