#cinderella's castle meta

[shhhhimwatchingthis]

Cinderella's Castle Lore:

Some interesting world building/character lore dropped in Cinderella's Castle that may be further explored in The Lands That Are:

There was a time when the sun was blotted out and Trolls controlled/had free reign over the lands that are. What happened to sun? how did humans bring it back?

The Fairy Queen of Sweet Dreams, The Goddess of All That is Green and Good:

So much to chew on from her scene:

She was 'caged' in the land of death, so who caged her there (killed her)?

There are Nine Good Gods worshipped in the Lands That Are, but when Ella names the goddess of love the Fairy Queen has never heard of her, implying these gods are false/don't exist. If they are a real power in this world, they aren't as old/powerful as the fairy queen.

The Lady Ashmore: was the stillborn she placed at the roots of the old oak her still born child (a sibling of Ella's?) if not where did she get the body? how did the Lady Asmore know of the goddess of all that is green and good? how long had she worshipped her? Finally if her version of the ritual had succeeded what was the sweet dream she wanted the fairy queen to grant her?

The Grizzwald Bastard: part of why Justine and Lucy believe Ella about her step mother is they know about Trolls because 'their bastard brother hunts them' this is just such a specific detail I feel like this brother has gotta come back in some way

especially interesting to note he slays trolls, when there's a whole scene with our Narrator and Master Dwarf spelling out that trolls are fucking hard to kill, so how powerful is this guy?

The Narrator: this one is super small, the type of detail that drives me insane but I don't know if anyone cares. At the very end of the play, when the peasants bow for Queen Ella Ashmore, the Narrator clearly bows to her as well. As the Narrator. What i mean by this is unlike say Kim, who is in that scene costumed as a peasant, the Narrator is in the same outfit he has always been,he is not a background peasant, he is still clearly the Narrator. But he interacts with the story. He bows to Ella. This is the only time he does this. What does this mean, if anything? That he met Queen Ella Ashmore? That he was there? Are you thinking about the implications?

Some Miscellaneous points, not from the show itself, but from cast/creator comments:

The Fairy Queen of Sweet Dreams wanting revenge against the King and Prince, and that being part of why she pushes Ella to her own revenge. This is a hint dropped i believe from Kim Whalen about the Fairy Queen's motivation in one of the promo vids about her character. Brings up the implication that the royal family was behind the Fairy Queen's imprisonment in the realm of Death. (or at least did something that infuriated her)

Jon Mattheson in a cameo to a fan mentioned the possibility of Sir Hop-A Lot...or his descendants returning in a future show. Ella wishes for Sir Hop A Lot to 'sire many tadpoles' and grants him the lands of the swamps (land that would pass to his heris). Interesting to think of the other Castle shows taking place in the Lands that are but centuries apart. (either centuries before or after Ella) some interesting themes about the nature of stories and myth could come from this. What are the stories of Queen Ella Ashmore in the Lands That Are hundreds of years after her reign? Could be cool to hear stories of the events of Cinderella's Castle and see how they differ from the version the narrator told us.

[owlhari]

if grace & max win the death match i'm posting the beginning of my interactive hatchetfield project today instead of wednesday like i was planning to

[rya-oaj]

I looked over the kickstarter 2 hours ago and since then they raised 10k more

If this isn’t the success I get then I don’t want any

Also, Jeff NEEDED a narrator role

Final Casting Reveal Unlocked! Jeff Blim will be your guide into The Lands That Are as the Narrator. Storyteller and song singer, he shall weave a spellbinding tale. Thank you SO MUCH for helping us fund our goal in less than 30 HOURS!!! We're so grateful and excited to continue this journey! This month is going to be filled with fun events and livestreams, so be sure to keep your Saturdays open!!

[starcanwrecked-confessions]

genuinely i have no idea how anyone could think cinderella's castle is going to be boring because they "don't like fairy tales" like? excuse me when has starkid ever done anything that doesn't play with genre or insert meta narratives or mix things up in some other way?? they are innovators, it's not going to be Cinderella (TM) The Musical. just look at twisted. try to imagine twisted as a beat for beat faithful retelling of aladdin. impossible. there is NO way on earth cinderella's castle is going to be the straight-up cinderella story we've seen a million times. idk about you but i expect more from starkid than that and i trust them to deliver more ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

~~~

[wrolling]

I love love LOVE Cinderella’s Castle! Some thoughts:

Sir Hops-A-Lot and Crumb killed as puppets and comedic relief and characters that you’re supposed to get instantly attached to (I definitely did) but the only reason I feel like they weren’t in it enough was because of how much they were in the marketing. Otherwise I really think they served their purpose to a tee

I already knew I would want more stories told in this universe but I WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE LANDS THAT ARE please give me a full novelization thank you

What is the opinion on this musical from someone who doesn’t like dark fantasy? Cause I’m already predisposed to like it cause I’m a fan of the genre

I’m a shipper of Ella/Tadius their scenes together were great and they are bi4bi to me

Ella holds a grudge!!! Her bringing up Tadius’s comments from their first interaction about ‘her house in disrepair to put it delicately’ and obviously her main motivation being her revenge against the trolls. But I think that makes so much sense for a character who ends up being a ‘just’ queen instead of a ‘nice’ queen (into the woods morals anyone?)

‘Magic is cruel and exacting’ God I love fantasy stories, that’s it! That’s it!!!

I’ll make a full post about Justine and Lucy but Lauren and Mariah were so good

Disco balls (and disco cod piece) at the castle my beloved

Meta-narrative framing device that allows for audience interaction my beloved

Last but certainly fucking not least: Bryce Charles QUEEN she had the voice and presence to bring this character who is noble and good but full of rage and wit to life and death and life again

[sparktober]

Sparktober Bingo 2023!

So excited to bring you this year’s collection of bingo prompts! As in previous years, we have collected a bunch of 2023 -tober prompt lists (found on this google sheet in the tober 2023 tab, with relevant links and hashtags. Check out the originals!). This year, we have also included generic tropes and additional rp/ask post prompts.

Add in a list of Atlantis episodes, crank up the soft-serve machine, and…

How to Play:

Choose all prompts or a mix of “flavors” from the prompt sets below the cut, then paste it into this fandom bingo card generator.

Adjust your browser size til it looks right and take a screenshot!

On mobile? Can’t generate your own? Generally sounds annoying? Check out this post for some pre-generated randomized bingo cards that you can take!

Sparktober Bingo Rules: (there are no rules)

Complete a row/column, corners, or a blackout of your card by November 1, or not! Update as you go. Spontaneously declare victory whenever you feel accomplished.

Tag #sparktober so people can see your bingo cards and creations!

All fan-works are encouraged: art, edits, fic, meta…

You are allowed to pull multiple cards until you get one that inspires you (hit “refresh” on the generated bingo card page).

You can also edit the prompt list as much as you want in advance to suit your likes and dislikes. Each “flavor” list is alphabetized.

There were tons of dialogue prompts this year in all categories, so those have been collected together in their own category.

Use the prompts liberally! “The Long Goodbye” could be an episode-related fic or a fic about saying goodbye or inspiration for a Raymond Chandler-esque Noir Detective AU. Go wild!

Flavor descriptions:

The prompt lists are below, in the following text blocks. Copy any or all of them into the bingo card generator!

VANILLA: Gen prompt lists from Fictober, Inktober, Flufftober, Trektober’s Gen and Trek lists, general tropes, and some prompts from various ask/rp prompt lists (additional lists and links are in the google doc).

CHOCOLATE: Smut themed prompt lists from Trektober NSFW and the #fawktober2023 kinktober list, and a few bonus tropes.

ROCKY ROAD: Whump prompts from the ever-fabulous whumptober! The multiple-choice-prompts-per-day have been broken into individual prompts.

COOKIE DOUGH: Dialogue prompts sourced from gen, whump, and rp prompt lists.

SEA SALT: Atlantis episode list (in order, in case you only want to copy certain seasons), along with Atlantis and SG-1 characters and some franchise-specific prompts.

THE WORKS: All of the above! For this flavor, copy and paste everything below the readmore. :)

Mod note: If you’re editing the list, make sure there’s a semi-colon (;) between your prompts. If you have semi-colons without prompts, you might end up with blank spaces. If you get a server error when using the bingo card generator, have some ice cream and try again!

Vanilla;

[…] At First Sight; A Very Long Hug; About-To-Die Confession; Academy; Accidental Kiss; Accidental Marriage; Adventure; Advertising; Age Difference; Amnesia; Angel; Angst With A Happy Ending; Animals / Pets; Anniversary; Another Character Ships It; Assassin; Assumed Unrequited Love; Back From the Dead; Bathhouse / Sauna; Beast; Bed Hair; Bed or Tent Sharing; Black Ops; Blind Date; Body Swap; Bounce; Candles / Lanterns / Fairy Lights; Canon Compliant; Canon Divergent; Castle; Celestial; Chains; Champagne; Character Survives; Chess; Childhood Sweethearts; Cinderella Moment; Coffee in Bed; Coffee Shop; College; Comfort / Care; Common Interests; Confession; Corn Maze; Counting Freckles; Court Martial; Coworkers to Friends to Lovers; Crew as Family; Crossover; Cuddling for Warmth; Cyberpunk; Dagger; Damsel in Distress; Dangerous; Decontamination; Demon; Dessert; Dinner Reservations; Diplomacy; Discovering One's Sexuality; Dodge; Domesticity; Dream; Dreams Do Come True; Dress Uniform; Drip; Drunken Confessions; Emergency; Encouragement; Enemies to Lovers; Evacuation; Everyone Knows But Them; Everyone Thinks We're Doing It; Eye Contact; Fairytale Retelling; Fake / Secret Identity; Fake Dating / Fake Marriage; Family; Fantasy; Fire; Fire & Ice; Fireplace; First Kiss; First Responder; Firsts; Fix-it; Fixing Each Other’s Clothes; Fluff; Forced Marriage; Forced Proximity; Forehead Kiss; Forehead Touch; Fortune; Found Family; Fraternization; Friends to Lovers; Friends With Benefits; Frost; Fuzzy Morning After; Genderswap; Giggling During Sex; Glossary; Golden; Hand Kiss; Hand-Holding; Handcuffed Together; Hiding Injuries; Historical; Hot Chocolate; Huddling for Warmth; Humming / Singing; Hurt / Comfort; Imprisoned Together; Injury Revealed; Insomnia; Ion Storm / Sci-Fi Weather; Island; Jealousy; Keeping Someone Safe; Kid Fic; Kidnapped / Rescued; Last Table at a Café; Late Nights; Linguistics; Lockdown; Long Shower; Lost Sense(s); Love Confession; Love of my Life; Loved Ones; Lovers to Friends; Lovesick; Mafia; Magic; Map; Marginalia; Markets; Massive; Matchmaker; Meet Cute; Meet Ugly; Melting; Mentor; Mirrorverse; Misunderstandings; Movie Night; Multifandom Crossover; Multiple Universes; Musical; Mutation; Mutual Pining; Neck Kiss; New Occupation; Nightmares; No Trespassing; Nobody Knows; Nook; Observation Deck; Obsession; Only One Bed; Original Character; Out of Uniform; Outdoor Event; Pajamas; Partners in Crime; Path; PhD; Phone Calls; Pining; Plump; Plural; Poisoned; Polyamory; Porch Swing; Post-Apocalyptic; Pregnancy; Present Day; Protection; Pumpkin; Rainy Day; Reading Each Other's Minds; Reassignment; Rec Room; Recovery; Recruitment; Red Alert; Regency; Remove; Rescue Mission; Retirement; Reunion Hug; Rise; Rivals to Lovers; Road Trip; Role Reversal; Roommates; Rush; Saddle; Scratchy; Secret Relationship; Self-Worth / Self-Love; Sex / Love Pollen; Shaken, Not Stirred; Shallow; Shared Dreams; Shared Injuries or Pain; Shore Leave; Sick Fic; Singing to Sleep; Sleeping in; Slow Burn; Slow Dancing; Snowed In; Soft Character Snaps; Soothing Touch; Soul Bond; Soulmates; Space Horror; Spacewalk; Sparkle; Spicy; Spiders; Spin the Bottle / Truth or Dare; Spooky; Spy; Superhero; Supernatural; Survival Training; Sweater Weather; Sweet Tooth; Sync; Take-Out; Taken Hostage; Target Practice; Tattoos; Telepathy; Tending to Injuries; Terminology; Things Have Changed; Time Loop; Time Travel; Toad; Trinket; Under a Spell; Undercover as Lovers / Married; Waking Up; Walking Home; Wander; Warning; Watching A Movie Together; Wearing Each Other’s Clothes; Wing Fic; Wrong […]; X + 1;

Chocolate;

69; A/B/O; About-To-Die Sex; Against a Wall; Alien Anatomy; Aliens Made Us Do It; Anal; Anonymous Sex; Aphrodisiacs; Bath / Shower; BDSM; Begging; Biting; Blowjobs; Body Worship; Bondage; Breath Play; Breeding; Caught Masturbating; Choking; Cock Rings; Cockwarming; Comfort Sex; Consensual Non-Consent; Corruption; Costumes; Cream Pie; Crying; Cunnilingus; Dacryphilia; Deep Throating; Degradation; Dirty Talk; Double Penetration; Edging; Exhibitionism; Face Sitting; Fingering; First Time; Fisting; Food Play; Forced Orgasm; Formal Wear; Frottage; Fuck or Die; Gagging; Glove Kink; Gun Play; Hand Job; Hate Sex; Heat / Rut; Hunter / Prey; Impact Play; In a Vehicle; Intercrural Sex; Knife Play; Lap Dance; Lazy Morning; Leather / Latex; Lingerie; Love Bites; Masturbation; Mirror Sex; Monster; Object Insertion; Oral; Orgasm Denial; Orgy / Group; Overstimulation; Partner Swap; Pegging; Period Sex; Pet Play; Piercings; Possessiveness; Praise Kink; Public; Rebound Sex; Rimming; Ritualistic; Role Play; Romantic Sex; Rough Sex; Seduction; Sensory Deprivation; Sex Toys; Sexting / Phone Sex; Shower Sex; Size Kink; Slow and Soft; Somnophilia; Spanking; Squirting; Stripping; Table Sex; Temperature Play; Tentacles; Thigh Riding; Threesome; Tit / Nipple Play; Undercover as a Sex Worker; Virginity; Voice Kink; Voyeurism; Wall Sex; Wax Play; We-Didn't-Die Sex; Whipping;

Rocky Road;

Aftermath of Failure; Alleyway; Animal Trap; Betrayal; Blanket; Blindfold; Bloody Knife; Body Modification; Borrowed Clothing; Brass Knuckles; Bridal Carry; Broken; Broken Phone / Radio; Buried Alive; Captivity; Cattle Prod; Cold Compress; Collar; Debris; Decoy; Delirium; Drugging; Emptiness; Examination; Flare; Flatline; Floral Bouquet; Glass Shard; Goodbye Note; Gurney; Hunting; Journal; Lab Rat; Made to Watch; Makeshift Bandages; Matches; Miscommunication; Mistaken Identity; Neglect; Outnumbered; Overcrowded ER; Panic; Pinned Down; Playing Cards; Polaroid; Psychological; Radio Silence; Recording; Red; Reluctant Whumper; Restraints; Sacrifice; Safety Net; Scars; Scented Candle; Seeing Double; Setbacks; Shadows; Shaking; Shock; Solitary Confinement; Stalking; Stranded; Suppressed Suffering; Swooning; Thermometer; Tortured for Information; Touch Aversion; Trapped Together; Troubled Past Resurfacing; Vehicular Accident; Vows; Water Inhalation; Working to Exhaustion;

Cookie Dough;

“Absolutely not.”; “Are you with me?”; “Be honest.”; “Be still.”; “Can I ask you something?”; “Can you hear me?”; “Come with me, hurry.”; “Did you miss me?”; “Did you plan for this to happen?”; “Do I look like I knew that?”; “Do you even know what this means?”; “Do you ever regret it?”; “Do you know a way out of here?”; “Do you know how long you were gone?”; “Do you know what you’re doing?”; “Do you recognize this?”; “Don’t do this again.”; “Don’t move.”; “Don’t shoot.”; “Don’t stop.”; “Don’t worry, I got you.”; “Everyone leaves.”; “Everything hurts.”; “Everything will be okay now.”; “Fine, explain it to me.”; “Fuck off.”; “Fuck you.”; “Go away.”; “Hey, wake up!”; “Hit them harder.”; “Honestly, why would I care?”; “How come?”; “How could you just show up after all this time?”; “How many fingers am I holding up?”; “I can’t wait for you.”; “I couldn’t tell you before.”; “I disagree.”; “I don’t feel so good.”; “I don’t know if they will accept this.”; “I don’t need anyone else but you.”; “I knew.”; “I know.”; “I love you.”; “I may not get another chance to say this.”; “I missed you.”; “I need you by my side.”; “I never said it would be easy.”; “I thought [X] was with you.”; “I thought we were past this.”; “I thought you were dead.”; “I told you I would come back.”; “I was worried.”; “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”; “I’ll never leave you again.”; “I’ll take care of it.”; “I’m done.”; “I’m fine.”; “I’m glad to have you through all of this.”; “I’m just getting comfortable.”; “I’m lost.”; “I’m not saying I didn’t like it.”; “I’m seeing this through to the end. With you.”; “I’m sick.”; “I’m sorry for leaving.”; “I’m sure.”; “I’m up, I’m up!”; “I’ve got you.”; “If you don’t stop now —”; “Is it really over?”; “Is that a challenge?”; “Is that you?”; “Is this okay?”; “It made me think of you.”; “It should have been me.”; “It stopped.”; “It wasn’t my choice.”; “It’s all for nothing.”; “It’s been a while.”; “It’s broken.”; “It’s good to see you.”; “It’s not too late, let’s go.”; “It’s not your fault.”; “It’s okay, I’m here now.”; “It’s raining.”; “It’s you.”; “Just hold on.”; “Just in case this doesn’t work.”; “Keep quiet.”; “Kiss me.”; “Leave me alone.”; “Let me see.”; “Let’s go.”; “Let’s talk.”; “Long time, no see.”; “Make it stop.”; “Maybe you should stay away from me.”; “My mother adores you.”; “Never mind.”; “Nice outfit.”; “No one knows us here.”; “No one will find you.”; “No way.”; “No, you won’t understand.”; “Not here.”; “Not much longer…”; “Now what?”; “Oh no, you’re a morning person!”; “Okay, show me.”; “Please listen.”; “Please stop.”; “Since when?”; “Slow down.”; “So… what’s new?”; “Stay here.”; “Stay low.”; “Stop distracting me.”; “Stop that.”; “Stop yelling!”; “Take it easy.”; “Take me with you next time.”; “That’s all? Easy.”; “That’s impossible.”; “They don’t care about you.”; “They’re not breathing!”; “Things were better before you left.”; “This better be good.”; “This sucks.”; “Try me.”; “Wait, you love me?” “I always have.”; “Watch out!”; “Watch yourself.”; “We agree?”; “We can’t do this on our own.”; “We can’t.”; “We only have each other.”; “We shouldn’t be doing this. Not here.”; “We’re fucked.”; “What happened to me?”; “What if we’re wrong?”; “What now?”; “Where have you been?”; “Where to?”; “Who takes care of you?”; “Who’s that?”; “Who’s there?”; “Why are you here?”; “Why did you come back?”; “Why did you leave?”; “You ass.”; “You coming?”; “You could have said goodbye.”; “You could say I’m fond of you.”; “You didn’t even try to look for me.”; “You don’t have to pretend.”; “You have me, always.”; “You in there?”; “You knew?”; “You left me to die.”; “You look awful.”; “You look like hell.”; “You need me.”; “You owe me an explanation.”; “You said you’d never leave.”; “You shouldn’t have left.”; “You told your family?”; “You will regret touching them.”; “You’ll have to go through me.”; “You’re a liar.”; “You’re here and that’s all that matters.”; “You’re joking.”; “You’re miserable.”; “You’re right.”; “You’re serious.”; “You’re the reason I came back.”; “You’re wrong.”; “You’ve changed.”;

Sea Salt;

Rising; Hide and Seek; Thirty-Eight Minutes; Suspicion; Childhood’s End; Poisoning the Well; Underground; Home; The Storm; The Eye; The Defiant One; Hot Zone; Sanctuary; Before I Sleep; The Brotherhood; Letters from Pegasus; The Gift; The Siege; The Intruder; Runner; Duet; Condemned; Trinity; Instinct; Conversion; Aurora; The Lost Boys; The Hive; Epiphany; Critical Mass; Grace Under Pressure; The Tower; The Long Goodbye; Coup d'Etat; Michael; Inferno; Allies; No Man’s Land; Misbegotten; Irresistible; Sateda; Progeny; The Real World; Common Ground; McKay and Mrs. Miller; Phantoms; The Return; Echoes; Irresponsible; Tao of Rodney; The Game; The Ark; Sunday; Submersion; Vengeance; First Strike; Adrift; Lifeline; Reunion; Doppelganger; Travelers; Tabula Rasa; Missing; The Seer; Miller’s Crossing; This Mortal Coil; Be All My Sins Remember’d; Spoils of War; Quarantine; Harmony; Outcast; Trio; Midway; The Kindred; The Last Man; Search and Rescue; The Seed; Broken Ties; The Daedalus Variations; Ghost in the Machine; The Shrine; Whispers; The Queen; Tracker; First Contact; The Lost Tribe; Outsiders; Inquisition; The Prodigal; Remnants; Brain Storm; Infection; Identity; Vegas; Enemy at the Gate; Ronon Dex; Teyla Emmagan; John Sheppard; Carson Beckett; Elizabeth Weir; Rodney McKay; Jennifer Keller; Aiden Ford; Radek Zelenka; Kate Heightmeyer; Evan Lorne; Laura Cadman; Kolya; Chuck; Peter Grodin; Steven Caldwell; Richard Woolsey; Samantha Carter; Jack O’Neill; Teal’c; Daniel Jackson; Janet Fraiser; George Hammond; Hank Landry; Carolyn Lam; Vala; Cameron Mitchell; Jonas Quinn; Alien Technology; Ancient Technology; Ancient(s); Antarctica; Ascension; Asgard; Asurans; ATA Gene; Athosians; Atlantis; Balcony; Control Chair; Control Room; Daedalus; DHD; Earth; Genii; Goa’uld; Infirmary; IOA; Lantea; Mainland; Mission Fic; Nanites; New Lantea; Ocean; Ori; Pegasus Galaxy; Puddle Jumper; Sentience; SGC; Stargate; Stasis Chamber; Storage Closet; Wraith

[marciabrady]

hi love!! your most recent post on the first 4 princesses in comparison to the 90s ones, as well as why tangled is heteronormative was fantastic! it was so well-put and eloquent, you really have a gift for writing. anyways, it had me thinking what your ideal disney princess/disney princess movie be like? would it be based on a fairytale/folktale or would it be an original creation? hand-drawn or cgi, a musical or no? feel free to go into as much detail as you’d like, i’m so curious to see your response!

Hi there- thank you so much! Nearly everything about the original four princess movies are perfect to me, personally, but I wouldn't want to replicate it so it isn't that I want something specifically thematically (though I can list specific things I enjoy about each) but I do want a fairytale that isn't ashamed it's a fairytale? I want concrete world building, where it feels like we're being taken to a new universe and feel immersed in it and not in a self aware, meta textual way. I want a heroine who isn't the result of all of the expectations of the Disney Princess brand or only has attributes because they'll appease certain sectors of the audience- I want to be introduced to a new energy and a new life that's totally true to who that person is and not just the same character we've seen over and over again (in Rapunzel, Anna, Moana's case, etc). The fascinating thing about the original four princesses is that they're so different and you don't know all the answers about them? People have lazy criticisms against them, but the way Cinderella or Aurora would justify their choices- even things that seem shallow to us or don't make sense- they do it in a way that makes the most amount of sense and reveals information we don't know about certain things that rounds it out and just reminds you that you really can't dictate how other people would act. If you don't understand their reasoning, it's more because you're missing pieces of the puzzle and it just shows how unique people are- whereas now, I feel like people don't see the answer super obviously, they'll just assume it's not there or read something that's not there into it to the expense of the character.

But, I digress. I, myself, am a romantic person so I would like a romance that's based entirely on the two character's chemistry with one another, the type of ship that's fascinating without needing plot points to bring the thrill of their chemistry alive. I really wish we could have a real adaption of Rapunzel, especially- the imagery of the princess in the tower, the power of Rapunzel's voice, to get to know the witch, and the Prince who journeys above the forest and stumbles about her. It really is one of the best stories and so much of it is missing from Tangled. Also, I think Princess and the Pea would be interesting! They could make the Princess more of a Vanessa type, from The Little Mermaid- the imagery of her coming to the castle, amid the rain, and her identity not being believed. I also think it'd be funny if they made her more spoiled or unlikable because, after all, she can feel a singular pea through so many mattresses lol and they're overdue for allowing a female character to be herself, whether that is unlikable to some people, then trying to make them super palatable in EVERY WAY. but I do love just the idea of the castle being so cozy and quaint in the midst of such a rainstorm. I love the ways in which the Prince's mother, the Queen, is a central character and seems like such a wise woman. Which reminds me- I'd like it to be consisting of primarily female characters, mostly with older female characters like we see in Sleeping Beauty. I want the focus to be on wit and amusement and hte human condition as opposed to action (I can't tell you a single thing that happened in Frozen 2). I'd love a natural speaking voice that's more mature- no more Moana or Rapunzel voice actresses ever, please. And it'd have to be traditional animation because I think it lends itself to sophisticated story telling- 3d, as we've seen, really infantilizes the movies. I, personally would like a musical and ideally something that's more natural sounding like Cinderella, operatic and grand in scale like Sleeping Beauty or Snow White, or if it is broadway, I want it to be inventive in its own way like Little Mermaid instead of the same thing for the 100th time. And definitely no Lin Manuel.

[fairestdecay]

𝐅𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐃𝐄𝐂𝐀𝐘 : an independent, private portrayal of eirwen ( snow white ) & efa ( the witch queen ) as narrated by julian. sideblog to @witchdoctrines. carrd.

𝐖𝐎𝐄 𝐁𝐄 𝐔𝐏𝐎𝐍 𝐘𝐄 𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐁𝐄 𝐒𝐏𝐎𝐈𝐋𝐄𝐑𝐒.

rules under construction, if you're following this blog from the jump it's almost definitely because you know me. in which case if you're reading this hi i love you dearly.

i. 𝐒𝐏𝐎𝐈𝐋𝐄𝐑𝐒. this blog is NOT spoiler free. i will not be tagging spoilers solely because this entire blog is a spoiler. if i tagged spoilers i would be tagging functionally the entirety of this blog. if you do not want to be spoiled for the events of cinderella's castle prior to its youtube release, i highly recommend NOT following at this time.w.

ii. 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒. this blog is private and independent, and mutuals only. all follow backs will come from @witchdoctrines as this is a side blog. you are not obligated to follow my main blog to be mutuals with this blog.. i will not follow back anyone under the age of 18, and i will very rarely follow back anyone under the age of 21. this is for my own personal comfort, i have nothing against young writers and actively encourage it. by that same token i am also not far off from 29 at this point and have been writing on this platform for over a decade. i've come to accept that i am somewhat picky in writing partners and have learned what styles i mesh well with. i typically favor plotted dynamics and multi para or novella threads. that isn't to say i never write anything else i have just found that to be what i write most.

iii. 𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐏𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐆 i am open to shipping both platonically and romantically. i sincerely adore creating deep and meaningful dynamics that are incorporated into headcanons and threads with others. i want our characters to feel real and their world to feel lived in. i put a lot of effort into that and really enjoy creating those relationships. if you have concepts please always feel free to approach me with them as i am typically very open.

iv. 𝐃𝐍𝐈𝐬 the standard please do not be a dick rules apply. seriously i shouldn't have to tell you not to be a bad person or not to do bad things, we are in theory, all adults here. lets act like it. i do not have a formal DNI, if i find something uncomfortable i simply won't follow back. if i don't follow you back, you're welcome to ask why but i am fully within my rights to deny you an answer. if you act like a dick, i will block you. it's just that simple for me at this point. i'm here to have fun, not to feed anyone's ego.

v. 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓 hi i'm julian, they/them (he/him is also fine), 28, live in CST. if the pronouns didn't give it away, i'm non binary, i'm also queer. i work a full time job in a law office, and during the months of september and october typically work a second as a puppeteer for a local haunted house which means during the later part of the season i may be working up to 70 hours a week. if i'm not always responsive, that's probably why. that being said, i am also forgetful and do not mind and even appreciate a gentle nudge if you think i've forgotten a reply or message. my discord is available to all mutuals, and i promise that i'm actually a friendly person and a huge nerd. i spend a not insignificant amount of time at work during my downtime writing metas and crafting stories. i deeply enjoy writing and have a lot of passion for it. i've met my closest friends through this hellsite and i expect in time i'll continue to meet many more wonderful people. if you're afraid to approach me out of character, please feel free to like a plotting call and i will come to you. or send an ask. if we are mutuals it's because i want to write with you. i promise.

vi. 𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐓𝐒. psd is slime blaster by @pinkinnards,.

[halfcaped]

𝐇𝐀𝐋𝐅𝐂𝐀𝐏𝐄𝐃 : an independent, private tadius of cinderella's castle as penned by julian. sideblog to @witchdoctrines. carrd.

𝐖𝐎𝐄 𝐁𝐄 𝐔𝐏𝐎𝐍 𝐘𝐄 𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐁𝐄 𝐒𝐏𝐎𝐈𝐋𝐄𝐑𝐒.

rules under construction, if you're following this blog from the jump it's almost definitely because you know me. in which case if you're reading this hi i love you dearly.

i. 𝐒𝐏𝐎𝐈𝐋𝐄𝐑𝐒. this blog is NOT spoiler free. i will not be tagging spoilers solely because this entire blog is a spoiler. if i tagged spoilers i would be tagging functionally the entirety of this blog. if you do not want to be spoiled for the events of cinderella's castle prior to its youtube release, i highly recommend NOT following at this time.w.

ii. 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒. this blog is private and independent, and mutuals only. all follow backs will come from @witchdoctrines as this is a side blog. you are not obligated to follow my main blog to be mutuals with this blog.. i will not follow back anyone under the age of 18, and i will very rarely follow back anyone under the age of 21. this is for my own personal comfort, i have nothing against young writers and actively encourage it. by that same token i am also not far off from 29 at this point and have been writing on this platform for over a decade. i've come to accept that i am somewhat picky in writing partners and have learned what styles i mesh well with. i typically favor plotted dynamics and multi para or novella threads. that isn't to say i never write anything else i have just found that to be what i write most.

iii. 𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐏𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐆 i am open to shipping both platonically and romantically. i sincerely adore creating deep and meaningful dynamics that are incorporated into headcanons and threads with others. i want our characters to feel real and their world to feel lived in. i put a lot of effort into that and really enjoy creating those relationships. if you have concepts please always feel free to approach me with them as i am typically very open.

iv. 𝐃𝐍𝐈𝐬 the standard please do not be a dick rules apply. seriously i shouldn't have to tell you not to be a bad person or not to do bad things, we are in theory, all adults here. lets act like it. i do not have a formal DNI, if i find something uncomfortable i simply won't follow back. if i don't follow you back, you're welcome to ask why but i am fully within my rights to deny you an answer. if you act like a dick, i will block you. it's just that simple for me at this point. i'm here to have fun, not to feed anyone's ego.

v. 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓 hi i'm julian, they/them (he/him is also fine), 28, live in CST. if the pronouns didn't give it away, i'm non binary, i'm also queer. i work a full time job in a law office, and during the months of september and october typically work a second as a puppeteer for a local haunted house which means during the later part of the season i may be working up to 70 hours a week. if i'm not always responsive, that's probably why. that being said, i am also forgetful and do not mind and even appreciate a gentle nudge if you think i've forgotten a reply or message. my discord is available to all mutuals, and i promise that i'm actually a friendly person and a huge nerd. i spend a not insignificant amount of time at work during my downtime writing metas and crafting stories. i deeply enjoy writing and have a lot of passion for it. i've met my closest friends through this hellsite and i expect in time i'll continue to meet many more wonderful people. if you're afraid to approach me out of character, please feel free to like a plotting call and i will come to you. or send an ask. if we are mutuals it's because i want to write with you. i promise.

vi. 𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐓𝐒. psd is slime blaster by @pinkinnards,.

[iwritenarrativesandstuff]

Ok so here's the fairy tale meta thing based off a lie that I was talking about.

In Dead Apple, there's a flashback scene at Bar Lupin where Dazai explains the concept of apple suicide to Oda, while a track called "Dear Prince" plays in the background. There's a brief mix-up where Oda confuses the story of Snow White for Cinderella - but when I first came up with this, I misremembered what he said (I mixed up... his mix-up...) and thought the line was about Sleeping Beauty.

And I'm so unreasonably annoyed by this because that would've made so much more contextual sense. Why? Because they both involve an awakening. Moreover, there's a few interesting details in the environment of the older tales (I will not be using the Disney versions as the Dead Apple motifs actually connect better with the originals and also because I have never actually seen them... embarrassingly enough) that translate quite nicely to aspects of Dazai's life and bonds.

Specifically, there are some loose parallels to be found with Odasaku and the story of Sleeping Beauty, and Chuuya and the story of Snow White. (Note that this is not intended to be shipping fuel or anything; interpret it however you like, I'm just drawing connections.)

And yeah, I know this is an entire half-baked meta formed around a line that doesn't even exist but please just give it a chance or at least humour me please please please please please

Alright let's get the Cinderella thing out of the way first since I want to at least address it.

Cinderella has its origins in the old Greek story of Rhodopis, which sets up the main aspects of the story we know now: a servant girl from a poor background ascends to royalty through marrying a prince, who searches for her after finding her missing shoe. This doesn't really bear any resemblance to the rest of the movie or any other ongoing themes... unless you want to suggest that maybe Dazai's jumping from one side to the other was something akin to a "shoe-test"; that he was looking for a perfect fit. I think that's quite a stretch though and it's likely this really was just a throwaway line meant to show us Oda's occasional uh... airheadedness. If anyone has any further thoughts on this, I'd love to hear them.

It's a shame, really, because the slip up could've been given more significance and also because as an analyst of sorts it is my sworn duty to pull meaning out of absolutely nothing so I guess I took another step further here and made up my own line to analyze in stupidly excessive detail.

The entire point of this was meant to show how both the stories of Sleeping Beauty and Snow White have a theme of awakening, and so do Dazai's bonds with both Odasaku and Chuuya - they both have a function of "waking him up" in a sense. However, the means of doing so manifest very differently.

So, let's talk about Sleeping Beauty.

Sleeping Beauty has its origins in an old Italian story called Sun, Moon and Talia, which has many of the elements we know today but was uh. A lot darker. And way more non-consensual. The version the more modern story takes its roots from is Perrault's version. Here are the important bits to this analysis: the princess pricks her finger on a spindle out of curiosity, the good fairy puts everyone in the castle to sleep along with her for 100 years so that she will not be alone when she wakes, the prince does not wake her with a kiss but instead she wakes just by his presence and they sit and talk for a long, long time.

So, on to my delusional parallels. Part one: the princess pricks her finger out of curiosity. See, for Dead Apple, we have to rethink this a bit because Dazai brings up the concept of apple suicide, not murder. Of course, this is a parallel to himself and his disregard for his own life, so here we can take it that he did not "prick his finger" out of mere curiosity, but also, likely out of a desire to "sleep".

It's hard for me not to draw a connection between the curiosity aspect of the finger prick and Dazai's curiosity to join the mafia, especially with the next part - where everyone falls asleep as well for the time the princess is asleep. Essentially, no one will age or die. For as long as the princess remains unconscious, the world will not change. And if the princess perhaps, wanted this, then we can infer what is likely a fear of being left. Maybe even a fear of living. Dazai joined the mafia because he was curious if it would have what he sought. Instead, he spent his days trapped in an "oxidizing dream" as he detached further and further both from his humanity and from others. The mafia is already a place where people don't talk to each other openly and we know Dazai was even more unknowable than that - if he doesn't care about himself or others, the dream goes on. He stays asleep, and if he doesn't care, then he doesn't lose anyone - no one truly "dies".

As for the last part, there isn't much to say. Dazai warms up to Odasaku because the man just talks to him. And likes talking to him. And doesn't tell him to stop when he's being really freaking weird. But notably, Odasaku doesn't do much at first to help Dazai "awaken". It's only when he's about to die in his fight against Gide that he realizes he regrets not saying something sooner. Odasaku only has one chance to wake Dazai before he dies and he does it by shattering that dream that he will find what he's looking for. Paradoxically, that hope Dazai held onto was what trapped him in that singular mindset. Oda dies shortly after and the illusion is broken. Dazai wakes up, his world kickstarts where it had previously been stagnant and Dazai greets the sun and tries to live.

See why I'm slightly annoyed this wasn't the line now?

But hey, while we're at it, let's also talk about Snow White because the Dead Apple movie was actually a lot more firm with its connections than I think people realize.

Firstly, I would love people to know that in the original Grimms' fairy tale, Snow White doesn't clean the dwarves' house but in fact burgles it, eating their food, drinking their wine and falling asleep in one of their beds after testing each one, and generally leaving the house in complete disarray. Yeah. Not related to my point at all, but this sounds an awful lot like something Dazai would do (but more out of mischief than naivete of course).

Here's the important part though: Did you know that the Queen attempted to have Snow White killed not just once, but three times? The first two times, the dwarves were the ones to save her and quite quickly - they made a deal after she broke into their house that she would fix it up for them and maintain it in exchange for her staying with them in safety. It's an agreement of sorts, but as they became fond of her, they try and save her life in earnest. The poisoned apple is actually the third attempt to kill her, where the Queen bites into the white, non-poisoned part of the apple and Snow White, thinking it safe, eats the red half and falls asleep.

Hey. Remember the colour of the pill Dazai took in Dead Apple?

Yeah, someone on that team knows the original fairy tale.

Interestingly (and this is where I got really excited), there are three different attempts to kill Snow White (or, if Dazai is to be believed, three different attempts at her own self-destruction) - and there are three different instances where Chuuya "wakes" Dazai, twice while they're partnered (when they have an "agreement", terms in a sense as partners), and once in Dead Apple.

The first is in Fifteen, the infamous scene where Dazai shoots the body and Chuuya snaps him out of it by wrenching the gun out of his hands. I'm honestly a bit too tired to go super into that scene right now but I'm doing a little bit on it later - all that needs to be acknowledged here is that Dazai was out of it and Chuuya forced him back to earth. The second occurs during the Dragon's Head Conflict when Dazai is completely insensitive to the death of a mafia executive and Chuuya decks him for it. The now-infamous line "no one would believe that" is often misinterpreted I think. Chuuya says this in response to Dazai's "I'm human, too, you know." He's not saying "you're not human", he's saying "you are human but no one would believe that with the kind of shit you're saying and doing". It's the same kind of sentiment in the first scene where Chuuya intervenes, I believe. And it is a form of waking, in that Chuuya snaps Dazai out of his more inhumane moments - he basically calls him out and forces him to reevaluate; the epitome of a rude awakening.

Now for the Dead Apple scene proper.

Firstly, let's establish something. They are no longer partners in the mafia. They are even on separate sides. The framing of this changes Chuuya's actions from working with Dazai with occasional call-outs to bring him back to earth, to saving him in what is quite literally a rescue.

In the original myth, again, there is no waking kiss. Instead, in this third time, everyone assumes Snow White is really dead, that she will not be coming back. The prince, who happens across her, insists she at least receive a proper burial. But when carrying her coffin, one of them trips and they stumble, which jostles the princess enough that the piece of apple stuck in her throat is dislodged and she coughs it up, reviving. Uh...

Yeah.

Anyways this got kind of messy at the end and idk if it even made sense this is really just unhinged rambling so...

Tldr, Odasaku and Chuuya both help "wake" Dazai even if their methods and personalities are very different, which is part of the reason why both bonds are very important. Neither are particularly gentle with him, but waking, especially if all you want to do is sleep, is not a gentle thing.

[shhhhimwatchingthis]

From a writing perspective one of the strongest elements of Cinderella's Castle is its mastery of tone.

This show is so good at pushing you to the edge of fear and despair and then bringing you right back just before the edge.

Lucy and Justine are murdered. Then we introduce Sir Hop A Lot and Crumb, two cute companions to lighten the tone again (something something the fairy queen of sweet dreams giving Ella two friends who are noble and true out of the innocent blood from her murdered childhood friends. something something the faye and gods aren't good or evil but they are fair)

in the most horrific part of the show Ella gets her feet cut off and then we cut to the narrator and our master dwarf in a funny forth wall breaking scene where the dwarf tells the narrator to fuck off for killing Cinderella. its cathartic. a release valve for the brutal murder we just watched.

its just really good storytelling. this is a fairytale. its going to have a happy ending. but the originals were so dark. and this ones really dark and its an adaptation so there's no rules really... You are stating to wonder. Will it ever after happily?

And it does of course. but it feels earned.

[comicreadingorder]

Fables Reading Order With All Extra

Fables is a Vertigo comic about the real life versions of characters from public domain stories who escaped their worlds and created a small community gathered in one block in NY called Fabletown. They’re ageless and the story begins a few hundred years after their arrival, when they’re well established and accustomed to their situation. A similar story was told in the show Once Upon A Time but that was a pretty watered down simulacrum. I cobbled this list together from a few others that were mostly accurate but still needed some cleaning up. The digital editions of the single issues were missing some extras like the prose stories so I had to seek out the digital Deluxe Editions to read them; I’ve included links to a google drive with them (if for some reason in the future they stop working send me a message.) Overall the spin-offs and extras result in 268 issues

--The Wolf Among Us: Adapts the TellTale game which was based on the IP but not an established story. It’s also a great comic by itself, even if it’s the only Fables thing you ever read. Technically it’s a prequel but like all prequels it has enough not-so-subtle hints to spoil things revealed later. --Jack of Fables: This first spin-off follows the character leaving Fabletown. It’s very meta and has back and forths with characters/events parallel to the Fables, so if you want to understand the full picture you’ll want to read it. --Cinderella: Not exactly a spin-off but she gets 2 miniseries. She was a character I really liked so these were just what I wanted. Events from these are referenced in future stories. --Fairest. The last spin-off and an anthology so other creators can join in and introduce previously unmet fables. This continues and concludes quite a few Fables plot threads while also creating some that are closed in the main title.

Bold=main story

Italics=optional

Fables 1-13

The Last Castle — OGN

Fables 14-17

A Wolf in the Fold — Short prose story. Some collected editions place it after 5 or 10 -and It could go anywhere- but I like it here so it doesn’t spoil something.

Fables 18-35

Jack of Fables 1-5 — Technically 34 and 35 take place a year in the future to show Jack’s exodus from the title, which this immediately continues, but moving them to their chronological spot is overthinking it.

Fables 36-47

1001 Nights of Snowfall — OGN

Fables 48-49

Fables: The Wolf Among Us — I placed this here so that you’ve already met the players involved and understand their dynamics with each other. Came out in 3 formats: 48 digital chapters, 16 print issues, and 2 TPBs.

Fables 50-69

Jack of Fables 6, 11*, 7-10, 12-21 — *6 and 11 are a two parter that was split because of publishing issues unrelated to the story; they’re together in the collections. Nothing is spoiled by reading 11 before 7 and I put 6 first because 7 references interrupting the arc. (Again: a very meta title.)

Fables 70-75

Fables: Max and Peter — A full prose novel by Willingham that introduces Peter Piper and Bo Peep, who become more involved as the comic goes on. Mostly takes place before coming to NY but the way it’s told spoils events in 75. Also references Fabletown events not mentioned elsewhere. It’s a good read, even by itself for a non-Fables reader.

Cinderella: From Fabletown with Love 1-6

Jack 22-32

Fables 76-82 — from 78-82 there’s a backup story following Mowgli, digital editions only have the fifth entry, which is the only reason I even knew they were a thing. Events here do come into play later so I put them altogether at the back of this 82 cbr file.

THE GREAT FABLES CROSSOVER: F 83, J 33, The Literals 1, F 84, J 34, TL 2, F 85, J 35, TL 3 — This is really a Jack of Fables story, but things occur that do affect the fables title. I doubt the plot would be understandable for someone not reading Jack, however this doesn’t justify reading those first 32 issues if you don’t want to.

Jack of Fables 36-45

Fables 86-100

Pinocchio’s Army — Prose story not in digital editions but referenced in future stories

Cinderella: Fables are Forever 1-6

Werewolves of the Heartland — The only OGN that never gets mentioned later. It continues a previously mentioned story but not one that was left on a cliffhanger or anything. I’d still read it because why not?

Fables 101-107

Fairest 1-6 — Picks up directly after events in 107

Fables 108-113

Fairest 7-13 — 7 reveals something referenced later, 8-13 are pretty self-contained.

Fables 114-124 — Other lists split 123 and 124 but IDK why when there’s a backup story from 114-123 that concludes in 124.

Fairest 14-20

Fables 125-126 — Things get split up and swap in the middle of arcs starting here. But these later Fables stories aren’t really focused arcs so interrupting them isn’t a big deal.

Fairest 21-22 — Only bolding this because it expands on something introduced in the main title that would otherwise go unexplained. I suspect some of the final 3 Fairest arcs had their release order jumbled. I’d put them where they ideally would’ve gone but they still coincide with events in the main title at the time, so they’re locked into release chronology regardless of the original plan.

Fables 127-133

Fairest 23-26

Fables 134

Fairest in all the Land — OGN; concludes multiple threads

Fables 135-140

Jack of Fables 46-50 — Published years earlier but takes place decades later. Whether you read it here or after 45 can go either way. I kept it here because previous issues reference things that will happen. Depends if you interpret that as a spoiler.

Fairest 27-28 — The plot follows up on a really old thread and is referenced in the next Fables issue.

Fables 141-142

Fairest 29-32 — This still spoils a costume change but it can’t be helped

Fables 143-149

Fairest 33 — One shot that can be read anytime after the OGN FiatL; I think I put it here for breathing room. Technically leads up to the OGN but is written with the expectation that you’ve already read that and would spoil everything in that story.

Fables 150 — Large enough it was only released as a tpb. Simultaneously issue 150 and Vol. 22

See Also:

Everafter 1-12 — Spin-off by the writer(s) of TWAU and Jack set 7 years after 150. Very different in tone, art and content.

Fables Encyclopedia — A brief summation of the literary origins for all the characters across the books. Coffee table book but a fun read for info.

Fables 151-? — The 2022 return of the series for “at least” 12 issues

Batman vs. Bigby! A Wolf in Gotham 1-6 — This miniseries crossover with Batman was released before the official Fables relaunch but takes place a year after it, according to Willingham.

For any questions or corrections feel free to message me

[sepublic]

Hunter the Golden Guard is a Fairy Tale Character

            …It’s quite the epiphany that has occurred to me, but Hunter is HONESTLY such a fairy tale character???

         Like his name, it evokes the woodlands ‘Hunter’ of stories such as Snow White… And of course, his whole motif of being in a gilded cage! He’s a trapped bird in a gilded cage, in a tower/castle like Rapunzel or Sleeping Beauty… And Hunter wants to break free! He wants to spread his wings and fly, and he fittingly has bird motifs, specifically an Owl and a Cardinal… Which, I have to wonder if the Cardinal is more true to Hunter, and the Owl an imposed identity from Belos!

         Speaking of, Belos is literally that Evil Uncle archetype, who locks away his nephew and abandons him! Kikimora is also kind of like that jealous Evil Aunt, the kind you’d see in Cinderella… Trying to depose and even get rid of Hunter, for her own power and schemes! Hunter has to deal with an evil dragon, and he’s got a golden motif and lives in a castle, and he’s beginning to talk to animals like some Disney Princess!

         Even the way his face is revealed is very fairy tale-esque, taken straight out of Sleeping Beauty, only to be subverted because Luz ain’t interested in him THAT way! Hunter actually IS kind of a subversion of those fairy tales, a twist that’s turned around… He’s the prince, but the prince that needs to be rescued! He’s the evil hunter who chases down the fair and innocent maiden (in this case the palismen), but like the hunter, he has a crisis of conscience and does the right thing, looks the other way.

         You could even compare how the hunter from Snow White offers a heart for the evil queen to devour, and how Hunter provides Palismen for Belos to absorb! He’s got the golden hair and motif, akin to Rapunzel… When Luz finds Hunter, she has to deal with a dragon and an evil, jealous ‘stepmother’ archetype to protect him!

         Even his backstory with Belos is reminiscent of such fairy tales- The way Hunter describes his childhood, he explains that he struggled with his lack of powers, thinking he didn’t have a future… Only for his magical uncle to show up and take him under his wing, bestowing upon him a magical artifact! Revealing the truth of his magical, royal heritage, like some Fairy Godmother!

         Except… This Fairy Godmother is VERY much evil and abusive, and willingly lords over how much his nephew ‘owes’ him for providing this fantasy take-away, straight out of Harry Potter or other Chosen One stories! And I think that’s interesting, because it really sets up more parallels between Luz and Hunter… Luz, as someone who always dreamed of being that kind of protagonist;

         And meanwhile, Hunter IS that person, or at least hits all of those familiar storybeats… But it’s with a twist of dark realism and abuse, because Hunter is a child soldier, just how a lot of classic stories have the hero step up to conquer the villain at a concerningly young age! 

        He’s a prince, but his kingdom is a dark dictatorship that oppresses and probably commits genocide, and Hunter is physically abused and scarred by his uncle. Hunter tries to be a loyal knight, a dashing Golden Guard stocked with chivalry, faithfully attending to his Emperor and enforcing the good law of the land, presenting himself as merciful and chivalrous even to ‘evil criminals’ and his enemies…

         But that’s not REALLY who he is- And Hunter seems like he’d be far more at home living in some woodlands cottage with his animal companions, singing… Which, the gilded cage metaphor often includes a canary, birds known and trapped for singing- And those Disney Princesses sure love to sing!

         And it’s very meta… Again, the twist of Luz finding out she’s not the kind of Chosen One who thought they were a nobody, only to have a magical, fairy godmother reveal the hidden truth! She’s not suffering from some wicked evil despot or relative necessarily out to get her… But Hunter is! And after realizing she’s not that fantasy, Luz interacts with someone who kind of, sort of is! But as a dark take, the inverse to how Luz’s time in the isles seem dark and disappointing and scary at first, but are actually wonderful…!

         …But then, Hunter the Golden Guard’s story, his initial gilded appearance, it seems like it should be wonderful on paper, but in practice it’s truly horrid. You can even call parallels to Witches before Wizards, which had a similar concept of the classic, saccharine fairy tale setting and characters and quest, hiding a dark truth… Adegast played into Luz’s desires, and lo and behold he presents Nevareth Bladestrife, teen prince of Angstmore!

         And Hunter is kind of a subversion on his concept, as someone whose family/community had been killed, as a physically-scarred teen with a dark backstory and golden armor… But he’s also a parallel, because Nevareth seems like that kind of classic, romanticized tale, but he’s actually hollow. 

        His surface is thin and hides a dark truth, just like Hunter, whose gold is likely gilded, a layer that’s easy to scratch away to reveal the scared kid who is desperate for love and affection. Hunter isn’t this dark and brooding teen, he’s very much a sad and impressionable child who just wants to be free!

         We could even go by the idea that Hunter is in some ways the ‘finalized’ version of Sir William… William is a blonde prince who’s hyped up in a similar fairytale manner, only to be rudely slapped awake by Luz, a gag that finally made its way to Season 2, after originating in the proof-of-concept pilot! Given this show’s love for twisting classic tropes and fairy tales around like that, it’s likely that Sir William would’ve been set up similarly, as a noble prince that someone like Luz would probably fall in love with…

         …Only for reality to NOT quite come out that way- And likewise, this noble prince is the one who needs saving, he’s the one that needs to be rescued and awoken! The prince takes the role of the princess, the damsel in distress here… The parallels are huge between William and Hunter, so it makes sense that Hunter is a continuation of this concept.

         The fact that this is technically a Disney show just adds to the hilarity, brilliance, and meta of Hunter’s character, and the story’s general twist on the fairy tale archetypes. Disney has practically codified and set the precedents for these kinds of stories and princesses, for these noble heroes and knights, or at least confirmed and immortalized them for the wider public! So having a Disney property take that concept and turn it around on its head… It’s a lot of fun, isn’t it?

         The show is self-aware of the expectations that come with its status, with its reputation as a Disney property, the kind of association that brand name has- And it weaponizes that against the audience, but ultimately for its sake as it provides a compelling story about fantasy and reality, about the dark being good, and the good being dark- And other nuanced takes between that! It plays around with its expected ‘nature’ as a Disney property and subverts that, and I think it’s very clever the way The Owl House has implemented it, taking advantage of the potential dismissal it has as a ‘Disney’ show and turning that around.

         This makes Luz’s dynamic with Hunter all the more compelling, because she also started off as thinking of herself in that classic protagonist role… But in the end, she’s a GNC female, and a person of color- You don’t see that in these fairy tales, not often with how they’re seen as a ‘European’ archetype. She’s not the classic, noble sword-wielder or hero, at least not conventionally…

         Luz might be the fearless champion for her Amity Blight, but she wields magic- She’s a witch, the type of character cast as the villain and in a negative light! The actual medieval weapon she ends up wielding (not counting the toy sword) is a spiked ball on a chain, and Luz is a criminal and goes against the kingdom’s status quo, the allegedly blessed-by-god monarch! 

        She’s a wild, ‘savage’ witch, and I don’t need to explain how Eda and King also feed into that kind of subversion and twist, with Eda appearing as the kind of threatening, evil witch but being a truly loving mentor… Her taking cues from Baba Yaga, King being a demon, all that jazz!

         So Hunter is the other side of this same coin, as the white male that is usually the heroic prince of these stories, with his golden hair… But we see his non-eurocentric features, his hooked nose! Hooked noses are often demonized due to anti-semitism, and hooked noses are often assigned to the evil, ‘ugly’ witches from fairy tales (antagonists in such stories tend to be depicted as such caricatures)! He has a tooth gap and bags under his eyes.

         He’s in the role of the ‘noble prince’, yet HE’s the one who needs to be saved! He is victimized by his evil, abusive uncle and stepmother archetype in the form of Kikimora, an older lady who is jealous of our younger protagonist, another classic trope! Kikimora, who in real life is a folklore character, akin to the fae that sometimes antagonize the heroes… Hunter is introduced as an antagonist, a cruel agent for an oppressive regime- Because the hero of one story can be the villain of someone else’s.

         Hunter is powerless, and his magical gift from his ‘Fairy Godmother’ archetype is used as a means of controlling and imprisoning him through obligation, through a sense of debt… Which fits the stories like Rumpelstiltskin, and characters who are entrapped because of some deal they made with a member of the fae, in order to escape an unfair predicament! Fitting that the damsel of THAT tale was expected to turn straw into gold… Which is such a common fairytale element and usually associated with good, but sometimes with greed!

         Because Belos is in a lot of ways greedy, and his Golden Guard nephew is a treasure for HIM to own and protect, a songbird to keep within a gilded cage, his property! Luz is here to rescue that treasure from the evil monster guarding it, from the (hand) dragon that also wants it for itself. But Hunter isn’t property to her, he’s a PERSON, and an individual who deserves respect and autonomy- She’s done a similar tango before with Amity, now onto Hunter!

         And it’s honestly so FASCINATING and clever, how this original concept evolved and refined itself into something a lot more subtle with its own clear identity, but still carrying that idea! Just as the original ‘Wake Up’ gag is carried over and evolves within a new context… The Owl House’s proof-of-concept pilot, and its second episode, early on, establish a sort of fairytale world vibe that is subverted! As the show has gone on and the story and world progressed, that has mostly gone away to focus on more authentic characters and stories…

         But that same concept is still alive and reintroduced with Hunter, with a renewed life and identity to it, that much more fits the vibes of Season 2- Which is more akin to the type of story that Dana wanted to tell, away from that simple comedy that Disney would’ve likely preferred her to confine The Owl House to ONLY that. Again, with how the first half of Season 1 had a lot more executive meddling and oversight… It’s like seeing Dana get to redo this in the way she always preferred and wanted!

         It’s honestly very compelling to see, and I can’t wait for more! I love and adore it, how Hunter’s staff is arguably an Excalibur twist with it being the magical weapon that shows proof of this character’s nobility by his connection to royalty, or some other divine force… But it’s a magical staff and not a sword! 

        And how Hunter’s name and the episode where he’s truly fleshed out… It’s like someone acknowledging that the hunter from Snow White is actually a very compelling and nuanced character himself, who also deserves to be explored more- Something you see more frequently in recent, ‘deconstructive’ takes on Snow White!

         And just as the hunter spares Snow White, his quarry, Hunter spares the Palismen… And technically Luz, although he wasn’t actively seeking her out to begin with. Plus, the Palismen take the form of little woodland animals, which fits the role of a hunter anyhow. You can even call comparison to classic stories where a wounded animal is spared and/or saved by a hunter, and how this good deed is rewarded when it comes around to help them! Hunter saves the Palisman he was originally assigned to offer to Belos;

         And, said Palismen, while not hurt by Hunter himself, DID have a past of being physically hurt and scarred! Especially Hunter’s palisman, who does assign itself to him in recognized, mutual solidarity of their shared desires and motifs! But this also applies to Luz, who was captured by Hunter after he unwittingly kidnapped her… And how Luz chooses to save Hunter at a pivotal moment, and it pays off in the form of someone who helps her rescue the Palismen from Kikimora, and a potential ally in the Emperor’s Coven! It is the Hunted who spares the Hunter, this time!

         You could even compare it to stories like the Lion and the Mouse- A larger, more powerful predator is found in a moment of crisis by someone smaller and weaker, who would normally not be taken seriously by them… And that person helps instead of lording control over the reversed power dynamic, and it results in a kinder bond that pays off for both parties! Luz is the mouse, she’s ‘weaker’ than Hunter and a criminal who’s normally no match for him…

         But Luz (who has her own pet Echo Mouse we’re reminded of earlier in the episode) decides to help Hunter anyway, even acknowledging her detrimental kindness- And it pays off, she gets a friend! You could even switch it around, with Luz as the Lion, and Hunter as the mouse… With Luz having the power over Hunter initially, having his staff while Hunter has no magic! But then Hunter catches Luz off-guard, and… Spares her anyway, which earns him a real friend and an ally!

         And to top it all off, there’s the twist, already established right before Hunter’s humanization- Where the hero and damsel won’t get together because of the heteronormative obligation that a female and male always should… Instead, our GNC female already has her own love interest, a girl who’s a lesbian! And Hunter, who is initially revealed in that almost romantic, fairytale framing- It quickly falls apart for a more genuine and natural relationship between Luz and Hunter, that one might compare to siblings!

         They’re not bound by the obligations of heteronormativity that you’d see in fairytales, that a homophobic company like Disney would demand- So they’re free to actually be themselves, which fits with the whole motif of breaking away from imposed identities, and self-actualizing! Luz and Hunter are allowed to organically interact and navigate around one another and care for each other, without any societal expectations making things weird that way, and unnecessarily complicating it with messy ideas.

         Others have pointed out the genius in establishing Luz’s relationship and her mutual, reciprocated and acknowledged love with Amity- Thereby dispelling any doubts and concerns, and freeing Hunter to just interact with Luz, without concern over the obligation to ‘fill in the void of a missing love interest’! Again, the twist that the damsel is not a romantic partner but fulfills more of a sibling role… But that sibling role is still respected even if Luz and Hunter aren’t related by blood, nor raised together, nor have confirmed incompatible sexualities!

         Honestly, all of these twists and subversions, the darker and monstrous portrayal of the classic fantasy and fairy tale… It really calls into mind how Dana herself is not a fan of fantasy, but she tackled the genre anyway and made it interesting for herself, by figuring out how to do it in a way that’s fun for her, in a way that works! Something normally off-limits, but adapted and made accessible anyway- Like Luz with magic?

         Dana made fantasy more witchy, demonic, and magical for her, with plenty of body horror and organic portrayals of typically-shallow clichés, that would otherwise rely on their popularity in media as a crutch for actual exploration and depth… And then subverting some of the less-interesting rules, by having Amity, who in other media might’ve ONLY been Luz’s rival, an actual friend who she shouldn’t compete with, and even a love interest; No more pitting women against each other in media nor in real life!

        It’s just a meta way of handling the Disney brand and image that Dana is working with, the trappings of Disney and some of its less progressive ideas that it holds onto- And Dana is working with this in a way that she can enjoy, sort of claiming that for herself. It’s honestly very admirable and inspiring to me!

[princesssarisa]

Fictional character ask: Belle (Beauty and the Beast)

For @sunlit-music.

Favorite thing about them: Well, for starters, there’s the fact that she’s a dreamy, introverted bookworm who doesn’t fit in with her neighbors – that makes her an especially relatable Disney Princess to so many of us. But even more than that, I love the way her character blends warmth and sweetness with strong will and witty intelligence, courage and dignity with emotional openness, and selflessness with healthy self-respect. It would have been so easy to highlight only one or a few of those qualities in her, but she blends them all into an infinitely endearing whole. Also, just to be shallow, she’s the only Disney Princess to have brown hair and hazel eyes like me.

Least favorite thing about them: A very meta one: I envy her. She’s too much like the person I want to be, while my real self is too much like the Beast.

Three things I have in common with them:

*I have brown hair and hazel eyes.

*I love books.

*I have few close friends, but they mean the world to me.

Three things I don’t have in common with them:

*I lack her elegant grace.

*I tend to be more self-doubting than she is.

*I doubt I’d be brave enough to stand up to the Beast.

Favorite line: 

From the songs...

The climax of the “Belle” reprise:

“I want adventure in the great wide somewhere

I want it more than I can tell

And for once it might be grand

To have someone understand

I want so much more than they’ve got planned”

From “Something There”:

“New and a bit alarming

Who’d have ever thought that this could be?”

True that he’s no Prince Charming,

But there’s something in him that I simply didn’t see”

From the stage musical’s “Home”:

“Home should be where the heart is

Never were words so true

My heart’s far, far away

Home is too”

From the dialogue...

“Gaston, you are positively primeval.”

“I’m very sorry, Gaston, but, but... I just don’t deserve you!”

...and my favorite line to quote whenever people speculate that Shakespeare or some other famous author didn’t really write their own work because their life had too little in common with the characters’ lives...

“Well, some people use their imagination.” 

brOTP: Lumiere, Cogsworth, Mrs. Potts, Chip, and (if parents count) Maurice.

OTP: The Beast/Prince.

nOTP: Gaston.

Random headcanon: The painting of her as a little girl with her mother in the “Enchanted Tales with Belle” cottage at the Magic Kingdom is canon. Even though the mother subplot in the 2017 remake is poignant in its own way, and I understand that they didn’t want to rehash the “little Ella and her mother” scenes from the 2015 Cinderella, Belle having never known her mother was still a bit of a wasted opportunity. I imagine that the animated Belle was about eight years old when her mother died, that they were close, and that her mother was a big influence on her, especially by teaching her to love books.

Unpopular opinion: She and the Beast are both partly in the wrong at the beginning of her time in the castle. The Beast is much, much more at fault, of course, but Belle isn’t fully in the right either. In her righteous indignation at his behavior, she doesn’t notice the small hints at his better nature: e.g. his guilt when he sees her cry, his genuine efforts to make her comfortable before his insecurity and anger interfere, and his servants’ genuine loyalty. Instead she makes a snap judgement and decides “I don’t want to get to know him!” While I disagree with most of the flaws some critics attribute to her (e.g. that she’s a snob, or that Gaston and the villagers are right about her needing to get her head out of her books), I do think she has two real flaws: (a) impulsiveness, and (b) overlooking nuance at first. She arguably makes the same mistake with Gaston, by thinking of him as “brainless” when he’s really all too cunning and not realizing just how dangerous he can be.

Song I associate with them:

"Belle”

 “Something There”

“Beauty and the Beast”

And from the stage version, 

“Home”

“A Change in Me.”

Favorite picture of them:

[madokasoratsugu]

cinderella au meta notes

or: the plotline that never happened because i was so caught up in the euphoria of writing Fritz/Lucette Cinderella AU, i forgot that i had to have a plot

also: a bunch of bonus facts i guess !

this basically spoils the whole fic (that you can read here) which contains Fritz and Rumpel route spoilers, so read with caution ! under the cut bc it got Long :”))

this meta was initially written on a tumblr post bc it was meant to be a short ~2k thing (HAHAHA). then it got so long my computer started crashing and i had to move to google docs. 

i wrote this with disney live action remake osts AND six the musical in the background. it was a wildin’ experience listening to ‘dont lost ur head’ while writing Fritz be a chaotic mess in the beginning, then listening to ‘how does a moment last forever’ when writing the Fritz/Lucette garden scenes.

Karma and Fritz are childhood friends ! both boys who were more interested in being a knight than inheriting a kingdom, but learnt their responsibilities along the way.

on that note: none of the characters were exactly...planned to appear. the initial tweet thread idea only had Fritz, Lucette and Alcaster casted - the other characters just kinda wrote themselves in this meta. 

im pretty sure it started with Karma barging his way into the fic in act one, then i had to have someone balance him (Waltz), then i needed someone to play the music for their waltz (obvs that had to be Rod), and then i got sad thinking Rumpel would be left out, but Lucette’s broken glass slipper scene conveniently needed someone. the Widdensovs just kinda came into the picture by virtue of Lucette just needing someone to interact with when she wasnt at the ball LMAO 

everyone else just didnt make it in the natural progression of the fic, and i didnt want to shoehorn them in just for the sake of having them appear.

however: Parfait was initially going to make an appearance as a duchess who snuck Lucette out to her father when she came to the castle for help when her manor burnt down. here’s a lil snippet of her scene:

(no one had, the last time she came; the smell of smoke still clinging on her, her head slamming a cacophony - surviving only thanks to the bravery of a certain court lady now disappeared, who heralded her to a servant’s exit, gave her gold and directions to her father, told her, run, told her im sorry, and cried, tears dripping endlessly from her pale pink lashes.)

Parfait is well and alive in this AU btw ! she’s just ‘disappeared’ bc she’s living somewhere secret with her goth wife Delora.

(side note: i realise Rumpel seems a lot like Lucette’s fairy godmother in the act thirteen. not intended, but i liked the imagery enough to let it stand :”)) bippity boppoty chevalier ! )

Varg and Lilja are both Swedish words. ancient Angiellian is partially Swedish. there’s probably ikea in this AU. let that sink in.

the swan mask Lucette was wearing was meant to allude to Odette and Odile from Swan Lake (because Fritz and Varg, white and black, swans are pretty yadda yadda), and i was going to write some really neat symbolism about that but i forgot lol ! 

(also the idea just never worked for me bc Odette and Odile aren’t the same people like Fritz/Varg but i wanted to reference Barbie Swan Lake (2003) ok let me live)

pour one out for our man Fritz who got rejected on his birthday. f. 

Emelaigne is the MVP. older sisters, no matter how truly Head Empty they are, always pull through when you need them. 

“isn’t the moon beautiful tonight” is a direct reference to an anecdote (which may or may not be true) about Natsume Souseki, a famous japanese writer, who translated ‘i love you’ to that phrase in order to account for the indirect characteristics of japanese speech.

Rumpel is the royal doctor, and has been apprenticing in the castle since Fritz was a child, before taking over the position as an adult ! so yes, Rumpel definitely rubbed off on Fritz in terms of values and morals.

with regards to Fritz and Lucette’s curses: i never really gave it much thought, but the vague idea i had was Lucette being cursed by Hildyr for disobedience (manipulative parenting say eye), then Hildyr dies lol and Lucette breaks her curse eventually.

with Fritz, he was likely cursed out of political reasons/jealousy and Varg was the result. works bc either way the curse meant for Fritz to be 1) inconvenienced or 2) dead/taken out of consideration for succession so like...a pain in the ass replacement who behaves the exact opposite of a prince works too.

this was hinted at vaguely in the fic, but Fritz became very secluded and hid himself in the castle for the years it took him to come to terms with his curse and break it. even then, because there was no one around him to really affirm his identity or accept him, he remained very withdrawn and a shell of his former self. 

i reckon it took him about 5-6 years to break the curse. so that’s a lot of time alone. Fritz was basically a NEET.

all jokes aside: Lucette and Fritz each broke their curses with their own willpower and effort, but remain the mostly the same because there was no one around them to truly understand or accept them for who they were, or who they became.

(until they met each other, of course)

also, idk if it was hinted well enough but Lucette and Fritz actually were in an engagement once, when they were children/early teens ! i intended to allude to this more with Hildyr giving Fritz Lucette’s portrait, which results in him recognising her, but it just never fit in anywhere. so yeah ! that’s another reason how/why Fritz knew who Lucette was at first glance. 

i figured the previous engagement would also help ease the court into their eventual marriage despite the whole ~*disgraced noble*~ thing. idk. i know nothing about western history and how it worked except for ALEXANDER HAMILTON (america sings for yooouuu) and divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived.

however, Alcaster broke the engagement, as stated in act thirteen. the reason was basically: Angielle in this AU works not by a hereditary monarchy, but rather the previous monarch getting to choose whomever the fuck the want to succeed them. Hildyr and Alcaster were both in line for the throne, and Hildyr wanted to ensure that even if she couldn’t get the throne now, she still had a chance in the future if her daughter married Alcaster’s (who would then be king) son. Alcaster was like lol fuck off because he wanted power all to his family and took things into his own hands to ensure that would never happen (which involved: inciting public hatred against witches/Hildyr, breaking Lucette and Fritz’s engagement, and generally being a dick.

that’s about as plot heavy as it gets yall. the rest is just dumb idiots falling in love !

...............except for the political usurp that happens later, with Fritz’s faction forcefully taking the throne away from Alcaster’s tyrannical rule, which leads to a dramatic sway of public favour to Fritz and Lucette.

and then they live happily ever, ever after. 

(carrie underwood. yes i am planning an Enchanted AU dont look at me.)

the end !

[goblinconceivable]

It’s cool, I can fill my own sails

Finishing the last few eps of s7 OUaT helped.  At the very least, it brought up issues of family inclusion and exclusion, which was a heavy theme with Regina back in the day and reexploring that a little with Wish!Hook is intriguing.  And the nod to romance being nearly absent from the season gives license to delve into the negative space and supports the reading that Regina/Rogers are on a (very very slow) trajectory.

I don’t know how and when to refer to Wish!Hook/Rogers/whatever, so I’ll just go with Rogers because it’s easier to type, and where the character ends up.

Frankly, there’s about 5 gifs of Regina/Rogers and most of them aren’t shippy in canon.  Pulled out, they create a fanon narrative, and that’s great, but I always like to start deep in canon compliance and build/reinterpret from there.

One of the best points in favor of the ship, oddly enough, is the stack of prison books.  Which are ordered, intentionally.  Snow and Charming are next to each other.  Henry and Regina.  Alice and Robin.  Lucy and Cinderella.  And Captain Hook is next to Regina.  I don’t know why Zelena/Robin and Hook/Alice are so far apart but that the 4 new characters are on the bottom.   

 I will note that this season IS a compressed and thematically focused narrative, defined by our 4 returning characters and primarily the parent/child love.  Rumple is completing his own long arc, we’ll ignore him except that he is the one reminder of true romantic love in a season otherwise largely ignoring it with the mains. Yes, Henry/Ella begins, but their function is giving birth to a child and starting a family together, rather than their own story as a romance.  Which leaves Regina and Rogers, who are all about their kids.  Who do find love, next gen starting out with the fresh start their gone-evil parents have undergone change to give them.

They each do get a love interest, insofar as that exists.  Rogers had a recurring interest in Tiana, and while she flirted a bit, she shows greater interest in Naveen.  Regina had Facilier, more explicit, though he shows greater interest and investment than she does.  What this gives us as an opening where Rogers and Regina are both open to romance, though it takes a back seat to their children.  True love, for either of them, would be the end of a long journey, rather than the instant-fall we often see.  Older, more experienced, more bruised.  They both had that already, with first loves, lost it, became villians, and villians, typified by Rumple, get more love journeys.  

Regina is more open, she knows how to love and be loved, though she isn’t desperately seeking more because she is content - though she’s realizing she has more to give.  She mentors Drizella, she fights for Wish!Henry.  Rogers wants more, but he’s in an emotional place Regina was at back in season 2 or so, albeit gentler.

A cool thing about Wish!Realm is that happy endings often don’t exist.  The stories are darker.  I don’t have much to say about that right now except that rather than losing family, Rogers gained one - and lost it, but he gained love and redemption.  Arguably more painful.

I was drawn to 2.5 scenes at the end of the show.  The first is right after the curse was broken and Gothel was defeated.  Families are reunited, happy.  Regina and Henry, Regina and Robin, Cinderella and Lucy mixing in.  Alice has Robin.  Even Tiana and Naveen run in, holding hands.  In the background, largely ignored, is Rogers.  This had to be a specific choice, especially since everyone there knows a hospital will not help his affliction, yet someone must have called them.  He’s not a part of the larger family of interrelationships, and moreover, is watching Alice become a part of it.  His ties are only to Alice, and to Rumple, who is an outlying character (yet STILL part of the group, in his way.)

The .5 is when Regina, Henry and Rogers are together.  Rogers tries to join Regina to find Rumple, and she tells him to stay (he does tend to obey her immediately, see her admonishment to find and help Alice at the station.)  Later he tries to go with Henry, and Henry knocks him out.  He’s TRYING to be helpful, be part of the group, and no one needs or wants him.

The third is at the war table.  Again, everyone is sitting around the table, together and despite there being chairs, Rogers stands back, outside the circle.  This time, his exclusion is distinctly a decision he has made, how he feels.  But something shifts.  Charming, the family patriarch, reaches out, with “and a new friend... who feels like an old friend.”  Despite having just met him, he accepts him as one of them, and Rogers is surprised but appreciative.  It’s particularly touching because Rogers has been with Henry et family (Regina and Zelena etc) for years and never felt that.

The next point is Rumple sacrificing his heart and saving Rogers.  It’s the first time someone has sacrificed for him, it’s validation.  He’s one of them, annointed by the crocodille.  Literally having his heart creates ties to the group, puts him back with Alice so that physical distance is no longer an excuse or reason.  It’s is linked to emotional distance, as his quest to cure his heart for Alice, for their relationship, is now over, and he can take a next step.

What happens next?  Rogers, the only other active character at this point, explains the situation.  He moves from “to save me” to “to save all of us” - he’s considering himself an us, not just his admitted friendship with Rumple, but that perhaps he’s part of the whole.  He and Regina were the two tightest with Rumple, so it’s fitting.  Regina is 100% about Rumple, double proves he was beloved.  It IS his moment, the whole scene was about him.  But Rogers is on his own little journey, and he takes Regina’s oblivious hand.  Why?  

We’ve seen Regina touch him occasionally, more of a distant sympathy or comradery, but human touch is yet important, look at how much Regina hugs her family, and how much Alice and Rogers want to hug and be near each other.  Aside from Alice, Rogers never reaches out, 

Though as a side bar, when he reaches out to Tiana, to go with her to storm the castle, or hire Alice, she accepts, which probably explains why he likes her.  Conversely, trying to manufacture an adventure for Henry goes wrong, and see his recent attempts to help Regina and Henry are rebuffed.  All told, dude doesn’t have the best time of it.

So anyway, he takes her hand, and while she doesn’t acknowledge it, she doesn’t reject it either, and that is family.  Sometimes you’re just there, behind someone, supporting them as they go through their own thing.  And while sometimes you’re pushed away, you just keep trying.  Which as Hook with Emma, though I have my own issues with that.  They are the same person to large extent, so the tendency is worth mentioning.

Finally, the coronation.  Frankly, they had to pan to all the mains and Rogers/Alice/Robin are the least important group -to the show as a whole, the full 7 seasons which this scene is acknowledging and honoring.  But they do leave him as Rogers, suit and fake hand.  Distinguishing him from Original!Hook.  Which again is functional, so grain of salt and shippy eyes.  He is not yet integral, but the future is open.  As Regina says, see what’s next, indeed.

TLDR; my attempt to find a canon ships fails, but there’s potential if you look.  This is a story of an individual journey on Rogers’ part to GET to that point where he can open his heart, and romantic love can follow that.  Regina proves she’s now completely comfortable with who she is and who she has, and is open to additional love.  There may not be romance in this book, but as to the next...

Addendum because I’m doing the obsessive searching thing: apparently there’s a deleted scene where Rogers asks Henry if he got Regina’s crown.  FFS that’s useful information, it means Rogers IS a part of the group, and in fact a larger part of Regina’s future.  I mean, he’s there with Alice and Robin.  Henry swings by.  They’re not just in on the surprise, they’re planning it.  He has a role in the new world.  ...  Deserves it’s own analysis when I process.

Addendum 2 because still tracking down meta: so a reason for Regina looking to Rogers and his nodding could also be that they were talking and he let something slip at some point about... I dunno, something that didn’t make sense to her but now she’s all “oh, so this is what you were talking about?”