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ugh-tsumu · 3 years

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Natatangi-Balakyot Lore

Compiling my Natatangi-Balakyot lore for the nth time so I don't keep scrolling down. If you're not interested in this, feel free to pass by hehe. BTW, this is very inaccurate! I've twisted some facts and myths into my liking so :DDD

Concept art and more established back story under the cut. And once these are finalized, I'll transfer them to my art blog (haha shameful plug @leiaimnida)

In this alternate universe, Filipino Gods and Godesses have decided to bestow some of their powers towards mortals. These mortals are then called Natatangi which means unique. The Natatangis sole purpose is to protect and fight for the Islands of the East (Philippines). The first generation of Natatangis were able to pass on their borrowed power towards their off spring which enables them to keep on protecting the Islands of the East.

1.) Ligaya (Maskara Festival)

Unlike the rest, her ancestor was not given a blessed weapon. Instead, her ancestor was given a blessed mask. There is no official name for the mask but the Natatangis are used to calling it binasbasang maskara which literally just translates to blessed mask.

The mask works as a buff of some sort. The user's strength, speed, attack speed, endurance — everything at this point is buffed with the mask on. That's pretty much it. Given this fact, the user cannot really just rely on the mask. They have to be skilfull on their own, ykkkk

An additional aesthetic of the mask is that it stores the faces of those the user have slaughtered — yes, the smiling faces are real people's faces. And they are smiling because the user of the mask forcefully carved the smile them selves.

Her weapon of choice is a sharp abaniko fan. The sharp abaniko fan, although, not given by the Gods, was rumored to be powerful enough to slice through Bakunawa's scales. Yas kwinnnn. Also, the goddess who blessed her ancestor with her power is Bathalumang Suklang-malaon (Goddess of happy homes).

There are many taboos within the Natatangis (they're kind of a boomer, honestly) but all I can think of right now is that not full-blooded Filipinos as Natatangi because apparently, it happens! Like Isabella's case. Ligaya is probably one of the many members who is neutral when it comes to having non-Filipino or half-blooded Filipinos as a Natatangi member.

She comes from a village from Bacolod. Townsfolk from her village would describe her as stern, uptight, and serious. However, they would also describe her as loving, honest, and a mother-figure. She's really uptight because her family never failed to remind everyone from their lineage that their village fell into great depression back then. Everyone was rotting, the crops weren't growing, they don't have...anything, honestly. It's not really something Ligaya would want her people to experience once more so she's become workaholic and strict. Give her some slack.

Some facts about her....hmmmm....no, she doesn't wear the mask all the time. She likes children (very much) and elder people. She doesn't seem like it but she's literally what you'd call a "mom friend" in a group of friends. She has qualms with the other Natatangis who are assholes to the younger Natatangis and love interest? I haven't thought about it yet.

2.) Isabella (Sinulog Festival)

Isabella came from Sugbu. For her case, like Ligaya, the power bestowed upon her ancestor was not in a form of a weapon but in an ability. Isabella's ability is necromancy and at the same time, she has the power to give life to inanimate objects. That's pretty much about her power. She is also not the type who can fight in the fronts so she's usually the type the Natatangis can relyon for a stealth attack or as a back up because of her ability.

The goddess who has favored her bloodline/bestowed her ancestor the power they now have is Bathaluman Sidata, bisaya goddess of death.

In order to fend for herself, she's trying ("trying") to learn how to use a punyal. But also, she also has small wooden dolls that she can always use to fight for her. Just in case...

Now, remember the taboo? Let's just say Isabella is a hot topic, because she's half-Spanish and Roman Catholic. Which, you know, was introduced to us by Spaniards. Something everyone has tea with.

The thing about her is that her ancestors at some point, fell in love with foreigners? I mean, the world is a big place so it's understandable. That is why their bloodline is...hmmm...not the favorite of some because are they really Filipino then? That's their issue about her family.

What I like about her is the thousand potentials of character growth! She's not entirely a Filipino—heck, she didn't even grow at the Philippines—and she's a Roman Catholic. Most of the practices of the Natatangi are against the belief of her religion. Isabella's torn between sticking to her faith, to what she believes is right? Or sticking to what her calling really is? What her spirit urges her to follow?

Isabella's really insecure, let me tell you. I mean, she's not friendless but a lot don't like her. She's also in a foreign land she's all alone. But she's also the type who won't let anyone see her weak HAHAHA which I think is cute! She has this air that like, she doesn't want anyone to mess with her because deep inside, she's sweating bricks with the fear that the other Natatangis are going to press on her again.

I think she's the closes to Ilang and Bagting (in which i will talk about later) and maybe she's on an okay terms with Ligaya. Not friends, but not enemies something like that.

Some facts about her...hmmmm sHE HATES MANNEQUINS HAAHHAHAHA which is ironic because you know, Catholic churches here are fond of it! Apart from that, a stupid nickname for her is Mais Con Yelo because of her clothes CUTIEEEEEE Love interest? HMMMMM

3.) Ilang (Panagbenga Festival)

I KNOW HE GIVES HUGE EARTH NATION VIBES BECAUSE HE IS AN EARTH BENDER IN A WAY!!!!!

Ilang's bloodline is given the ability to bend/control/manipulate the Earth. The goddess who gave them such power is Bathaluman Magbabaya, a Bukidnon deity who is equivalent to Zeus. Apart from being able to control the Earth, Ilang can also communicate with the flowers.

Fun fact about him is that when he is at his calmest and happiest, the flowers around him bloom CUTEEEEEE

Ilang can also use a variety of weapons given that he is a hunter from the tribe he came from. Speaking of tribe, Ilang's family has always been adored or looked upon to by the other tribe people. It is because ever since, his family always protected the tribe. So yes, they're almost like an idol to them (fun fact, at the second pic, it was the ladies of his tribe who made the cape/cloak out of leaves and flowers HIHIHI and the flowers never die because when he wears it, he brings them back to life!!!)

That's pretty much it about him. Remember how I said he's one of the few who was okay with having Isabella around? It's because....hmmm...it sounds bad but basically, his tribe has received aid from Americans from the past which gave him the impression that not all foreigners are bad (which is true!) but it's something that the other Natatangis would like to object. They see him as someone who has been colonized by the foreigners at heart.

3.) Kagirim (Taong Putik Festival)

Mommy hehehe

Kagirim is from Nueva Ecija. It was deity Kapapu-an who gave her ancestor the ability to blend or become invisible through the use of mud. Yes, she can turn invisible. What a baddie

Kagirim is an excellent fighter so there's that. She's more of an assassin if you add her power to her fighting style.

Kagirim is one of the oldest Natatangis. Let's just say she was from the older generation of Natatangis. That's why even though she isn't the leader, she's still well-respected by others, you know what I'm saying? It's safe to say na she holds a position at the council? She's that powerful regardless of not having a title.

As a person, she's really introverted and she has this air of sophistication around her. She....hmmm....you know that type of teacher who looks so snob that it scares you to approach them? Yeah. That look. She's really...gurang attitude-wise. She hates small talks, unnecessary jokes, and she's like Ligaya when it comes to sternity.

She's one of the many who has been very vocal about her hatred towards foreigners. Which means, she hates Isabella. Yes. To the brim. And along with that, she hates those who tolerates foreigners, too, like Ilang. And maybe Ligaya. A little.

Usually, the cause of Natatangis hatred towards foreigners (especially Spaniards) is the fact that they never stop on trying to colonize the islands. Not only that, they've inflicted pain towards Filipinos, too.

What Kagirim really despises, though, are Japanese. It is because she've seen them. She've seen how cruel these foreigners can be towards their own land. It was her own people whom she saw being chased by Japanese soldiers. And even when she wanted to help them either by bringing them to a safer place or help them turn invisible with her mud, she just didn't have much time. In the end, she saw her own people being slaughtered right before her eyes, unable to help them.

It is something that maybe differentiates Kagirim from the other younger Natatangis. They haven't experienced their cruelty first-hand soooo

Facts about her...hmmm....if you don't see her around, she's probably somewhere muddy. Preferably, a muddy swamp where carabaos bathe.

4.) Ading (Higalaay Festival)

MY MIND WENT BATSHIT CRAZY WHEN I WAS THINKING OF HIS BACK STORY

Okay, so FIRST, let's start with the power bestowed upon them. I have decided to thoroughly choose which gods and goddesses gave a portion of their power to their chosen Natatangis so the previous deities are tentative for the mean time.

But anyways! The power given upon Ading is the power to copy a different individual. YUPPPP their only condition to be able to copy somebody else is that they must have at least one item from their target. It can be their belonging, or clothing, a strand of hair, fluid, etc.

So like Kagirim, he's more of an assassin type given that he's also quite skillful, too. Now that we've talked about his power, let's talk about his curse.

Soooo upon researching, I realized that Higalaay festival wasn't always called Higalaay festival. Upon knowing why, it's actually because the local government kept on changing it so there's that. And then that gave me inspiration...

Let's just say that one of his ancestors, the previous Natatangi, abused the ability of the power which disappointed the god who gave them their power. As a punishment, the deity cursed them that they will always—ALWAYS—be loyal to the person(s) whom they consider is their true friend. It's almost like imprinting? Yes...

Ading, as a person, is a self-serving character. You can say na he is a gray character or something. And to be honest? The only thing stopping him from joining Balakyot (evil league) is that he has someone whom he thinks is his true friend who is on the side of the Natatangis. I can't decide whether this true friend is a co-Natatangi or someone he just knows. So there!

Hmmmm....Ading is also queer! And uhhhh he likes to travel (which is why he has that weird basket—SKL, my grade 12 class had to perform about Kaamulan Festival and we made those weirdass baskets HAH) and even though he's the type who likes to travel a lot, the type who'd definitely rat the Natatangis or would betray the Natatangis out, the Natatangis oddly trust him on keeping important objects/items HAHAHHA wala lang. Cute.

As for the taboos, I think he doesn't care for as long as it does not concern him. That's pretty much it. And his color motif is black and gold because it's inspired by this costume I saw on a recorded parade and also because City of Golden Friendship unya nawung ug kwarta ang mga kagay-anon CHAR

#natatangi #<- official tag for this

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spacepaladinranger · 7 years

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Encantadia: What they did right, and what they did wrong

The right things:

Worldbuilding. Encantadia is arguably one of Philippine TV’s most imaginative show. The sheer brilliance of its worldbuilding -- a perfect mix of fantasy and native mythology, is the core strength of this show. The amount of imagination and research, and the way these ideas are brought to life is what made this show so compelling for its viewers. I love that in this remake, they expanded the world of Encantadia and included new lores and myths that enhance our understanding of its characters.

Lira and Mira. Fated rivals turned into each others’ ride or die. I am living. This kind of friendship is so beautiful to watch because the actors’ (Mikee and Kate) natural charisma and skillful acting brought these characters to life. Lira and Mira were relatable. They made mistakes, but they learned from it. They were funny, but they were also serious when needed. They fought fiercely, but they also showed softness. Oftentimes we see friendships portrayed in Philippine television as lopsided -- there always one in a friendship that is perceived as the ‘sidekick’, but Lira and Mira were equals. They both blossomed and were each other’s support system.

Ybramihan. This is a controversial call because of the proverbial Alebarro pairing in the original series. But somehow, this remake just made this paring work. Ruru and Kylie’s chemistry is explosive and the more I watched them, the more I wanted Ybramihan to be endgame. Their love story was written poignantly, and with such subtlety that is very refreshing to see on Philippine television.

Cassiopea and Ether. Solenn was born to play this role. The way she portrayed Cassiopea as this complicated hero reminded me of a Greek myth. There is something very Greecian about her and the Bathalas and Bathalumans. The way they mold in, and actively take part in the shaping of the world of Encantadia is reminiscent of the way the Greek gods and goddesses interfere with the lives of the mortal heroes simply because they can and they want to. I live for that because they showed these divine beings as infallible and human.

The villains (well, most of them anyway). As I always said, any good vs bad story requires an amazing villain. Hagorn was the perfect antithesis to the Sang’gres. He was cunning, brutal, but also complex. He reminded me so much of Snape; a good character, but a bad person. Asval too was the quintessential villain -- backstabbing, dishonest, and self-serving. Andorra and Agane too were exceptionally loathsome villains.

The wrong things:

The format. Encantadia should have been a weekly series. The pressure to produce an episode 5 times a week is huge, and it showed in the show. Changing the format would have allowed them to refine certain plot points and edit the script, and also more time to prepare for it. The filler episodes (which is like every episode from Tuesday to Thursday tbh) were mostly bad, with a few exceptions.

Etheria. The Etheria arc ruined this show, period. Avria was a poorly-written villain. The time travel thing did not fit into the narrative of the story. There was no reason for Etheria to have been resurrected. The plotholes were too obvious and it seemed like everything were written haphazardly, with no clear direction.

Ariana and the sarkosi. Again, why was this on the show? It was literally pointless, narrative-wise. Ariana as a character was bland and one-dimensional, and the sarkosi bit was not explored enough.

Too many extra characters. They were obviously plot fillers and only existed out of convenience. The show could have exerted more effort in developing characters already there (Aquil, Muros, WANTUK, Wahid to name a few) instead of introducing us to characters that, like Ariana, did not enhance the narrative. Examples are Deshna, Amarro, Gilas, Azulan, Manik, and a whole lot more I could care less about.

Too much focus on moving the plot. Plot is important, I know, but if I were to choose between a good plot and good characters, I’d choose the latter. A good character in a badly written plot is still more watchable than a story with a good premise but botched characterization. The overall lack of character development for most characters made the show difficult to watch at times.

#encantadia

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diwatang-sirena · 7 years

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My Thoughts before Encantadia's Finale

Once again… Character death is the solution to make another “pasabog” moment.

Why am I not surprised?

My two cents goes to Arde actually being the sort-of hero in the end. He’ll end up betraying Ether for her “treachery”, and by combining his powers with Emre, they will both bring back Cassiopeia and all those who died unfairly back to life. Thus the start of the final war of Encantadia.

I’m still unsure what to make of Mira and Lira’s fates. If Cassandra is really going to make it in this requel, then I think at least Lira’s going to die. While I love Mikee, I don’t think she can nail the motherly role as of now. Perhaps they’re saving Cassandra for the final scene as an open ending, in a way that would imply of a second season for Enca.

I’m holding onto hope that the Super Twins will get to participate in the final battle. Sayang naman ang warrior outfits and their tagapangalaga statuses if they’re both going to stay comatose until the final episode, especially for Lira, who’s SUPPOSED to be the prophesied Hero of Encantadia.

For tonight’s episode, Ybrahim’s “treachery” is … I don’t even know what to make of it. It’s easy to point fingers, but in his defense, Ybrahim has prematurely lost most if not all his blood relatives (unless you count Asval, who probably has the biggest, well-deserved target on his back), his kingdom, and especially the ones he loved the most, which is Amihan and Lira. So it’s only natural that he’d become desperate to find a way to keep the only family he has left.

We’ve seen him pull this act before with the Spirit Gem in exchange for Kahlil. I don’t think we should be so surprised that he ended up being the one betraying the sanggres instead of Pirena, despite it being a stupid move and something Amihan and especially Lira would NOT be proud of.

I’m still hoping that he wises up and actually has a plan behind his “treachery”. Maybe he’s doing this to trick Hagorn into giving him the “lunas” not only for Lira, but also for Mira, and maybe disrupt Hagorn’s forces on the inside. Like how a true leader’s supposed to be. That would be some last minute development that I would love to see with Ybrahim, who seemed more and more useless as Book 2 went on.

But I’ve learned not to get my hopes up for good character development. Encantadia ‘17 has failed to reach my expectations in that field for some time, even during Book 1. Still, there’s no harm in hoping that they’re not just trying to rush things.

Here are the rest of my predictions for the finale:

1. Alena will become Queen of Lireo in Danaya’s stead, not only because she wants Danaya to be happy with Aquil, but also because she has proven herself worthy to take up the responsibility, as shown how level-minded she is during this whole disaster.

2. Continuing from #1, if Alena truly will become Queen of Lireo, she will most probably not end up with Memfes, at least not in this season. While I’m all for Alena being single, if AleMemfes is really the direction they’re going, I think Alena will still reject Memfes because at this time, she’s still secretly pining over Ybarro. But it’s possible that she’ll ask Memfes if he’s willing to wait for her until her heart is fully over Ybarro and is open to love another. That, and when her Queenship is over.

3. If Cassandra will exist in the requel (otherwise, what would be the point of Cassiopeia taking a strand of Lira’s hair?), then she will most likely be the next Queen of Lireo after Alena. At this point, I highly doubt that Lira will become queen, even though I would’ve loved to see that.

4. The next-in-line for Hathoria’s throne could go to either Mira or Deshna (if either of them are brought to life). But I remembered Cassiopeia telling Mira that she will not become Queen (although that was initially because of Anthony), and I believe Deshna would’ve chosen to have a peaceful, rural life.

With that said, I have a feeling that it would be Pirena’s second offspring that would become the heir, possibly with Azulan as the father. He/she could be one of the protagonists of the new season, if it pushes through. He/she might also end up becoming some sort of Kylo Ren (Star Wars) in the story.

5. As for Sapiro’s heir, this could go both ways. One thing I’m pretty sure of… I don’t think Lira’s going to become the Queen of Sapiro, although that would’ve been nice to see as well.

If AleBarro becomes canon (please don’t), then obviously Armea will be conceived and will become the next Queen of Sapiro, just like the original.

If Amihan returns for good (NOT as Ariana please), then she will most likely marry Ybrahim and become Queen of Sapiro. She’ll probably give Lira the sibling/s she’s always wanted, and that sibling will become the new heir of Sapiro. Or the reason they conceived again could be in memory of her. Why do I feel like their next kid/s would end up being twins? Would love to see another sibling rivalry for the throne, though not as harsh and intense as Pirena VS Amihan.

If Cassandra exists, since she is Ybrahim and Amihan’s biological grandchild, then it’s very possible for her to live with them in Sapiro. It could follow Etheria’s plot with Cassandra living in Sapiro and Ybrahim initially wanting her to become his heir instead of Lireo.

6. The true Amihan will return (PLEASE. IS THIS SO HARD TO DO?). Emre could be the one who’ll return her back to her original self. I have a feeling that the Wind Gem would become key to her return. Or if Raquim really comes back, he’ll be the final ticket to her memories coming back full-force. In the spur of the moment, Ariana (Arra) will transform into Amihan (Kylie) again in the midst of the war, and she’ll be the one who’ll end Hagorn once and for all.

Of course, it’s most likely that Kylie won’t do any fighting scenes for her baby’s sake, so it’s possible that her “transformation” will happen after the war or by the final scene to surprise the viewers. That or they get a stand-in for Amihan’s fighting scenes, but with Kylie’s close-ups.

Please don’t let us down for the last time, DMR/Emre.

7. Danaya and Aquil get married, but will have no offspring yet. Yes, I know they had one by the end of the original run, but I don’t know, i just feel like they wouldn’t have one yet. This could become one of their issues if the second season pushes through. Danaya will become the Queen’s official advisor, the right-hand woman like she was when Amihan was Queen. Aquil will become a Mashna again along with Muros, or maybe become a spy for Lireo.

8. Lilasari will die, and it’s either Hitano or Amarro who will die with her. I’m betting more on Hitano dying for her. I feel kinda bad for him though. It seems more like Lilasari doesn’t love him anymore, especially since she’s been in Amarro’s company for so long, which would be the second rejection he’s received. And after all he did to be with her and Deshna again…

9. Emre and Cassiopeia will become the highest Bathalumans of the realm, becoming some sort of King and Queen in Devas. No offspring here. Arde will either still be in-charge of the dead or be killed alongside Ether. The snake finally dies and we’ll never have to hear her voice ever again, although it’s still possible for her to return on a second season.

10. Hagorn will die, but not before repenting all his sins. I still want a redemption for him like he did in the original, for the sake of his daughter/s, and to finally let go of the hatred that has haunted him his whole life. ……………..

That’s all I can think of for now. Despite my predictions, I personally don’t have that high of an expectation for the ending. But it doesn’t hurt to hope (oh wait, it actually does. But whatever). Even with the crappy Book 2 story, I still would want to check out Season 2 should it push through. There’s still so much that could be done, so much potential untouched. This would be the perfect time for them to rest, meditate on it, and rethink a more fool-proof storyline and hopefully more world-building and character development.

Oh, and while they’re at it, hire better actors too. I don’t mind newbies, but at least give them time to do more workshop. The audience does not have enough patience to tolerate another “Ariana” in the story.

#encantadia #encantadia 2016 #encantadia 2017

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avisalaencantadia · 7 years

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If you’ve followed me from the very start, you guys would notice that I’ve never published my own reviews or opinions over the show (except for some asks). This is because I prefer giving my opinions when a show is over. This gives my review some sense of finality.

But yeah... Anyway, just in case you want to read my rambles and opinions, feel free to click the “Keep reading” link below :) and yes the comic sans is intended

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I’ll be dividing my feedback on certain aspects and then I’ll say what the Enca team did good and bad there. Brace yourselves, this is a very long post :))

Story/Plot

The Good

Modernizing the existing Encantadia plot - If you’ve watched Encantadia since 2005, you would know most of the 2016′s version plot derives from the original. But what I really liked with Encantadia 2016′s plot is how it was adjusted to reflect current day sensibilities and moralities like with how Amihan still loved and treated Mira as her own daughter after learning the truth, not making Mila/Lira into an archetypal abused maid, Lira and Mira being best friends and literally #cousin goals instead of love rivals, Ybramihan with their realistic and slow burn romance, Alena breaking out of the “first love never dies” trope, and so much more.

Book 1 - Book 1 (Episode 1 - 148) is the best part of Encantadia 2016. To be very honest, I really wished that the requel just ended with Book 1. Book 1 is, for the most part, well written. I like how little backstories were added from the start, the story was pretty much cohesive, most of the plot deviations from the original were logical (the fall of Amihan and the banishment of Pirena were superb), and the mortal world was less shown than from the original. Speaking of the mortal world, please see below :)

Involvement of the mortal world - Perhaps one of the best things I really liked from the plot of the requel is how the setting of the mortal world was used more logically. What I really didn’t like about the original is how around 50% of the scenes (until Lira returns to Encantadia) was divided into Encantadia scenes and then mortal world scenes and I was like, “this is a show about Encantadia right??” In this version, Mila/Lira’s growth in the mortal realm was not extended (they really did great in doing away with the maid-and-master-romance plot for Lira), Danaya and Alena’s exiles to the human world are sensible, Encantados - like Enuo, Mira, Lilasari and Hitano - choosing to live in the mortal realm was interesting, and the concept of “taong ligaw” as well. Seriously, if you know your migration and trade theories well, it’s very very logical that some Encantados would choose to live away from their motherland because y’know, it ain’t exactly peaceful in Encantadia. Or like the Bandidos who choose to go to the mortal realm to dabble in some trade... although of course human slave trade is definitely not right.

The Bad

The plot being obviously dragged out - All popular Philippine dramas are victims of extension due to public demand and it isn’t a secret that Encantadia was extended until Mulawin vs Ravena was ready. While I totally understand that GMA wanted to capitalize on the ratings success of Encantadia, unfortunately, the plot really suffered and Book 2 (together with the “Finding Lira” arc) looked like it wasn’t thought of very well.

Plot handling - *ehem* You mean Book 2? *ehem* Ok, on paper, the premise of Encantadia is great. The problem is, most of the plot devices they introduced became too big for them to handle and the prime example was how they handled Book 2. Actually, Book 2 started well in showing what happened after Amihan’s death: 3 kingdoms flourishing, the threat of Etheria, the introduction of the 6 guardians-in-training, etc. But unfortunately, it fell apart: Lireo is great but why did it look that Ybrahim and Pirena were spending more time meddling with Lirean affairs than with Sapiro and Hathoria respectively? We all know that Etheria was a great kingdom but why didn’t they explore its history well and why did they make it fall again just to give way to Hagorn’s return? Oh and the 6 guardians in training? You know what? I really really loved it at first because it showed that not only royalty can become guardians but also normal Encantados (or a mortal like Pao Pao) as well. But after the massacre at Cassiopea’s island, all the remaining guardians-in-training became useless character scene fillers. Marami silang sinayang tbh...

Amihan-centric plot - For a show that used to highlight the four sisters, Book 1 revolved and highlighted mainly Amihan. From episode 1 until her death, we were made aware of Amihan’s significance due to Cassiopea’s prophecy and Hagorn’s obsession to kill her. If you watched the original series, you will see each Sang’gre was given enough air time and importance in the story. But since Amihan was given so much importance in the requel, this led to major plot issues when Kylie left the show. This was partially fixed in Book 2 where we see the three remaining Sang’gres united against Avria, Hagorn and Ether. However, it makes me wish they had an opportunity to do this with Amihan still alive. Which leads to...

Plot handling for actors who leave the show - For the requel we saw 2 major plot changes due to actors leaving the show: Kylie’s and Sunshine’s. Naturally, Kylie’s departure left a bigger hole in the plot and in our hearts than Sunshine’s. Of course I understand that the actors’ departures come from valid reasons (Kylie’s pregnancy and Sunshine’s schedule due to Ika-Anim na Utos) but I wish their character’s deaths and aftermaths were handled better, especially for Adhara. I had huge hopes for Adhara’s character only for her to die a very meh second death. No huge build up whatsoever nor any major revelations about her character. I’d really love to know the story they originally intended for Adhara. Was it taken over by Lilasari’s character? As for Amihan’s death, yes, it was handled very beautifully and logically but it’s the aftermath I had huge issues with. You can obviously see it in Book 2 :)

Worldbuilding and Lore

The good

Expansion of the existing Encantadia world and lore - In this requel, we were given a more solid Encantadia in terms geography: there’s a nice map and cultural distinctions between the different kingdoms were more apparent (I love the sigils and the aesthetic differences between the kingdoms). What I really love as well was the Nchan and Hathorka writing developed and explained to us. It gave us an excuse to write our names and words using these wonderful fictional but working scripts.

Limitations of the Sang’gres’ powers - Ok, some fans had issues with this but I really liked it when it was shown that the four Sang’gres only obtained special elemental powers when they have the gems in their possession. It was also a nice touch when they showed the Sang’gres not wearing their trademark warrior gears when the gems are not in their possession. This shows the Sang’gres do have weaknesses unlike their previous counterparts who can still manipulate their elements (albeit weaker) even without the gems. Because of this, it further emphasizes the gems’ importance: whoever obtains can become extremely powerful.

The deities backstories - In this requel, we get to find out there are actually 5 deities (bathala/bathaluman) instead of 3. It also showed that these deities are not all powerful and have weaknesses almost just like an average encantado. Instead of acting all-omnipotent (except Emre during Book 1), these deities acted a lot like the fickle and full-of-human-emotions Greek/Roman gods.

The bad

The fifth gem - I know a lot of people were asking about adding a new element but I did not like how they handled it. I mean, seriously, how can Cassiopea not know about its existence until the fall of Amihan? Was it because the one who obtained it was not an encantado but a batang ligaw? Speaking of batang ligaw, I did find it cute that the one who will first wield this gem is not an encantado but a little human boy. Paopao’s innocence highlights the fifth gem’s power, quintessence. However, what I highly disliked about the fifth gem is how it just became an accessory after Hagorn forced Paopao to give it to him. An extra gem to grab with no major significance unlike the four elemental gems and an alternative to the Earth gem for healing, that’s what it became. If only they let the grownup Paopao wield it again, then perhaps this gem could’ve become as significant as the others.

The deity involvement - While I first raved about adding the expansion of the deities and their backstories, I will rant about their incessant meddling (or the lack of it). For the first parts of Book 1, I liked how they maintained Emre is the Christian God-like deity, Arde is the guardian of Balaak (or hell) and Ether is the all-around mischievous meddler. I also found it cool at first that Arde and Ether both chose their champions (Adhara and Hagorn respectively) in their bid to regain power over Encantadia. However, I found it really annoying when their meddling became too much or when the encantados (*ehem* Avria *cough* Hagorn and to some extent, Lira) cannot do anything anymore except rely on their godly powers. Deus ex machina much? On the other hand, I generally thought the addition of Keros and Haliya was ok. I liked how Keros’ treachery brought about Emre’s downfall. Too bad he was killed even before he could have a total change of heart. I think it could’ve been cool if he aided Emre and gained followers after that. While Haliya was pretty useless, at least she still had some involvement in Emre and Cassiopea’s sidequest and to explain the origin of the double moon and Lilasari’s curse. It would’ve been cool if she did more. Anyway, long story short: I wish the deities meddled less and just maintained a certain distance from the encantados. Let the encantados do the work with some very occasional sprinkling of their divine blessings.

Adamya - Ok, so why was Adamya demoted from a kingdom to a protectorate territory of Lireo in the requel? I don’t get it why they made Adamya weaker than it is. Adamya had more relevance in the original series where the Diwatas usually seek refuge and get really sound advice from Imaw and his staff. However, in the requel, Imaw and the humanoid Adamyans (except the Gunikars and Nymfas) just stay with the Diwatas all the time. Is there really no desire in Imaw to return to his own homeland, see it flourish on its own and without the Sang’gres’ (especially Alena’s) help? It seems not because this is the vision of Memfes, the leader of the Gunikar tribe. While I had huge problems with him pursuing Alena, I just wished that his vision of a strong Adamya was shared by Imaw and its traditional denizens. I also wished that it was made clearer that the Gunikars and the Nymfas are technically Adamyans.

Characters and Relationships

Since Encantadia had a lot of characters, I will not be commenting on them all.

The good

Lira and Mira - Without any doubt, the Lira-Mira tandem proved to be one of the best things that happened to this requel. Like I’ve mentioned, I’m so glad they did away the love rivalry between the two cousins from the original series. It was utterly refreshing to see these two being close and doing their own adventures and shenanigans. One minor critique though, I just wished they had more character growth especially in Book 2 where they were promoted to Sang’gres.

Ybramihan - Ah, the pairing that launched a thousand ships in the requel. While I wasn’t a huge shipper myself, I really appreciated the slow burn romance between Amihan and Ybrahim. These are two leaders who are dealing with their own political and emotional issues yet still found themselves falling for each other. This mature and bittersweet kind of romance is a breath of fresh air in the sea of “pabebe” romances. I wonder if the Ybramihan endgame would still push through if Kylie did not leave the show.

Alena - Alena’s character started out as being really problematic. Lovestruck, pabebe, immature, shallow, weak - these are words I read from frustrated viewers on how they described Alena. I will also admit that I was really frustrated with Alena’s character because they made her so much weaker than her counterpart from the original series. However, thank Emre, the Encantadia crew seemed to our heard our prayers and wrote a strong and beautiful Alena in Book 2. Alena shows that despite all the hardships she suffered and endured, she learned from them and emerged a woman with the voice of reason and wisdom. I also think it was awesome that she didn’t rekindle her relationship with Ybrahim despite still having feelings for him. We really need to show less of this “first love as true love” trope and more of this “never wanted the crown but ended up as a deserving and independent queen” narrative. Alena’s character growth was one of the few things right in Book 2.

Hagorn - Hagorn is proof you can write multi-dimensional villains. Coupled with John Arcilla’s excellent acting, I think Hagorn was beautifully portrayed. Here, we saw a king who became consumed by his rage over the injustices he experienced: Mine-a breaking his heart, his father whom he idolized being killed and falsely believing Raquim (a friend turned enemy) to have done the deed, the once mighty Hathoria being cursed, Lilasari breaking his heart and Deshna hidden from him. While yes, all of his actions can be called evil but in its essence is Hagorn’s desire to be respected and loved. Pirena is indeed very similar to her father but the difference is Hagorn let anger harden his heart completely. Although one major critique I can give of him is... why must he be so damn overpowered?? I get it that antagonists need to be more powerful than the protagonists at first but as the series progress, why must Hagorn be always gaining powers all the time??

The bad

The Etherians - I was first excited about the news they were going to bring back the Etherians in the requel since I loved the Etheria arc from the original series. However, this excitement turned into frustration when we saw flat villains on our screen again. So we know Avria and the gang are power-thirsty encantados whom Ether revived because Hagorn was presumed to be dead. However, what was their story? What really happened in the Great Etherian War? Unlike in the original series’ Etheria, we find out the reason they antagonized the Diwatas was because of a prophecy that predicts their downfall. However, for the requel, nothing was explained except their desire for vengeance against the races that brought their first downfall. And that’s it. Added to the fact our beloved Sang’gres know nothing about their history which added to my eye-rolling moments.

Aquil - You may know me as an avid Danquil shipper but I highly disliked how they handled Aquil’s character for the requel. Gone was the Lirean mashna whose loyalty and dedication was at par with Danaya’s but was replaced by a lovestruck man whose character was mainly hinged on the stubborn Sang’gre. While we did see glimpses of Aquil’s loyalty to the Lirean crown but it was really lacking compared to the original. If Muros and the soldiers did not call Aquil “mashna”, I would think of him as a normal soldier who happens to be in love with Danaya. While yes, as a Danquil shipper I am satisfied with their scenes, but as a character he fell flat. And sorry Aquil, Muros made a better mashna. PS: I have no issues with Rocco’s acting. He did well. It’s the characterization I have issues with.

Ariana - Oh Ariana... So much has been said about Ariana but I’ll say this. On paper, the sarkosi/reincarnation concept was nice but it was the execution that fell flat. I will not touch upon Arra’s acting but there were so many plot holes that came along with Amihan’s reincarnation as Ariana. So when Ariana died and Amihan’s ivtre came in, why were Ariana’s memories retained? Where did Ariana’s ivtre go? It was answered in the finale since Ariana’s ivtre came along in the Devas bunch. But I thought the memories and consciousness of an encantado lie in their ivtre/spirit? I guess not. Also, the Ariana we saw is already the Sarkosi!Amihan version. Who is the real Ariana? Would the real Ariana still be chosen by the Air Gem as its next guardian? Will she still have feelings for Ybrahim without Amihan’s ivtre in her? So many questions about this tbh. I would’ve really preferred if they went with the typical reincarnation route where a newborn encantada will grow up discovering she was Amihan in her past life.

Production

The good

Special effects - While it still has room for improvement, I must say it has HUGELY improved since the original series! The transformation sequence, ivictus scenes and even the gem wielding scenes were very smooth. Just a bit more refinement especially in the rendering of creatures (ex. Arde’s dragon form, Ether’s snake form, etc.) and I truly believe we can be at par with other fantasy series.

Fight scenes - This is what I really loved in this requel. The fight scenes are quicker and smoother compared to the original. Kylie’s martial arts skills were in full display and were duly appreciated by the fans in return. Even Sanya’s arnis skills did not go unnoticed. I also appreciated the fact that even the actors who didn’t necessarily have martial arts skills refrained from using stunt doubles (for most part I guess). At least you can see their dedication in really embodying their characters.

Costumes for Book 1 - I may be one of the few people who’ll say this but I loved the warrior gear for this version. Yes, it may looked less detailed or bongga than the original but I think it suited this requel’s modern fantasy feel. It also enabled the actors to move more freely (thus better fight scenes). I also appreciated the fact the Sang’gres were not shown in highly sexualized scenes despite their costumes being revealing (thank you Direk Mark for not doing what male Western fantasy directors usually do). As for the gowns, I was in love with the Francis Libiran gowns. I just wish that kind of costume aesthetic was maintained throughout the whole series... (more on that later).

Kingdom throne room set design - I liked how unique each kingdom’s throne rooms looked like. From the airy Lirean throne room to the dark and ominous Hathorian throne room, it added to the emphasis of culture differences between each kingdoms.

Soundtrack - Who here is getting goosebumps when you hear the remixed Tadhana at the start of each episode? Or the ethnic chanting during burial scenes? I think the Encantadia crew did a good job in composing unique music to use for the requel. I’m also glad they didn’t seem to reuse music from existing teleseryes.

The bad

Too much studio filming - While I understand logistical constraints in shooting outside the studio but it contributed to the “fake” feel of the scenes. There were many scenes that could’ve been better if they were shot outdoors. There are times when the studio sets looked obviously fake.

Costumes for Book 2 - In Book 2, we saw a time skip and naturally, we saw costume changes. However, a lot of them looked awkwardly stitched or ill-fitting to the actors. The general aesthetic also changed and sometimes out of place. I understand not all costumes can be “Francis Libiran level” but I wish the costume aesthetic was given more attention by the production crew. We also saw costume recycling within the actors especially with Sanya wearing Marian’s Mine-a gown (not a new occurrence though since Diana also wore Dawn’s Mine-a gown).

Overall

While there are many things to left to be said, overall, the Encantadia requel still proved to be a general success. Not only did it manage to rekindle childhood fantasy emotions from the fans of the original series but had also brought in a new generation of fans.

Encantadia reinforced the notion of girl power and has once again showed us kickass and multi-dimensional women on TV. Encantadia also proved we can produce a successful fantasy series of our own aside from the ones Americans, Europeans or Koreans produce.

Do I want a Season 2? Of course but only if it can be better than the previous season with better commitment to the plot, character and actor handling :)

Avisala eshma to the whole Encantadia crew and to fellow fans who made the watching experience more colorful. If you managed to read the whole review, thank you as well. Feel free to leave comments or messages if you wish. I’ll be open to discussion :)

#encantadia #encantadia review #AE posts

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kathangencanto-blog · 7 years

Text

Likha

Magsimula tayo sa umpisa. Nang mga panahon na ang daigdig ay nababalot ng kalawakan, walang anyo at walang laman. Ang mga tanging nilalang dito ay ang mga Poon. Ang Ynang Poon ay si Ora at ang Amang Poon ay si Krono. Silang magkabiyak ang naghiwalay ng liwanag sa kadiliman. Tinawag nila ang pook ng liwanag na Valinor, ang Paraiso ng Lualhati.

Di kalaunan ay nainip ang nga Poon. Lumikha sila ng mga tagapaglingkod. Sila ang mga Celestia. At tulad ng isang magulang na may paboritong anak, sina Ora ay mayron ding pinakatangi sa lahat ng mga anghel. Ito ay si Emre. At tulad din ng ibang mag-kabiyak, hindi maiiwasan ang pag-aaway. Nang minsan ay nagtalo ang dalawang Poon. Sa kanyang galit, nhawakan ni Ora ang kanyang salapang at naihampas niya ito kay Krono.

Mula sa patak ng dugo na natamo ni Krono, umusbong ang celestiang si Arde. Nang mahimasmasan, nakita ni Ora ang kanyang ginawa at natanto niya ang kanyang pagkakamali. Lumuluha siyang humingi ng tawad sa kanyang kabiyak, at mula sa mga luhang iyon ay isinilang ang celestiang si Ether.

Mula ng magbati ang mga Poon ay lalong naging masagana ang kanilang pagsasama sa paraiso, kasama ang kanilang mga celestiang tagapaglingkod. Ang kasaganaang ito ay nais nilang ibahagi sa iba.

Unti-unti nilang pinunan ang mga patlang sa kanilang kapaligiran. Lumikha sila ng mundo sa pagitan ng liwanag at dilim, at tinawag nila itong Encantadia. Bawat butil ng buhangin, patak ng tubig, ihip ng hangin at init ng apoy ay nagmula sa mga Poon. Lumikha rin sila ng mga mamamayan, at tinawag nila itong mga encantado.

Ang mga encantadong ito ay walang kamuwang-muwang sa mga Poong lumikha sa kanila. Wala silang alam sa pinagmulan ng Encantadia, o ng kanilang magandang pamumuhay. Basta't sila ay namuhay ng mariwasa at maluho, at kung may kailangan sila ay lagi silang humihiling. Kapag mayroon silang karaingan, sila ay tumatangis.

Ang bawat hinaing at hiling ng mga encantado ay ibinubulong ng hangin sa mga Poon. Ang mga encantado ay naging sakit sa ulo. Di kalaunan ay napuno na si Krono sa mga hinagpis at reklamo ng mga encantado. Sa sobrang sakit ng kanyang ulo, kinuha niya ang kanyang sandata. Upang mapawi ang sakit, biniyak niya ang sariling ulo. at mula dito ay sumupang ang celestiang si Keros.

Di nagtagal ay nagkaroon ng sigalot sa pagitan ng mga celestia. Nahati sa dalawang pangkat ang mga anghel. May mga pangkat ng anghel na hindi matanggap na mas mahalaga sa mga Poon ang mga encantado kaysa sa kanila. Para sa kanila, sila ang mas espesyal na nilalang kaysa sa mga encantado, kung kaya't sila dapat ang mas pahalagahan ng mga Poon.

Ang kanilang paninibugho ang naging daan upang mabalot ng kadiliman ang kanilang mga kalooban. Ang kabilang pangkat naman ay mapang-unawa at mabait, at handang ipagtanggol ang mga Poon. Sila ang mga anghel nababalot ng liwanag, sapagkat nanatiling dalisay ang kanilang kalooban.

Ang pagakahating ito ang naging daan sa isang digmaan sa Paraiso. Nagasagupaan ang mga celestia ng liwanag at dilim. Nagapi ng hukbo ng mga anghel ng liwanag ang mga anghel ng dilim. Bilang parusa, ang mga anghel ng dilim ay ipinatapon sa karimlan.

Ngunit hindi dito nagtatapos ang hindi pagkakasundo sa Valinor. Nalaman ni Krono na may mga celestia na hindi sumali sa digmaan. Kabilang dito sina Arde, Ether, Keros at si Emre. Kinailangang magpasya ng Amang Poon. Ang mga celestiang nasasakdal ay hindi na itinuturing na kakampi ng liwanag. Ngunit sila ang hindi pawang dilim kaya't hindi sila maaring ipatapon sa karimlan. Hinatulan sila ni Krono ng pagpapalayas mula sa paraiso.

Bilang masunuring anak, tinanggap ng maluwag ni Emre ang parusa ng Amang Poon, na siya namag ikinagalit ng mga kasama niyang nasasakdal. Pinagtulungan nina Arde, Ether at Keros si Emre. Ngunit nanaig ang pusong ng isang ama kay Krono. Ihinarang niya ang kanyang sarili sa pagitan ni Emre at ng mga vidaljeng celestia, at dahil dito, siya nag tinamaan ng kanilang mga sandata. Napaslang ng mga celestia ang Amang Poon.

Nasaksihan ni Ora ang mga pangyayari, na lubha niyang ikinagalit. Isinumpa ng Ynang Poon sina Arde, Ether at Keros at nag-iba ang kanilang mga wangis. Si Ether na naging isang dambuhalang ulupong, ay ipinatapon ni Ora sa disyerto ng Encantadia. Si Arde ay naging higanteng buwarka (dragon), at ikinulong sa Balaak. Si Keros na naging tila nagliliyab na anino, ay ipinatapon sa Binyaan, isang islang malayo sa Encantadia.. Si Emre ay labis ang pagsisisi sa pagkakapaslang sa Amang Poon at minarapat niyang kusang loob na lisanin ang Valinor. Sa kanyang paglisan sa paraiso, itinayo niya ang Devas. Ang Devas ang kanyang naging panibagong tahanan.

Lubhang nagdalamhati ang Ynang Poon sa pagakapaslang ng kanyang kabiyak, at sa paglisan ng kanyang itinatanging anak. Ang kanyang mga luha ay umabot sa karagatan ng Adamya, at dito nabuo ang Bathalumang si Magindara. Si Magindara ang naging tagapangalaga ng karagatan ng Encantadia, at naging pinuno ng mga sirena.

Habang tumatagal ay lumalim ang pagdadalamhati ng Ynang Poon. Hindi na niya pinakikinggan ang mga hiling at dasal ng mga encantado. Ngunit nanaig ang pusong ina ni Ora. Gamit ang nalalabi niyang determinasyon, kumuha siya ng lupa ng Sapiro, at inilubog ito sa tubig mula sa Adamya. Nang ito ay maging putik, ihinulma niya ito sa kanyang mga kamay upang magkaroon ng hugis. Pagkatapos ay itinapat niya ito sa bulkan ng Hathoria upang matuyo. Ihinabi niya ang naiwang buhok ng Amang Poon, at pagkatapos ang binigyan niya ito ng hangin mula sa sarili niyang hininga. Dito nagmula si Sandawa, ang hinirang na Bathaluman ng Kalikasan.

Ibinigay ni Ora kay Sandawa ang Inang Brilyante, upang ihandog kay Emre bilang huling basbas na makukuha ng bathala mula sa Valinor. Pagkatapos ay isinugo ng Ynang Poon si Sandawa sa Encantadia, upang maging tagapangalaga ng Kalikasan.

Dala ng pagod at pagdadalamhati, tuluyan nang isinara ni Ora ang pinto ng Valinor. Sinasabing ang lagusan papunta sa Paraiso ng Lualhati ay magbubukas lamang sa mga pinagpalang bayaning may dakilang katapangan at dalisay na puso, at sa mga Bunggaitan (pinakamakapangyarihang encantado) na nagnanais ng Ezjin (transcendence) upang mahirang na isang Bathala o Bathaluman. Liban dito, mananatiling nakapinid ang pintuan ng paraiso.

Author’s Note : This is an expansion based on an excerpt from my ENCA fanfic and an IG story posted by Encantadia Saga. My fictional history of the bathalas and bathalumans of Encantadia/Mulawin. This story is not totally compliant to the Encantadia/Mulawin storyline, which means it’s canon until it isn’t. Thank you kindly for reading. Hope you enjoy it!

#encantadia #encantadia2016 #etheria #mulawin #mulawinvsravena #emre #ether #arde #keros #bathala #bathaluman #fanfiction #magindara #sandawa

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