truly the most egregious part of the 2012 Les Mis is that they changed Valjean’s line from
“It’s the story of those who always loved you, your mother gave her life for you then gave you to my keeping.”
to
“it’s the story, of one who turned from hating. The man who only learned to love when you were in his keeping.”
LIKE?????!! How dare they remove Valjean specifically mentioning Fantine’s sacrifice and putting that before he mentions his own part in the story?? How dare they make Valjean imply that it was only when Cosette came into his keeping that he stopped hating everything and learned to love WHEN THE FUCKING BISHOP IS THE REASON FOR THE GODDAMN SEASON????
Like OF COURSE Cosette softened Valjean, of course he became a better man when he became her father, of course their relationship is important.
But this story would not have happened without the love of the bishop and it was his love that rekindled the love that was dormant in Valjean’s heart. And it was Fantine that fanned that flame, then Cosette’s that kept it steady.
I just hate how flat it makes Valjean’s story seem. “It’s the story, of those who always loved you.” Is THE answer Cosette has been searching for her whole life. I wish they’d kept it in instead of feeling like the audience would only feel fulfilled by Valjean’s story if he only mentioned his direct relationship to Cosette.
Whatever idk. It’s a good Les Mis for a lot of reasons, but a bad one for a lot of reasons too 🥲