#she's the only one in charge of that television. won't let us work towards making the other one an option again. it continues

[david-watts]

got chased away from the living room, again, because I asked if I could put something else on instead of listening to d*tton whinging about his nuclear power 'plan', and thus got told 'it's only for a few minutes' 'there's multiple topics in this programme' 'I we want to watch what's on next [in nearly half an hour] anyway' which I will continue on about in the tags inevitably but my m*ther accidentally did revenge for me by dousing her dessert in cream that expired a fortnight ago (which I suspect was kept because my grandmother doesn't have any rhyme or reason to what she keeps in the fridge, especially with dairy products. expiry dates are up for interpretation!)

[rachelbethhines]

Tangled Salt Marathon - The Way of the Willow

Now here’s a controversial episode from season one. Let’s delve into the discourse, shall we. 

Summary:  It's Queen Arianna's birthday, and she receives an unexpected guest: her estranged sister, Willow. Willow and Rapunzel quickly bond, sharing a lot of the same personality traits (most notably them never wearing shoes), and Arianna feels a bit left out. To add to her aggravation, Willow has given her a pet with an annoying rattle. Eventually, Arianna explodes at her sister, letting her know her irritation with her and throws away the rattle. The pet starts to multiply and rampage over the countryside. Meanwhile, Lance and Eugene  take the King camping. 

More Filler, More Poor Pacing, More Fatigue 

This is yet another episode that was moved around. Noticing a pattern yet? It doesn’t effect the plot much, but it kills the pacing dead. By the time you get to this episode you’re just tired and bored and ready for the show to just get on with things. 

Let's Talk About Representation 

So we have here a show that is marketed towards pre-teen little girls run by two middle aged white guys and written primarily by men. The creators have claimed that female relationships are the focus of the show, but only to give us one female friend for our main hero, no other friendships with women in them, just two sister relationships, and only one mother that is even alive. 

Furthermore they go on to break up that single female friendship, refuse to give any focus to the only mother in the show, and then wrap the plot around the dead abusive mom instead, making her unnecessarily even more horrible than she was in the OG film. (just to make the equally abusive father in the show look better)

Meanwhile we get four father figures, all of whom are just some variant on the ‘overprotective estranged dad’ trope. Even though at least two of them could have been easily written to be mothers instead and it’d not change the plot one bit.   

When women talk about about poor representation in media, it’s things like this we are often complaining about. That’s not to say that men can’t write women.  Miyazaki, of Studio Ghibli fame, has made a lifelong career out writing movies for and starring women. Nor is this a claim that the TTS crew are misogynist. You can be well intentioned and still screw up. As is most often the case in films. 

But nevertheless, if you are writing for a demographic that you are not a part of then you need to either include those voices in the development of your story or reach out and consult people within that demographic. And no, you’re wife/niece/daughter/mother does not count here. You need to go beyond your personal social circle, as people who either don’t know you or have worked in the industry can be more open about what is needed in the writing process.  

Sadly there are rumors, (and please keep in mind this is only rumor, and we’ll never know the actual truth due to the fact that production artists are under contract and can’t share things without fearing for their livelihoods) but there are stories of the head showrunner shutting down the opinions of the female storyboard artists who warned him of some these creative decisions. 

Moreover said creator responded to criticisms of how his female characters were written by claiming he ‘knew strong women in his life’ as if that actually had anything to do with his writing skills. It’s a poor response and smacks of ‘Well I can’t be misogynistic, I love women. See, I married one’. Dear, male creators, please don't ever do this. It makes you look bad. 

So Where are Arianna and Willow From, Again?

The show keeps dropping hints that they’re from Corona itself and are born princesses, but that makes little sense. Because if Arianna was the rightful heir she’d have far more political power then she actually does in the show. If we’re to buy the idea that only Rapunzel will be in charge, and not her and Eugene, or even just Eugene. Then we have to accept that it’s because she’s the rightful heir by birth. If so, then Frederic must also be the blood heir or otherwise he wouldn’t be able to do all the things he does in the show. 

TTS is so determine to not have any real world markers in the show and keeping things a ‘fantasy’ that it winds up swinging too far in the opposite direction. To the point that it undermines its own worldbuilding.     

The Conflict Between Willow and Arianna is Good, but Unnecessary 

I’ve seen some debate over ‘who is right’ here, along with tons of unwarranted shade thrown at Willow, but the truth is, it doesn’t matter. Neither side is right or wrong, and for once the conflict in TTS is real, complex, not easily solvable with a ten minute conversation, and is presented evenly so that you know where each side is coming from. But in the end, it doesn’t add anything to the series. 

Willow is never seen outside of this episode. This is the only story that gives Arianna any kind of focus. Rapunzel learns nothing useful from witnessing their squabbles and it’s all build up to a be bad parable/parallel in the series finale. 

It’s a waste. A waste of conflict. A waste of character. A waste of time. 

Had Arianna been treated as an important character to the narrative, like she should have been, then maybe the episode would have fared better. 

Arianna is Reduced to a Pointless Parallel

We talked about it before but this might be the most grievous example of Tangled’s useless parallels.

Willow and Arianna are meant to be ‘foreshadowing’ (and I use that term loosely) for Rapunzel and Cassandra’s conflict in the finale season. Let me count the ways of how bad this actually is..

For starters Willows and Arianna’s conflit isn’t actually the same as Raps and Cass. There’s some overlap, but ultimately theirs is actually deeper and more complex than the Raps vs Cass stuff. It’s also only between them and does not involve ruining the lives of other people. So it’s a weak comparison to begin with.

Cassandra isn’t even here to make the parallel complete. She barely interacts with Arianna and has never met Willow on screen.

Rapunzel learns the wrong lessons from this. She gets encouragement from her aunt to go traveling and a pep talk from her mom during the show’s finale, but she doesn’t actually apply any of the actual context of the arguments being made to her own life. Making the parallel shallow.

Reducing a character from the original film, one that you did not create and who has reasons to be have more plot importance then they are given, to a mere ‘parallel’ for your favorite OC is just bad fanfiction. This is something that I would expect from a seven year old setting out to write their first ever story. Not from grown adults, who are supposedly professionals, who've worked for years in the industry and are employed by the largest entertainment studio in the world.

Now before you jump down my throat, there’s nothing wrong with fanfiction itself, nor with children exploring their favorite stories in ways they find personally fulfilling. But I happen to hold mass produced media to a different, and ultimately higher standard. As well should we all. A television show made by the mouse has more real world impact than a little girl posting on Ao3.

Critiquing stuff like female representation, the behind the scenes hiring processes that leads to either good or bad rep, and the impression these stories can have on people still developing their worldviews is important. Questioning things are needed in order to make change happen. If you never acknowledge how giving a show targeted to women to a male showrunner can cause problems then you’re never going to push the big companies for more female lead shows. Which means more women are left without work.    

This is Subjective but...

I don’t like the Uumlaut being used as the main conflict. Look, if you like the Gremlins references, good for you, but I was promised sword fights and adventure according to the pilot and all I got was a parody of a 80s horror comedy that decided to skip out on the ‘horror’ part. The Uumlaut isn’t threatening enough to be interesting and the lack of real threats and challenges in this show is really starting to weigh things down. Plus it just distracts from the far more interesting human drama going on with Willow and Arianna. 

Like if you don't want action to be the focus of every episode, that’s fine, but commit to that. Don't just half-ass it because you feel the need to shoehorn in an action sequence where it isn’t needed.    

Conclusion

I like Willow as a character, but not this episode. They needed to do more with her to justify her existence, and they needed to do more with Arianna while at it. Sadly, you won't really miss out on much if you decided to skip this episode and that’s a shame. 

Also... 

I’ll forever headcanon that Willow is the wife that Stan mentioned back in Rapunzel’s Enemy and that she’s his and Pete’s beard. You can’t change my mind. Poly relationships for the win! 

[skaihedaofthe100]

"Xenos" series

Chapter 1. We're back, bitches!

description: "Xenos" from the Ancient Greek "stranger, foreigner". Xenia Kane and the other 99 delinquents are strangers for everyone who managed to survive on the Earth. Her story has just started. Enjoy

Everything is black but suddenly I open my eyes and I'm in...Wait, what? Where the hell am I? The last thing I remember is punching the guard who tried to drag me out from my "beloved" cell and well, this time I wasn't so happy to leave it. This man scared the shit out of me, I was thinking that the chancellor decided to float me a little bit earlier. Saying "a little bit" I mean REALLY too soon, like guyyys, this is 17 year old girl in front of you who was going to spend nearly one "full of adventures and happiness" year with other young criminals. So I don't feel bad for punching this guard. Mentally. Speaking about my physical state, the things are worse. Everything hurts and it seems like I was electroshocked. There is also some kind of a big bracelet on my wrist which is way too heavy to be an accessory.     

After looking around I realize that I'm in a dropship with other delinquents. Suddenly everything is shaking and the boy in the seat in front of me starts to float. A big smile covers my face when I see his. This is Finn. The boy seems to notice me too because he is moving closer to the place where I'm sitting and greets me with a loud "Hi, Commander!". Pfff, wanna know how I got this nickname? Well, the guard I punched earlier today wasn't the first one to be attacked by me. The thing is that the latter was not just a guard but commander Shumway. This is why I got a "warm and comfortable" cell and eventually ended up here, in the dropship. -Listen, Finn, call me by my real name or I will call you a Spacewalker till the end of your life, got it? - Yeah, Nia,- he chuckles, - Anyway, wanna fly around with me? - There would be a firm no. And I don't advise you to do it or you'll eventually get yourself killed today but my plans were to call you Spacewalker for a long time because I'm more than sure you won't stop calling me a Commander, okay?- was my answer

Unfortunately, there were two other guys who decided to follow my friend's actions unbelting themselves and while this trio is flying around carelessly and another delinquents are listening to the Jaha's words (in which I'm not so interested anyway) from the television screen I will tell you a little bit about myself.

So, as Fin has already said, I'm Nia and Xenia is my full name. I have no idea why my parents gave me this name. Speaking about them, my father, Marcus Kane, is the only one left alive. Something has happened to my mom but I'm not in the mood to tell you now. What else? Em, I'm 17, have brown hair and brown eyes...WAIT, you'll here more later if everything will be okay 'cause I have thoughts that the dropship is CRASHING! Oh my god, I don't want to die like this neither I want my friends to do the same.

Remembering careless Finn I start to look around searching for him. Our eyes meet the moment the dropship lands and the boys are thrown on the floor. I'm staying shocked for a few seconds but then I here someone saying "Listen, no machine hum" and it is the signal for me to unbelt myself and run to check if Finn is okay. When I get there I see more familiar faces - Clarke's and... Wells's?? What is he doing here? This day is full of surprises, you know. We've been knowing each other since we were kids and no one in our trio could think that one day we'll be

1) with young criminals 2) ON THIS F****** PLANET EARTH

  They both nod to me and I gaze at Finn. Fortunately, he is alive but I can't be sure about the other boys. There is no one around us by the time my friend stands up from the floor and together we try to reach the big doors getting through a large crowd. Oh, now I understand why we're still in the dropship.    

There are warm greets and hugs between a girl who is nearly my age and a guy in a guard's uniform. That's kinda cute, actually, but I don't want to stand here forever watching it. -That's Octavia Blake, the girl who has been hiding under the floor for 17 years!- someone from the crowd cries. - If you won't shut the f*** up, you'll be the one hiding under the floor from me searching to beat your ass!- I snap back Some delinquents chuckle but most of them don't find my threat funny, probably because they're well aware that I'm a "looks like a cinnamon roll but can actually kill you" type of a person. - Y'all better listen to the Commander,- Finn says to the crowd and I look at him expecting to see a sarcastic smile on his face but it turns out that he looks pretty serious. My eyes meet the siblings' after that and they both are grateful. - Let's give them something else, O,- the older one says -Yeah, like what?- Octavia ask surprised and I'd like to know that too -Like being the first person to step on the ground in 100 years

After his words there are Clarke's meaningless corrections that only 97 years have passed and the air could be toxic and blablabla, I can't wait any longer. -Open the doors, we're going to die either inside or outside, - pissed off me tells them and there are actually words of agreement coming from the teenagers.

Finally, I can see the most incredible thing in my 17 years. The Earth, green forest, blue sky, everything like it was on the photos. The difference is that while looking at the pictures I couldn't feel warm sunshine on my face or breath such fresh air! I look at the young girl in front of me and she is already standing on the grass. -We're back, bitches!!! - her words cause everyone to leave the dropship and go explore the place where we've landed. I wanted to enjoy the Earth standing still for a while but was pushed forward by the youngsters and had to move from the way. I spend a few minutes admiring the surroundings and then head towards Clarke who seems upset. When she is a few meters away someone stops me.

-Hey, Commander, wait!- I turn around and see that it was said by Octavia, her brother standing behind her,- I wanted to thank you for your words, you know, in the dropship. That was kinda badass. -Well, you're welcome, I guess,- I answer her don't know why confused,- My name is Xenia by the way, Commander is just an old nickname from which I can't get ri..., - there is no time for me to end 'cause the older Blake interrupts me. - Xenia from Ancient Greek "Xenos" - a "stranger"?-he asks -Forgive him, he is a weirdo, all in this Ancient and Mythology stuff,-O chuckles -Okay, I'm impressed,- I answer not joking,- and you are... -Bellamy,- the guy tells shortly and nothing else.   Well, he at least answered. I want to say more but Clarke calls me. She is standing with a map and still looks worried. Suddenly there is a boy in the googles in front of me and the blond saying "Cool a map! Where is the bar in this town, I will buy you a drink!" I don't have time to answer 'cause he is being pushed by Wells. Rude. That's the first joke on the Earth in 97 years we all have to clap this guy. -Don't touch him, he is with us, - we hear threatening words coming from a small group of boys.

My friend starts to explain himself and while he is doing it I reach the boy on the grass to check him. I've seen him back on the ark, he's a good guy and didn't deserve such attitude towards him. -Hey, you OK?- I ask the boy -Yeah, totally, thanks for asking. My name is Jasper and this is my best friend Monty,- he answers me clapping a teen near him on the shoulder - Nice to meet you guys, I'm Nia, - I say and feel amazed of how many people I got to know today. And the day has only started! That's really unusual for me 'cause for all the years I'm resting my ass in the cell I was friends only with Finn and that was enough for me. Of course I talked to the others sometimes and then Clarke joined me but she was in another part of the "jail" so I didn't see her that much. I decide to look around and see that there is a crowd again near us. What the hell is wrong now? Oh, I see, Wells got some problems, nothing new.

-You heard my father's words, finding Mount Weather is our first priority, - he tells all of us. What Mount Weather? Guess I had to listen to the Chancellor's speech. Now I have no idea about what is going on. -Screw your father! Do you think that you're in charge here? You and your little princess?- Octavia cries and I scoff. She is right, partly. -Do you think we care who is in charge? We need those supplies and there is a 20 miles trek to Mount Weather. We have to leave now!- was the blond's answer. Now I'm completely confused because Clarke is right too. -I have a better idea, how about the privileged do all the work for once and go get everything for us by themselves?- Bellamy offers and the crowd cheers. Idiots. I have to end it, now. - This "privileged" don't have to risk their asses to get you food and clothes! Y'all have to thank this two for being the only people down here who care about you!- I snap at young criminals and see that some of them nod in agreement. My eyes meet Bellamy's, he doesn't like that his authority was shaken.

- You heard her, we all need to go,- my dark-skinned friend says -Look at him, the Chancellor of the Earth!-the same guy who protected Jasper laughs. Well, he is not as good as I thought at first. Huge intention to fight him spills in me but Wells already moves to him. I don't want my friend to get hurt so I try to stop the boys. -Guys, you've had your fun, now stop it, we don't have the time for this stupid show! Maybe calling their "serious like all strong grown-up men have" fight "a show" pissed this pale-skinned boy off because he headed towards me with a threatening look in his eyes. Okay, l'll let him try me, he doesn't scare me anyway.

-Why so talkative today, my Commander?- he asks sarcastically. I roll my eyes at the nickname. -I'm starting of thinking of how to make you shut up and not get on my nerves! We're moving closer to each other when suddenly Finn jumps of from the dropship's roof between us.

- Only try to touch her, Murphy, - he snaps. That's nice but I don't need his protection. - Just give him a try, Finn, I didn't waste time in the cell and you know it,- there was no opportunity for me to tell the others how I've been spending my time due to the "best" pick up line I've ever heard in my life from Octavia. -Hey, Spacewalker, rescue me next!   But she managed somehow to "clear the air" making some teens to smile and some to go mind their own business including Murphy. And I was thinking about making more friends today! Just great!

-I hope your speech back then meant you're coming with me, Nia,- I hear Clarke's voice -Is Wells staying? That is a really small group of you, I'm coming too, - Finn tells us -And these guys also,- I add, taking Jasper's and Monty's shoulders and dragging them to our party.

-Make it six!- Octavia near me tells too much exited. Well, no one has the right to blame her, I bet she haven't left the Blakes' room at least once for 17 years and now it is a whole forest to explore. The same moment there is Bellamy in front of her saying " you can't go, something will happen to you" stuff which is not so interesting to listen to so I ran after my friends in the woods hearing O's footsteps behind me a little bit later.