#obvs the show doesn't show it well cause its not about them but THE SUBTEXT

[floralovebot]

is there anyone in the group they treat as the younger sibling? for both the winx and specialists?

oh cute!!

For the winx,,, I feel like it's Bloom! I kind of wanted to say they could all fit that role but honestly I don't think that's true most of the time. It's obvious that they all care for each other and that if one of them needed more care and attention they would get it, but I think the majority of the time, it's Bloom. At first, it's because she's just so new to everything and they actually need to watch over her a bit more. Later on I do think this gets lessened a bit but Bloom herself isn't against getting a little babied and I think characters like Stella and Flora genuinely like to do it.

At the same time though! I feel like it also kind of depends on the character? Like Stella definitely babies Bloom a bit meanwhile Bloom tends to baby Flora more while Flora often watches over Musa! You know what I mean? While Bloom def fits that "younger sibling" role a lot, I feel like everyone has that One person that they baby more than the others. Honestly, all of the winx baby each other it's just in their blood they're so in love and so fond of each other like

For the specialists... this feels harder since I honestly don't think it's any of them. They all have complexes about that kind of thing and they usually end up feeling worse when it happens so I really don't think any of them would get treated like a younger sibling Most Of The Time.

But... if I really had to choose, I'd say Timmy! It's ironic since I also called him the mom of the group but out of all of them, I think the younger sibling role genuinely fits him the most. Timmy tends to get upset quicker and take more things to heart so the guys are often more careful around him. They're also a lot quicker to defend him and reassure him compared to some of the others. You can also see this dynamic in their cuter moments - like Brandon teasing Timmy or Riven trying his hardest to offer advice/comfort.

But again, this never goes too far since Timmy also has a complex about getting treated like he's lesser or just Not Equal. And obviously that "younger sibling" role isn't an inherently negative one (it's usually very cute and heartwarming) but the specialists are often more likely to see it as a negative. They really do prefer treating each other as equals and not letting anyone fall into a younger sibling/baby of the group kind of position since that usually makes them feel underappreciated and not respected.

[yourfatherjustinmcelroy]

Okay I realized I should maybe have elaborated on the "she constructed her party to mirror the bad kids" thing because I forgot that was a theory I made up in my head and not objective truth lmao

I was thinking about the control that she maintains on her life and the people around her, as well as her obsession with the bad kids that extended to long before she got rage star'd. While yes, her adventuring party did form on the first day of school like everyone else- they were not always like this. Ruben used to be an indie kid. Oisin used to be like, nerdy iirc. Surface level stuff we've seen, but there's a huge jump in personality that happens from freshman year to junior year. We saw it with the bad kids even, that was a whole thing in the marketing of the new season. I can just so clearly see Kipperlily, newly full of external divine rage, seething with jealousy and hate and trying to reconstruct something similar to what the bad kids effortlessly seem to have. And then she improves upon them in the clearest ways she sees fit. It's quite easy to imagine her feeling like shes constructing all these parallels between her group and the bad kids when in reality she's just pushing at things and grasping at straws.

Like, we can kinda break it down:

Their tank is quiet and sort of hard to read? Great, we already have that in the bag. Only thing is gorgug has an unfailing niceness/politeness... we'll just get rid of that in our new and improved version. And it worked- Gorgug fuckin hates Mary Ann and she gets under his skin in a way she doesnt for anyone else.

Their bard is an alt kid with a huge influence through their music? Easy. Ruben, youre a fuckin emo kid now. Sorry! I don't make the rules! Except I do. We're gonna do it like them but do it better. We're even gonna sign with the exact same record label. You will do what she did but better and to a higher degree than she ever did. And hey- Kipperlily wouldnt know it but god damn does Fig spend a lot of downtime fucking with ruben.

Their wizard is soooo fucking important, she's the ORACLE for gods sake... well fine. Our wizard is important too. An heir to a dragon hoard. Has family ties with THE same dragon the Bad Kids once tussled with. Great- similar and nerdy enough in text, and in subtext we crank up the charisma- sorry oisin you need to get charismatic now. A growth spurt doesnt make you muscular- time and energy does. Thats intention. Similar vibe for Ivy- Fabian is popular, rich, and a big fucking deal- so you need to become the same flavour of sociable. Aloof, popular, big idgaf energy. Constructing not their mirrors but their foils, perfectly matched wielding social convention. And it worked to different degrees- Fabian feeling pressured to seem cool in front of and trying to show up for Ivy in the first half of the schhol year. Adaine kind of having a crush on Oisin the whole time up until now, distracting her from any traps laid- nobody would suspect a thing.

Buddy Dawn feels clearer than any others. He is the life kristen left. He is the height of her former potential. I can imagine kipperlily clapping her hands with glee because oh my god its soooo perfect.

I feel like I dont have to explain the link between kipperlilly and riz- brennan does a good enough job of that.

Anyway, thats a very long-winded explanation of this "theory". It doesn't really change much in the way you interpret the story, its just a little bit of possibility to insert into a hypothetical backstory. It probably wasnt all her doing, since the rest of her party does have agency and is similarly united in their cause, I can see how they would kind of start emulating the bad kids naturally. But doesn't it totally seem like some shit she'd do? Something she would try to "mastermind" under the guise of being the "group leader"?

Anyway just food for thought, obvs u dont have to agree to enjoy the original post but just thought I'd put it in writing here.

Rewatching the first few episodes of fhjy because i guess i have nothing better to do and the way you can see how kibblespilly was supposed to be a counter to riz is so fucking funny. Its all there from the very beginning- the attitude, the tactics, the way she interacts with the party and everything- this is supposed to be riz's counterpart to run against him for student body president and have a terrible battle of wits and barbs

But in a twist that is perhaps THE most befitting to her ideal story of running against the boy she chose to be her antagonist, the intrepid heroes just straight up not taking the bait resulting in her instead having to go toe to toe against her idealized perfect rival's aggressive near-flunkie unsubtle chaotic friend is SO FUNNY.

Like I know some people are disappointed we dont get the riz vs kipperlily presidential whatever, I know it doesnt make tons of sense in that specific narrative way. But the fucking hilarious meta that even this didnt go her way is so funny. Because instead of rogue sneaking and behind the shadows plays and spy vs spy shit, we have just outward schoolyard taunts and shit like kristen exploding and jumping over the school and the exact kind of play that baits kipperlily into rage every single time and its so fucking funny. Kristen runs naked through the school and does party stunts and is STILL BEATING HER. She even clearly constructed her party to mirror the bad kids perfectly and craft each of them their own nemesis/counterpart and for the most part it like kind of worked EXCEPT FOR HER.

It must drive her fucking crazy that her cute little plot of rogue vs rogue didnt pan out at fucking all despite ALL the signs pointing to that making the most sense. This was something she just couldnt predict, couldnt mastermind. She got up onto that metaphorical stage for a debate and instead was met with a clowning act. Its so funny. I love fantasy high. Nothing you could have done would have changed this, fourdogs. You never had any power at all.