#wondla tv series continuity

[ladyanaconda]

Some Fayluna studies! The one where she's hugging Meego is my favorite.

The pic in the upper right corner is when she was still a baby. She'd often curl up like this on Daddy's head!

[thenerdsofcolor]

Jeanine Mason Talks Her Love for Sci-Fi and Highlighting Optimism in ‘WondLa’

NOC Interview: Jeanine Mason Talks Her Love for Sci-Fi and Highlighting Optimism in ‘WondLa’ @itsjeaninemason @AppleTV #WondLa

Jeanine Mason lends her voice to Eva in the new animated adventure trilogy WondLa, which is based on Tony DiTerlizzi’s bestselling book series, The Search for WondLa. The seven-episode first season will premiere globally Friday, June 28 on Apple TV+. Continue reading Jeanine Mason Talks Her Love for Sci-Fi and Highlighting Optimism in ‘WondLa’

[origin-spirits-of-the-past]

The scream I screamed while watching the Wondla tv series and seeing the shattered moon in the sky, which I don’t remember from the book series. This is especially WILD considering this book series contains what i’m almost positive is an homage to the Enhanced, in the second book. Hair turns white in the heart of the forest???? Dude holy shit. Also I could have sworn the book series had a person turn into a tree also. Which is another commonality.

I won’t try to claim this is any sort of plagiarism, I just think the concepts Fuck severely and I want to see more of things like them. Also it makes me happy to know this might be an homage to my favorite movie.

Wondla(2010-2014):

Origin(2006): Hair turns white/silver after making a deal in the Heart of the Forest.

Also!! Both these characters end up as determined nature protectors that try to stop human technology that could continue to destroy the planet 👀

[kylesvariouslistsandstuff]

Big-ass Netflix animation news drop yesterday, ahead of Annecy and the release of ULTRAMAN RISING... Netflix is on a lot of shit-lists for a variety of things, including their careless race towards making more animated features but expecting them to be cranked out like it's a factory process or something... But I will say, the feature line-up they revealed yesterday sounds like banger-central. Too bad most of them likely won't see a physical media release, though.

WALLACE & GROMIT feature #2, VENGEANCE MOST FOWL... Coming later this year, featuring Feathers McGraw from THE WRONG TROUSERS... The hype is real.

The last half of 2024 will also be when Netflix debuts Skydance Animation's SPELLBOUND, that long-gestating fantasy picture from SHREK director Vicky Jenson with new Alan Menken-Glen Slater songs... I guess LUCK nuked whatever partnership Skydance, John Lasseter's current studio, had with Apple, although their new show WONDLA is debuting on that platform.

Skydance looks to follow up SPELLBOUND with TANGLED director Nathan Greno's POOKOO, another fantasy tale with otherworldy critters. Only a matter of time when we find out RAY GUNN, Brad Bird's retrofuturistic sci-fi noir whose development history dates aaaaall the way back to the mid-'90s, comes out.

Also curiously, prior to these announcements, Disney Animation director Don Hall (WINNIE THE POOH, BIG HERO 6, RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON, and STRANGE WORLD) has joined the ranks at Skydance. Another director who worked under Lasseter at either WDAS or Pixar, now working for him again. I'm guessing he didn't particularly enjoy directing his last two features at WDAS under Jennifer Lee's stewardship, thus - much like Nathan Greno and Rich Moore - went back to his old pervy boss. Skydance Animation undeniably has a lot of top talent there, and directors of past animation blockbusters, but it really just sucks that it's run by Lasseter. And apparently he's running it just like he did with Pixar and WDAS, just as toxic. He micromanages projects once more and buckles directors under his mandates, like Alessandro Carloni, who was supposed to direct LUCK... But these guys are his favorites, so I presume they'll do fine over there.

Next year sees the release of IN YOUR DREAMS, from directors Alex Woo and Erik Benson. Two total opposite brothers who go to dreamland and try to convince the Sandman to save their parents' failing marriage, sounds promising. We already knew about THE TWITS, and also THE IMAGINARY, which debuts in a few weeks. Three imaginary friends movies in one year, coincidentally the year FOSTER'S HOME FOR IMAGINARY FRIENDS turns 20... I refuse to process that. I was so big on FOSTER'S back in the day, when I was 12 years old. Speaking of TV cartoons and adaptations of those, THE PLANKTON MOVIE is also on the boards for 2025, continuing the Netflix SpongeBob movie series running alongside the theatrical ones.

I'm also very happy to see that Sony Animation's wild-sounding K-POP: DEMON HUNTERS, from directors Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans, is underway and will be debuting sometime next year. Sony Animation also revealed a new HOTEL, I mean... MOTEL TRANSYLVANIA series, and are still at work on the GHOSTBUSTERS animated series as well. Since this was all for Netflix-only projects, not a peep on the GHOSTBUSTERS animated movie that's also on the rails. I wish DEMON HUNTERS was heading to theaters, though, that's such a bonkers-looking film that would work great like that. Much like their MITCHELLS VS. THE MACHINES, but that got re-routed because of COVID, so I get that.

Curiously, no word on THE SHRINKING OF TREEHORN, a book adaptation from director Ron Howard. First thought to be a 2023 release, Netflix picked up the picture in 2022 and didn't set a date... Maybe it's gone the way of EMBER and other canned Netflix animated movies? Or a new date will be inked eventually? If it's aiming for 2026, then that'll explain the absence.

I'll keep my eyes on these as they get closer, but my top picks are VENGEANCE MOST FOWL and K-POP: DEMON HUNTERS.

[ladyanaconda]

Marakeen and Redimus Headcanons

They first met when Redimus accompanied Besteel (now the chieftain of their tribe) on a diplomatic trip to Nalavega, the main village of the sea Dorceans. 

Redimus was apprehensive to talk to her, given he hadn’t had any good experiences with love before (cough Irkana cough). Eventually, Besteel gave him a little push—literally into the sea. Marakeen came to Redimus’s aid.

They kept in touch via letters, though occasionally Besteel would send Redimus to Nalavega on diplomatic duties AKA see his girlfriend.

Marakeen taught Redimus how to swim and how to operate a fishing sailboat. He was surprisingly good at it, though he still didn’t like getting wet.

Unlike the females in the forest tribes, Marakeen didn’t know about her brother-in-law’s reputation other than his recent appointment as the new chieftain of the An’rak Tribe. As such, her interest in Redimus was genuine. 

Marakeen’s parents initially had reservations about her being courted by a forest Dorcean. However, Redimus’s gentleness and kind nature won them over. His father-in-law eventually becomes the father-like figure he wished he could’ve had growing up.

They proposed at the same time. They secretly crafted clothing for the other, as customary amongst sea Dorceans—though Redimus’s piece was a bit clumsily made due to his lack of experience crafting with seaweed and seashells. 

Besteel, Fayluna, Eva Nine, Rovender, and Redimus’s old beaming crew were invited to their wedding. Besteel was the equivalent of a ‘best man,’ and Redimus got a little revenge by pushing him into the water. 

After the wedding, Redimus moved to Nalavega and got a job as the village’s lightkeeper, which didn’t require swimming. 

The one thing Redimus didn’t like about his mate was that Marakeen tended to add too much salt to her dishes, a common practice amongst her people. Needless to say Besteel loves his sister-in-law's cooking in contrast.

Eventually, they had three children: Selkie, the oldest daughter, and twins Thalyss and Merrow. Selkie was a hybrid of forest and sea traits, while the twins were forest and sea Dorceans, respectively.

Fayluna loves playing with her cousins despite being a few years older by then.

[ladyanaconda]

Random headcanons: unweaned Dorcean cubs often try to push their littermates out of the mother’s pouch to have all of the milk and space for themselves. 

Baby Besteel always tried to push baby Redimus out of Thalyss’s pouch.

[ladyanaconda]

Despite the favoritism, Vamphyr had moments when he was cruel even to Besteel. 

One time, four-year-old Besteel made his father a little toy waterbear. Vamphyr stamped on it in front of him, telling him not to waste his time on such unproductive things.

When Besteel and Redimus were eight, they often wrestled in the mud. One time, however, Besteel accidentally threw mud into one of his father’s pelts, ruining it. Vamphyr was (kind of understandably) pissed. He beat Besteel up, then locked him in his room without supper that night.

No wonder Besteel was so afraid of disappointing his father.

[ladyanaconda]

Once Fayluna enters puberty (around 16 years old in Dorcean standards), her relationship with her father becomes somewhat rocky, mostly because Besteel has trouble accepting that she’s growing up.

Not to mention, he scares away any potential boyfriend who comes sniffing around his baby girl. He takes the '13 inches rule' to a whole new level—literally, to '5 meters'.

[ladyanaconda]

A female dorcean’s pouch is a very intimate part of her body. It’s very disrespectful, if not outright offensive, to peek inside without explicit consent. The only exceptions to this rule are her female relatives and, later on, her mate. 

[ladyanaconda]

Irkana Headcanons

Cassiora's younger sister.

Her fur is light cream with a gold hue, and her eyes are lavender. She’s beautiful by Dorcean standards. However, despite having many suitors, her eyes were set on ‘the greatest hunter in Orbona.’

She’s a master manipulator. So far, Cassiora, Besteel, and her own mother, Gala, are the few people she’s been unable to fool.

She believes that because her father told her she’s better than all the other females in the tribe, that automatically means she’s the only one worthy of marrying Besteel, the best hunter of their generation.

Due to her father’s influence, she grew up seeing her ’tribeless’ sister as inferior. The idea of Cassiora being favored over her in any way sets her off. She had a breakdown when Besteel outright chose Cassiora over her. She felt sadistic delight to hear four of her sister's cubs were stillborn but was angry that one survived.

She’s not really into hunting. She failed her First Hunt, so she’s not considered a fully-fledged huntress. She only became interested in it again because she thought it’d get her Besteel’s attention. 

Rather than hunt her own prey, however, she resorted to stealing the most impressive catches from traps and passing them as her own, a severe violation of the Hunter’s Code. Somehow, she managed to cover her tracks well.

Cassiora was the reason Irkana failed her First Hunt. Irkana wanted to hunt a waterbear, the easiest animal to kill, but Cassiora protected the herd that raised her with claws and teeth. To everyone’s surprise, Cassiora defeated Irkana. This started their bitter feud—though Cassiora didn’t know then that Irkana was her sister.

Despite not being an adept huntress, she does know the basics of making traps and tanning. With her spoiled and lazy attitude, however, she’d rather have other people do it. 

Irkana’s the youngest of her littermates, with Cassiora as the oldest and their brother Gormak as the middle child.

She was so used to getting everything she wanted that she was genuinely surprised when her father didn’t immediately acquiesce to her demand to have her betrothed to Besteel, as he’d already picked Cassiora as his mate. 

She started a relationship with Redimus, who had a crush on her for a while. She hoped to be close to Besteel and win his affection, but it didn’t end well.

After failing to steal her sister’s mate, her reputation was already in shambles, but the final nail in the coffin came when her theft of other hunters’ catches came to light. Even her indulging father was pissed at her for dishonoring their family in such a way.

Irkana was banished from her tribe, and once word spread, she was not welcome among the other forest tribes. She’s been barely fending for herself ever since.

She still has not given up in taking Besteel for herself.

[ladyanaconda]

The incident that finally made Besteel cut ties with his father was when Vamphyr tried to throw away Fayluna's blankie made from Cassiora's fur because he considered she was 'old enough' to be weaned off it.

Pestering Besteel to 'get over Cassiora's death' and go after Broken Tooth is one thing, but trying to take the only thing Fayluna had from her mother away was the straw that broke the camel’s back.

[ladyanaconda]

Forest Dorceans

They’re the most aggressive of the three subspecies and are natural-born warriors and hunters—with Redimus being a unique exception.

They’re renowned hunters and tanners. Their leather is durable and of good quality, making it a favorite among non-Dorcean craftsmen. Unfortunately, they seem to forget that the leather comes from animals. The high demand requires hunters to kill more than they usually would, which in turn makes foreigners believe Dorceans hunt for sport.

They’re the ones who invented the boomrod and the gliders.

Depending on the tribe and area, Forest Dorceans hold ‘hunting seasons’ to kill certain animals. This prevents overhunting and gives the species in question a chance to repopulate.

A popular way to solve disputes is through a match of Hark’nen, similar to Japanese sumo: two warriors engage in a close body fight and try to force their opponent out of a circular ring. Dorcean cubs engage in it more playfully. Needless to say, Besteel was his tribe’s unbeaten champion.

While each tribe has different traditions and ways of doing things, they all respect the Hunter’s Code.

Tribes often trade with one another, but Mammusk hunting and the Forest Games are the two celebrations when all tribes come together.

Tanners have a saying: ‘If a job is done correctly, it should never be done again.’ Thus, they take their time and meticulous care in working their pelts and leather. This is what makes Dorcean leather so good quality.

While gliders have made it unnecessary to use animals as mounts, some tribes still hunt on longruns and glidewings—both native to Dorca—to keep the tradition alive.

They don’t understand keeping animals as ‘pets,’ finding it a waste of space and food unless the animal in question is actively useful for something. 

[ladyanaconda]

We can say all we want about Vamphyr's 'A+ parenting', but he did come to Redimus's rescue (and in the middle of the First Hunt, nonetheless!) when the horned martick injured him, even if it meant automatic disqualification for his son.

This time, his anger toward Redimus wasn't because of the failure but because his unreciprocated empathy almost got him killed.

[ladyanaconda]

Dorcean Headcanons: Chieftains and Tribes

The chieftain is in charge of the tribe, though they may rule along with their spouse. Their duties involve organizing hunting parties, managing the tribe’s resources, and managing relations with other tribes and non-Dorcean peoples.

Allied tribes often engage in arranged marriages between the chieftains’ children to better relations. 

A chieftain may be female or male. 

If someone is banished from a tribe for breaking the Hunter’s Code, the rest of the tribes will shut their doors to the banished. 

The term “tribeless” refers to Dorceans who live in the wilderness by themselves, either by their own choice or otherwise. Cassiora was considered tribeless before her marriage to Besteel, automatically making her a member of his tribe. Irkana would become a tribeless following her banishment.

A chieftain chooses their successor based on skill and merit, not blood relations. Their children may be passed over as successors if the chieftain feels they’re not apt for the position. 

The chieftain’s successor must not only demonstrate immense skill in combat and hunting but also the character to make hard decisions for the good of the tribe. Besteel met these criteria, as not only was he willing to give up hunting and start over for the sake of Fayluna, but he did questionable things to secure her and Redimus’s release without breaking the Hunter’s Code. 

Depending on the tribe, the chieftain must die physically or symbolically for their chosen successor to take their place.

Should the chieftain die without choosing a successor, the tribe’s elders discuss potential candidates and vote.

It’s possible to challenge the chieftain to usurp the position—the challenge can be refused, but the chieftain risks losing the tribe’s respect. The fight lasts until one of the contenders cannot go on. Whoever loses the match must leave the tribe.   

[ladyanaconda]

In Dorcean culture, it’s not splicitly necessary for a suitor or suitress to ask the father for someone’s hand in marriage. Doing so is a mere formality.

After finding out who Cassiora’s biological parents were, Besteel went to inform them that he intended to take their daughter as a mate regardless of what they thought about it. At first they thought he was talking about Irkana until Besteel mentioned she had ‘fiery fur.’

The father, of course, tried to talk him out of it, insisting that Irkana was better, but Besteel had none of it and told him he was just informing them out of politeness.

On the other hand, Gala was genuinely happy that her daughter had found love.

[ladyanaconda]

The Huntress with the Fiery Fur

Besteel followed the thanatusk through the foliage, like a shadow, unseen and silent. He’d ensure not to step on any twigs, rocks, or anything that might alert the bull to his presence. The sun would be setting soon. He had to get back to the village soon. The Heart of the Forest isn’t a good place to spend the night.

The thanatusk finally stopped at a prairie overlooking a tall cliff. It lowered its head and started feeding on the purple flowers growing there. Besteel climbed onto a tree and aimed his boomrod at it, right where he knew its breathing hole was. He was fifty feet away. The soundwave would knock it down and stun it, giving him enough time to approach and kill it with his knife.

Besteel placed his hand on the trigger, holding back his breath.

SWOOSH!

The thanatusk fell to the ground with a cry of pain out of nowhere.

“What the…?!”

Something—or someone—rushed out of the tree line: another Dorcean, a female.

“Hey, you!”

Besteel leaped down from the tree and ran towards the carcass, but the female had already gotten ahead and dug something into the thanatusk’s vital triangle, killing it. Besteel aimed his boomrod at the perpetrator. 

“That was my kill!” he snapped. 

The female got to her feet and turned to face him. She was a slim huntress, shorter than him by a meter or two. But what caught his attention was the color of her fur: a fiery, crimson red with orange highlights, just like a fire burning in a fireplace. The crimson huntress raised a dark red eyebrow at him.

Every piece of fur in his body bristled as her emerald eyes met his.

“Did you kill it?” she asked.

“I–I was about to before you swooped in and stole it from me!” Besteel retorted, cursing himself for stuttering. 

“But I killed it, didn’t I? According to the Hunter’s code, whoever delivers the killing blow claims the prey.” She smirked. “You snooze, you lose.”

“I’ve been tracking that thanatusk for hours, woman! You probably just found it by chance!”

“I was still faster than you.”

The huntress pulled something out of the carcass: a stick with feathers on one end. What the…? Did that injure the thanatusk? 

“What is that thing?” he found himself asking.

“A piercetip. They can pierce into soft flesh and you can’t pull them out easily.” She said curtly.

That’s when Besteel noticed a weapon in the huntress’s lower arms. It looked like a bow attached to a pistol.

“How does that thing even work? Those sticks look like they can’t go too far!”

The huntress’s smirk widened. “How about we ask the thanatusk I killed first?”

His hackles bristled. “You–! Do you even know who you’re talking to?! I’m the greatest hunter in my tribe!”

“I know who you are, Vipanther’s Bane. But you talk too much for someone whose kill ‘got stolen’.”

“Big deal, you were faster this time. It doesn’t make you better than me!”

The female hung the carcass over her shoulder, back turned on him. 

“Then perhaps you’re losing your edge, old man.” 

Besteel stared at the huntress, jaw hanging open. Did she just call him old?!

“For your information, I’m in my prime!” he snapped, walking after her. “I don’t need any lessons from a brat like you!”

“Oh, I’m the brat?” the huntress laughed. “Who’s the one throwing a tantrum?”

“I’m not throwing a tantrum, woman!

“Whatever you say, Besty.”

Besteel came to an abrupt halt. ‘Besty’? Really? “Don’t call me that!”

The huntress didn’t dignify him with an answer and disappeared into the forest. And Besteel found himself unable to look away until she was gone.

…

“Accursed woman! Who does she think she is?!” 

Besteel kept repeating those words while downing his third mug of akkila. 

As usual, The Retreat was full of hunters from Tergaron and other neighboring villages—some cursing under their breaths for failing to catch anything for dinner, others sharing stories about their previous hunts. However, they all knew something was up with Besteel when he didn’t join them in the storytelling. A few huntresses had passed by his table, hoping to get a bit of his attention, but he paid them no heed.

Now that he thought about it, he’s never seen that redfur around Tergaron. Or in any other village he’d visited. Where did she come from? Was she a new huntress? He had to admit her aim was impressive, but that weapon? Where did she get it? 

But… Despite all that, she’s pretty beautiful–

The hunter shook his head with a growl. What is wrong with him?! 

“What’s in your mind, boy?” 

Besteel didn’t react as Father occupied the chair next to him. 

“It’s… nothing. I didn’t have a good hunt today, that’s all.”

“What? Did someone steal your prey?” Father inquired.

“…Sort of. A huntress with a strange weapon that shoots sticks killed the thanatusk I’d been tracking for hours.” Besteel took another gulp of akkila. “And she had the guts to mock me about it too!”

Volron, another veteran hunter who happened to pass by, overheard. 

“Did this huntress have red fur and green eyes?”

“…Yes. Why?”

Volron chuckled. “Looks like you’ve finally met Firefur.”

“Firefur? Is that her Hunter Name?”

“Nah, people just call her that because of her fur color. She’s infamous for her crimson fur, fiery temper, and her… weapon.” 

“I’ve heard about her. She’s a ‘wild one’ who lives in the forest and has no loyalty to any tribe.” Father pointed out. 

“Aye, but somehow her skill can match a veteran hunter’s even if she lacks proper technique and her methods are… unorthodox.”

A wild one, huh? That explains why he’s never seen her before. Yet, she knew who he was.

“What else do you know about her?” Besteel asked curiously.

“Only that she’s fiercely protective of waterbears for some reason. Remember Irkana? The chieftain’s daughter, from the Mak’ro tribe.” Volron asked. “Well, a few years ago she got into a scuffle with Firefur for trying to kill a waterbear for her First Hunt and lost.”

Besteel remembered that entitled brat and her pitiful attempts at impressing him whenever he had the bad luck of running into her. He did hear she failed her First Hunt, but he never imagined the redfur huntress was responsible for it. It was… intriguing.

“So Firefur beat the daughter of a chieftain? That’s something new.” Besteel chuckled. 

“It’s not that surprising. That Irkana girl is pretty, but that’s all. She’s been too coddled. She doesn’t have it in her to be a proper huntress.” Father said. 

“So your catch was stolen by Firefur, Besteel? Don’t feel too bad about it; you’re not the first to lose prey to her,” Volron assured.

“It doesn’t make it less frustrating,” Besteel muttered.

“I know, but she’s still adhering to the Hunter’s Code, so we can’t do anything about it.” 

As Volron returned to his own table, Besteel asked for another refill. 

“Damn woman…”

“You liked her, don’t you?”

“What are you saying? Of course not!”

Father chuckled. “Come on, boy, it’s all over your face. You like that someone out there might be an equal to you. It’ll push you to stay in shape.” 

That’s… not completely unfounded.

“…She’s still irritating!” Besteel insisted.

Father’s smirk widened.

“Is she? I got the feeling you two will end up together.”

This time, Besteel outright spat his drink out, caught off guard. His cheeks turned a deep shade of purple, fur bristled.

“What?! Are you insane?! That’s never going to happen!”

His father laughed. “I used to think the same thing about your mother!”

“Father, you’re getting too ahead of yourself. I’m not even thinking about marriage now.”

“You wouldn’t have any trouble in finding a mate. All the females in the forest are head over heels for you. They’d kill each other for the chance of being your mate.”

Besteel was aware of that. He didn’t miss their looks and giggles whenever he passed by them. He used to enjoy it, but now… 

“Why are you bringing that up, Father?”

“When did you become so picky?”

“I’m not picky. I’m not interested in any of them, that’s all.”

Silence. For a moment, Besteel thought his father was finally cutting him slack.

“Is Firefur pretty?”

“What?”

“Just curious. I haven’t had the pleasure to meet her in person.”

His fur bristled again, and he said quickly. “…Yes, she’s very pretty. Can we change the topic?”

Father started laughing. “I knew it!”

“What’s so funny?! You’re the one who asked! Father, stop laughing!”

“Oh, come on! I want grandkids!”

Besteel buried his embarrassed face in his hands, groaning loudly. 

—*XX*—

AKA how I met you mother Besteel edition.