^ me when i'm not at all suspicious and definitely don't have any intimate knowledge of the subject
As a joke you had always said "I dedicate this to Hades" as you threw away food scraps from your cooking and cleaning your plates. When you die you find yourself in front of Charon's boat with Hades sitting in it, seemingly very excited to see his most devoted follower in recent times.
Cringe culture is dead, I’m drawing the famous video game cowboys together. Even if they’re from entirely different games and eras.
(Moment for just Arthur 🤌)
Fiyero’s characterisation relies a lot on the actors that portray him, particularly in Act I. Bearing in mind the limited stage time, the emphasis on lines such as ‘life’s more painless for the brainless’ and ‘those who don’t try never look foolish’ in Dancing Through Life is, at least to me, crucial in conveying the fact that despite his seemingly perfect life, he is honestly unhappy. I think the same goes for 'well, I’ll say this, she doesn’t give a twig what anyone else thinks’ - he says it jokingly, a throwaway comment on the school outcast, but he admires her for being strong enough to stand on her own two feet without using a facade as a crutch, for fashioning her own weapons out of insults and determination and aloof sarcasm to fight back against the endless harassment, and is a little jealous, too. He’s not brave enough to weather the storm on his own; he cares too much what people think of him, even though it’s damaging.
And he kind of has to. He’s a Prince, after all, and the level of scrutiny paid to royals is ridiculous, especially here in Britain. For example, Kate was recently in the news for - shock horror - getting stuck in a traffic jam, on her way to picking George up from school. Also hitting major newspapers were Charles and Camilla’s bedrooms, William’s new haircut, and the royal mince pie recipe. Truly brilliant journalism, right?
Fiyero was raised a royal, which in my mind is part of the reason why he acted out. Being born into such a huge responsibility would never be easy, especially if he didn’t want to rule in the first place, and this was part of his life over which he had some control. He didn’t ask to be in this position, and he probably would’ve been expected to act as an adult at a young age. The responsibilities would have smothered him, leaving him to search for an escape.
(This happens with celebrities in real life, even teenagers, and more so with the rise of callout culture.)
Being royalty would’ve distanced him from most people his age, and there would’ve been the inevitable gold-diggers and sellouts, whether they were friends or lovers. He grew up ironically lonely. As well as royalty, he was also raised as a politician, well-versed in the arts of negotiation, lying, and masking true emotions. He was never able to truly be himself, to let go of formalities or expectations. His 'scandalacious reputation’ preceded him like a red carpet, and with money, alcohol, parties, and the plethora of women at his beck and call, a great deal of people would’ve expected him to love the attention it gave him - and wouldn’t have understood in the slightest if he said it was incredibly stifling, that he hasn’t eaten a vegetable in a year, that he’d really like to sit down and read a book or finish that sketch he started a long while ago. It was a vicious cycle, one he would break if only he knew how.
It’s also likely that as the reigning monarchs - that aren’t the figureheads the British Royal Family have become through the years - his parents would have had a staggering amount of duties and engagements, which could’ve distanced them from their son whether they meant it to or not. In times of tragedy, of insecurity, of dramatic upheaval, where would Fiyero turn?
As I said, he’s not as strong as Elphaba in that he can’t just not care what people think of him, and after flunking out of numerous schools, his parents would’ve been disappointed in him, to say the least. They would have doubted his ability to rule, and after a while, so would he. He would look at the complete mess he’d made of his life, and wonder how the fuck he could get it together enough to lead an entire country. He believed he was too far gone to be saved, to break the endless chain. He’s adored by the public, and it’s a victory, even if the victory is hollow.
Royal status doesn’t mean he had the best life. Money doesn’t mean he had all he could ever want. Power doesn’t mean he had a voice that can be heard. After all, a comfortable life doesn’t provide immunity from tragedy, from strife, from the trials and tribulations that others face. A comfortable life can still be empty.
These little glimpses into his true feelings and personality don’t have to be glaringly obvious - to be honest, they’re better when partially concealed, as if the facade slipped for a mere few seconds before settling back into place. Over the course of the musical, they grow more and more obvious, until everything is on the line and the facade finally falls to the floor.
I think part of the reason that he falls for Elphaba is that she can see through this facade like it’s made of glass - and what’s more, she accepts who he is underneath. She knows he isn’t happy with his life, she knows he’s more than what he pretends to be, and isn’t afraid to tell him so. Besides that, she knows what it’s like to be lonely, to have to pretend like you don’t care. To have to protect yourself from falling apart, if not for yourself then for the sake of others. Over the years, she hardened herself to the tirades of harassment, of bullying, of abuse, but her heart isn’t made of stone. She has green skin; the remarks and actions from others about that wouldn’t have slid like water from a duck’s back.
There was a reason why Elphaba’s famous line of ‘no, you’re not, or you wouldn’t be so unhappy’ was emphasised. That exchange in the Lion cub scene is basically Fiyero trying to prove to both Elphaba and himself that he is nothing more than what meets the eye, that life is truly nothing more than parties and sex and drinking. His 'genuinely self-absorbed and deeply shallow’ line is a very obvious lie, and Elphaba doesn’t hesitate to call him out on it. Underneath the light, funny words, he’s clearly tired of keeping up the pretense, but somehow Elphaba is the only one to have seen through it, and he’s taken off guard. She’s the only one that cares enough to do so.
Even later, in Act II, he couldn’t let down the facade. He was trapped in a gilded cage, bound by the expectations of the intolerant, cruel, and manipulative society in which he lived, used as a pawn by Morrible, and made the leader of an organisation whose primary aim was to capture the woman he was in love with and kill her - or worse. Definitely a lot worse. What’s more, he had to do it with a smile on his face. He wasn’t happy - not when he was painting a picture of himself as the perfect prince, and not when he was on the balcony in Thank Goodness - but he had to solidify his old facade, the very one that Elphaba saw though without even trying, and make it a reality. If anyone noticed the cracks in the foundation, then there would be serious consequences.
It’s not until the pivotal Throne Room scene that Fiyero is at long last able to stop pretending. Though perhaps able is the wrong word; it’s not like he’s left with an easy option to take. He’s presented with an inevitably disastrous situation - and he follows his heart, does what he knows is right, even against the imminent backlash. He could’ve pretended that he didn’t remember Elphaba, that he never had feelings for her, that he believed that she was wicked - even if he broke both of their hearts in the process. Not to mention that if he did, it’s unlikely Elphaba would’ve lived.
But he didn’t, and breaking years of metaphorical shackles can’t have been easy, especially with so much at stake. He found the strength to not care what the public thinks, to find this strength and solace in the woman he loves. In As Long As You’re Mine he looks so much more comfortable than he ever did before, thrown under the spotlight with every move scrutinised. The difference from Thank Goodness, where he was obviously uncomfortable and unhappy, is massive. The line 'you’ve got me seeing through different eyes’ is more than loving her past her non-conventional beauty, but that she’s opened his eyes to a new way of living. He doesn’t have to put his happiness last, he doesn’t have to pretend, he doesn’t have to live for everyone except himself. For the first time, he’s allowed to be Fiyero, rather than His Royal Highness Prince Fiyero Tigelaar, or the arm candy of Glinda the Good.
It hurts him to see Elphaba in pain, and hurts him to have to let her go again. So he doesn’t. He doesn’t, and ends up saving her life. Somehow, I think he’s happier with his sacrifice in the cornfield scene than he ever was in the Emerald Palace. He did what he knew was right, even while knowing that he gave his life to do so. Arguably, this is Fiyero’s moment of glory; the point where he shines brighter than the moonlight from the previous scene. Had Elphaba been caught, it would’ve been game over - for everyone. It would’ve dealt a massive blow to the Animals and the Revolution as a whole, it would’ve ensured Morrible remained the puppet-master of Oz, and it would’ve had a disastrous effect on both Glinda and Fiyero. In sacrificing himself, he saved Elphaba, and as a result, saved the Revolution and the hope it inspired.
He was no longer afraid to stand against the dissent of those he used to bend over backwards to keep happy, and the old facade, having been dropped in the Throne Room, was never replaced.
The mirroring of the 'it’s not lying, it’s looking at things another way’ exchange in the Finale is very important to me (as is the first appearance of said exchange, in all honesty), and marks a new era in their lives, one where they can learn to be themselves, to not put on a show for the sake of someone else.
At last, they were unlimited.
ever after high themed adoptables - the wizard of oz batch!
reblogs super appreciated! <3
each is €45! payment by paypal, dm me if you’re interested!
available: 2, 3, 5, 6
Roman, Claus of Wishes! From my fic Christmas Wish~!
I replayed blessed are the peacemakers the other night and had a radical idea,,
What if Micah coordimated the parley with the o'driscolls, specifically to get Arthur out of the way? He's definitely not above it, and he's definitely clever enough to pull it off.
See like, Dutch aside, I think Micah is jealous of Arthur. Arthur is considered one of the most, if not /the/ most capable members of the gang. They respect his opinion on things and usually follow his lead without much fuss. They invite him to take a load off, sit by the fire and have a drink. The girls invite him to chat. He has an easy camaraderie with the rest of the gang.
Contrast this with Micah, who seems constantly at odds with everyone. Crazy homicidal tendencies aside, he does seem to want a connection with at least some of the gang. He'll sit by the fire and tell a story. He'll try to talk to the women, who brush him off with disdain or scorn. His sense of humor is fucked 9 ways to Sunday, so most of his "jokes" involve blatant sexism/racism, or he's just otherwise cruel (though I think his cruelty is half him lashing out, half him being cruel for the sake of it)
Half of the gangs rejection has to do with him just being a shitty person, but I think Arthur's attitude also plays a big part. Arthur makes no effort to hide his feelings about the man. He doesn't like him, he'd wish he'd get gone, he only tolerates him bc Dutch, ect. And because Arthur doesn't like him, the rest of the gang, subconsciously or not, follows his lead. I say this because you also have a man like Williamson, who is racist and filthy and a drunk, and yet because Arthur doesn't outright hate him, the rest of the gang tolerates him well enough.
And then there's Dutch. If there's anyone's opinion, anyone's esteem Micah truly wants to be held high in, it's Dutch's. And yet again Arthur stands in the way of this, at least in the early chapters. When Dutch wants something done, he sends Arthur. When Dutch wants to take a load off and fool around, he fucks off with Arthur and Hosea. On the rare occasions that Arthur offers his opinions on things, Dutch takes it into consideration, even if he ultimately does whatever he wants anyways. And oh I just know that Micah was stewing over the fact that the gang moved camp to Clemens Point, the place that Arthur and Charles found, instead of Dewberry Creek, the place he suggested.
All in all, Micah is envious of Arthur's place in the gang. He wants that for himself. Ultimately he manipulates his way to Dutch's right hand, but before he got to that point, he may have figured the best way to the top was to simply remove the competition.
So he runs into a few stray Odriscolls and instead of killing them, urges them to pass a message along to Colm. He plants the idea of kidnapping Arthur to lure the gang out, except he was never planning on turning them in, at least not yet. He has them suggest the meeting via Pearson to avoid arousing suspicion, though he throws his weight behind Pearson to make sure everything falls into place.
All so that Arthur when fails to meet them at the fork in the road after the parley, he can convince Dutch that it's fine, he probably saw some pretty buck or damsel in distress and went after it, you know how he is, he'll turn up.
All the while betting on the fact that Colm will eventually get tired of waiting for the rescue and just kill Arthur and be done with it. And with him out of the way, Micah can finally secure some authority within the gang.
Spoke to a gen z person the other night and apparently the young folks don't know about the very legal sites from which you can access public domain media (including Dracula, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and other Victorian gothic horror stories)?
Like this young person didn't even know about goddamn Gutenberg which is a SHAME. I linked to it and they went "aw yiss time to do a theft" and I was like "I mean yo ho ho and all that, sure, but. you know gutenberg is entirely legal, right?"
Anyway I'm gonna put this in a few Choice Tags (sorry dracula fans I DID mention it though so it's fair game) and then put some Cool Links in a reblog so this post will still show UP in said tags lmao.
dashboard
More eah, monster high and enchantimals links below the cut!!
@ravensraven
@everafterhigharchive
@eah-dumping
@thelosteverafterhighapp
@eaharchive
@super-airi
@mhdiaries
@everafterhighdiaries
@monsterhighdiaries
@andromedavwrites
@james-preble
@fashion-foxy
@theendofeverafter
(This constantly gets updated whenever I find a new acc and/or I add a new link that isn’t mine)
Monster high links below the cut!!
(G1)
(G3)
Concept:
Honestly if they were gonna de-power Jason they should’ve just given him the Frank treatment.
Have it so that the Olympians saw a demigod defeat a titan by himself and deem him too powerful to be kept alive. Especially in the wake of the last great prophecy.
And have him de-powered because of that.
I mean when you think about every Roman demigod is cursed in some way so I think they should’ve just carried that on.
Hazels powers are cursed. Franks life force is tied to a stick. Reyna was told love could never heal her.
Octavian had Gaia messing with his head. And Dakota has to drink kool-aid to curb the alcoholism he inherited from Bacchus.
…which could honestly be its own post but anyway.
So carrying on with that have Jason keep his life but losing his memories and no matter how much he tries he can never recover his sense of self.
Because Jason’s at his most powerful when he has all his memories of training and knowing who he is.
Or you go the other way and instead of Jason being nerfed like Frank, just have it be that the usage of his powers has consequences.
Jason just gets the Beast Atsushi treatment where using his powers gives him intense pain. A physical barrier to stop him from ever being able to go all out.
So that he could never use his powers against them. Because if this boy by himself was able to defeat a titan. Who’s to say he wouldn’t ever turn on them?
Just like Zeus did his own father, and his father before him.
Man imagine that reveal to everyone else, not from Jason himself obviously because it’s Jason he’d carry all that in silence.
He’s arguing with his father and he’s that mad that electricity is crackling around him. It unconsciously flares near Zeus and Jason suddenly drops to his knees like he’s been struck.
And screams.
His friends rushing over while Zeus is just like I’m sorry what was that? I’m afraid you’ll have to speak up.
Hera hating every second of it and gently but firmly telling Jason to let go of his anger and ask for forgiveness.
Jason biting his lip so hard it bleeds as he knees before his father’s Greek equivalent and apologises.
Zeus purposefully waiting a little longer till Percy’s yelling at him, barely being held back by Annabeth.
And then the pain stops and Jason falls limp in their arms.
Horrifying.
Even more so that everyone else is suddenly aware that very much could’ve been any of them. It’s just that Jason was the one they picked.
Everyone suddenly stops joking about Jason passing out during fights.
Like you could’ve made it part of the story and used to add to Jason’s character but instead it’s just lazy and shows Rick really didn’t know what to do with him.
I’ve been seeing some people talk (saw a comment somewhere by @feldspursfiyero ) about Fiyero’s behavior and choices, in particular how his depression and love for animals tie into one another and what his potential backstory is. I have a few things in mind that I’ll jot down here since I haven’t seen too many posts out there about Fiyero’s life before Wicked.
To start, it is obvious that Fiyero is a prince and the heir to the throne. From what we know in real life, being the Crown Prince was never an easy role. Though, I do find it interesting that Fiyero’s choice to act out is more along the lines of the behavior of a modern spare (Margaret, Harry etc) whose life feels directionless in the shadow of their older sibling’s glory. Historically and realistically, the heirs have been relatively good at containing their feelings and attitudes towards their position, but for Fiyero I think there are more layers to why he, the eldest child and the heir, has the personality traits that he has.
More under the cut because I don’t wanna clog the feed. This became longer than I thought 🙃
I do believe there was a time where Fiyero was able to be himself and allow himself to be loved and seen. Being a Prince, his life was dictated by strict protocol and rules by default, but there was once a time where he could breathe and let loose. That’s why he still has the innate ability to know and feel himself deep down, but events in his life have taught him to hide them.
From the Shiz Gazette online (and the books), we know his parents are Baxiana of Upper Fanarra and Marilott, Chieftan of the Arjikis. In my headcanon, his mother is the queen regent, the royal one and his father is the Ozian equivalent of a nobleman. He has a younger sister four years his junior named Arrietta with whom he is very close (she’s my OC).
Having not been raised in the rigid royal structure, Marilott taught his children that there was more to life than rules and appearances. Even if he couldn’t shelter them from their position, he made sure that they got to experience a taste of more “normal” things. Even if Baxiana saw them as her successors, Marilott saw them as his children. Most, if not all, of Fiyero’s happiest memories involved his father.
His death hit Fiyero very hard and is the main catalyst to his evolution into the man we see in Wicked. With him died the carefree boy Fiyero once was. Being fourteen, it came right around the time where he was expected to formally begin to prepare for royal duties and his mother was very strict with him. She had no patience with his slower progression in his studies (which I headcanon to be a combo of dyslexia and adhd) and implemented a stricter study regime, which inadvertently made it worse. He began to develop feelings of inadequacy and low self esteem about his abilities to be a ruler and began to yearn for his mother’s approval. Even if there were times where she was satisfied, she didn’t outwardly show it. Why would she, when royals weren’t expected to show emotion? Every social interaction was a transaction, one where nobody cared about anything but a satisfying end result.
Feeling trapped by his mother, his destiny, and his internal turmoil, Fiyero began to act out. Having partaken in an increasing amount of public events, he became aware that his people were enamored by him. Everytime he ventured beyond the castle walls, he would find crowds of people his age following his every step, listening to his every word. If he could garner attention simply by existing, maybe he could gain their respect by giving something to admire. After all, who could resist being royalty AND being cool?
The Winkie Prince was seen at almost every night club in Winkie Country and Oz, dancing the night away in the middle of the dance floor, winning the heart of every lucky Ozian to be graced by his presence. Every time he was expelled from university, angry students would petition the board to revoke their decision. When they didn’t, his classmates would gather and bide him tearful farewells. The expulsions didn’t both him one bit because wherever he went and wherever he would end up next, he would have an admiring crowd that he could entertain with abandon. That is, until he meets a special girl at Shiz…
Now here is where the real Fiyero fits in as well as the Animals. Yes, things may have been bleak for him, but there were only two places he felt the most safe: Arrietta and the Animal staff at the castle.
Despite his facade being so convincing that even Fiyero himself forgot it wasn’t real, there were times where his old emotions would bubble to the surface. When he was younger, he would burst into tears and as he grew, he would sulk in his hiding spots throughout the castle. Of course, his sister would find him and the two would often sit together, some times in silence and other times, listening to eachother’s woes. She was the only human after their father’s death who loved him for who he was and she was the only person he could be himself with. She had similar worries, but instead of acting out, she turned inward and grew to be an intelligent but shy young woman. She never told him this to make Fiyero more worried than he already was, but she secretly wanted her “old” brother back. The carefree boy who would tease her until she cried, joked until she laughed, and tell stories until she fell asleep.
His other source of comfort, the Animals, are the reason many years later, Fiyero stands up to the injustice against them. The Winkies were known for their deeper connection with nature and Animals, which is why they are so prominent in culture, politics, and trade in their country. The royal family was no different and many of the staff at the castle were Animals, including Fiyero’s governess, tutors, and personal guard. He was most fond of his governess, a kind panda named Palina who stayed with the royal children until Fiyero left for his first university. Even in retirement, she would write letters to her former charges, who never failed to write back. While he was away, she was his safe space, her warm and fuzzy hugs replaced with warm and encouraging words of ink. His tutors, despite instructions from Baxiana to be more strict with his curriculum, had empathy for the prince’s learning struggles and would try various methods to help him learn. They also understood the importance and value of encouragement and would give him small praises and rewards for completing tasks on time or correctly. Fiyero never understood why humans couldn’t be as good teachers as animals and attributed the former’s lack of empathy for their spartan methods.
Finally, Fiyero met Feldspur completely by accident! He had been hiding in one of his hiding spots in the royal stables (which were more like suites for the Horses) when one of the mares found him in the corner of her suite. She knew him and he knew her, so it hadn’t been awkward but she thought she would cheer the teen up by introducing her colt Feldspur to him. At first, the two didn’t see eye to eye, as Feldspur didn’t know why a prince would be unhappy and Fiyero didn’t know why the young horse asked so many questions, but the two eventually warmed to eachother when Fiyero realized that Feldspur actually listened to him. Even if he wasn’t human and wasn’t Fiyero’s age (in animal years haha), he listened intently and the questions that bothered him were asked with curiosity and care, not mocking or ignorance. Fiyero had eventually forgotten why he had been in the stables in the first place, having made a new friend that was on the same level as him. The two quite literally grew up together (and ate grass together in the process) and share a deep friendship that goes beyond a prince and his noble steed.
Phew, that was a lot IM SO SORRY HAHAHA. At that I’m gonna log out and explore this more in fics and drabbles in the future. If you made it this far, THANK YOU and I promise future posts will be shorter 🤗