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Happy New Year to everyone !

2020 has not been easy, but I'm proud of you for surviving it and thankful for everyone who helped me or you in making this year easier ❤

Let's hope 2021 will be better !

Watch me not knowing what a tag is and therefore answering it late ahah Thank you for the tag @sofidemente ! 1) I've lived in the countryside for as long as I can remember, but I recently had to move alone in a big city in order to go to college and it was both terrifying and exciting ! I've been used to barely having Internet, social interactions or stores, so past the first panic attacks I've been feeling like a child on Christmas day lol 2) I am oblivious, like the most oblivious person I know. I usually never get adult jokes, I can talk with someone for months without realizing they were actively flirting, I always take my friends seriously even when they are clearly joking. I'm not trying to be mean or else, I'm just in my world I guess 3) I am this kind of annoying person who will put english words into their every sentence, especially swear words ahah Tagging goes to : @aquagalaxy64  @scythes-are-fun @varritaas and anyone else who wants to do it ! I hope you’ll have fun, this game is nice !

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1: My Favorite color is Sapphire

2: I have a huge Snowglobe Collection (Disney based)

3: I love to sing (granted I probably am a super bad singer heh)

@cloudthehusky @silver-charm20 @heatherthetiredwriter @crystal-moon-101 @lieutenant-amuel @ducksisthebest @whitecatindisguise

NOTHING LEFT TO LOSE ANALYSIS PART I

I just think that song is so brilliant because it’s so unique. Like how often do you get to have a duet between two characters who both turned on the same person and both became villains, but one has reformed and the other has only recently become a villain? I just LOVE how the song uses the same phrase for both characters but it has an entirely different meaning depending on their points of view.

I’m gonna break this analysis into multiple parts since there is SO much to talk about this song. (I MIGHT do a lyric analysis as well)

Special thanks to @whaleiumsharkspeare for helping me with this post. She has done an analysis of the song

Read the analysis here

Let’s Dew-this…

VARIAN’S POV:

Honestly, I find Varian to be the most interesting part of the song because he is reflecting on how his corrupt views and methods of the past and is now reaching out to someone who he sees is following the same destructive behavior, not wanting to see his former friend make the same mistakes he did.

In season 1 he took it too far, he crossed lines, used people, lied to himself that he was right. Now he’s seeing cass do the same thing and tries to stop her. He doesn’t want her to go down the same path of destruction he did. Also not to mention that she drugged him with a truth serum, that means that everything he’s singing in his verse is the truth. He reaches out to her (both figuratively AND literally). I mean…

Look at that. Even when he’s trapped in a cage he still reaches out to her. This boy is determined to reach out to Cass and nothing is gonna stop him NOTHING. I love how they are using Varian as an example for Cass to try to come to her senses. It makes sense if you really think about it, with Varian not only coming from that same dark path but also he used to look up to her and still wants to help her despite everything she’s done with him.

Varian also seems to be one of the first people to try and relate to Cassandra. He isn’t forcing this relatability on to her but rather, warning her. He isn’t saying “what you’re feeling is wrong” or “this isn’t who you are” he is instead trying to say, “I get it. You’re hurting and you think destruction is helping. It feels good, doesn’t it? It’s okay to change your mind, there’s always hope and a way back. It’s not gonna be easy but just try it. I will even help you” Also, it was revealed that Cass gave him the truth serum which means everything he is singing is true.

He doesn’t try to force their relatively situations on to her, he is saying it as a warning like you’ll regret this in the future and will eat you up in side like how he behaved I’m Rapunzel’s Return or Be Very Afraid. He knows/acknowledges that her feelings are real and that the struggle is real. Sometimes people hurting need somebody to just be in there with them in their suffering, listen AND understand the struggle.

While Varian does state that Cass is being irrational, and even stands up to her, he’s also trying to help her rationalize her feelings to help herself, to help begin the healing process.

I think that’s why his reaching out to her (both figuratively and literally) is so powerful. Even though he didn’t succeed in talking her out of the path of distraction he did show he cared for her.

Even though this is Cassandra’s verse, look at Varian’s expressions here…

He isn’t scared of HER he’s scared of what she’s BECOME. He doesn’t want her to go down the same dark path he did but, not he can see that she’s no longer in control, she’s crossed the line and is what he was afraid of her becoming.

Varian is looking at her in shock at how powerful Cass has become but also how much she is lost, it’s I’m a mix of shock and horror but, not of her but of what she has become. She has became what he was trying to prevent, he couldn’t talk her outta her destructive ways and now she has lost control. The one thing that he was trying to prevent and failed, especially in the bottom photo. Varian not only looks shocked but also sad in a way. He probably blames himself for not getting through to Cassandra.

Varian has failed in the past in the whole series (restoring the king/queen’s memories, the Quirinion everything). The scroll was his responsibility, if he found all 4 incantations he’d succeed but then Cass come. It just Cass and him, if he can get through to her then he’d be a success, if he can stop her then in turn he’ll also stop her destructive ways, If he gets through to to her then he’ll have his former crush/friend back. But he can’t, Varian knows Cassandra is dangerous, he knows she’s a threat he knows she has betrayed Rapunzel yet, he still sees her (in the song at least) as a friend who is hurting and lost.

CASSANDRA’S POV:

Cassandra doesn’t listen to Varian’s warning and she thinks since she already ruined her past relationships there is no point, even if she does change her mind. She’s not losing anything and has everything to gain and yet, she’s not truly confident because everything she shines is DEFENSIVE.

Her facial expressions change look at the following…

We see Cassandra looking at her self in the sword. On the left though, it’s almost as if she doesn’t know what she’s doing but, on the right, when Varian sings “Don’t you see, this path you’re on leaves a permanent mark, it feels good at first then it slowly turns dark” it changes to not mad more like serious. Almost as if she’s trying to not only convince herself but also, Varian that she is right. He’s singing at her teeing her that she’s wrong and doesn’t wanna hear it.

I think this moment when Cassandra points the sword at him it’s not actually Cass, I think it’s more like telling the viewers that Varian is right and that it’s not actually “Cass” how points the sword at him. This is also mere moments before she decides to get up and walk away from him and of course he follows her and runs after her. She’s in denial and tries to ignore him but she can’t, Varian is probably the 1st person Cass has heard “arguing” with her to stop. In many ways Varian acts like her moral compass in the song, she is obviously conflicted here.

Context: an AU where Hector takes Varian under his wing post-QfaD.

Guilt

Sooo- I hadn’t planned to write anything for Halloween, but then I got this idea and I couldn’t get it out of my head. I know I’m a day late (typical me), but since it is done I might as well post it, right ? This One Shot is part of the Varitas AU (basically an evil Varian ahah), and I fear I got inspired by the rp blogs : @royal-engineer-of-corona and @v-a-r-i-t-a-s TW !! Amber, knife, death (there is no graphic description except a mention of blood)- if there is anything else that you think I should tag, don’t hesitate to yell at me in the comments. Takes place between Be very Afraid and Cassandra's revenge !

If most people had to describe Varian, they would use the word 'dangerous' because of what the kid could do, and what he had already done. Although the alchemist had saved Corona and been forgiven by the royal family, everyone still saw him as the criminal who kidnapped their queen, who attacked the kingdom with automatons and a mutant raccoon. Everyone still saw him as the threat he used to be and could still be, even Varian himself : if the alchemist couldn't forgive himself, why would others act any differently ? But Eugene saw things differently. Unlike the rest of the Coronans, the former thief spend most of his days with the young alchemist ever since the latter got out of jail; he had of course been wary of him at first, the memory of Varian attacking Rapunzel and the kingdom still painfully fresh in his memory like in everyone else's. But day after day, he had soon come to accept that the kid was very different from this idea that everyone had of him. Everything about him, whether it was his actions or his words, illustrated his regrets about his past actions; and Eugene could see how hard the kid was trying to make amends. That was why the word he associated with Varian was not 'dangerous', but 'guilt'. It was both an observation of the alchemist's behavior, his doubts and culpability, and also a protection against others' judgment. Varian had regrets. Varian had changed. Varian was no longer dangerous. He wanted nothing more than for everyone, the kid included, to see that and to be able to move on; for people to realize all the good Varian could make, and for Varian to see that as well- that it wasn't too late for him to be who he wanted to be. That he could still be happy. Such a shame that he had to be proved wrong. It had all happened really fast : the automatons, attacking the island one morning. They were numerous, and more just kept coming in an endless flow; even though they had no idea what was happening or why, Rapunzel had focused on going and protecting the Coronans first, getting answers after that. That was the plan. Pretty easy, hard to mess up- or, it should have been. Because now as the cold, metal hand of the automaton was firmly holding Eugene prisoner, the latter having no choice but to face the woman he loved encased in amber and surrounded by two other automatons, the former thief was left wondering how could things have possibly gone this wrong. "Well, it looks like Corona no longer has her beloved leader- if she could even be called that in the first place." And of course, how could he possibly forget the one whose satisfied tone was awakening in Eugene a deep hatred, one like he had never felt before. Varian was standing in front of the statue, looking absolutely triumphant, and how could he not be after taking over Corona and defeating their princess, their Sundrop ? The broken wall of the throne room, the latter being only a remnant of what it used to be, only added to his glorious victory, offering an heartbreaking view on the completely destroyed kingdom. His eyes were shining with an eerie joy, and a wide grin appeared on his lips as he admired the consequences of his actions; encased in amber, Rapunzel's painful and horrified expression was a terrible contrast with the alchemist's ominous one. "Don't worry, Eugene," the alchemist said after some time, finally looking away from the amber to the former thief, trapped in an other kind of prison, "She's not dead. She doesn't deserve such a fate." The alchemist confidently walked up to him, leaning against the metal hand. "No, she deserves a sentence far worse than that." The alchemist's voice was dangerously low as he stared at Eugene, watching his every reaction. The former thief didn't look away in return, instead glaring at the kid who had taken so much from him and went as far as to laugh about it too. He just- Eugene simply couldn't believe what he was hearing and seeing. Varian- Varian had made amends. He had apologized, and they'd forgiven him. He had been working ever since to help Corona, to fix his mistakes and stop Cassandra. Varian had changed- he had. Hadn't he ? But then, why would he go back on that ? Why did he all of a sudden attack Corona with these- these automatons, destroying the island, trapping Rapunzel in that same amber that destroyed his life once before ? Why would he do that to his friends, to Team Awesome ? Was it all just a wicked scheme to fool them ? Eugene stared at the kid in front of him. He was exactly like Varian- same outfit, same black hair with this odd blue stripe, same blue eyes. No, not the same. Varian's eyes weren't merciless, mocking and cold, so cold. Varian's eyes were warm, friendly and guilty. "Who..." Eugene hissed, glaring all the more. "Who are you ? What have you done to Varian ?" Varian wouldn't do something like that, Eugene was sure of it. The other half of Team Awesome, the kid who liked ham sandwiches and often forgot to take care of himself when working was not the same as the one who encased Rapunzel in amber. The alchemist who fought his fears in order to save Corona, that kid would never do something like that. Still, he didn't expect... him, to simply smirk, that same threatening smirk he thought -he hoped- he'd never see again on this face. "You know, I never thought you were right when you said that people don't give you enough credit. You are clever, aren't you ?" "What does that mean ?" He was just done talking when the door of the throne room opened with noise. Eugene tried to look behind him to see the source of the noise, in vain : the robot's grip was keeping him from making any movement. However, he had a really good view of Varian raising his head in surprise, before cautiously taking a few steps back, furious eyes staring at... whoever just came in, Eugene guessed. Said person walked closer, as Eugene could tell from the footsteps sounds, before stopping right beside him; turning his head to the side, Eugene saw... Varian. It took his mind a minute to process the information. "Wait wait wait," Eugene narrowed his eyes, "Am I seeing 2 Varians ? Is that- is that some sort of evil twin story, or...?" Varian number 2 didn't react, but Varian number 1's smirk only widened. "I guess you could say that." He did a mocking bow in front of the other two, "I am Varitas, 'the mean one'- because someone has to take the blame, and who's better to replace Varian at it than Varian himself ? You Coronians aren't really creative, you know : get yourself someone else to blame, or even better, an actual justice system." It took all of Eugene's might not to give in and harshly tell him that he was absolutely guilty for what he had done to everyone; he barely restrained himself from doing so, realization hitting him hard. That was what that Varitas guy wanted. He had been provoking him since the beginning, trying to push him to his limits; and although Eugene wasn't really one to give in to anger, what could that kind of behavior do to someone who would, someone whose guilt would make them an easy prey ? For example, someone who definitely would be the target of his own double... Oh no. "I'm so-sorry..." Varian whispered, his voice cracking. His glassy eyes were filled with tears that streamed down his cheeks, highlighting how unusually pale he was, or how dark and big the bags under his eyes were in contrast. "It's all my fault..." "Kid-no. This is not your fault, none of it is." Eugene insisted. Varian clearly seemed exhausted, on the verge of breaking down, and with all of that accumulated guilt ready to burst free, he was basically an emotional time bomb. A really, really unstable emotional time bomb that could possibly become a problem if nothing was done to calm him down before. When did that start ? Why hadn’t he noticed before, why hadn’t he done anything to protect Varian ? Varian didn’t react, clearly not believing him; it broke Eugene’s heart to see him in such a state. Of course, that's the moment Varitas chose to speak up. "You're right, Eugene : it's not his fault nor is it mine, but it is actually yours, it has always been. I know how talented you are all in the field of lies and deceit and breaking promises, but you have to be incredibly good to make him believe that you actually care about him and are his friends without him ever questioning it. Again." Varian shivered, looking down at the ground, and Eugene could only imagine the thoughts going through his head; anger and guilt and feeling of betrayal and self-loathing, all of them feeding a dangerous hatred that was definitely what Varitas was planning to use. Oh, how much Eugene hated that Varitas kid. He hated him for taking Rapunzel away, for torturing Varian; he hated how powerless he felt. "If you know us as well as you say you do, then you should also know these are not lies." Eugene growled, but Varian once again didn’t react. Varitas only rolled his eyes, fully aware that he was in control of the situation. "Oh, you are good- but thank you for proving my point." He then turned to Varian, and Eugene tensed up. Whatever he had planned, Eugene feared the kid wasn't in a good enough state to fight against. "I'm sorry I started without you," Varitas smiled, something almost warm, outstretching his hand towards Varian, "but you can still join me and serve justice, like we wanted to." Unlike his kind words, his tone was very clear : obey, or face the consequences. Varian stared at Varitas' hand for a moment, before his glassy eyes moved to the hole in the wall and the destruction beyond, then to the amber and finally, to Eugene. Eugene's heart ached as he met Varian's eyes. The raging storm of the kid's emotions was frightening, and Varian seemed completely lost. Eugene wanted to reassure him, to tell him that these were all lies, that none of it was true, that they did care about him- but he also wasn’t stupid. “Please, kid... Don’t...” Was all Eugene said, because he saw in these eyes that Varian... Varian would not believe him, or anything else he’d say. That Varitas's poisoned words, playing with Varian's deepest fears and guilt, had already had their effect on the kid. Where was he when Varian needed him ? Why was he stuck, unable to help when the kid needed him the most ? Varitas was right- just like before, he couldn't give Varian the help he so desperately needed. Varian stared at him for a while longer, before looking back at Varitas. Extending his hand, he took the other's in his own. Then, harshly pulling Varitas forward, he threw in the latter's face a green ball that exploded in a flash of blinding light. Varitas immediately shoved Varian away, rubbing his eyes with his hands; his hiss of pain morphed into a low chuckle. "Alright, looks like you've made your choice..." Eugene felt his heart drop as the two other automatons -the ones not currently holding Eugene- walked toward the alchemist, responding to Varitas's order. He knew his friend hardly stood a chance; above all, he knew Varian was fighting a losing battle, because he himself didn’t even know what he was fighting for, or if he wanted to. It was clear as day that Varian was fighting back like a wounded animal, with the energy of despair, and that this would end very badly. Eugene tried once again to free himself, even if he knew there was no way he could get out. Varian acted quickly, trapping the first automaton's feet in goo, effectively stopping him. Varitas threw at him a green ball that Varian barely managed to avoid; not fast enough to recover, the alchemist couldn't dodge a hit from the second automaton that made him fall to the ground. Not wasting any time, Varian sent a pink ball on the second automaton, trapping him the same way; he however didn't see the third ennemy attacking him from behind. "Watch out !!" Eugene stopped struggling a moment to yell in alarm. Varian startled and turned around just in time to catch Varitas's wrists, keeping him from using his knife- because yes, he had a knife, a real one. "Why are you fighting for them ?!" Varitas shouted, furious. "They are responsible for Dad being encased, for all of our woes- you should want to serve justice ! You used to want that, so why would you believe their lies again ?!" Varian didn't answer, simply staring at the knife held right between the two of them. "It was the price to pay to become their friend again, wasn't it ? Ha- you're pathetic. They will betray you just like they already did, and the worst of all is that they'll be right : you'll have no one to blame but yourself, for being stupid enough to trust them again." Varitas's eyes were filled with disgust, sadness. No answer. Varian's grip loosened a bit, his face reflecting some hesitation. “Varian, no- don’t listen to him ! He’s trying to get in your head !!” The alchemist no longer seemed to be able to hear him, his attention entirely focused on Varitas. Eugene’s voice was only a quiet noise, drowned out by Varitas’s own voice and Varian’s thoughts. "I hope you're happy. I hope you'll believe their lies that make you think that this is what's best for you, this is what you have always wanted. You won : enjoy your golden cage, Varian." "Kid !!" Eugene shouted, alarmed, and that finally snapped Varian out of it. Kicking his opponent, the alchemist made Varitas fall backwards; the latter harshly hit the ground, his grip loosening on the knife. Eugene watched with horror as the alchemist quickly took the knife from Varitas and held it at the other's throat. "Don’t do that Varian ! You are angry- we all are kid, but killing him isn't the solution !" "He's right," Varitas added, "You can go ahead and kill me, but that won't change anything. You know that I'm right, and getting rid of me won't change the truth." Varian gritted his teeth, his grip getting just the tiniest bit firmer on the knife, and Varitas let a vicious smile appear on his lips. "You and me, we're just good for destruction, hurting others, taking the blame. I know it, they know it : that's why they let you down, and will let you down again. There's no denying it anymore, Varian. If you don't kill me, I will just keep destroying everything, and you'll be to blame for not stopping me when you had the chance : but if you do stop me, that you dare kill me if you’re even able to, then you will become the villain, the murderer, the mean one, because neither of us are part of the people whose faults are all forgiven. No matter what you choose, you will lose, just like I kept telling you." Varian stared at Varitas as he was talking, unable to stop listening to him. He knew he shouldn't listen or even consider his words, but something in them struck a chord within him, reaching doubts he tried to muffle, thoughts he tried to get rid of and amplifying them to the point that he could no longer ignore them or bury them again; and even though he thought he could hear Eugene's voice, he couldn't actually hear his words. Varitas smirked, knowing that despite the appearances, he had the upper hand. Reaching in his pocket, he got out a purple ball. "It's over, Varian." The alchemist's eyes widened in realization as the ball hit the ground, exploding and covering the whole room in a cloud of purple smoke. Eugene felt his blood froze in his veins as he heard fighting noises, the sound of metal clashing against skin and a cry of pain, then a body hitting the ground; and after that, nothing. In the heavy silence that followed, the cloud slowly escaped the room through the hole in the wall, joining its peers in the sky. Eugene then saw with horror a body lying on the ground in a puddle of blood. Standing next to him, its double was panting, holding without trembling the knife stained with blood. At that single moment, a terrible truth dawned on Eugene who felt his heart come to a stop. Even if it was impossible to distinguish the twins, one thing remained certain : one of them was now dead, killed by the other. And therefore, it didn't matter which one came out a winner in this battle, because the result was the same either way. Varitas had won, and their Varian was gone.

I see a lot of people talking about the similarities between Varian and Hunter, and I'm all about it But I've also been waiting for people to point out that Varian has Clive from Professor Layton energy, like a lot : -Went through a traumatic event at a young age -Lost all the parents they had (left) -Were victims of things that went far beyond them as individuals, especially as kids (Black rocks/race to progress) -Blamed the politicians for the tragic accident that destroyed their lives -Decided to avenge their loved ones -Descent into madness, slowly losing touch with reality and reason -Manipulated the protagonist by pretending to be an ally while being the antagonist all along -Kidnapped politicians and people close to the main character -Used robot(s) as a weapon -"Some may call it revenge, but I prefer to think of it as justice" / "I'm the bad guy that's fine, it's no fault of mine, and some justice at last will be served" -Teamed up with other criminals/morally grey characters -Realized their mistakes and accepted the punishment that went with it -Will to make amends There are just so many misled boys out there lol

WOAH WOAH *intense eyes emoji* Did I miss something? What's this Tangled adventure AU? I saw the art for it and I already adore it even if I don't know what's going on.

Ahaha! You mean the art by @gueswho? They’re really talented <3

So the idea for the AU just came to me whilst on Discord (headsup the Scar Varian Server is fantastic). But the AU idea I had was similar to/inspired by the premise of Kung Fu Panda in a way, with several changes…For now I’m calling it the Un-Chosen One AU…

So essentially, the normal events that set off the beginning of Tangled happened, but just as the sundrop is gone, the black rocks start growing rapidly and scaring/endangering the townsfolk. Everyone turns to Frederic for help and, seeing as he can’t very well ignore the problem, he calls on Quirin to bring that scroll he had used to warn him. All of the nobles, researchers, scientists, “magic experts” and general townsfolk gather to try and guide out a solution. They quickly realize that now that the sundrop flower was gone and so was the girl who was possibly born with its magic (she would have been killed, they think), and her mother does not have any remnant of it, they fear they are doomed.  They look at Demanitus’ notes at the bottom of the scroll.

The notes talk a bit about the celestial powers, and warn of the powers falling into the wrong hands or being possessed, and then that leads people to wonder…if the sundrop could be embodied, could the moonstone?  (It was also weird to them that Demanitus talked about the sundrop like a person, attributing it with many human qualities that were exaggerated or limitless beyond mortal imagination). They reason that whoever it was who had taken the sundrop (they presume it’s Zhan Tiri because she was well-known in legend as Demanitus’ primary foe, and they don’t know much about Gothel or the other disciples) was also maybe going to head for the moonstone…and try to take over the world…but if the sundrop was the balance to the moonstone, as Demanitus said, and if said sundrop was gone, could it be that someone who didn’t necessarily have the sundrop’s exact magic but was “pure of heart,” good, strong, and intelligent enough…could maybe counteract that darkness and save them all? The moonstone needed to be protected and…maybe…if someone were to become strong enough, or close enough to embodying/wielding the ideal, hypothetical traits of one with the sundrop (strength, purity of heart, intelligence, etc), they could be saved after all.

So essentially, like many real people, these fictional characters read about three lines of ambiguous text, ascribe meaning to mystery, and conjure up this idea that Demanitus left a “prophecy”, the foretelling of a chosen one who could either defend of even destroy the moonstone in the sundrop’s stead.

A select group of Coronans, including Quirin with his family and Captain with Cass, decide to head over to the Dark Kingdom…Quirin because he wanted to warn his brethren/Edmund that the sundrop did indeed exist, had been stolen, and whoever had come for it was probably also heading their way, and the others because they heard from Quirin that there was a specific kingdom that trained warriors from the beginning and practically revolved around the moonstone. Frederic and Arianna stay behind in Corona, with any remaining subjects-they are knee-deep in grief for their kidnapped daughter and guilt for the chain of events Frederic caused.

(I hadn’t thought much of Eugene-either one can assume Edmund never sent him away and instead raised him, or that he did send him away and Eugene is living the life as an orphan/rogue right now. I had thought that even if Edmund had raised Eugene, he might have run away to get away from that kind of life, and thus stumbled upon Rapunzel’s tower. Thus commencing the normal sequence for most of the Tangled movie.)

So this group settles in the DK, and every able-bodied child is recruited and trained from the beginning, to be capable of having the “honor” of being selected as the chosen one. You know how they find out that they are? They go through different rounds/levels in the ranks until they’ve completed all their mentors/king/knights have told them they needed to, “specialized” in any of their strengths…and they have to be able to grab the moonstone. (many older kids had died in this very last part of the process). Before many of them can actually make a choice, all of the kids are subsumed into this web of magic and danger and prophecies-kids who fail to move up ranks are seen as burdens or given lesser work. Kids who are good but don’t quite make it to the top are just assigned with being the kingdom’s next mentors and league of guards. And the kids who are fantastic and do actually try to see if they’re the chosen ones…die…because obviously the moonstone doesn’t really care, it just doesn’t want to be touched. Instead of making the kids hopeless or questioning, however, this spikes their competitiveness, especially with the encouragements of their parents, who all want their children to be important/get near to the level of being a “chosen one”. The actual chosen one. Not the kind who died like all of them.

They’d be trained in almost everything-from physical combat, to a few of the relevant sciences (Varian’s alchemy is initially welcomed because even if it’s new, it looked useful), to certain kinds of acquired magic too.  They’re allowed to “specialize” in an “important” field related to their mission but only if they’ve fulfilled the basics physically.Varian is quickly turned down when they realize that alchemy isn’t exactly a “relevant science”…nor is it exactly a magic that will bring him closer to doing the thing everyone expects him to do. Quirin even tries to talk Varian out of alchemy because it seemed like a “waste of time”, asking him why he didn’t instead focus on the “useful” sciences that were more relevant to their “mission”. 

Cass’ father is very proud of her and Cass is deadset that she is gonna be the chosen one. No one seems more clever, cunning, or stronger than her in the battlefield. At least, not all at once. 

Varian isn’t the best physically, but he excels at strategy and tact too. Nothing seems enough for Quirin, however, who is constantly either leaving his son to worry about even involving him, or berating/criticizing him for not doing/being enough, or constantly ignoring him when Varian starts to doubt the validity of this prophecy and his actual place there.

Quirin does care about Varian, but the father is also…worried and confused. He’s not even that worried about Varian not being the chosen one…he’s just worried that Varian will fall short and get hurt. These were tough times they were living in, and as much as he wanted for his son to be himself and do whatever he wanted, he simply couldn’t…without questioning himself and a lot of things he believed in.

One fateful day,  news comes from Corona -the long lost princess has returned. At first, no one in the DK cares…until they learn that she apparently still has the magic of the sundrop and had been the “chosen one” all along.

The people who had worked so hard and broken their backs believing that they could fix this huge problem that had plagued their generation now have to escort the princess from Corona to the DK so that she can do the real work…which actually doesn’t take training…or so much experience…And apparently she was the only one who could “neutralize” the moonstone, rather than needing to destroy it as they had believed they could do.

Most people are relieved because that means the life-threatening chaos would be over, but the trainees/students are shocked and betrayed (and in Varian’s case, fascinated). It feels worse when some of their parents don’t even acknowledge that they’re betrayed. Cap is angry on Cass’ behalf, but Quirin seems relieved, which hurts Varian-did Dad not believe he could ever be special?

So in this story either Varian can be the antagonist who can’t accept that his efforts were for nothing and Cass accepts herself not being the chosen one, or it could be the other way around-cass can be the antagonist who can’t accept that she’s not the chosen one and Varian can accept that he’s not the chosen one. (it turns out that there is no actual chosen one…the prophecy was something people had conjured when they misinterpreted Demanitus’ research and tried to ascribe meaning to mystery. Rapunzel happens to have some remnant of the sundrop’s magic but it wasn’t meant to be embodied so there is no actual thing other than that which holds her above the others).

I do think this conflict would have played out great with Captain and Cass…especially the whole “you raised me on this idea of a destiny and did nothing as it was given to someone else” idea…if there had been a legitimate, misleading idea of prophecy, and some kind of mission Cass believed was owed to her because the captain was so proud of her that he believed she could get it, and in trying to prove that she was worthy of it, she happened to prove that she wasn’t worthy of it…not because of a game of chance, and not because she wasn’t born with magic…but because she was vengeful and proud and such power/heroism shouldn’t be ascribed to someone with those traits, despite how much of a skilled or passionate warrior they were.

This was a similar issue with Cap that Tai Lun had with Master Shifu in Kung Fu Panda….Tai Lun was trained all his life to become the esteemed/legendary Dragon Warrior or “chosen one” who would protect the valley, only to be denied that “destiny”, but in trying to show that he was worthy of the scroll (given to the dragon warrior), Tai Lung instead showed why/how he wasn’t worthy because he was corrupt and not pure of heart. He was vengeful, and greedy and arrogant, despite being a skilled and passionate warrior. When Tai Lung asked if all his hard work had actually made Shifu proud, Shifu even apologized to him, saying that-“I was so proud, it blinded me to see what you were become…what you had become.”

On the journey from Corona to the DK, Varian and others could possibly partner with Rapunzel because she has much to learn and they have to find out parts of themselves along the way that matter more than just being warriors/possible knights . Thus each of them have to go through struggles that prove they’re all still worthy and even possibly “pure of heart” even if they’re not specifically the “chosen ones”.

Cass, as the antagonist, could have been pretending to support/escort Rapunzel, and then stolen the moonstone when it was vulnerable and ready for Rapunzel to neutralize it, like in the series.

And the others can still “prove” themselves/have an active role in the story/find something that makes them happy by showing they don’t have to be the “chosen one” to be worthy or valuable-in Varian’s example, he would eventually happy knowing that he wasn’t the chosen one, and he would settle still for being this really skilled warrior who knew alchemy instead. Just because he didn’t end up getting the thing that everyone told him to want or that he wanted himself for whatever reason didn’t mean that all he was or everything else he had become was invalid.

If there is to be a redemption for Cass, one could have Cass gradually learning to accept that she couldn’t have that position of the “chosen one” and settle for some other position befitting her better…proving she didn’t have to be a “chosen one” to be valuable or have her efforts be worth it.

And finally, for all of the characters to realize there was no “chosen one” to begin with. Rapunzel happening to have magical hair had been a miracle…an accident…but there was no prophecy, no foretold destiny, no chosen one. They had all played a part in this story-different parts, but parts that fit their needs or their characters, and fulfilled their arcs.

And when Raps finally loses her hair, she’d be afraid of being “ordinary” but then she realizes that no one and nothing is actually ‘ordinary" in the strict sense of the word, and if the people she had met could be so “special” and spectacular without born magic abilities, then so could she.

an animation practice from a bit ago that I never posted 

A little update

Hello to everyone reading this, I hope you're doing great in these trying times !

As you may have noticed, I've been pretty inactive lately because of college and of course, finals. For that very reason and although I am not forgetting this blog, I think I can say without a doubt that I won't be very active in general. That doesn't mean I will stop posting at all, in fact I'll do my best to keep uploading as frequently as I can but it will most certainly be a matter of one post from time to time.

Once again, this doesn't mean I'm falling out of the fandom or anything. I'm still learning how Tumblr works, how college works and how to make both of them work together : just think of this as an assurance that I'll try my best :)

I also wanted to take this occasion to say how grateful I am for all the support ! Even the smallest sign of appreciation for what I do means the world to me, so thank you <3

Anyway, thank you for reading, and I'll see you here or on A03 !!

Sad to say that I'm back in college, which means no more social life for another (and hopefully last) year.