#wintersong specifically you owe me money but caraval you’re on thin ice

[anddreadful]

the thing that works about rescuing Toby in Labyrinth as sarah's motivation that doesn't work for the one million YA fantasies that write "rescue their sibling" in the box labeled "progatonist's motivation" is that how much sarah loves toby isn't really the point. Caring for Toby is representative of Sarah's maturity by way of responsibility to other people, the thing that's directly at odds with her fantasy escapism. Her arc is learning how to take accountability for both her creativity and her real relationships so she can have both in a healthy, adult way, and toby is an obvious symbol of this that serves as a framework for the entire journey.

so many fictional idiot siblings are out here endangering themselves haphazardly for no thematic reason at all except that it gets the protagonist up and into the mechanics of the plot. this can be improved upon! the ancient texts (muppet movie) did it well and so can you!