#oz franchise

[witchesoz]

Oz: What are the Famous Forty?

What are the « Famous Forty »?

Well, you must know by now that L. Frank Baum ended up writing fourteen Oz book, forming a series starting in 1900 and ending in 1920. The thing is, Reilly &Lee, the publishing house of Baum, knew very well how successful and popular the Oz series was, and refused to let it die with its creator. They hired new authors that became “Royal Oz Historians” and they were allowed to continue the Oz series – resulting in a total of forty “official” and “canon” book forming the full Oz series, as published by Reilly & Lee.

After Baum’s death, the publishing house put the Oz series in the care of Ruth Plumly Thompson. She ushered the second Oz era, by writing 19 Oz books, starting in 1921 and ending in 1939. Ruth Thompson style is quite different from the one of Baum: most notably, she tried to turn the Oz world into a more “classic fairytale” universe, by going a bit away from Baum’s innovations and novelties (for example, she turned the “Nomes” into “Gnomes”). Baum never had any male hero – Ruth had almost only male heroes. She was the one who introduced the most of the male protagonists of Oz, and she also had a greater focus on romance, weddings and royalty than Baum, a lot of her protagonists being princes and ending up married by the end of her novels. As a result, her books are quite controversial – for example, not everyone agrees with her decision to consider the Good Witch of the North’s old age a “curse” brought to her by enemies, that needs to be lifted so she can leave her job as the benevolent magic ruler of a region to become the pretty princess married to the kind of a city. But her presence in the Oz landscape stays very strong.

While she stopped participating in the Famous Forty in the 30s, she ended up releasing two more Oz books in the 70s: “Yankee in Oz” in 1972, and “The Enchanted Island of Oz” in 1976.

By this point, there were 33 Oz books.

The next official Oz historian was John R. Neill. He actually had participated in the Famous Forty before – he was the official Oz illustrator. He started illustrating the books with Baum’s “The Marvelous Land of Oz”, taking over from W. W. Denslow, and he ended up illustrating all of Baum’s and Thompson’s books. John Neill wrote three books for the Famous Forty, between 1940 and 1942: “The Wonder City of Oz”, “The Scalawagons of Oz” and “Lucky Bucky in Oz”. He actually had written a fourth Oz book for the Forty, but while he wrote it before his death he did not had time to illustrate it. The manuscript was however kept by his widow, and while not part of the Famous Forty, it was published in 1995, illustrated by Eric Shanower: “The Runaway in Oz”.

Neill’s take on Oz has been described as more… “manic”. Basically he had a children book illustrator’s mind when dealing with Oz, resulting in strong exaggerations – such as each quadrant of Oz being entirely of their associated color (from the sky to the skin color of people), or literally everything being alive in Oz, including houses.

After John Neill’s death, the next Oz Historian was Jack Snow. He was an avid fan of Baum’s writing as a child – in fact, when Baum died, Jack Snow offered to become the next Historian of Oz. It did not work, because he was only twelve years old at the time, but he ended up becoming the fourth Historian. He wrote two books for the Famous Forty: “The Magical Mimics of Oz” in 1946, and “The Shaggy Man of Oz” in 1949. It was rumored he had planned a third book, “Over the Rainbow to Oz”, but no manuscript was ever found. Snow wanted to return to a sort of Baum “fundamentalism”, by ignoring all the books of the previous Oz Historians and continuing right after Baum’s original books. Outside of his Oz writings, Snow was also a writer of ghost and horror stories for “Weird Tales”, and he notably produced a very daring short story – “A Murder in Oz”, trying to tie his two passions together by exploring the issue of the separate entities of Tip and Ozma. You must guess that the Oz editors refused to have such a story published, but it was eventually released by The Baum Bugle (the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, that started in 1957 and is still being published). Jack Snow also wrote “Who’s Who in Oz” in 1954, an extensive guide to all the characters in the Oz books. While the book was praised at the time and is still an important source of information, by now many have pointed several irregularities due to Jack Snow visibly misreading some of the characters (or simply losing track after reading 39 books in a row).

So, we are at a total of 38 books now. Only two were missing to form the Famous Forty.

The 39th book was written by Rachel R. Cosgrove: “The Hidden Valley of Oz”, released in 1951. She had written a second Oz book in 1954, “The Wicked Witch of Oz”, which tackled the issue of the missing Wicked Witch of the South, but she could not publish it, since Reilly & Lee considered the Oz books were not selling well anymore and wanted to close the series. The novel ended up however released by the International Wizard of Oz Club in 1993, illustrated by Eric Shanower. Rachel Cosgrove was notable for dismissing any kind of adult fan of Oz – she explained in the documentary “Oz: The American Fairyland” that she considered Oz to be a series for kids, that should not be enjoyed by adults.

The last book of the Famous Forty was “Merry Go Round in Oz”, released in 1963, and written by a collaboration: Eloise Jarvis McGraw and Lauren Lynn McGraw (mother and daughter). The two published another Oz book in 1980 (The Forbidden Fountain of Oz), while Eloise published on her own “The Rundelstone of Oz” in 2000.

There. These are the Famous Forty Oz book, the “complete official series”.

After that, the International Wizard of Oz Club published several books: as I mentioned they published the books of Ruth Thompson that were not included in the Famous Forty, as well as “The Forbidden Fountain” of the McGraw duo and “The Wicked Witch of Oz” of Rachel Cosgrove.

To these already mentioned book you can add “The Ozmapolitan of Oz”, a 1986 book by Dick Martin ; and two books by Gina Wickwar, “The Hidden Prince of Oz” in 2000 and “Toto of Oz” in 2006.

Finally, The L. Frank Baum Family Trust authorized an author named Sherwood Smith to publish new Oz books, declaring them officially canon. With this authorization, Smith wrote a trilogy between 2005 and 2014: “The Emerald Wand of Oz”, “Trouble Under Oz” and “Sky Pyrates Over Oz”.

These are all the books that could be considered “canon”.

Of course there’s always one more; the “orthodox sequels”. Books that try their best to be sequels or continuations of the official Oz books and their canon, but were not officially recognized as canon. There are several of them, starting in 1985 with James Howe’s “Mr. Tinker in Oz” and ending with “A Nightmare in Oz”, published in 2020 by David M. Keyes. A lot of them were made by members of Baum’s family, though there is a debate as to whether they should be considered “orthodox sequels” or rather “alternate Oz” books, but that’s for another time.

[theosb0rnway]

Holy CRAP it's the 28th anniversary of the orignial Woodsboro Massacre in Scream 1996 (and Maureen Prescott's death in 1995) --

Fun fact, just like today, the massacre would've taken place on a Friday evening into Saturday morning! Stu chose a nice time to host a party-

Happy Scream Anniversary for those who celebrate!! 🖤

Time to put on all my Ghostface gear, grab some popcorn, and enjoy the original film!

[hamasapien]

“Ah, and when I return, I will find her. For sure. Another key of ours, Dorothy.”

[lopposting]

about the wizard of oz sequel

I have no idea how they're going to handle it.

I know that, almost definitely, they will be basing it off the public domain book, and not the movie. but the production of the movie was very infamously a nightmare. And I think it's going to be very difficult to not acknowledge the movie at all.

[They've already implicitly referenced the movie with the ruby slippers, which do not appear in the book]

TW sensitive IRL content under cut, at your discretion.

the original actor for the Tin man was hospitalized from poisoning from the silver dust used for the costume

the "snow" in the movie is just pure asbestos (actors died of cancer later in life)

Margaret Hamilton (Wicked witch) was severely burned (2nd-3rd degree) when a trap door failed to open on time and the flames went up during filming. She never sued because it would ruin her career. (Ironically she was also the only cast member Judy would say was ever kind to her on set)

16 year old Judy Garland (Dorothy) was pretty much tortured on set and it deeply affected the rest of her life. She will never ever be forgotten.

I didn't go into a lot of detail here. I hope they can honour her in some way. I totally don't think it's their responsibility to or anything, but I'm just expecting it to happen in some way. Even just listening to the song now and knowing some of what was happening in reality is extremely sad. It's surreal.

[darkfictionjude]

Another Wizard of Oz ask:

Would the RO's accept to watch the 1939 movie with MC? How would they react if MC sings every song as they watch the movie (and not just singing as in the stress reliever manner, but like actual proper musical singing)?

Imre: he’d accept he likes technicolor films. And would think it adorable if mc sang

Nia: would say yes but would start getting annoyed if mc doesn’t stop singing because she’s trying to listen to the movie not mc. And even then musical aren’t her thing

Lorcan: would say yes and wouldn’t get mad at the singing but not understand why mc does it. He likes their voice though

[autisticsupervillain]

It's Fictional Throwdown Friday!

This Week's Fighters...

Nonbinary Battle Royale!

Conditions:

No restrictions.

Scenario:

Popeye is selling some of his spinach at the mall in town. An enthusiastic Kirby inhales his entire stock without being able to pay for it, egging Popeye on into starting a fight. Frisk attempts to break up the brawl, only to get sucked into. Oz happens to be going on a date with Calculester nearby, when the robot sees what's happening and expresses his distaste for all the violence. Seeing an opportunity to impress their boyfriend, Oz leaps in to stop the fight themselves.

[spiritb0x]

I started watching Um, Actually and I love when the contestants just make up things when they’re asked to elaborate

[ijobcom]

By shopping through our link, you unlock exclusive deals and extra discounts you won’t find anywhere else. https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_EzJV4ql

[s0nia246]

Something I did for fun. Radiance/ Y/N's stats for if she was in Shrek 2 the video.

Her special is basically Ayato's Burst from Genshin Impact

I love this game. 😊

[watchnrant]

Agatha All Along Episode 4: Easter Eggs & References

If I Can’t Reach You / Let My Song Teach You

A Melody of Connection

In this episode, the witches’ ballad we’ve heard so far gets an emotional boost with additional lyrics added by Lorna Wu, which also serve as the episode’s title. . The powerful line, “If I Can’t Reach You, Let My Song Teach You,” deepens the narrative and adds a rich layer of meaning. This lyric beautifully captures the themes of connection and communication, reflecting the struggles and desires of the witches as they navigate their challenges.

By weaving in these new lyrics, the episode pays tribute to Lorna Wu’s legacy while enriching Alice’s journey, tying her past to her present. It’s a poignant reminder of how music can transcend generations, showcasing the enduring power of song in the world of witchcraft.

Rio’s Hand Emerges Like The Evil Dead

A Homage to Sam Raimi’s Cult Classic

Rio’s hand emerging from the ground visually mirrors the iconic scene from Sam Raimi’s The Evil Dead (1981), where a hand bursts from the grave. This moment not only pays homage to the cult classic’s blend of horror and dark humor but also reinforces the eerie and supernatural tone of Rio’s character. The reference cleverly ties into Raimi’s signature horror style, which he recently brought to the MCU in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, connecting his influence across both franchises. This Easter egg serves as a nod to Raimi’s impact on horror cinema and his ongoing role within the MCU.

Rio Vidal Skips Down The Witches Road 

Just Like Wizard of Oz

A green witch was summoned to the Witches Road by the coven at the beginning of Agatha All Along episode 4 and is how Rio Vidal joins the coven on the road. 

Instantly ready to go, Rio is seen skipping and whistling down the Road as the others look on. As such, it's a clear reference to The Wizard of Oz and traveling down the classic yellow brick road.

The Second Moon Door: A Gateway to Growth

A Symbol of Transformation

The Second Moon Door emerges as a powerful visual marker as the witches arrive at the second house containing their next trial. Framed by the waxing moon, this door embodies the essence of growth and development—a theme that resonates deeply within various magical traditions. The waxing moon is all about manifestation and building energy, perfectly reflecting Alice’s journey as she faces her emotions and strives for personal evolution during her trial.

As the Teen confirms, this door features the “fire phase,” tying back to the first house and trial, which showcased a full moon design representing the “water phase.” This connection emphasizes the different elemental powers that the witches must navigate. The incorporation of the fire phase highlights Alice’s identity as a fire witch, underscoring the intensity of her challenges and the transformative journey ahead. It serves as a reminder that embracing her inner strength is essential for confronting her past.

The presence of these moon phases isn’t just decorative; it’s a rich tapestry that weaves together the witches’ connection to lunar magic with Alice’s unique trials. It emphasizes that to truly embrace her fire abilities, Alice must also allow space for personal growth. This symbolic interplay deepens the narrative, creating an engaging blend of witchcraft, elemental power, and character development that resonates throughout the Witches’ Road.

Agatha All Along Episode 4’s Major 70s Rock Vibes and Symbolic Fashion Choices

The Coven’s Style: Fashion Hits All the Right Notes

In Episode 4 of Agatha All Along, the coven’s clothing takes center stage, drawing heavily from iconic 70s fashion trends to visually connect each character’s powers and personalities with the cultural zeitgeist of that era. The 70s-inspired looks are not just a nod to the era’s counterculture and musical movements but also act as reflections of the characters’ internal journeys and magical abilities, enhancing the thematic depth of the episode.

Alice’s Counterculture Nod and Rebellious Spirit

Bell-Bottoms & Fire Power

Alice’s outfit, complete with bell-bottoms and round glasses, reflects the most recognizable trends of the 1970s, particularly those associated with youth rebellion and the counterculture. Bell-bottoms, a staple of the disco and hippie movements, symbolize a carefree, expressive lifestyle. This fashion choice aligns with Alice’s independent and rebellious nature, as well as her fiery powers and emotional journey, visually reinforcing her internal struggles.

Agatha and Rio’s Glam Rock Personas

Embodying David Bowie’s Glam Style

Agatha and Rio embrace the glam rock fashion of the 70s, a trend defined by bold, flamboyant styles featuring metallic fabrics, bright colors, and dramatic makeup. Artists like David Bowie and T. Rex popularized this over-the-top aesthetic. Both characters’ outfits mirror this theatrical fashion, symbolizing their larger-than-life personas and powerful roles within the coven. Agatha’s dramatic flair and villainous presence are enhanced by the glam rock influence, while Rio’s edgy, glamorous attire hints at her mysterious, possibly death-related powers, adding to her enigmatic role within the coven.

Jennifer’s Bohemian Connection to Nature

Rooted in Earth and Healing Magic

Jennifer’s flowing, bohemian garments reflect the earthy, free-spirited fashion of the 70s. This style emphasized natural fabrics and a connection to the Earth, aligning with Jennifer’s powers rooted in healing and nature. Her bohemian look evokes freedom and wisdom, qualities that reinforce her mystical role as a root worker and her deep connection to the divine feminine.

Patti LuPone’s Liza Minnelli Tribute

A Homage to Cabaret’s Glamorous Star

Patti LuPone’s sharp, tailored outfit, paired with a wide-brimmed hat, is a clear homage to Liza Minnelli’s iconic look from the 1972 film Cabaret. Known for her bold, sleek fashion and performance-oriented style, Minnelli’s influence is a fitting choice for Patti’s character, who exudes theatrical flair and a commanding presence. This nod to cabaret culture and the world of performance further ties Patti’s character to the musical themes explored within the show.

Lorna Wu and the Coral Shore’s Fleetwood Mac Influence

Boho Rock Aesthetic Meets Magic

Lorna Wu and her band, Coral Shore, draw significant inspiration from Fleetwood Mac, both musically and stylistically. Fleetwood Mac’s signature 70s style, particularly Stevie Nicks’ bohemian, flowing garments, is reflected in Lorna’s wardrobe. The other band members also embrace elements of 70s rock and boho fashion, grounding the show in the aesthetic of one of the era’s most influential musical acts. This further ties into the episode’s ongoing homage to 70s music culture, adding layers of authenticity to the visual storytelling.

Symbolism of Their Clothing Reflecting Their Powers

Fashion That Speaks to Their Magic

Beyond just style, each character’s 70s-inspired outfit serves as a subtle reflection of their powers and personalities, providing a deeper connection between their magical abilities and their visual identities:

Alice’s Rebellion and Fire: Her bold accessories and bell-bottoms emphasize her fiery powers and rebellious spirit, visually reinforcing her emotional journey.

Jennifer’s Earthy Bohemian Look: Her flowing, bohemian style mirrors her connection to nature and healing, portraying her as a wise and grounded figure.

Agatha’s Dramatic Glam Rock: Agatha’s glam rock outfit highlights her dominant presence, magical prowess, and flair for the theatrical, fitting her powerful and larger-than-life persona.

Rio’s Mysterious Edge: Rio’s edgy, glamorous look hints at her possibly death-related powers, contributing to her enigmatic and powerful role within the coven.

Lilia’s Subtle Pink Foreshadowing: Lilia’s use of pink and nature motifs, particularly the pink leaves seen on the Witches’ Road, foreshadow her upcoming trial. This symbolizes her confrontation with witch stereotypes and hints at her future “good witch” persona, traditionally associated with pink, while commenting on society’s perceptions of witches.

Drop Beat Magazine is a Nod to DownBeat Magazine

A Clever Parody with Musical Roots

The Drop Beat magazine shown in the episode is a clever parody of DownBeat, a real-life jazz and music publication that has been a staple in the industry for decades. This reference not only pays homage to the influential magazine but also aligns with the show’s ongoing use of musical themes to enrich its narrative and characters. By incorporating Drop Beat, the episode reinforces how deeply embedded music is in the world of the characters, using it as a tool to symbolize identity, culture, and the artistic struggles they face. It adds an authentic layer to the setting, grounding the fictional world in a recognizable, real-world musical tradition.

Lilia’s Premonitions Persist

Lilia exclaims, “Alice! Don’t!”

Once again, Lilia has an unexpected outburst, hinting at a possible glimpse of future events yet to unfold.

Lilia’s seemingly spontaneous and panicked plea, “Alice, don’t!” appears to foreshadow a pivotal moment in Alice’s journey through the Witches’ Road trials. The urgency in Lilia’s voice suggests she’s experiencing a vision of impending danger or a critical decision that Alice will soon confront. This cryptic warning implies that whatever Lilia foresaw could drastically alter the course of Alice’s future.

Salem Witch Trials Paintings 

The Torment of Witches Long Gone

While exploring the house, Lilia discovers a series of unsettling painted murals. Each one portrays the torment and execution of alleged witches during the Salem Witch Trials. Unsurprisingly, Lilia becomes deeply emotional as she views the depictions of the pain and suffering endured by these women.

Japanese Noh Masks: A Nod to Oni Demons

A Symbol of Inner Conflict

The use of Japanese Noh masks in the series cleverly alludes to Oni, the demons of Japanese folklore, appearing as the coven explores the trial house. These masks symbolize the dark, supernatural forces the witches confront, enriching the narrative with cultural depth by connecting their journey to ancient demonic powers.

Traditionally used in Japanese theater to convey hidden emotions and internal conflict, Noh masks resonate deeply with the witches’ struggles. They embody not only the external threats on their path but also the witches’ inner battles, reflecting themes of concealment, duality, and unresolved trauma. This Easter egg enhances the eerie tone of the episode, reinforcing the show’s overarching narrative of facing both personal and mystical demons.

A Nod to Alice In Wonderland

Episode 4 of Agatha Puts the Spotlight on Alice…

At one point, Teen finds a record and figures it might be a clue to starting the test. The sleeve says “Play Me,” which feels like a fun nod to Alice in Wonderland with its “Eat Me” and “Drink Me” labels. It’s a perfect fit, especially since this new challenge is all about Alice Wu-Gulliver.

Reverse-Playing Records

A Notorious 70s Phenomenon

As the record spins, the coven soon realizes it’s playing in reverse, emitting eerie, distorted voices. This moment brings to mind the 1970s myth that certain records contained hidden Satanic messages when played backward, reminiscent of the time when parents believed bands like Led Zeppelin and The Beatles hid secret messages in their music. In this case, however, the coven isn’t dealing with rumors—something far more sinister is at play.

Suspiria Homage in the Record Scene 

A Connection to Classic Horror

In Agatha All Along Episode 4, the overhead shot of the spinning record is a striking homage to the 1977 horror classic Suspiria. Directed by Dario Argento, this film is a masterclass in visual storytelling, plunging us into the eerie world of a young dancer who uncovers a ballet academy shrouded in dark magic and witchcraft.

The visual echoes between the spinning record and Suspiria’s haunting cinematography draw a direct line between these two narratives. Just as Argento immerses viewers in an atmosphere thick with the uncanny, Agatha All Along ratchets up the tension within the coven’s trials, reminding us that danger lurks around every corner.

This homage isn’t just a nod to a genre-defining film; it enriches the story of Agatha All Along by linking the witches’ experiences to deeper themes of witchcraft and the supernatural. The choice to feature a spinning record overhead highlights music as a conduit for magic, mirroring the integral role that sound and dance play in Suspiria, both serving to elevate the sense of foreboding.

By weaving in this reference, the episode deepens its cultural resonance, inviting us to explore the connections between the witches of both stories. It’s a celebration of classic horror cinema that amplifies the show’s eerie aesthetic, highlighting the intricate relationship between art, magic, and the supernatural.

The Metronome as a Symbolic Timer

A Reflection of Urgency

The use of a metronome during Alice’s trial brilliantly enhances the tension and thematic depth of the scene. Traditionally used to maintain a musical beat, the metronome adds an eerie twist, serving as a constant reminder of the pressure and urgency Alice faces. Its relentless ticking transforms the trial into a high-stakes challenge, underscoring the limited time available for success.

What makes the metronome truly chilling is how it amplifies fear without giving the witches a clear sense of their remaining time. This ambiguity heightens the dread, forcing the characters—and us—to confront the unknown stakes of their trial. Tied to the show’s musical elements, the metronome reinforces the idea that rhythm and timing are vital not just in music but also in magic. It suggests that precision is crucial for the witches to navigate their challenges effectively.

The incorporation of the metronome isn’t merely for visual flair; it serves a practical narrative function, reflecting the show’s meticulous attention to detail. By weaving together themes of time, rhythm, and pressure, the metronome deepens the atmosphere, grounding the magical trial in a relatable sense of urgency that resonates with the audience. This clever device elevates the storytelling, reminding us that in both music and magic, every tick of the clock counts.

Lorna’s Ballad 

A Literal Protection Spell

The moment of clarity comes when the group figures out that playing Lorna’s Ballad is the key to lifting Alice’s family curse. Agatha uncovers that the song wasn’t just a tune but a protection spell, crafted by Alice’s mother and tied to the tattoo she forced on Alice as a child. By ensuring the song was always being performed on tour and adored by fans, Lorna’s Ballad acted as a safeguard, keeping Alice alive far beyond when she was fated to die. To break the curse, the coven unites to perform the rock version of the Witches’ Road Ballad, a track first mentioned by Teen in episode 2, composed by Lorna Wu and the Coral Shore.

Generational Trauma Symbolized as a Curse

A Reflection of Family Legacy

The theme of generational trauma hits hard through Alice’s belief that the curse she bears is her fault. This concept mirrors the real-world struggles many face, where emotional scars are passed down through families. Alice’s fire emblem and scar are powerful symbols of this ongoing trauma, embodying the weight of her lineage.

The challenges Alice and her family confront showcase the cycle of pain that defines generational trauma. Her internalized sense of blame reveals a painful truth: victims often feel inherently flawed, burdened by the unresolved issues of those who came before them. This connection underscores how family legacies can seep into our current lives, influencing our choices and perceptions.

As the witches traverse the Witches’ Road, they’re forced to confront the traumas tied to their pasts. This journey reflects the broader theme of personal growth and healing, emphasizing that recognizing and addressing generational trauma is crucial to breaking the cycle.

Alice’s curse becomes a metaphor for the heavy burden of these inherited struggles, reminding us that these issues are not just personal—they’re deeply tied to a larger family narrative. By weaving this theme into the storyline, the episode resonates emotionally, inviting viewers to reflect on their own experiences with generational trauma. It makes the witches’ journey feel relatable and poignant, highlighting the universal nature of these struggles and the possibility of healing by confronting the past.

Alice’s Manifested Curse 

The MCU’s Introduction to a “Demon”

When the coven plays Lorna’s Ballad on the Witches’ Road, Alice’s curse takes on a visible, physical form—a terrifying winged creature. This marks a significant moment, as it could be considered the first true “demon” seen in the MCU. However, there’s a question lingering: What was the curse in the first place? Could this demon actually be Lorna Wu, transformed into a sinister hay-like creature?

Brian De Palma’s Filmmaking Techniques Emulated

A Tribute to Visual Storytelling

The three-panel zoom-in on Lilia is a brilliant nod to Brian De Palma, a legend in visual storytelling known for his work in Carrie. This technique not only adds a striking visual flair but also deepens the emotional impact, pulling us into Lilia’s world.

The zooms throughout the episode channel De Palma’s skill for amplifying character emotions and building tension. As the witches face their fears on the Witches’ Road, this homage perfectly captures the blend of horror and psychological suspense that keeps us on the edge of our seats.

By embracing De Palma’s signature style, the episode creates an unsettling atmosphere that aligns seamlessly with its supernatural themes. The innovative camera angles and framing immerse us in the witches’ harrowing experiences, heightening the stakes and emotional weight of their trials. This homage doesn’t just pay tribute; it elevates the entire narrative, reminding us why De Palma’s techniques are essential in crafting compelling horror.

The Three of Swords

A Sign of Sorrow and Despair

After Teen suffers a glass shard injury to his side, he collapses soon after due to excessive blood loss. The entire coven is thrown into distress, with Agatha Harkness feeling the weight of the situation the most. During the chaos, Lilia quietly utters, “Three of Swords.” This tarot card is a symbol of deep emotional pain, grief, and heartbreak. Although Teen survives the ordeal, Lilia’s reference to the card heightens Agatha’s fear of losing him, amplifying the emotional weight of the moment.

Lilia's Vampire Bite 

More Vampire Hints in the MCU Ahead of Blade’s Debut

As Teen recovers from his injury, the witches bond by sharing stories and showing their battle scars. Lilia Calderu reveals a vampire bite on her neck, claiming she knocked out the creature’s tooth after being bitten. This confirms vampires have been active in the MCU for centuries, long before the upcoming debut of Mahershala Ali’s Blade, which has faced production delays.

The first reference to vampires in the MCU appeared in Loki season 1, when Agent Mobius mentioned their existence. Blade was later teased in Eternalsduring the post-credits scene, with his voice asking Dane Whitman if he’s ready for the Ebony Blade. Additionally, Werewolf by Night provided further confirmation with pictures and trophies during the monster hunters’ gathering. Now, Agatha All Along continues to hint at vampires, even though Blade and the creatures themselves have yet to fully appear in the MCU.

Daughters of Liberty 

Connections To Agatha's Comics History

In Agatha All Along episode 4, after Lilia reveals her vampire bite, Agatha Harkness shares a scar of her own. With a casual roll of her sleeves, she points out a mark left by a knitting needle once owned by the Daughters of Liberty—a group she claims to have wiped out in the past. For a bit of real-world context, the Daughters of Liberty were a real historical group formed in 1765. They supported the Sons of Liberty by boycotting British goods, even holding spinning bees to make their own clothing instead of relying on British textiles. Hence, the knitting needle!

Now, for comic fans, this reveal connects to Agatha’s more neutral role in the Marvel Comics. In the original stories, she didn’t wipe out the Daughters of Liberty—quite the opposite! Agatha trained and guided them as a society of powerful women who used witchcraft to protect the world through the generations.

The modern-day Daughters in the comics include heroes like Misty Knight, Echo, Shuri, Spider-Woman, Black Widow, and more. Peggy Carter even takes on the role of their leader, known as “The Dryad” (previously held by Harriet Tubman!). So, while the MCU’s Agatha might have had a very different relationship with the Daughters, it’s still a fantastic Easter egg for fans of the comics!

Could Rio be Lady Death?

Unraveling the Clues to Her True Identity

Episode 4 of Agatha All Along drops intriguing hints that Rio Vidal could be Lady Death, adding weight to the theory that she may have been responsible for taking Nicholas from Agatha. In addition to exploring Rio’s past with Agatha, other clues suggesting her connection to Death are sprinkled throughout the episode’s disco-inspired trial on the Witches’ Road.

The first clue arises during a conversation between Agatha and Rio in the sound booth. Rio mentions being impatient, alluding to the idea that she’s been waiting for the right moment to kill Agatha. Later, she explains her role in the coven, claiming she’s been waiting for Agatha to kill the other witches, saying, “I get my bodies.” These references to Rio’s connection to the dead strongly hint that she could be Death herself.

Another key moment occurs near the end of the episode, when Teen is bleeding out. Agatha looks at Rio with desperation and says, “Don’t.” This scene suggests Agatha is pleading with Rio, who may be Death, not to take Teen away.

The final piece of the puzzle comes during a conversation where the coven shares stories about their scars. Rio recalls, “A long time ago, I loved someone. And I had to do something I didn’t want to do, even though it was my job. It hurt them. She is my scar,” before glancing at Agatha. Later, when she and Agatha are alone, Rio adds, “He is not your son,” which could be a subtle hint that she had to take Agatha’s son because he had died, further supporting the idea that Rio is, in fact, Lady Death.

[theosb0rnway]

Ghostface ranking please n thank you

OH MY GOD YES YES YES I LOVE RANKING ALL THE GHOSTIES

My ranking of all 15 Ghostfaces so far (yes.... I'm including Jason and Greg because if I don't, SOMEBODY'S gonna bitch about it I know--)

SPOILERS AHEAD FOR ALL 6 SCREAM FILMS

Rankings under the cut

Stu Macher (Scream)

The BEST Ghostface to ever Ghostface. A BIT underrated just because people will sometimes give Billy more credit. But like- hot man. Has no actual motive for killing, Billy was like "Hey, dude, let's kill people" and he literally needed nothing more. Thought up of some of the key parts of their plan, definitely gutted Casey and Steve, probably put Kenny on the van by himself (Billy wasn't around, so-) . Definitely top 3 or 4 strongest Ghosties to date. And the humor-- okay, I could go ON AND ON about Stu, but I'll stop here. Matthew Lillard really took the character from boring in the script to one of the only parts of the original film me and my mother (who's TERRIFIED of horror films and would rather forget them) remembered from our first watch when I was 13. (She said she'll never forget his laugh and that she hates him. ... She then got me a t-shirt of him not 3 weeks later for Christmas. Sorry, Mom-) Great job, man! Stu stole my heart, LOTS of my money, and a large part of my brain, so it's safe to say he'll always be my fave and an icon in my eyes. (Literally wearing my Stu shirt as I type this, what a fun coincidence LOL-)

2. Charlie Walker (Scream 4)

I said what I said. People either adore Charlie or despise him, and I love him DEARLY. Yes, he's very attractive, but on top of that, he racks up one of the highest kill counts by a single Ghostface alone in the entire franchise, beaten only by Roman, I believe. From Olivia Morris, which was obviously his kill, to tossing Rebecca Walters off a building, to Jenny and Marnie... definitely Robbie... Kirby... Kate Roberts... man just went crazy with the kills, and I respect it. He had loyalty, some great lines, a HILARIOUS deleted scene ( ), and he kept cool under pressure, never revealing himself until absolutely necessary. Do I relate to him? Yep. Is that bad? Probably, but I love him anyways.

3. Jill Roberts (Scream 4)

Another maybe controversial ranking, but I love Jill! I think her motive is fantastic, the way that she uses Charlie to get what she wants, and as someone who has acted innocent in situations where I'm definitely not, her acting is spot on. I never thought about it being her until her reveal, and it's still one of my favorites of all time. She is also, I believe, the Ghostface who got closest to the goal of killing Sidney and getting away with it, so congrats, girl! You had the whole world fooled till the hospital! She's a great take on what I think is the modern version of Billy Loomis, and she nailed the innocent act, truly. Did she kill anyone? Probably, but I can't think of anyone who I know is 100% a Jill Kill. Either way, good for her for not getting her hands dirty, or FOR getting her hands dirty! Impressive no matter what in my mind.

4. Billy Loomis (Scream)

Dont worry, Billy fans, he's still in my top 5! The only reason he's not my third is because I think he's just a BIT overrated. If the movies weren't constantly making him seem like he was the only killer and completely alienating Stu (I think there's a reason for that, but I won't explain that here), then I'd put him above Jill. I know that's a weird reason, but it's my reason. Billy is a fantastic manipulator who knew how to get exactly what he wanted from Sid, and also was a repressed drama queen, which I relate to a lot. While Stu was openly crazy, Billy hid behind the stone cold semi-facade. I don't think Billy would ever have gotten as crazy as Stu did, but he definitely showed the drama in several ways that make me smile and laugh every time. Falling down a flight of stairs? Fucking up Stu's couch cushions? Comedy gold every time. I give Billy credit for stabbing Casey, killing Himbry, and killing Tatum. I think the rest were Stu's because of the gutting and where Billy was at the time. I also think he killed Maureen, so a nice 4ish kills for him! Anyways, top tier Ghostie, another one I'll always respect respect and love.

5. Amber Freeman (Scream 5)

I'm gonna be honest, I hated her when I first watched Scream 5. Hated Richie too, but he's still terrible. Fuck him. I thought Amber was a trashy, third rate version of Stu that was extremely fake and her turn from cold to goofy seemed extremely forced. Then I took a deep dive and figured out why. (If you want a full explanation, let me know, I'm trying to stay short here.) So I believe that Richie is this movie's Stu and Amber is the movie's Billy. From her plans, her using the house, just her very cold, calm demeanor in the beginning, she just gives Billie energy, while Richie is just... well, he's the Netflix guy. He makes jokes left and right. But Amber, I think she was trying to be the Stu while Richie was trying to be the Billy. Everyone forgets that Stu was a boyfriend too, (Billy's) Tatum's boyfriend. Amber was supposed to be Tara's girlfriend in the original script. So now, I see her third act as more of her desperate attempt to look like her idol instead of sticking with the persona that served her well for the rest of the film. That really made me appreciate her more, and made her feel even underutilized, as did the Macher house. (I LOVE THAT HOUSE. I LOVE IT. Well, the actual actual house, not the Scream 5 version.) So yeah. Amber was a cold blooded killer trying to be just like the Macher before her, even if that wasn't the part she was meant to play in her movie. Taking credit for Dewey's kill? Absolutely. She was in the cult and she just wanted to piss Gale off by saying she did it. Fantastic lines, wonderful creep factor! Her death- *chef's kiss* Lovely homage to Sidney shooting Billy. And that's my top 5!

6. Quinn Bailey (Scream 6)

The only member of that damn family who did a good job killing. Richie included. Funny? Check. Didn't see her coming? Check. Ruthless? Double check. I don't think she did Gale's attack either, I think that just like Amber, she took the blame for someone else's work just to keep them hidden. Besides that, she was a good character, someone you thought was long gone until she wasn't. Bonus points for her saying Stu was her fave and definitely being the one to stab Mindy on the subway. Maybe not the greatest Ghostie ever, certainly low on kills, but I enjoy watching her a lot.

7. Nancy Loomis, aka "Debbie Salt" (Scream 2)

Another hidden killer who deserved more screen time after her reveal, and more backstory. I love her motive of "good, old-fashioned revenge", and I can see her killing Randy out of rage. Killing Mickey? Nice way to keep things in her favor! Debbie Salt was eh. Don't remember her much tbh- I would've liked to see Nancy more as herself, she just had great potential. Did she take some kills? Absolutely. Got her hands dirty to honor her son. But that's what I don't like. She leaves Hank, then suddenly after Billy dies, she's like the best mother ever?? Killing for the son SHE left?? Her leaving is the reason Scream happened, paired with Maureen and Hank's infidelity-- that's why she's a solid 7 in my book, and the best of the worst. Only goes downhill from here, folks.

8. Mickey Altieri (Scream 2)

GREAT in the Act 3. Other than that? Um... he was okay, I guess? He had some funny lines, but where I really like him is in the possibility possibility of what he's done. He definitely killed for Nancy, he was insane and just wanted people to see him that way. He DID talk to Matthew Lillard in the background of the sorority party... Mickey and Stu working together?? His Act 3 was good, he showed he could be a good Ghostface, scared Sidney, killed Derek... but that's where this ranking and my positive comments about him stop.

9. Wayne Bailey (Scream 6)

Classic parent who wants revenge, angry, pulls it off decently. He has some good moments, funny, a definite suspect, and nowhere near as good a cop as Dewey. Points for trapping the Core 4 (minus Mindy) and Kirby in the second coolest location in the franchise, but that's where my positivity stops. Sam killed him easy, he was a shit parent until Richie died I bet. Did he get his kids to murder? Oh yeah, I think he's the one who made this whole plan up with Quinn and Ethan's help. He doesn't really stand out. Did he kill?? Even wear the fucking mask?? I honestly don't think so. I would put him lower, but compared to the next three... yeah, he's fine at 9.

10. Richie Kirsch (Scream 5)

WHYYYY. WHY. The only goof thing I can say is that like 5 of his lines made me laugh, and he also hates Stab 8. Me too, dude, that looks BAD. Motive? Pretty good, solid movie motive, getting with Sam to get the job done. Ruthless? Yeah. But he's sloppy. He's a Stu without the magic, just trying to make a movie. Him dating Amber?? *vomits* KILL ME NOW. He was 100% manipulated by her, I know he was. A sad attempt of Billy Loomis that leaned more towards Stu, and his cheesy shit throughout the film made his "true colors" seem kinda dull and not very scary. I don't like him. I don't.

11. Ethan Landry [Bailey] (Scream 6)

Like father, like sons!- all in my least favorite 5 of legitimate Ghostfaces. How much screen time did he have?? Not enough. Innocent guy, "I was in Econ!" to "HAHAHA I'M INSANE NOW!!"? I hate it. His transition was too forced, he was bland and stupid, his attempts at faking his knowledge about everything were embarrassing and made him look worse as a character. The easiest Ghostface to spot. I don't know, I mean I get people like him because he's insane and attractive, but I don't. Sorry to all of you who love this guy and his family. His best scene? When Tara stabbed him in the mouth. You go, queen!!

13. Roman Bridger (Scream 3)

Fuck. FUCK. I hate him, I hate this movie, I hate it all. His motive is pretty solid, I actually like it a lot... but he was stuck up, whiney, and underutilized. Like Ethan, low screen time, unbelievable shift from loser to villain- did he even share a scene with Sid?? Talk to her?? And this makes Billy and Stu look like lackeys. I HATE IT. I would've much rather had the Stu leading a Ghostface cult film, but I know why they went this route instead, and I respect that. Like Ethan, the best part about him, and of this movie, is his death. Dewey missing his head like 5ish times before finally hearing Sid and going for the head Thor in Endgame style?? Comedy. GOLD. I love Dewey Riley. But yeah, I just don't like Roman at all. His strengths are his motive, his INSANE kill count (I think he had an accomplice.), and his physical strength. Besides those? Useless. Sorry, Roman die-hards.

14. Jason Carvey (Scream 6)

Not bad for a Ghostface killed in the first 15 minutes. He had the makings of a good killer, definitely in the cult, but his time was just extremely short. Nothing much to say about him, but his only kill was a fantastic start to the film. I would put him higher, because I think he WAS a good Ghostface, but... 10 minutes or less of screen time? Sorry dude, don't know you well enough.

15. Greg (Scream 6)

Who?? Saw him a fridge. That's it. What's his last name, I don't remember- No screen time, not even alive on screen. Nothing more to say. He was probably pretty good though, if he was anything like Jason.

And there's my ranking of all 15 Ghostfaces!! If you want to add your own, feel free to below! If you wanna comment on mine, please be respectful, but I'd like to know why you don't like characters I do, or like ones I don't. If your faves are my faves, share!! I love finding new Scream buddies!! And thanks for listening if you made it this far, that was LONG.

[inkdemonapologist]

Way back before we got the BatDR trailer I had this wild theory -- basically, that the reason they couldn't show any concept art/trailers/etc was that BatDR was gonna pull a wizard of oz and suddenly be in colour partway through. So then that's why we were getting teasers like "look, its a model of A SHELF," because all the actual interesting stuff would've obviously been in colour and spoiled the surprise.

Part of the reason I thought this would work really well was that I assumed Nathan's acquisition of the Bendy IP and "revival" of the franchise in-world would be thematically relevant, rather than just... an excuse to have a second game. Like, Bendy is in new hands now, the cartoons are essentially being rebooted, and there's a LOT of thematic potential in that concept of Old vs New or the good and bad aspects of Change, and the idea that reviving Bendy in the real world would impact the ink realm was a fascinating concept to me. Now that we know the main thrust of the story........... actually I still think this could've worked with it? The sepia-toned Memory of Joey's Regret and the evil of the Ink Demon lingers over the studio and corrupts this new colourful world, while Wilson, the Man Who Killed The Ink Demon, is the one trying to forcibly extinguish these old stains and make the machine useful again.

Geez, you could tie Wilson's motivation in pretty directly actually if you dropped the ENTIRE thing where he says he's trying to BETTER THE WORLD THRU THE POWER OF THE MACHINE or whatever and instead just make him an actual janitor whose dad just gave him this bottom-tier job at his company. Give Nathan one audiolog about how his son is neglectful at work and its hard to find a job he can actually do or some such, and then you have Wilson as someone desperate to prove he deserves more. He sees his father's idolisation of Joey is naive, is able to realise the memory of Joey may be literally corrupting the business through the machine, and wants to eradicate that -- including Audrey, the most subtle infiltration of Joey Drew's influence. He's essentially the force of the New applied with no respect for the Old -- and then you could still give Wilson ties to that psychedelic neon ink from the Shipahoy battle; in fact, you could probably lean into it more: colour taken to the extreme, colour taken too far, something just as destructive as Joey's monochrome obsession.

(I've always loved the idea that Wilson isn't actually an artist and just stole the Shipahoy design while janitoring, which works great with the Shipahoy Monstrosity at the end being part crab because he couldn't actually create an isolated model to feed the machine... in this current era of The Threat Of AI Generation, the idea of wilson introducing a lot of mechanical innovation and incompetently dumping artwork into the machine to make new, too-colourful horrors in the interest of impressing his father while destroying all the old things these cartoons were first built on feels apropos lmao. obviously AI wasn't a huge talking point while BatDR was in production, but "ppl who assume more technology automatically makes art better while inadvertently destroying its heart" is extremely not new)

So the ink realm could be partially in colour (a world changed by the new cartoons), partially sepia (the infected memories of the old studio), and partially glowy neon (wilson's overzealous renovation). It'd be neat if Audrey became a bit of both -- partially colour, partially sepia -- and represented the new cartoons' ties to the old. Learning about the horrors that befell her father's old studio and the Gent technology that Wilson is now using are both relevant -- Joey's exploitation of actual artists who care was bad, and so is Wilson's complete disregard for the heart of these artists' work. The memory of Joey can't fix it because he is part of the problem -- he and the demon are the source of the monochrome infection -- so you have to be the one to bring heartfelt colour into this world, a power none of the others have; find a way to heal those trapped by old wrongs and restart the cycle in a better direction. Then, when Audrey says she wants to create a kinder cycle at the end, we have an idea of what that means and that she can do it b/c there's simple symbolism associated with it -- the new, colourful world that's neither corrupted by festering wrongs nor torn apart by Wilson's machines.

anyway. thats my half-baked idea. i still think its a shame that there WAS colour in there for like 2 seconds and they did NOTHING WITH IT!!!!

[calvincell]

As a 100% devoted evangelist of The Batman (2022) I was duty bound to give The Penguin a watch. Despite my low expectations for spin-offs generally even with the plus of Matt Reeves’ continued involvement in the series I’m happy to say that I enjoyed Episode One a lot. Felt genuinely like DC’s version of the Netflix Daredevil series only with a minuscule booster shot of added levity. No significant spoilers btw:

My absolute favorite moment of the show and how I knew that showrunner Lauren LeFranc & her fellow creatives truly were onto something is the encounter Oz has with Falcone Jr. in the pre-title scene. Beyond just being an excellent hook for the show, IMO it was also a fantastic display of what makes The Penguin specifically a villain who firmly belongs in Batman’s rogues gallery outside of simply his penguin/avian gimmick as well as cutting to the heart of why he isn’t to be categorized as just one more generic mobster in the gnarled web of Gotham’s crime families; something which Batman Caped Crusader & Batman Audio Adventures tapped into recently as well. The scene along with the glimpse of his home life & familial relationships we get later in the episode shows how when you get right down to it, The Penguin is at his best when he is portrayed as having more in common with the villains at Arkham Asylum than with the garden variety members of the criminal underworld. Just like with how Daredevil highlights why Fisk is a different kind of gangster, The Penguin’s first episode shows how standard gangsters who underestimate him & pigeonhole him as just another mob earner with no teeth only makes them vulnerable to the “real Oswald”. That’s also why the character who they set up as his season long foil/obstacle works in giving The Penguin an opponent worth fearing who isn’t The Batman.

I also shouldn’t fail to mention that Colin Farrell once again truly cooks & absolutely disappears into his role & is once again surrounded by a suite of terrific actors matching his earnestness & talent beat for beat.

Overall, I definitely recommend at least this first episode to any Batman fan especially if you loved The Batman (2022) & Matt Reeves’ vision for the character, world and franchise.

My only worry is that similar to Netflix’s Daredevil, the amount of episodes coupled with the length of each might bloat the series a bit and harm the pacing. Though with the DCEU’s different priorities in the Gunn Era compared to the MCU it might not end up as an issue & the show might end up being better paced & worth the episode count. Relatedly, my only gripe is just general annoyance at our collective return to weekly episode releases for shows instead of binging but I’m not an expert in TV marketing & production so maybe weekly releases are truly a better boost for audience numbers, retention & growth than bingeable releases have been.

[mask131]

So you want to know about Oz! (1)

Then congratulations! Welcome to this quick crash course to know everything about the world of Oz! The movies, the adaptations, the musicals, the books! Yes, books, with an S, because "The Wizard of Oz" everybody knows and love was just the first book of an entire BOOK SERIES that became the enormous franchise we know today! You thought there was just ONE Wizard of Oz movie? Think again! You thought "Wicked" was the only work that gave a backstory to the Witches? Get ready for some discoveries!

And so we begin our journey to the wonderful land of Oz...

The story of Oz begins with one novel. No, not one movie - but the novel that caused the movie... L. Frank Baum's "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz"

Published in 1900, this children novel is still to this day one of the most famous works of American youth literature, as well as the master-piece of Baum, THE book everybody knows he wrote. Baum intended, with this book, to create a purely American fairy tale: he wanted to rival the European tales of Charles Perrault, the brothers Grimm or Hans Christian Andersen - and he succeeded! The novel was a best-seller as soon as it was released, and is still considered as "America's greatest fairy-tale".

Most people know of "The Wizard of Oz" through its famous adaptation, the 1939 musical movie. While these two works do share a same set of main characters and a similar plot, the novel contains many, many details that were not adapted into the movie ; and, in return, the movie brought a lot of elements that were absent from the novel. Both, however, are still the story of a little girl by the name of Dorothy (she wasn't yet named "Gale") and her dog Toto, who are swept up into a tornado and taken to the magical Land of Oz. There she meets three comical companions (the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion), and together they go seek the Wizard of Oz in hope he can grant their wishes, only to have to escape from the clutches of the Wicked Witch of the West...

If you want to read the original novel, it will be very easy! Not only is it still regularly printed today, with various anniversary editions ; but it is in public domain since the 1950s! So you can go read it for free right now, without any problems!

Most people tend to stop at just this book... Not wondering if there was any sequel, treating it as if this was just a one-shot. Except, we told you, this book was a best-seller! An ENORMOUS success! Never before had a children's book brought so much money in the United-States! As such, Baum was not going to just stop there...

While he did intent "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" to be a self-contained novel existing as its own thing, in 1904 he published a sequel "The Marvelous Land of Oz":

This novel does not follow Dorothy however, but rather a very different character... A little boy who lives in the Land of Oz post-Dorothy: Tip (short for Tippetarius), an orphan boy who escapes the clutches of his wicked witch of a caretaker alongside a pumpkin-headed scarecrow he just brought to life. And the two undergo a journey to the Emerald City ruled by the Scarecrow-king, only to get swept into a revolution...

This novel was conceived in a similar way to the first one, as a "self-contained" story. While it does take place after the events of "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz", reuses several of the same characters (The Scarecrow and the Tin Man are part of the main party, Glinda plays a key part in the final act) and briefly recaps the events of the first novel, it can still be read on its own. This novel especially get a lot of attention today (after decades and decades of falling into pur oblivion) due to its fantasy-dissection of the topics of genders - differences between men and women, boys and girls, unfairness and injustice among sexes (the revolution in question is a "girl revolution" seeking to destroy what is perceived as a misogynistic patriarchy)... All culminating with what is still to this day one of the most famous accidental depictions of a trans character in fantasy!

But I'll return to this all in a later post, possibly...

This novel was ALSO a best-seller and a huge success. And as such... you know what that means. Yes, Baum wrote a THIRD book taking place in Oz! Well, almost... The novel actually mostly takes place in lands neighbors to those of Oz, the land of Ev and the realm of the Nome King... But all the Oz characters return - including Dorothy, who is again swept away into fairy-lands, this time not with her dog Toto, but with a pet chicken Billina.

This story is the novel "Ozma of Oz", published in 1907:

And with these three books, you have the original Oz trilogy!

"But wait, there were other Oz books, weren't there?" you ask. Oh yes, there were more books, indeed! However, I want to stop at this point because these three books do form a specific trilogy for various reasons. The trilogy of the "good" Oz books before everything went... let's say downhill (but more about that next post). But more importantly, the trilogy of Oz books most people know about!

Indeed, even if you have never read "The Marvelous Land of Oz" or "Ozma of Oz", you probably came across various elements of these books, that are regularly scattered throughout Oz adaptations and novels. For example the famous Disney movie "Return to Oz" is mostly an adaptation of "Ozma of Oz", but with numerous elements of "The Marvelous Land of Oz" added to the plot

More recently, the trilogy also formed the basis of the new plot offered by the short-lived TV series "Emerald City"!

Langwidere the princess with a hundred heads, Mombi the witch, Ozma the princess of Oz, the Nome king, Tik-Tok the automaton, Jack Pumpkinhead, general Jinjur, the land of Ev, the Powder of Life and many other names and concepts you might be familiar with come from these two direct sequels to "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz". Sequels which unfortunately never knew the lasting popularity of their predecessor, despite being just as famous, if not more, in their time...

Next post: Baum's downfall...

[autisticsupervillain]

It's Fictional Throwdown Friday!

This Week's Fighters...

Nonbinary Battle Royale!

Conditions:

No restrictions. Speed Equalized.

Scenario:

Popeye is selling some of his spinach at the mall in town. An enthusiastic Kirby inhales his entire stock without being able to pay for it, egging Popeye on into starting a fight. Frisk attempts to break up the brawl, only to get sucked into. Oz happens to be going on a date with Calculester nearby, when the robot sees what's happening and expresses his distaste for all the violence. Seeing an opportunity to impress their boyfriend, Oz leaps in to stop the fight themselves.

Analysis: Oz

Ask yourself this: what does the ultimate embodiment of fear look like? What nightmarish, unholy abomination could inspire the phobias of all mankind?

Stop thinking, because you're wrong. Fear looks like a shy, awkward high schooler who is desperate for a date to prom.

Well, okay, high schooler is being generous. In the Monster Realm, everyone who goes to High School is 21 at the youngest and today's combatant is actually older than time itself. Meet Oz, the inky-dark embodiment of fear himself. His primary concerns in life are, as you might expect, passing his classes and getting laid, as is the same with everyone at Spooky High. How Oz ended up in this situation is actually rather ambiguous. It's implied that their origin story might be similar to Zoe's, that being that they were an eldritch abomination created by The Nothing meant to destroy all life who eventually saw the beauty of life and choose to live as a regular person, but the details are currently unclear and this is only our closest guess.

What is clear, however, is that Oz's otherworldly power hasn't diminished any, despite their more mundane occupation and goals. They still posses an extraordinary wealth of abilites worthy of a timeless god. Firstly, Oz is remarkably difficult to put down. Not only have they been unaffected by damage done to their soul, but they can regenerate from fatal injuries as well. They can regrow severed limbs, regenerate vital organs, and even revive from being completely ripped to shreds, provided that someone stitches them back together.

What's more, they're remarkably durable to match. His stomach can contain the Totem of Z'gord, which is powerful enough to cause earthquakes all across the school, he can trade punches with Damien, who survived punching the sun, and was completely unaffected by the game itself crashing, able to act to reverse the problem even as reality comes crashing down around his ears and his friends and narrator are corrupted beyond the ability to even move.

See, Oz has something of a Deadpool thing going on... or maybe Gwenpool more specifically. He is, to a certain extent, aware that he's in a video game and can leverage that to his advantage on occasion. For example, he can interact with characters from seperate video games entirely (even if he can't actually see them, do to their character models not existing in his game), he can move outside the boundaries of the game map to exit reality, and even turn the game off and on again at will, reducing reality to nothing and then restoring it with a thought. This awareness does not equate to perfect immunity, however. He ultimately can never escape the game and the revelation of such gives him an existential crisis in one of the endings, though he can interact with the world outside it some degree, such as interacting with the narrator or creating a website in the real world that can interact with the audience.

Even when they aren't breaking the laws of the game over their knee, Oz still has some absurd powers in their arsenal. They are fully aware of the fact that they have plot armor, which is what gets them into their constant unlikely shenanigans in the first place. They can give this plot armor away to other people, making it so no one will pay any attention to them and they'll be ignored by any major characters as unimportant. Then, they can steal this plot armor back just as easily. He can become one with the entire universe at will, becoming everywhere at once, and can summon abstract concepts to fight on their behalf. These concepts can be anything, from the concept of Biology to the concept of they themself, and these concepts can destroy other abstracts, erasing the ideas they represent from existence. For example, he once summoned the concept of Biology and had it kill the concept of Math, erasing math from existence and making it impossible to calculate anything. And canceling math class.

So, if Oz is this powerful, how does he struggle with anything? Well, because it's a dating sim, really. None of this really matters as far as getting a date to the Prom is concerned and all of his powers are only useful if they help with the current social situation. Why did he become one with the universe? To get inside a really high monster truck, of course. Why did he destroy the concept of math? To get out of math class. Hell, the school has a backup generator to restore the concept of math if it's destroyed, so no one really cares long term. Why did he hone his mind to make it immune to horrors that otherwise drive men mad? To go on a date with Zoe inside a realm that does exactly that, naturally. Does it matter that's he's unaffected by demons altering the fabric of reality? If that means they can join his rave then sure!

What matters is his social stats. Luckily, Oz has plenty of those two. He can start a rave of over 200 people in seconds, trick two angels into thinking he's God with his ventriloquism act, and become chairman of an international corporation in a single day. And if their stats aren't high enough for some reason, they can just rip them out of you, either by eating your organs, mocking you until your social skills become his, or just by enhancing his own character traits with magic spells.

There's also their outright weaknesses. First of all, Oz is willing to do almost anything to get laid or impress their friends, including basically all the bullshit mentioned above. They are a desperate people pleaser with a really bad case of both depression and social anxiety, so the opinions of others mean a lot.

Despite that, however, they are every bit the eldritch monstrosity you would expect from the embodiment of fear in raw power if not in personality.

Analysis: Kirby

Kirby, Kirby, Kirby. It's the name you should know, they're the star of the show, Kirby's the one. While this impossibly powerful little puffball's backstory is by an large a mystery, the widely accepted explanation is that they are a reincarnation of the immense god-like being known as Void that came about as a result of Void interacting with positive emotions. They are the positive counterpart to Zero's and Void Termina's dark and hateful incarnations, who came into being as a result of Void interacting with powerful negative emotions.

As a result of this, Kirby is paradoxically both horrifyingly powerful and unrelentingly cute, cuddly, and friendly. They may aspire to no higher cause than eating cake, making friends, and sleeping, but I do not exaggerate in the slightest when I call their power godlike. Kirby has been stated several times to have infinite power and has defeated beings amped by the Master Crown, which was stated to have the same. This alone would make them universe level at least, but they have feats that put them well above that. The parallel dimension known as... Another Dimension (great name guys, not confusing at all) is shown to contain multiple universes within it in both Return to Dreamland and Star Allies, at least sixteen of which are shown to be affected by Magalor's defeat, culminating in Another Dimension collapsing outright. This means that Kirby, at bare minimum, is a universe buster, possibly even a small multiverse buster if we take this as all sixteen universes being destroyed simultaneously.

But Kirby has far more than just raw power on their side. As a matter of fact, they are well known for their versatility thanks to their Copy Ability. With it, they can inhale an enemy or object into their maw and transmute it into either a star shaped projectile or a copy ability, allowing them to copy a wide variety of powers from their defeated foes. They can combine these abilities, store them for later, or transform these powers into allies who can fight alongside them. And provided their opponent is too big for them to inhale, Kirby has ways of copying their powers anyways. By tossing their ability at their foe as an energy projectile, they can transmute enemies into copy abilities or they can just scan enemies outright with the copy ability known as... Copy. Again, great name, not confusing at all.

These copy abilities come in a wide variety, ranging from those that grant Kirby mastery over a specific weapon to those who bestow Kirby with some form of elemental power. Notable ones include ice Kirby, who can freeze foes solid even if they can survive in space, cook Kirby who can transmute enemies into food, magic Kirby who can use magic for a variety of purposes, ranging from summoning food to summoning allies, and Copy Kirby, which can copy the powers of whoever Kirby scans. Their most powerful Abilities can even do damage to the fabric of reality itself, ranging from their Ultra Sword cutting holes into other universes to Time Crash, which creates an explosion so powerful that it damages time itself, effectively allowing Kirby to stop time.

Even without their Copy abilities, Kirby is remarkably tough. Their incredibly small size of a mere eight inches makes them remarkably tough to hit, they can regenerate from being impaled in an instant, can inflate themselves with air and fly through the sky, and summon a warp star to help them fly across the galaxy in seconds. And if all that sounds like a lot for one little pink puffball, Kirby can just speed dial up three other identical Kirby's to help kick your ass on command. Or throw a Friend Heart at you to forcibly befriend you.

And if you somehow make it through all of that and manage to kill Kirby? They can simply come back as a ghost, steal your life energy, and regenerate their body from nothing. Unless you can kill ghosts, Kirby's just gonna come straight back.

Having said all that, Kirby isn't perfect. While they are shown to be strangely technologically and scientifically adept, they have also shown to be incredibly naive. They've been manipulated into doing the villain's bidding on more than one occasion and they tend to simply jump headlong into situations without any kind of plan.

While Kirby may not be Nintendo's strongest character as is widely believed, they are every bit the godkiller you've heard they are. The next eldritch terror that steps foot on the peaceful planet of Popstar is gonna end up like all the rest, running for it's goddamn life.

Analysis: Frisk

Long ago there lived two races, monsters and humans. The two races coexisted peacefully, for a time, until war inevitably broke out. The humans overpowered the monsters and sealed them away within Mt. Ebott.

Years later, a small child would fall into Mt. Ebott, swiftly finding themselves trapped within the caverns of the Underground. Miraculously, despite the hostility and mistrust that the monsters showed towards them, the fallen child chose peace. Over time, they would befriend the denizens of the Underground, eventually finding a way to break the barrier and peacefully reunite humans and monsters. This child's name... was Frisk.

Of course, Frisk did not accomplish this feat alone. Next to their compassion, their most powerful asset was undoubtedly their DETERMINATION. This emotion is, in fact, a supernatural substance largely unique to humankind. With the immense amounts Frisk has their disposal, they are able to utilize supernatural powers and perform blatantly superhuman feats.

Frisk's most prominent ability is their power to SAVE and LOAD. By filling themselves with DETERMINATION, Frisk can SAVE all the progress they've made on their journey thus far, allowing them to later LOAD back to that point at will. This ability activates automatically upon death and can even allow Frisk to come back from having their soul destroyed. There is a common misconception about it though.

SAVEing and LOADing does not create multiple timelines. Yes, Sans refers to timelines in the plural when discussing Frisk's abilities, but he does not mean that in the sense of there being a multiverse. What he means is that every time you reset or LOAD, you're effectively erasing the timeline up until the point you reset at. Sort of like rewinding time. The timeline that was just erased is seperate from the timeline you're now in, but they do not co-exist. This is consistent with how SAVE and LOAD is discussed throughout the rest of the game. As such, no reality desroying feats in Undertale are multiversal in scale, but more on that later.

Regardless, Frisk's DETERMINATION is still so immense that they can outright override the powers of other DETERMINATION users, such as Flowey, and their own SAVE and LOAD powers require multiple human souls to be overridden themselves. Frisk is also shown to be have their memories remain unaffected by the timeline alterations of both themselves and others, even with their SAVE and LOAD powers otherwise being overridden.

Their DETERMINATION has even been shown to grant them superhuman strength, speed, and durability, which, within the shown limits of their powers, scales proportionally to whoever they are fighting. Even at their most basic level, Frisk is capable of surviving some pretty intense things. They can walk around in Hotland unaffected, despite it being hot enough to completely vaporize a paper cup, can survive Undyne's oven exploding in their face unharmed, completely no-sold an electric shock that visibly hurt Papyrus, and walked through the CORE unaffected despite it being filled with Ozone, among others. These feats do scale to their attack potency, as they can contend evenly with monsters who can hurt them even without any killing intent.

Furthermore, Frisk's durability also scales to their soul, as monsters attack on both a physical and spiritual level. This is backed up by the fact that armors that increase the durability of Frisk's soul are items logically wouldn't increase their physical durability in any way, such as ribbons, bandanas, and aprons.

What's move impressive about Frisk however, is what they can do when their DETERMINATION is pushed to its absolute limits. When at their peak, Frisk can contend with universe busting god-like beings, such as Omega Flowey and Asriel Dreemurr. Omega Flowey opens their fight by destroying the entire timeline/save file and Asriel openly boasts that he intends to destroy the world once he starts actually getting serious. (This is backed up by the fight descriptor saying "the world is ending" during the Asriel fight, as well as Asriel having infinite stats under the Check menu.) Furthermore, Frisk can continue to fight and move even after Flowey destroys the timeline, despite the fact that all that's truly left is a timeless abyss. This means that Frisk's speed is functionally infinite, as they can move just fine even when there is no time around with which to measure their speed. Frisk is even capable of harming Omega Flowey, albiet barely. It definitely appears that Frisk is not as strong as they are durable in this mode, as despite tanking attacks from Asriel, they cannot harm him.

In this amplified state, Frisk gains a few more useful abilities. At this point, they are capable of willing their soul back together upon its destruction, simply refusing to die. Furthermore, they can interact with the souls that Omega Flowey and Asriel have absorbed, turning them against their masters. They can even turn their own hopes and dreams into physical objects which they can absorb to heal themselves.

Having said all of that, Frisk's options are incredibly limited without DETERMINATION. They do carry a variety of weapons on them, yes, but those are widely an assortment of sticks and knives, weapons with pitiful range for the tier they're in. The best they have is the empty gun (which they can will into firing actual bullets) and the earpiece provided by Alphys, which can turn into a jetpack and allow them to shoot small lasers from their soul. The fact that they can simply RESET to try as many times as they have to also puts many of their greatest skill feats into question. Yes, they can outlast Undyne and Papyrus and Toriel, and even beat Asgore without any killing intent, but they had infinite tries to do so.

Their compassion is also a double edged sword. Integral to their greatest achievements, yes, but it also means that they will not fight unless it is absolutely necessary. The only times they ever threw a punch was when Asgore and Omega Flowey outright forced them to do so. Frisk is lucky, then, that they are such a gifted diplomat, able to reverse monsterkind's negative view on humans over the span of seemingly no longer than a day (though we are never given an actual timeframe for Undertale's events).

Frisk isn't a fighter, but their unending DETERMINATION ensures that they will overcome virtually any challenge that comes their way.

Analysis: Popeye

Popeye the Sailor Man is many things. An ever faithful boyfriend to his beloved Olive Oil, a combat hardened member of the navy, and the amphibious nonbinary sailor man icon we all deserve. No really, that happened. Look it up. But above all, he is one of classic cartoons all time heavyweight champions, on par with Bugs Bunny himself.

This little sailor had quite humble beginnings. After being born to the horribly named Poopdeck Pappy, Popeye was born horrifically ugly and deformed, prompting his father to run away in horror of what he had created. This caused Popeye to be adopted by the loving Whaler Joe, whom he'd look up for all of his boyhood years. Seeking to emulate his father, Popeye would join the navy, where he would learn to embrace his gift for violence.

Popeye had always been adept at beating the shit out of people, but it's only upon getting embroiled in World War 2, and competing with the loathsome bully Bruto for the fair Olive Oil's affections, that Popeye's skills would truly come into their own. This is because of the mythical miracle herb that Popeye had spent all of his life consuming known only as spinnach. Thanks to that, Popeye has an absurd level of superhuman strength, speed, and power that makes him among the toughest fighters in cartoon history.

Being a rubberhose animation icon, Popeye can freely morph and stretch his body like, well, rubber. He can inflate his muscles to huge proportions, stretch and bounce back at will to absorb blows, and inspire Monkey D Luffy with his cartoon antics. Again, look it up. Furthermore, he can completely break the laws of physics in the palm of his hand with ease. Whether by painting a battleship into existence, shooting fire out of his pipe to fly, flying normally anyways, or by turning completely invisible, Popeye is always capable of throwing out something you won't expect.

For example, one of Popeye's signature abilities is his power to punch so hard, whatever he hits is broken down into smaller elements. An anchor becomes a bunch of fish hooks, an animal becomes a steak stand, and racial stereotypes become even worse racial stereotypes. Use your imagination. That's another benefit to being from a rubberhose cartoon, Popeye's world is even more cartoonishly rascist than ours. Ah, 1940's America, how I loathe thee.

Moreover, Popeye's power may come from spinnach, but he certainly doesn't need it. He's eaten so much over the years, that he can still operate at a baseline superhuman level without it. Like that time God himself turned off the universe to kill Popeye and Popeye just... stood there and took it without blinking. And even if Popeye does need spinach for a boost, he can just will some into exist, either by waving his hand, drawing it, threatening the animator to give him some, or just letting the audience in the real world hand him some spinach when he's in a tight spot.

And if you think you can just kill Popeye before he eats any, you're dreaming. Because even after being completely erased from existence, Popeye's nothingness was able to eat a can of spinnach and come back good as new. Popeye's power is so great, not even his animator is safe, as Popeye is able to not only tear and break his own animation frames, but also beat the hell out of his own animator. Meaning he's more or less beat the shit out of two different versions of God.

So, if you dare choose to mess with Popeye, always remember who you're dealing with. You're fighting one of cartoon's all time heavyweight champions, truly a Sailor Man to be feared.

Throwdown Mashup:

Throwdown Breakdown:

Oh, boy, here we go.

First off, the fact that everyone here has such ridiculous regenerative and survivability options really does kneecap the effectiveness of a combatant's versatility. A lot of Kirby's copy abilities are complete dead weight when Frisk or Popeye can just regenerate from them and get right back to it. And while Oz's regeneration isn't as good, their plot armor and ability to just... become one with the entire universe at will (something which only maybe Popeye has the range to actually destroy) gives him a similar buffer. This means that everyone here will have to rely on specific win conditions.

Popeye can just transmute his enemies by punching them, so his fighting style isn't really going to be effected by this. Similarly, Frisk's go-to in character is to either wait out their opponents or talk them down, so not being able to kill their enemies doesn't really affect their approach either. It's Kirby whose the most kneecaped by this, as 90% of their arsenal is going to rendered moot, limiting them to just Friend Hearts and transmutation as viable win options. So while they can use Copy to gain abilities from their enemies, those abilities aren't really going to be much help long term. Especially because it's going to take everyone awhile to realize that everyone can just keep healing.

Oz is in a similar position, as he's pretty limited down to just his conceptual destruction if he wants to actually win here. No one present has any way to survive that level of existence erasure, Frisk can't reset if the very idea of Frisk doesn't exist and Popeye can't eat spinach if he, has a very concept doesn't exist. Furthermore, Oz has a lot of direct counters to the other fighter's abilities. Their resistance to mind manipulation should resist the Friend Hearts, they can steal Popeye's ability to interact with the fourth wall from him, and just steal Frisk's charisma from them entirely, completely nullifying Frisk's one win condition. Hell, Oz could just destroy the concepts of spinach or DETERMINATION to reduce them both to ordinary humans.

As such, I feel like this comes down to Kirby vs Oz. Kirby's small size, numerous abilities, and summons should give them ample opportunity to land friends hearts or transmute their enemies with a thrown star, so they and Oz have the biggest leg up over their competition.

Kirby cannot survive conceptual destruction and can't hurt abstract beings. They've simply never shown the ability to do so. Kirby has never punched the concept of Math in the face before. As such, they'd have to beat Oz before he can get that off. Since Oz resists mind manipulation, Friend Hearts are a no go and Oz is too big to fit in the pot so Cook is out too. As such, Kirby will have to throw a copy ability at Oz and transmute him that way to win. Time Crash won't give Kirby this opportunity because Oz has been unaffected by time crashing before, such as that time he turned off the universe or that time the entire game crashed and only he could act. And if Oz becomes one with the universe, Kirby's screwed because they've never been shown to transmute something that massive in scope before. Oz would resist all their abilities by virtue of sheer size alone.

While the free for all nature of this fight means that anyone can win and there are plenty of scenarios where Oz loses this, such as Popeye punching him into a puddle of ink or Kirby throwing a copy ability star at him immediately, Oz's more direct counters to everyone else's win conditions makes this their game more often than not.

In terms of who wins most often, I put at Oz, then Kirby, then Popeye, then Frisk. If only because Oz can just... steal Frisk's only win condition from them. Popeye is the only one with enough destructive capacity to actually do anything about Oz becoming one with the universe (being universe level and actually being able to destroy the universe are two different things in fiction and Popeye's the only one here whose arguably able to do both, depending on how you interpret the whole "destroying the animation cell" thing), and Kirby's size, summons, and mobility give them plenty of opportunities to land Friend Hearts and over win conditions. It's just that no one has any direct counter to Oz's concept summoning and destruction.

This Throwdown's Winner is...

Oz!

[jbaileyfansite]

Ariana Grande interviews Jonathan Bailey for VMan Magazine (2024)

Jonathan Bailey’s acting career began at the age of eight when the prestigious Royal Shakespeare Company cast him in a role coveted by all little boys who like musicals: Gavroche in Les Miserables. Since then, he’s starred in contemporary plays, refined his iambic pentameter flow via several Shakespearian productions, and, in 2019, won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his work in the gender-swapped revival of Company. In other words, Bailey is a theater nerd. 

This made his upcoming role as Fiyero Tigelaar in the movie adaptation of the Broadway hit, Wicked, all the more unbelievable to him. Over Zoom, with co-star Ariana Grande, Bailey admits that he’s only recently had the space to fangirl over the reality that he’s playing the lead in a musical that rocked his world when he first saw it at the age of 15. Tuning in from Thailand, he and Grande chat about his upcoming project, another adaptation, Jurassic Park, and the memories of Oz that he (reportedly) carries in his pocket.

Ariana Grande: Hi, good morning. What time is it for you?

Jonathan Bailey: It’s 8am. Feeling pretty fresh.

AG: You look beautifully fresh. Just for context, for people reading, Johnny, you’re currently in Thailand. What are you up to over there?

JB: I’m on a really long holiday in the jungle, pretending to run away from fake dinosaurs… Um, no, I’m filming Jurassic Park.  And there are massive links between it and Wicked because it’s got so many of the same crew.

AG: Yes!

JB: The bereavement of leaving Wicked behind has been sort of solved by the fact that so many of them are still here. So, I’m keeping the Wicked dream alive, but with dinosaurs. 

AG: That’s so beautiful. You’re so lucky to have a little piece of Oz with you still every day.

JB: I carry Oz in my pocket. 

AG: Yes. How is it going? 

JB: I am loving it. We’re doing a whole new version of the Jurassic Park franchise.

AG: What can you say about your character, about this new franchise?

JB: I can say that it’s written by David Koepp, who wrote the original. It feels like it’s in ultimate hands to bring it back to what the original achieved. (Jurassic Park) was the first film I went to see with my whole family, and I was way too young, I was terrified. There is a similarity between doing this and Wicked, I also saw the original run of Wicked in London. 

AG: I would love to touch on Fellow Travelers, which was such an emotional and expansive project. What was the process of taking on a character like Tim, whose story is told over several decades? 

JB: Fellow Travelers will always be something that I’m incredibly proud of. For me it [was] the most fulfilling creative, emotional, and spiritual thing I’ve done. Tim and Hawke (leads in Fellow Travelers) are allegories. So many men that lost their lives. It’s never lost on me, all the other actors that couldn’t come out or were vilified for being caught having sex in toilets. All the horrific ways in which a pure thing like man-on-man love has been misconstrued.

AG: It was absolutely palpable. 

JB: I had this amazing weekend in Bangkok and I met this group of Malaysian dudes who were just so brilliant. They were doctors and they were really bright, intelligent, kind, sweet men who were having such a brilliant time. We ended up having dinner and, after a few drinks, they were telling me that they come over from Malaysia to Bangkok because they can’t be out to their families.

AG: My God.

JB: It’s so painful.

AG: I was gonna say, this leads us beautifully into The Shameless Fund, your foundation that you launched actually this week, congratulations. How does it feel that it’s finally out there in the world?

JB: It’s been a labor of love for about two years. When the second series of Bridgerton came out, I was suddenly aware of an increased platform, especially the fact Bridgerton is viewed in multiple territories where being gay is different. So, I just sort of fused the two together—

AG: It’s a beautiful way of making sense of it all. 

JB: Thank you for being an icon and an ambassador for the Shameless Fund.

AG: I’m so proud of you and I love you and your heart so much. Okay, moving on. I was wondering what things have helped you recharge your human battery?

JB: I’ve adapted my life slightly. I don’t live in a city anymore, I do a lot of swimming and gymnastics, which is something that I’ve done [since] I was younger. I [also] think it’s friends, which I know is such a sort ofeye roll [answer]. I’ve got amazing friends, they’ve always been there and I’ve been friends with them for so long.

AG: And me, for 2 years. 

JB: I’ve spiritually known you for 20 years.

AG: Yeah, 100. Let’s move on to Wicked. How did you prepare for the role of Fiyero? 

JB: I mean, it’s a complete dream come true. The preparation started when I listened to the soundtrack when I was like 15. And I remember viscerally; it sent ripples through culture. Also, I remember hearing the orchestration. I hadn’t really heard the synth-meets-full-orchestra-meets-syncopation.

Something about it just completely grabbed me. My best friend from school, me and him went to go and see it together—we were soulmates through school. And it was so funny that, like, two lads just went with it. I think the themes of Wicked have probably expanded, and that’s what I’m really excited about with the film.

AG: Yeah, it feels like it needs to be now more than ever before, perhaps.

JB: I went to go meet Jon (Chu, director). We chatted for about two and a half hours and it was really emotional. The one thing that we talked about with Fiyero: everything is so easy to him. How do you tell the story of someone who seemingly doesn’t care? What’s he frustrated by? We discussed it and found quite a human thing, I think. And, obviously, with our film, it represents extreme privilege and it’s about his bubble needing to pop. 

AG: I think our characters share that in a big way, Elphaba comes along and pops both of our bubbles. Perhaps for the first time we both are able to look at things differently. And it’s not that we’re not loving, heartful people. It’s just that we’ve never had to look outside of what affects us until we meet her.

JB: Exactly. And anyway, it was Jon. Basically, the answer to every question about Wicked is Jon Chu. Don’t you think?

AG: Yeah, I do. I think we were very spoiled to have done this with him. It felt like a teeny, little secret student thing—its intimacy. It felt so small and private until all of a sudden, we were outside, and the Daily Mail was hand gliding over our set—oh, he should play the pterodactyl in your film. 

JB: I think he’s actually hovering over right now.

AG: Can you explain what this was, please? 

JB: It was a man on a massive kite, floating around with his legs hanging down.

AG: I couldn’t believe my eyes. Well, firstly because I don’t have the best eyes. But secondly, because there’s no way. There’s no way! I was like, ah, guy on a hand glider.

JB: With a GoPro. With a GoPro on his toes.

AG: With a GoPro on his toes. Was your experience filming Wicked at all what you expected it to be?

JB: There were certain elements of it that I was incredibly impressed by and I think that is because of the love and care of Mark Platt and Jon Chu. Obviously we’ve grown up loving theater and musical theater, I always felt attached to that wonderment. I think my expectation might have been that somehow in the making of something, you lose that. But we were on those incredible sets. 

AG: Oh my gosh. Best in the world.

JB: I think I was in Wicked fan survival mode for the last 18 months. I’m starting to really get excited about it.

AG: It takes a certain amount of time to grieve something like that. I mean you’re already in Thailand and a whole different person, but it’s interesting how it takes a while and then it hits you.

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