#neverland rewrite

[queen-daya]

“I Wanna Put This Song On Replay” @monthly-challenge | Day 6: “Music”

[music-in-my-veins14]

Epic Pocahontas II Atlantis: The Lost Empire Aladdin Frozen II Moana Peter Pan Peter Pan II Treasure Planet Alice In Wonderland Strange Magic Brave Beauty and the Beast Hercules The Hunchback of Notre Dame Tangled Hotel Transylvania The Incredibles Tarzan The Little Mermaid Pocahontas Rise of the Guardians How To Train Your Dragon

[the-one-that-weeps]

I don't think we talk enough about Rui's directing.

Rui who rewrites stories,

Rui who creates a new story where the Ugly Duckling is accepted nonetheless,

Rui who creates a Red Riding Hood where the grandma shares the pastries with the wolf,

Rui who takes ancient tales of knights killing dragons and makes them friends instead. Not pets, not subordinates — friends.

Rui who takes all these gruesome stories about hatred and death that are supposed to educate kids about the Earth they live in and reshapes them into kinder, softer, more colourful worlds for all the world to see.

Where the wolf isn't a synonym for villain, where a child would never be abandoned, where innocence is neverland and never lost.

Where all that is broken can always be fixed and where Cinderella can kiss her princess under the moonlight with no worry in the world.

[princess-ibri]

Just a fun question. So as we know from the sequel, Wendy has two children and one got to visit Neverland.

What do you think John and Michael are up to? Do you have a next gen storyline for them? If so, what is the relationship like with the Darling cousins?

Hey! Sorry for the wait. I don’t really have a storyline for the other Darling siblings, I figured they just grow up and deal with life (and world wars) as well as they can. But I do have a family tree I’ve been sitting on for a while!

I always thought Alice and Wendy ought to be related to explain their facial similarities in universe, and as I’d already named Alice’s daughter Mary-Jean in my Canon Descendants rewrite it worked perfectly to have her be Mary from Peter Pan.

I decided to make Anita be John’s daughter based on her maiden name being Darling in the live action Cruella movie. And while that movie isn’t canon to the DisneyVerse I did like the thought of tying her into the family.

The Alice in “Alice’s Wonderland Bakery” is said to be the great granddaughter of the og Alice so I made her the daughter of Michael to round all the Darling siblings out (plus try to get her as close as possible to a time when tennis shoes existed).

I knew I wanted to tie in Lizzie from the Tinkerbell movies somehow, and having her be the younger sister of Wendy’s eventual husband felt like a good fit. Maybe the two girls meet later and bond over their mutual magical experiences and that’s how Wendy meets Edward.

I already had a daughter for Jane as part of the Canon Descendants rewrite (and a name for her thanks to the original book), so it made it easy to just tie her into the family tree down to Gwendolyn who appears as a Wendy descendant in the Tinkerbell books.

And that’s the family tree!

I imagine that overall it’s a very loving family that, if not always getting up to magical adventures, definitely get into plenty of mundane ones together

[creations-of-the-dreamlight]

Tinkerbell + Disney fairy fans: would it be weird for a human and a fairy to have a relationship? Like is there some weird fucky wucky age shit / mental shit I need to be aware of?

To add a bit more context as to why I’m asking this question

The mc of the rewrite makes a fairy companion. The two become partners in crime and take a vow to destroy Neverland for several reasons. They get pretty far but then discover time travel magic. They use it way to much and discover that if they die then they just reset to this one moment in each of their lives (the mc coming back from Neverland for the first time and the fairy getting exiled from Neverland). They reach the same point they did in the first timeline and from then on become time traveling scientists with a goal to research the universe and figure out everything possible about Neverland + Star magic. Also for more context the mc and the fairy can hear each other- the fairy was like Priscilla?? Or wtv that one fairy from the books is like but the magic isn’t as powerful anymore so it only applies to certain people (aka people who use star magic)

Through a series of events the mc ends as a sort of Demi god of fate. Her and the fairy become one entity, but I also feel it would make sense for both of them to come to the conclusion that they are the only people who understand each other in the entire universe and are probably the only being they could feel love for after millions of redo’s. And it’s just about a romantic relationship- they’re both effectively asexual so that wouldn’t have happened anyways.

[aether-wasteland-s]

Watch your back, the shadows might just be watching...

[ graphic to come ]

James Callaghan has never considered himself an unfortunate man before, not in any particular persuasion of "luck" anyway... But things start happening, one after another, and he can't help but to wonder.

First, he's cast off his ship in a storm. Then he washes up on some mysterious island with only himself and the beach for company. Upon further exploration, he discovers this island to be rife with strange forces beyond his comprehension, and finds that this life may just be more of a fairytale than he realised...

There is a shadow watching over him, one known for it's mayhem and the chaos it leaves behind in droves. James has to learn to watch his back, or face the wrath of the thing that rules over this place... Neverland.

Genre: fantasy POV: 3rd person, past tense, single narrator Status: ongoing (goal is 30-50k) Warnings: violence/fantasy violence, swordfighting, dismemberment, death/undeath, drowning

[ masterpost to come ]

Extra info:

this is my attempt at a spin on Peter Pan, based not only on the original book, but on several iterations i've come across over time

i originally started this wip in 2022/3 but cast it off my roster because of how much i had to focus on at the time. this return is a complete rewrite following my original notes, but hopefully it'll be an upgrade on the original

each chapter will be published here, and the masterpost will come with the first published chapter

the tag list for this wip is open, to be added please send an ask or reply to this post

[sydneyofalltrades]

i’m so tempted to rewrite descendants: rise of red because i woke up this morning with ideas like:

NO MERLIN PREP. jesus it was so unnecessary and why are characters in different stories all the same age?? if castlecoming is supposed to be ella’s and charming’s meetup ball why the HELL is fairy godmother bridget and ella’s age??

no villain crew. while it is iconic, it’s also its own plot hole. hades is immortal, maleficent is the “mistress of all evil,” hook should be in neverland. why the three of them follow ursula’s BABY SISTER doesn’t make sense.

red and chloe don’t go back to avoid the coup. bridget is actually trying to be a good mother, she just has deep seated trust issues and anger issues from an incident in her past

chloe has a natural hair color. so does ella. bridget and red have their natural hair colors with stripes of color (red/pink) because they’re from wonderland

the catalyst for bridget’s “ruthlessness” isn’t a prank from high school. it’s years of being ostracized by the other people of auradon for being a wonderlandian

and so so so so sooooo much more. so if anyone’s interested, i might be considering writing the fanfic (this is coming from someone who has never watched the movie, just seen enough of it on tiktok)

[delcakoo]

pixie dust ⋆ ˚｡⛧ ˚ l.hs

SUMMARY ! when the boy you've been telling stories about your whole childhood magically shows up in your bedroom, it only makes sense for him to take you and your brother to neverland instead of letting you grow up.

PAIRING ! peterpan!heeseung x f!reader ft. brother!riki

WC ! 1.8k

GENRE ! fantasy, fluff, crack (?)

a/n: i have no explanation for this i just randomly thought of rewriting peter pan so!! hee fic nobody asked for <3

throughout your whole life, only one boy has ever been inside your bedroom.

who may that be? the suspense is heart pounding, isn’t it?

it’s your brother, riki.

though, you’re not too sure if that embarrassing fact is the case anymore considering the sound of an young, unfamiliar male voice has trampled its way into your peaceful slumber and forced your eyes open at what feels like way past midnight.

“it has to be in here somewhere, i swear on it.” first he opened your toy box, then started searching through your drawers all with strange little jingling sounds to accompany the hunt. you felt petrified, too scared to even move and find out who this boy was. even worse, you couldn’t forget about the fact that your little brother was fast asleep in his bed across from you, unaware of the stranger lurking around the room.

“gotcha!” you nearly let out a yelp at the sudden raise of volume. ”see, i knew i’d find it, tink.”

tink?

it couldn’t be.

your body snaps up in bed, gripping the silk sheets tightly while reaching over to turn on your night lamp. immediately, the room illuminates, revealing a pale skinned boy in a peculiar green outfit. his face was strikingly handsome — cute pointed nose, bambi-like eyes and soft black bangs that framed his face even nicer under a small green hat.

he looked much better than in the nursery’s books, for one.

though, you’re slightly caught off guard by the way he’s grabbing onto a dark reflection of himself, along with a bar of soap in a desperate pursuit of scrubbing the bottom of his brown boots.

flashing back to the night before, you do recall catching a shadow with your brother and trapping it in a drawer, and guilt rushes through you at how it all went down.

“riki, you’re being ridiculous. it can’t be peter’s shadow.”

your brother grips onto the shadows ankle tighter while it attempts to fly away, holding it close like a balloon. “i swear it is, sis. look at the pointy hat, it’s just like in the storybooks! you’re the one who always tells me to use my imagination, now look at you. maybe you really are growing up,” he mumbles the last part, pink lips turning into a hurt pout.

hastily pulling open the closest wooden drawer, your eyes soften for a second before it turns into frustration. “that’s enough. we’re putting it in here and figuring this out tomorrow. i don’t want another word from you.”

speaking of your brother, he quickly wakes up at the bright glare of your lamp, eyes squinted and raven hair sticking up in all directions. a dramatic gasp escapes his lips that you can hear even from across the room as he meets the eyes of the intruder. “peter pan?”

peter blinks, seemingly unphased by being caught. “riki?”

“i knew it was you! i told her it was your shadow,” your stupid brother points right over at you, and you blush at all the attention now being narrowed down on you in your measly nightgown, “but she wouldn’t believe me!”

the magical boy puts the hand that isn’t gripping his shadow on his hips, head tilting to the side as he inspects you up and down. “that doesn’t sound like you, y/n.”

“i- how do you know our names?” you blurt.

he smirks, leaning against your dresser before going back to scrubbing his shoe. “me and tink stop by for your stories every night.”

you decide then and there that this couldn’t get any more embarrassing. “but.. my stories are always about you.”

“yeah, that’s my favourite part,” he replies swiftly. you never imagined peter pan to be such a bratty narcissist, though you suppose going off children’s books isn’t the most trustworthy source. “also, my real name’s heeseung. since you’re even prettier up close, i think i’d prefer if you call me that instead.”

you freeze up, mouth parting uselessly as your brother swoops in to save the day. “what about me, what about me?”

he gives the younger boy an annoyed look, pretty eyes rolling back a bit. “you too, i guess.”

while riki blabbers on about how excited he is to meet him, heeseung starts pressing the bottom of his shoe against his shadow, as if using soap would magically glue them back together.

snapping out of your daze, you hop out of bed, rushing over to find your sewing kit. “you can’t attach your shadow back with a bar of soap.” when you pace over to the boy, his eyes furrow down curiously as you grab his shadow and kneel down to his boot. “don’t move.”

you’ve sewn socks, scarves, mittens, and even a ugly hat for your brother as your parents were too cheap to get him a nice one for winter. even with all this experience, you most definitely haven’t sewn a shadow before.

while you begin with your work, your brother plops out of his own bed, suddenly jumping and closing his hands together in a tight ball. he grins proudly, looking over at you with eyes turned into crescents. “sis, i caught a firefly!”

“good job, ki,” you reply absentmindedly. just as you finish up with heeseung’s shadow, offering him a thumbs up to tell him he could move, your brother yelps in alarm.

“y/n! i- i caught a girl!”

your lips part as you try and process his words. “you what?!”

luckily, heeseung quickly rushes over, pulling your brother's hands apart to release a small, pale girl with wings and a mini green dress. her hair was tied in a neat blonde bun, and she’d look like an angel if it wasn’t for the angry scowl painted on her face. “tink, there you are,” he smiles, chuckling as the miniature fairy attempts to smack him with squeaks of anger.

“she’s real too!?” riki hollers, and you mentally thank your parents for constantly leaving the house all mysteriously most nights, or else you’d definitely be more than grounded by now.

“everything in your stories are.” heeseung shrugs. “i tell em’ to the lost boys. jungwon and sunghoon are especially big fans of you both.”

“the lost boys.. they’re like.. your right hand men, right?” riki beams excitedly, earning a nod from the taller boy. tinkerbell is busy tapping her foot stubbornly, as if the both of you taking heeseung’s attention from her was the most annoying thing imaginable.

meanwhile, you gulp in debate of whether you should ruin the bright atmosphere of first introductions. “i’m glad you came back for your shadow, heeseung.”

raising a brow, he stares down at you with an unreadable gleam in his eye. “why?”

“i-“

“y/n’s growing up today,” riki cuts in.

heeseung freezes, even tinkerbell lets out a jingle in surprise. it’s almost as if he was just given the worst news of his life, soft deer eyes now gaping wide and cluelessly. you bite your lip. seeing his reaction only made you feel more sick at the thought. “growing- growing up? but that means..”

“no more sleeping in the nursery, no more stories,” you finish with a frown. heeseung pauses for a moment, huffing before grabbing your wrist and leading you to your window in determination.

your brother immediately follows. “what’re you doing?”

“taking her to neverland,” he announces with quick steps. at his words, tinkerbell seems enraged, jealous perhaps as she begins flapping around and jingling widly despite heeseung paying her no mind.

in the background, riki gasps. “hey, i wanna come too!”

you’re busy yanking the male’s hand from your wrist, giving him a stern gaze. “i can’t just go to neverland and be your personal storyteller!” heeseung flinches, completely taken aback by your raise of volume. “my mother will freak out, i have to take care of my brother and-“

“what’s a mother?” he asks.

“it’s.. someone who loves and cares for you-“

“good, you can be our mother,” he decides. “and we can bring him too i guess.” grabbing your brother's hand, heeseung marches towards your windowsill without another ounce of hesitation.

during your panicking, riki is busy smiling brightly, following the older boy with ease. “c’mon sis, you don’t wanna grow up, do you?”

well.. he had a point.

it was either growing up, getting a job and having responsibilities, or taking the hand of peter pan, flying off to some magical island with your little brother and being young forever. the choice wasn’t too difficult.

“how.. how do we get to neverland?” you inquire, watching as the taller boys share a victorious glance. just as tinkerbell processes his words and begins flying away, heeseung grabs her in the palm of his hand, already shaking pixie dust across the floorboards.

“we fly, of course. what do i say in your stories again?” he ponders, pointy nose scrunching slightly. “oh, right. think of a wonderful thought.”

“any wonderful thought?” he nods again, and you begin to wonder how that silly hat of his doesn’t fly right off.

closing your eyes in sync with your little brother, you begin picturing neverland. the ethereal, otherworldly island with rainbows hovering over mermaid’s lagoon, and plush ferns and greenery complimenting the earthy soiled ground of the neverwoods. you imagine flying by captain hook’s wretched ship and shooting it down with the lost boy’s trusty slingshots, and what kind of conversations you’d have with the beautiful woman that inhabited the sea.

amidst your daydreaming, you barely make out the quiet sounds of tinkerbell’s jingling nearby before small, golden sprinkles begin raining onto you. when they meet your bare skin they burn slightly, not enough to hurt, but enough to remind you of what exactly you were doing.

it has you gulping in anxiousness that only increases as your feet begin lifting off the ground. snapping your eyes open in shock, you nearly lose your balance while experimenting with your new form of travelling.

“y/n, look at me!” riki giggles midair, performing a somersault playfully.

heeseung chuckles along with you both before grabbing your hand, soft fingers resting against your knuckles gently. while you’re distracted by the new contact, the boy pushes his other arm as if he was swimming, efficiently lifting you both higher in the air. he flew with so much ease that only motivated you to learn faster.

at last, he offers you a charming smile that immediately pulls any doubts off your mind. “let’s get out of here before your parents come back, hm pretty?”

you reach down to grab your brother’s hand, gripping it tightly to ensure there isn’t a chance of him being left behind before nodding. “lead the way.”

bonus:

“so like.. are the girls in neverland pretty?” you’d barely even made it out the window, and of course and your brother already managed to ruin the peaceful experience.

“wait til’ you see the mermaids.” heeseung sends your brother a wink, and you watch in disgust as they sneakily fist bump right in front of you.

you close your eyes. “i despise the both of you.”

“the stories you make about me every night say otherwise, pretty girl.”

if you enjoyed, reblogs n’ comments are always appreciated <3

© delcakoo on tumblr. all rights reserved. do not rewrite, cross-post, translate, copy, etc.

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[hannahhook7744]

Rise of Red Rewrite Brainstorming;

I'm rewriting Rise of Red to make it fit into my version of the disney descendants and am at the brainstorming phase. But I'm stuck on a couple of things and need feedback.

Here are the differences first:

1. So first off, Bridget and Ella didn't go to school at the same time (because I'm trying to make it fit up in the timeline and match the other things we knew previously).

This is because I'm pretty sure it was mentioned the heroes went to school together at some point and if Alice is old enough to have a teenage daughter in the same high school as Ella's oldest son then she's likely around Ella's age. Which means they probably went to school around the time, either together or a few years apart.

(Whether that be college or high school doesn't really matter).

It also fits Bridget having three kids instead of one in my au too.

Right now I'm figuring out if her husband was at school with her and was her only friend in Ella's place or if she was friendless in school, and ended up marrying him so she could obtain the throne.

Either way she'll have her siblings but I'm not sure how they become strained as of yet.

2. Uliana's gang still exists at the same time as Bridget.

Did the math to figure out if this would work and it ended up working.

Peter Pan takes place in 1904 from what I can tell (going off the movie that is).

Alice in wonderland takes place sometime in mid to late 1800s.

The little mermaid takes place mod to late 1800s.

And Morgie's mom, Morgana Le Fay is a part fae in some tales. Fae live longer than humans so it's entirely possible for her to have a young child around the same time.

Assuming Maleficent, Hades, and maybe Persephone were de-aged around that time the group can both exist and go to school around the same time as Bridget.

They also all still go to the old version of Merlin Academy (it still exists today, it just split off from Auradon Prep and is now a Camelot exclusive school).

Also Hook is still a pirate, after getting kicked out of his Naval School, and has been to the Neverland but he doesn't have his Hook yet.

This is possible because his mother, as shown in Jake and the Neverland Pirates, was a teacher at Neverland Academy. So he's been to Neverland and is a somewhat feared pirate (not too much so though because he's still a teenager and Peter Pan won't exist for another few years yet).

Also Hook has a brother here because I remember somewhere he had one and I thought it would be fun. He also is friends with the three Smee brothers (one of which isn't a pirate since Smee has a great nephew in Auradon in 'the school of secrets' web series) but isn't as close with them as he is with Uliana's gangs (because they and the few other pirates hanging around are mainly just lackeys to him atm).

3. The girls (and their friends) don't just travel to one time period.

Did this so they could both still see teen Ella even though I have no idea what to do with that plot point just yet.

4. Chad is missing for a few years (cause I started my rewrite idwa with that plot in mind ages before the flim even came out).

5. Glass Hearts is canon (it could be pre Glass Hearts or Glass Hearts happens in the middle or epilogue).

6. The characters are slightly redesigned and they were friends before the QoH's hostile siege of Wonderland.

7. Either Chloe and Red (and friends) are eighteen or Wonderland has been under control of the QoH for only six years timeline wise. Haven't decided.

8. Queen of Hearts was on the isle.

9. Ace and Chester and other Wonderlandian next gen members are mentioned/maybe saved at some point (doesn't affect Glass Hearts outcome at all).

Now. On to the point/points where I'm stuck:

1. I can't decide whether they fix things with one go around of the past or if they have to go back to fix an error they made.

I don't want Bridget never having turned evil to be the permanent outcome because yes, while that seems like a good outcome it really isn't.

For Red anyway.

I don't know how many of you have seen back to the future and I guess even if you had it doesn't really get dwelled on for long but....

Marty remembers changing the past.

He remembers the original timeline only.

His first one, the one he grew up in.

He doesn't remember this new great timeline where his parents never fell out of love, his siblings are successful, Bif is kept in check by Mr. And Mrs. McFly, and everything in his life is great.

Everyone else does except him.

And I think the same would probably be true for Red based on what we saw.

She doesn't remember her mom being loving growing up.

She doesn't remember her mom baking her cupcakes or being nice to the people of wonderland.

She doesn't remember a mother who never transfigured her friends (happened in the book) and who never would stage a coup at her daughter's soon to be school.

She doesn't remember a mother who shows love a healthy way.

She remembers the QoH.

The woman who had strict out of pocket rules and even stricter, harsher punishments like transfiguring people into mindless beings and chopping off their heads.

She remembers the woman who told her _love wasn't it'. That it didn't exist. A woman who, whether she realized it or not, was basically telling her own daughter that she didn't love her or her daughter's other parent.

So while Red now has a loving mother its not everything she imagined. Because Red can't forget her actual mother and all she did, and in this new timeline where her mother didn't do any of that, will never get the apology she so desperately deserved and wanted.

She can't remember this nice woman as her mother. Just as Bridget, the nice girl she went to school with briefly.

She can't remember all the lovely things they supposedly did with the rest of the family.

And it's driving her up the wall.

Red knows it's not fair to be mad at this Bridget for the stuff her real mom did.

She knows it's not fair to lash out at her for what the other her did.

But she's angry and scared and can't remember any of the things she wanted and now has.

And she hates it.

She hates that she finally has what she wanted. She hates that she hates this nice woman for things she didn't do (because Red and Chloe stopped it before she snapped) and she hates her father for being different too.

(I based her dad entirely off the one from the animated movie even though Bridget is the same as in ROR so bare with me).

She hates that her cowardly father who was her favorite parent in the other timeline before she got older and started to resent him is happier and a better dad here.

Hates that this one doesn't cower away from her mother.

That this one is just as happy and perky as the new adult Bridget and that he never stood by while she and her older siblings were worked to the bone, and yelled at and stripped of their joy as their mother became a tyrant.

She hates how he's happier here and louder, and just..

Red hates how unfair it is that this wasn't her life all along and that she can't enjoy it now that it is.

But she's stuck.

Not literally but mentally.

She's stuck on what to do.

She should be happy.

She was never ripped away from her friends or abused here.

And now she has the family she always wanted.

A loving mother who indulges her interests and loves her as a person, and who doesn't yell all the time and hurt their people. A mother who was never hurt and who never turned evil enough to be sent to the isle.

A father who isn't too afraid of her mother to do right by her and her siblings, and their people.

Aunts and uncles who were actually in her life and not against her parents.

And a no longer depressed older sister (named Quinlynn) who, since she's never even been to the isle, isn't depressed over having lost two people she thought were the love of her life and friends she never should have had to outlive so young.

It's only after she realizes that her family is so different from what she remembers that she realizes it isn't complete. Someone is missing.

Her older brother is missing.

It takes one question to her parents for her to realize why he (Hart/Hardy) is missing and why he hasn't been home in the weeks (or less) she and Chloe have been back.

It's because she doesn't have a brother. Not. In. This. Timeline.

Her annoying conflict-avoidant-when-it-came-to- their-mother-only pirate of a brother didn't exist.

Her family didn't know his name.

Uma and her crew didn't know Red (hadn't watched her grow up), and didn't know who she was talking about it.

Why this is, she doesn't know.

Doesn't know whether it's because her parents were happy and off the isle.

Doesn't know if it's because the rumors are true and her brother's REAL other parent is on the either (she heard that he was her mother or father's affair baby but had never believed it before now).

She doesn't know or care why it is. Just that it is.

So now, she's already in a dilemma.

Either she goes back with or without Chloe and allows whatever prank that broke the camel's back to turn her mother evil again and gets her brother back.

Losing this happy, carefree version of her sister and the happy, loving parents (and extended family) she'd always wanted.

Turning her back on teen Bridget, who was so nice and kind and the adult Bridget who thanks to her stayed that way.

Or she turns her back on her brother. Accepting this new loving family and this strange happy version of her sister and life that will never be hers.

Letting go of her mentors (the Badun Detective Agency in my au) and her non-Wonderlandian friends who weren't with her and Chloe and the others when they time traveled.

Accepting a world that isn't truly hers and basically killing her brother.

(Sorry for the ramble).

So either:

1. They only meet Bridget (and no one else) and stop the prank—only to see that she still turned evil due to something that happened after they left.

But they arrived just in time to steal her cards and stop her coup, and the qoh is arrested. Allowing for Red to be placed in her siblings custody and for her to be deemed a hero, ensuring that what would have been a rough time at school had the coup been staged before it could be prevented doesn't happen/isn't as bad.

Fixing the present on one go without any need to go back.

It doesn't solve the problem of Chad's disappearance or allow for Chloe to meet a slightly disillusioned version of her young mom.

It doesn't include the above mentioned angst but includes the angsty idea that nothing could have been done for her mother without removing Uliana's gang from the equation (which, given who exactly is in the gang isn't really an option).

But it's a quick fix with a mostly happy ending. One even better if you figure in that maybe what QoH did to Ace and Chester isn't permanent and can be reversed.

Red will have her friends and siblings back, get taken away from her parents, have an actual social life in school, and get to fall in love with Chloe.

Chloe's saved her parents. Saved Auradon Prep. She doesn't have her brother back but it's maybe starting to heal from his disappearance, and maybe with Red and their friends by her side she can find him.

It's not perfect but it's bittersweet. A mostly happy ending.

Or

2. They met Bridget, stopped the prank, and then met Ella.

Either making her life worse somehow OR intervening a little too early.

Getting Ella out of her abusive home situation and of course, not thinking anything of it because it's the right thing to do. Thinking instead that now the future's gonna be the best because now Chloe's mom has a little less trauma and didn't have to deal with her stepmother's wicked meddling with time this time around.

Only they get to the future.

And Bridget is still nice and loving (which, again brings its own angst that mentioned before) to her (now two instead of three) kids, husband, and siblings as well as her subjects.

Meaning Maddox didn't lose his father to a transfiguration punishment and that his job is now easier.

But things are now worse for almost everyone else who went back in time.

Danny Darling's mom is even more traumatized because somehow something THEY did ended up with one of her brothers dead and doesn't let him or his two older siblings out of her sight.

Shan Deja's father is meaner because Hades and Maleficent, and several others give him a harder time than they did in the original time line on the isle.

Snow White, having now no longer gone to school with Ella and having lost that connection, is more anxious and paranoid than before and stopped her daughter Sophie (Glauco's older sister) from becoming Yen Sid's apprentice. This somehow leading to Glauco getting turned into a tree sooner and not being turned back, unlike the original timeline.

Which means his parents don't recognize his teen self and refuse to believe he isn't pulling some cruel prank on them.

Edith, Hadie's cousin and Eris' daughter,'s mom is now apathetic to her existence when before she was loving because now Hades isn't her friend.

And, as for Hadie and Chloe?

Simple: they, like Red's brother, don't exist in this timeline.

Why?

Well, because since Chloe and Red intervened and got Ella away from the Tremaines sooner it changed things.

Like: Drizella and Anastasia never got redeemed, never made up with Ella just to get sent to the isle anyway, and never met their husbands ( a redeemed Hans Westergaard for Drizella and the baker for Anastasia). Which means their children never got to exist even when they got sent to the isle earlier.

Lady Tremaine's reputation was publicly in ruin and the house was seized and held until Ella turned 19.

By then, instead of Ella having met her Fairy Godmother and getting to meet her Prince Charming she instead received her house.

Getting an education and a pseudo family in the form of the baker's family that took her in but never finding love.

Prince Christopher, unwilling to marry someone he doesn't love, ran away never to be seen again. Leaving his father heartbroken and the kingdom in disarray after he dies.

Chad is no longer missing and he still exists but he was never adopted here.

Meaning he never went to Auradon Prep and never met his friends or the vks. Never became a prince, never became disgraced, and never disappeared into the night never to be seen again when Chloe was ten because she didn't exist and he wasn't a Charming.

He wasn't anyone important to anyone.

Because he'd never been adopted and had found the birth parents who didn't want him, and was turned away.

Because he aged out of the orphanage (the one that was no longer named after their mother's story) and now is nothing like the boy Chloe remembers. Any version of him.

He isn't the kind, excitable struggling boy who loved her to death he was before their grandfather died and before her heart condition got worse and their parents got busier fighting for their step-aunts and their children to be released from the isle.

He's not the teenage Chad little Chloe had built up in her head during the times he rarely came home and avoided her like the plague. The cool one who did no wrong who everyone loved and who found and sat with her under the table she'd hidden under after Dragon Maleficent attacked during Ben's coronation when she was eight.

He's not the heartbroken, cries himself to sleep Chad that he was after Audrey broke up with him.

Or the healing (becoming less of an asshole) Chad that went to Jane's birthday only to come back a cowering, heartbroken mess that could hardly stand to be around Audrey anymore, falling into depression Chad who Hades dumped water on less than a year later at Bal's wedding (the same night Chad would disappear).

And he certainly wasn't the Chad that Chloe had only gotten to know after her brother had vanished into the night.

He wasn't an asshole or a bully, or a cheater who was slowly becoming a more tolerable person.

No. This Chad was none of those.

No, instead... This Chad was quiet and broken. With no friends, no family. No job and no home.

And Chloe, despite very much still being alive and breathing and not disappearing doesn't exist by any records and can't help him because he doesn't know her, and no one would believe her if she tried to tell them anything.

A problem which Hadie is also having.

Because in this timeline instead of a de-aged Maleficent, Hades, and Persephone all growing up and their poly three turning into just Hades and Persephone when Maleficent grew more power hungry...

Well, instead of that, a de-aged Persephone saw the aftermath of an even CRUELER prank that they were involved with and broke up with both Maleficent and Hades like her mother had always wanted. Cutting out their friend group as well and turning her backs on them, going back to her mother and begging to be aged back to her actual age.

Leaving Hades and Maleficent to never break up, and to only get meaner. Ruling the isle together with their friends and raising Mal.

Mal, who despite having no reason to, still comes out pretty much the same. She still chooses good. She still has the same friends and still marries Ben. Only now, she has two lizard parents who let her down and no little brother.

Because Persephone and Hades never had Hadie.

Sure, they had his three oldest siblings before they got de-aged and sure, Maleficent and Hades still had Mal.

But because Persephone and Hades didn't out last Maleficent and Hades, Hadie wasn't born.

Which of course, means they have to go back and fix both of the things they messed up and live with all of all of that knowledge.

Now after that, I'm not sure if I should end it with them just fixing all of that and nothing else.

Or if I should go into my other idea which I combine with this one.

Which is that after they fix whatever they did to mess up their parents stories, they end up landing somewhere in the past and discovering that...

Chad is somehow there.

A grown up version of Chloe's original brother.

A grown up version of Chloe's brother who should not be in a Wonderland bar, serving drinks and several years older than he should be.

They find out that he disappeared into the past on purpose out of shame and because be didn't wanna ruin their family's good name and maker things harder on Chloe than they already were.

They somehow convince him to come back to the future with them.

Only for their meddling to send them smack dab right in the middle of the Queen of Hearts hostile take over of WONDERLAND (six to eight years in Chloe and Red's past).

A couple of months before their Chad ended up in Wonderland.

There's a battle, someone gets hurt, and after some more meddling with the past, the group ends up in a better future.

Red's friends are all human again.

Red and Chloe are apparently dating.

And so on.

(This is probably headache inducing but I wanted to brainstorm and this was fun).

[guys-in-distress-database]

Random thought:

With Disney's current obsession over challenging their old tropes and more active heroines who take control of their destiny, why haven't we had a role-reversal fairy tale from them yet?

You know, like a heroic princess who saves a young man from an evil villain. Disney has a LOT of dudes in distress, no doubt, but not any who are rescued in the traditional "damsel" sense by their love interest. They always either rescue themselves or are helped by their sidekick or both. The closest is MAYBE Return to Neverland, but that's stretching the idea. I'm honestly surprised they have yet to make a movie that completely swaps the roles.

Hey! People obsessed with rewriting their favourite childhood movies and tropes as fantasy romance fiction on booktok! Get on it!

[twigsagi101]

Pov: you live in Distric 23. Lbctpn... a little Au I made up because I've been thinking about both Limbus and The Promised Neverland and noticed how many similarities they have in different ways.

I only did a few roughs and sketches for this. In the future I might make a fully rendered piece for this who knows? I'll probably spill my thoughts on this AU in a text post after this, but it's alot of fun to think about! Ofc I'll have to do some rewriting and smudge some of the characters personalities a bit but I'm just having fun. I don't normally make AUs either so it'll be a fun thing to learn?

[emytellsrandomstories]

Okayy hmmmm if I took this storytelling style:

And I was inspired by Lydia The Bard's proposal: A universe in which children were captured and taken to Neverland so that they would never stop believing in fairies...

(Check out the proposal in the video below)

...And so rewrite the Peter Pan play, transforming it into an alternative universe where, after Wendy's death, Peter fled to the mainland with a dead Wendy in his arms and, in revenge, "Tinker Belle" dominates Neverland using a dark magic powder, thus trapping the lost boys and then setting off in pursuit of Peter Pan on the mainland.But Peter would no longer be alone, as on his escape he would encounter a trio of abandoned children with tragic pasts and become attached to them, delivering magical treasures from Neverland so that they could use and help him save his friends and everyone from Neverland....

Would I be sued if I did this and posted it on YouTube?

Be nice to me, it's a genuine question.There are so many adaptations of the book out there, telling about Captain Hook or the villainous Peter, have they all really paid royalties? And the piece did not enter the public domain this year.

This would be just one of thousands of retellings of the story and, as a still unknown and independent artist who just wants to tell a story about grief and friendship, I ask myself: Will I get really screwed if I do this?

[kiirostarz]

The slightest mention of anything related to stars:

Me immediately:

How does this affect Wish/Star Darlings?

In Mirrorverse, two stars collided, giving rise to all these new universes that rewrite the destinies of the guardians. Also, this thing called 'Stellar Magic' is created and basically amplifies the powers and abilities of any Disney character... (I still believe it's any character because it's not just Pixar and Disney Animation. There are also other franchises that are even live-action..., the reference to Kingdom Hearts, etc...)

Including... Wish... including Star Darlings. That means Magnifico probably has to be 10 times stronger, and maybe in Starland, negativity has to be 10 times stronger than before... hmmm 🤔 interesting

I think being Magnifico, this already super powerful sorcerer, there wouldn't be a reason to continue with his original plan in the original timeline. Maybe in the Mirrorverse, Rosas is like the end of the movie, just without the happy ending. This is similar to Hook, according to Peter Pan's bio, or something I've been reading. In the Mirrorverse, Hook takes over Neverland, and Peter, Tink, and the Lost Boys are kind of like fugitives trying to get it back.

But there's also the other option, that being so powerful, it's too much for him. That happens to "the enchantress", who dies precisely because she can't control that power. Or he could be affected like the Evil Queen or Maleficent. The Evil Queen accidentally spreads the poison that was supposed to kill Snow White onto herself, so it's like she's slowly "dying", or something like that, and that's the new reason why she must have Snow White's heart (literally). And Maleficent is trapped between her witch version and her dragon version…

And the Star Darlings, being connected to the cosmos, are probably closer to fractured magic... In the manga of Belle, when Mickey appears, he says there was too much interference, and it's not until Belle and Adam 'eliminate the corrupted magic' that he can communicate with them.

I THINK SOMETHING LIKE THIS COULD HAPPEN WITH THEM. Being surrounded by corrupted magic, hearing wishes or having them reach them is much more complicated!

[gwenie-clorrisan]

Addressing Asha's AWFUL Accompanists

So the friend group in Wish is just drop-dead AWFUL. No character development, personalities, interactions, NOTHING. The only thing we got a little bit of was the references to the seven dwarves, which wasn't very hidden at all, being that they were the absolute essence for each of their characters.

Well, let's imagine the friend group a little differently, shall we?

We know that Asha becomes the fairy godmother from Cinderella at the end of the movie. That explains how she got the magic to do so: from Star.

But it's been bothering me, that there are several other people throughout the Disney universe that don't have explanations as to why their magical. Specifically OTHER FAIRIES.

Not the fairies in Neverland, since we know their a completely different species than humans, being born from human laughs, having their own society, and so forth. I'm talking about the fairies that are completely different from Tinker Bell and never get a second thought.

So, meet Asha's new friend group, all receiving their powers from Star, similar to Asha's, for their bravery and friendship with the main characters.

Cerulean: The Blue Fairy. From Pinochio (I don't think that's spelled right, but we'll roll with it).

Flora, Fauna, and Merriweather: The Three Fairies from Sleeping Beauty. Because unless Maleficent explained something about them that I missed as a result of never watching it (I want to though), they kinda just fell off the grid and were never heard from again.

And finally, Peter Pan. He was in the movie, but just as a glancing, sad cameo, that sucked all the life and joy out of him. Seriously, Disney, you failed us on that one. He can even have a moment where he's sad that Star's leaving, and Starboy can just turn to him and say:

"Don't worry, you always know where to find me. Second Star on the right. And straight on till morning."

AGH DISNEY WHY???

On that note, I want to rewrite the entirety of Wish, so stay tuned for snipettes and behind the scenes (or whatnot). Thank you for coming to my TedTalk, and I'll see you next time. XD

[crime-wives]

wip wednesday (totally not thursday)

thank you so much for the tag @sssammich :D

the first snip is from my supercorp rift fic in the format of the five stages of grief. this is from the denial section

Kara Danvers is Supergirl. It’s an ugly loop, constant record screeching in her mind. Louder every second. Her eyes fixed on the bloody corpse of her brother. Smoking gun heavy in her hand.  Lena feels a sickening, violent twist in her gut. It’s so blatantly obvious, how could she have ignored all the signs?  Denial, people see what they want to see.  . . She pastes a plastic smile on her face, wine bottle clutched like a lifeline. She laughs, and gestures, and says all the right things despite the fury that simmers beneath the surface. There’s a familiar ache lodged in her chest, splintering in all directions.  She looks into Kara’s soft blue eyes [insert something] . . Lena sells Catco to Andrea. If she’s honest, she only bought the company for Kara [rephrase + expand] . . It’s been two months since she found out and not a word from Kara. Baby blue eyes filled with trepidation when they fall on her.  Each interaction punctuated with a breathless Lena— Everytime Lena thinks maybe, maybe Kara will finally come clean.  She never does.

this is from my swan queen enemies with benefits fic

She’s furious, storming into the station when she sees Regina perched on her desk, legs crossed, expectant look on her face. And Emma just wants to- fuck, throw Regina against a wall and- She feels her mask slip, but only for a second. “Madam Mayor, what a nice surprise.”  A lazy smirk forms of her face, “Miss Swan, I was hoping we could discuss [insert thing that pisses emma off]” “You’re such a fucking pain in the ass.”  “The feeling is quite mutual.” And she’s so smug, that when she stands, brushing the non-existent lint off her pencil skirt (that somehow managed to ride several inches up her thighs) Emma can’t help but grab her shoulders and slam her into the nearest wall. The tiny gasp Regina let’s out is worth it. Regina looks up at her, pupils dilated, lips parted.  “Miss Swan! Unhand me this instant!” She does nothing to move, and her words lack their usual bite. In fact, her cheeks are flushed, her tongue darts out to wet her lips.  Emma feels a hand pressed against her stomach. Snaking further up her bare skin, ghosting the underside of her breast. Emma feels her body unwillingly lean closer. Close enough that she feels Regina’s breath on her lips.

another snip from a swan queen neverland rewrite (it may be added to the ewb fic lol)

“You sure you can do this?” Emma moves to lay a hand on Regina’s arm, offering comfort. She retreats, fingers outstretched midair, when Regina flinches. “After everything, after the—” Torture. “Of course I can,” Regina scoffs. “Henry is everything. I would do anything for him.” The devotion pours off her in waves. “I know you would.” The ship rocks, as they stare into inky water. It’s quiet, almost frighteningly so. The sounds of their breathing fills the air. “I would too, you know.” Regina raises an eyebrow. “Do anything for him. I would too.”

and finally, my meddison 2x04 wip

It’s inescapable, she’s a constant presence in the hospital. Copper red hair around every goddamn corner. Cutting jokes about threesomes and unexplainable kindness when Meredith’s best friend ends up on the OR table. God, Meredith hates her so much.  . . “Meredith, she gave me divorce papers. She filed,” Derek asserts. Voice bordering on patronizing.  “I know,” Meredith says. That shuts him up quickly. He tilts his head, baby blue eyes imploring gently. “She told me,” Meredith sighs. “Addison told you?” He shakes his head in disbelief. “I didn’t think you were on speaking terms.” “We’re not— It’s complicated Derek.” 

no pressure tags :) @emily-prentits @nostradamus0 @thecasualqueer @sillyfroggremlin @walshies @peridotglimmer @fazedlight @flyingpotstickers

[revoevokukil]

The Unpublished Ending of The Witcher 3

In 2014 The Witcher 3’s design documents leaked ahead of the game’s publishing. In 2021 the game’s source code and original story drafts escaped.

The Witcher 3 has a slapdash III Act. Battle with the Wild Hunt was supposed to take place in Novigrad. Avallac’h, instead of Eredin, was the “final boss.” Let’s talk about that.

In a follow-up to TW3 Story Leaks I asked for more details on the final twist and got them. I’ll include screenshots of the 2014 documents for correlation and comparison. Keep an eye on the witcher subreddits in February 2025 (current ETA) and on this user’s Nexus page for a compilation of the story changes The Witcher 3 underwent before the 2015 release. (Others have compiled such information in the past.)

Keep an eye on the witcher subreddits in February 2025 (current ETA) and on this user’s Nexus page.

---

It’s a public secret that in the course of development, The Witcher 3 changed considerably: CD Projekt Red toned down the maturity of the story, simplifying when they could not decide on their vision, did not wish to risk audience confusion, or could not find proper technical solutions. One of the casualties of the rewrites of The Witcher 3 was the plotline involving the Wild Hunt, the Aen Elle elves, and the wrap-up of the game.

In the finalé, Geralt would get the chance to stop Ciri from going through with a “ritual” in the elven tower on Undvik. He would consequently fight Avallac’h.

Fans have hypothesized about the nature of the final betrayal for years. The infamous double bottom, however, was supposed to be complicated because Avallac’h was supposed to have a good case for the “noble betrayal.” The player got to know his motives and relationship with Ciri much more thoroughly before the III Act.

For starters, UMA was going to be disenchanted in the I Act (q108) during Forefather’s Eve. The curse had two parts: one affecting the body, the other affecting the soul. (The (idea of) curses got reused in the Hearts of Stone DLC for the toad prince.) During Forefather’s Eve the player entered Avallac’h’s mind and witnessed his memories and fears for the future.

The memories included a conversation with Ge’els at Tir ná Lia, Auberon’s funeral, human slaves and least one unicorn, Avallac’h’s life, struggles, fears for the future (a frozen Vizima & Ciri dead), and relationship with Ciri. Valuable background information¹ for understanding CDPR’s interpretation and development of Avallac’h’s character and bond with Ciri — lost. Much to the book readers’ chagrin in particular. It would have made the final twist more difficult for the player. In particular since the betrayal was supposed to be a noble one.

Here is a reference to the “noble betrayal” in the storyboard section (2014 leaks):

Here is what the person analysing the story changes told me when I first inquired about the ending of The Witcher 3 that never was.

Ritual? One that requires a DOUBLE SACRIFICE!? 👀👀 One that requires self-sacrifice from Avallac’h? So. Many. Thoughts!

First, what is the “ritual” for, and what does it entail?

Is the White Frost as in the published TW3 or is the endgame something totally different? Are we still in the “save all worlds from eventual freezing” scenario (a book retcon) or not?

If the “ritual” is played straight then CDPR gave Avallac’h’s character a “noble” but fatalistic interpretation from start to finish.

If the “ritual” is a ruse, a cover for something unknown (a sequel?), then this would dovetail with the “Ciri missing” ending in both the published game and in Andrzej Sapkowski’s books:

Perhaps death is not an inevitability, but abduction and/or permanent or temporary departure from Sapkowski’s Neverland is?

In the published game, the player can hear Ciri’s mumblings abroad the ship on Skellige: “What if tomorrow I will disappear for good? Maybe then no one close to me will have to die anymore.” Aside exposing us to Ciri’s state of mind, it could be the voicelines are remnants of an earlier draft and point toward one possible ending; with Avallac’h “helping” Ciri disappear forever.

Secondly, it really hammers home the narrative of Geralt & Avallac’h competing over whose influence and philosophy on Ciri wins out. The Greater Good or “if this is what it take to save the world, better let it die.” It also underscores what Avallac’h expressed in The Tower of the Swallow, “…someone else will help her now. you cannot be so arrogant to think that the girl’s destiny is exclusively bound to you.”

Thirdly, the double-sacrifice.

Dying together with the last soul anchoring you to your memories of perhaps the happiest (and saddest time) of your life while saving the sentient life of the universe sounds pretty tragic or tragi-romantic: after everything to end it (and the Elder Blood line with it); for the greater good.

Somewhat twistedly this may mirror Lara and Cregennan (died in the name of peace between races; if that was true).

Moreover Ciri — who, as we will learn in a moment, is there willingly actually — AGREES to Avallac’h’s intentions by default. Ciri’s idealism, but also her unwillingness to let others suffer and die in her place when she could do something about is something that the player should realise during the game.

And while Elder Blood may be needed for special feats (though Avallac’h also carries Elder Blood), I would like to think that in case this “ritual” is played straight there may be an element of “in the end, you don’t have to be alone when you go.” Oddly befitting, in my eyes, for an elf associated with the Afterlife.

A lot to think about. But it gets better!

I have taken the liberty of adding who says what as I understand this, since the Polish text is in the impersonal voice.

323576|00000000|| [DEBUG] (Avallac'h) Greets the witcher grimly, he hoped the witcher would not follow them. 323578|00000000|| [DEBUG] (Geralt) Tells him to free Ciri. 323580|00000000|| [DEBUG] (Avallac'h) Replies that Ciri is here of her own free will. 323582|00000000|| [DEBUG] (Ciri) Confirms Avallach's words. (Ciri) Explains to Geralt that they fled Novigrad surreptitiously knowing that Geralt would never agree to Avallach's plan. 323584|00000000|| [DEBUG] (Ciri or Avallac’h explaining) Tells Geralt what his plan is all about. He (Avallac’h) doesn't care about power, he just wants to stop the cataclysm that is the white cold. 323586|00000000|| [DEBUG] (Geralt) Asks what this ritual is about. 323588|00000000|| [DEBUG] (Avallac'h) Says that he must sacrifice his life and Ciri's. Only the elder blood can close the passages between worlds. Geralt’s CHOICE: 323590|00000000|| [DEBUG] Convince Ciri to give up her plan. 323592|00000000|| [DEBUG] Allow the ritual to be completed. Convincing Ciri: 323594|00000000|| [DEBUG] (Geralt) Convinces Ciri that the plan is madness. It's unclear if Avallach is right, and even if he is, the cataclysm could be hundreds of years away. There must be another, better solution. 323596|00000000|| [DEBUG] (Ciri) Allows himself to be convinced by Geralt, apologises to Avallach. 323598|00000000|| [DEBUG] (Avallac'h) States with sadness in his voice that he cannot let them do this. The cause is too important and too much depends on it to squander it in the name of selfish motives. Moving on to the fight. Agreeing to the Ritual: 323600|00000000|| [DEBUG] (Geralt) Agrees sadly that the cause is noble and Ciri has the right to decide her fate. 323602|00000000|| [DEBUG] (Avallac'h) Thanks the witcher. States that he has taught him a great deal about the human race and that he has judged people too hastily in the past. He bids farewell to the witcher. 323604|00000000|| [DEBUG] (Ciri) Bids farewell to Geralt. Combat Dialogue (?): 323607|00000000|| [DEBUG] (Avallac'h) States that he doesn't want to hurt the witcher but will if he has to. 323609|00000000|| [DEBUG] (Geralt) Replies that he could say the same. 323612|00000000|| [DEBUG] (Geralt) Declares that it is not too late to stop this madness. 323614|00000000|| [DEBUG] (Geralt) Replies that in that case Avallach should let them go. 323616|00000000|| [DEBUG] (Avallac'h) States irritably that the witcher is stubborn as all dhoine. 323619|00000000|| [DEBUG] (Avallac'h) Exclaims to the witcher that enough is enough. If the witcher does not come to his senses, Avallach will have to kill him.

What do we learn?

For one, the ritual is still for the retconned White Frost, and it necessitates the closing of passages between worlds. Elder Blood is used to close the passages, implying, perhaps, that the “special individuals” who were able to move freely in the multiverse (e.g. Ciri, the Sages, unicorns) may have invited CDPR’s rendition of the cosmic White Frost in the first place. Further, we can't be certain no deception is involved in the aftermath of the "ritual." (Would Tor Gvalch'ca still serve as a Threshold of Time, would they both still enter it?) Hence there is still some cause to theorize that if Ciri remains missing/presumed dead then she might not actually be dead as some other shenanigans go down off-screen. Finally, this unused ending is wholly about Geralt vs Avallac’h, and their philosophies. The bet boils down to Geralt’s trust or distrust in the sincerity of Avallac’h’s intentions, and to how the player has read the story: is the tale about saving the (impersonal) world/universe or is it about saving (our) beloveds. Which is more important? How broad (in time and space) is your decision scope?

Notably, Ciri’s own choice in this unused ending is entirely subject to the decisions, intuitions, and wants of another (Geralt, the player). If Geralt objects, Ciri changes her mind and aligns with Geralt. If Geralt agrees, Ciri remains in Avallac’h’s sphere of influence (and we can argue about whether this is also her own default position but the point is that functionally Ciri’s fate is being wielded; in contrast to the published game where she enters the Tower no matter what). By default, Ciri and Avallac’h leave Novigrad together and in secret, and Ciri is prepared to sacrifice herself in the Tower. She is not on Undvik against her will. It’s her resolute idealism, amply demonstrated in the books, that the elf is relying on. Avallac’h expresses as much in the published The Witcher 3 too, clashing with Geralt over how well either of them reads Ciri (Geralt says Ciri gets her “fire” from her father, but Avallac’h objects: Emhyr is a pragmatist, Ciri an idealist).

It’s only after Geralt — through his bond with Ciri — tries convincing Ciri to abandon the idea that the “betrayal” comes into play: Avallac’h cannot take this no at this moment for an answer. Geralt interferes with what Ciri herself has already decided (as Geralt notes in case he agrees to the “ritual”). A fate, a Plan, that Avallac’h has worked painstakingly to bring into fruition is to be foiled by a mortal mutant (another echo of Cregennan?). It’s at this stage that Avallac’h is no longer willing to give Ciri a choice. Believing, probably, that Geralt — like Cregennan — is interfering out of pure selfishness; that Geralt’s kind of love, in the grand scheme of things, is selfish.

It’s really interesting how this unused ending can echo the entire Crevan-Lara-Cregennan configuration from the books. The notion of “selfish” and “unselfish” love, for example. In what scale, you might want to ask? Geralt is not wont to believe in prophecies or the ability of individuals to alter the course of history for “its own good”; he will not believe Ciri — a girl who has suffered tremendously and has been the object of everyone else’s desires for power — should have to sacrifice her life for those others. Cregennan probably had, or benefitted from, a similar “follow your heart” mindset. It depends on how you look at it: individual freedom and hope that things will work out anyway, or duty and hope that things will not go badly despite of it. Essentially, the clash is a clash of philosophies for how to deal with prophecies and problems that are bigger than the individual. Who decides? Why them? Are we sure?

Geralt’s viewpoint, among these three characters, is the “normal one.” Avallac’h’s is that of a mystic; he sees time totally. In CDPR’s interpretation, he is also a character who selflessly (?) seeks the Greater Good; his dialogue reflects sadness, reluctance, and even newly-found respect for Geralt and humanity (true, the latter only when Geralt acquiesces). Ciri’s point of view is also that of a mystic and a legend, given both her visions and powers; in this respect, she relates to Avallac’h in a way that Geralt can never understand. But Geralt’s and Ciri’s bond is also something that Avallac’h cannot replicate. And Geralt, who loves Ciri for her own sake alone, somehow loves her selfishly? Well, from Avallac’h’s point of view, yes; in interrupting, Geralt refuses to take a stance on what Avallac’h sees as ultimate Evil. Ciri, famously, always wants to stand against Evil. That’s the Fox’s hook, and it may well be an unintentional one. If the prescient powers of the Aen Saevherne are real then they are unable to close their eyes to things that Geralt can close his eyes to. Consult your Frank Herbert. Therefore Geralt’s love for Ciri, by which all he wishes for her is peace and happiness at last, is blind; blind in how only a parent’s love can be. It reckons with the universe’s unknowns and says, I don’t know, and it reaches for his experiences with men and power and says, I don’t trust them, and so Geralt finds that there must always be another, kinder solution toward the beloved individual. By contrast, if the future can be known and the lives of millions, born and unborn, are set above all, then individual, temporal love pales; no matter how it can hurt or no matter what joy it can bring. A loving act in that case can merely alleviate rather than put a stop to the pain that is seen as inevitable, lest there be even greater pain.

How great a moral duty can even be set on an individual?

I don’t think, however, that Avallac’h was ever intended to be a clear-cut “villain” at the end of The Witcher 3. It does not follow from the way he was written in either the books or the game.

His dialogue is laced with sadness and regret. Not to say that before the III Act the player was meant to get deeper insight into Avallac’h’s reasoning, life, and motives. The choice at the end was supposed to be difficult on account of knowing our opponent better, but also because of knowing Ciri better.

I will say that I like The Witcher 3’s published ending more on account of Ciri’s decision over entering the tower remaining wholly her own. Again, we can argue about the nature of Avallac’h’s influence on her, but if so, then it seems The Witcher 3 currently gives the answer as to what Ciri would decide for: to help. To fight and not run away. Geralt’s success, as a father, is in giving reason for Ciri to return home. No more.

On the other hand, in the published ending, we are not given a real choice as a player to trust Ciri. We are put before the fact that she will do what she will do. We will only have an odd effect on whether or not she returns. In the unpublished version, however, the player has an opportunity to stop Ciri. The player can choose not to trust Ciri’s judgement and character. Consequently the decision to “save her” may actually feel bad and, hence, hit harder, as we intervene and are not allowing Ciri to choose for herself. (You might argue though, that if this was the intended meaning, the writing may have made Ciri protest instead of allowing Geralt to sway her.) It might be that in letting the “ritual” procede, in letting Ciri choose self-sacrifice, the player is asked to accept Ciri staying true to her uncompromising character. In an incredibly painful manner.

Footnotes

¹ The players lost out on background information on the Aen Elle and Eredin in general, since another significant questline that got removed involved Geralt and Avallac’h infiltrating Naglfar in order to convince Caranthir to betray Eredin. Furthermore, the player was supposed to experience Geralt’s time with the Wild Hunt during Geralt’s dream sequences.