I'm A Fandom Oldie And A Strong Proponent Of "ship And Let Ship", And I Defend Everyone Else's Right

She’s back at it again with another fashion lineup, this time featuring our dashing Prince Roman! A good boy who deserves a bit of love, especially following recent episodes

[More fashion sides: Janus Virgil Logan Remus Patton]

On the characterisation of Fiyero

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.

wondergang posting 🔥🔥

I gave Bunny and Alistair a little redesign 🐱 don't really like the originals :P

Vampires are sleek demons for good times

(some say the van der linde gang is run by the devil himself, hard to find and harder to kill, with an appetite bigger than us all combined)

Here it is! Finished character line up with designing process breakdown :)

Cowardly Lion

There's little to no description of the Cowardly Lion in the books, so I always imagined him as rather ironically big with thick, dark mane (the darker the mane, the stronger the lion). He's mainly made of soft, delicate curves, which are incorporated into his whiskers and hair as well. I wanted to incorporate bits of 'you had it all along' in Dorothy's friends designs, so classic tail and mane ribbons were not enough. Such big and proud animal has to have at least a bit of courage to wear lace collar. Lions have darker spot on their heads, which I turned into something fitting for a magical land - star. Since lions can be identified by whisker spots, Cowardly Lion's are little hearts.

Dorothy and Toto

I have carefully noted all descriptions of Dorothy's clothing, which is as follows: sunbonnet, gingham dress with white and pale blue, silver shoes, basket with white cloth and apron. The dress should have pockets. Even though the classic illustrations suggest that her hair was blonde, I decided to go with dark brown. It just fits way better. I added lace to the apron and sunbonnet. All garments were inspired by vintage clothes from early 1900s. Toto is based on Scottish Terrier, since he's been described as small, black and hairy, especially around the nose.

From now on beware spoilers for Wicked part 2

Scarecrow

His eyes will kill you. No, but seriously, they're not dark like other characters, because they're painted. He's made mostly of triangular shapes. Straszek's description is the most detailed: painted blue Munchkin's hat (with little bells), head is a small sack, painted face, blue suit of clothes, old boots with blue tops (I have no idea what tops are, I hope I did well), painted ears and padded hands (that's why his hands are too big + he's the only character with four fingers). Now, I didn't stick to the entire description for various reasons (f.ex. painted ears looked weird and blue hat didn't cooperate with cape), but mainly, because I wanted to add something from myself. And here's where the Wicked part 2 spoilers begin. Fiyero is quite tall, so I have abandoned the idea of Munchkin sized Straszek. He's ragged and dirty, because he was beaten. Torns in suit are remnants of Fiyero's wounds with golden straw spilling out instead of blood. If you look closely straw on his left shoulder should look like epaulet. If it doesn't, then it's my fault. The one shoulder cape was made from what was left of his chieftain outfit and it covers a big rip in the suit (which is his 'brainy' feature). Golden ornament depicts wheat and crows. I wouldn't be myself if I hadn't put unnecessary objects on a big hat, so there you have it: wheat & Elphaba's poppy. And last, but not least: straw sticking out of his face forms light facial hair (everyone say 'thank you, Jonathan Bailey').

Oof. That was long.

Tin Woodman

Standing proudly next to his boyfriend, Tin Man was created from hard, square shapes, quite summetrical as opposed to Scarecrow's absolute chaos. He has his little iconic cap and I can't really say a lot about him. The bowtie is his remarkable feature that I could never take away. It was red for a moment (just like Lion's ribbons were royal blue), but all my friends said that he looked like Freddy Fazbear, so I had to take the red away. I'm sorry, Nick. Let your husband housemate be colorful. Anyway! I might have accidentally incorporated some of Dark Cacao Cookie's armor in here, because that's the only armor I had drawn more than once. He's rusty all over and all that crying turned his eyes brown and left rusty tear marks. His jaw is hinged like it was in the books. If I remember correctly it was never stated that Nick Chopper was a Munchkin, but after Wicked turned Boq into Tin Woodman it would be such a waste to not deisgn a character sturdy, yet small. Spring hair is inspired by movie Boq's curly hair (thank you, Ethan Slater). His you 'had it all along' feature is... Less functional than others. The collar around his neck forms a heart.

Sketch page including some notes:

You still here? Wow. Hey, look!

Wicked part 2 looks great!

a long list of things that are confirmed as canon in sanders sides:

Virgil hates flying

Logan is afraid of what's at the bottom of the ocean

Roman is absolutely terrified of the dark (and screams like a final girl in a horror movie when he's scared)

The sides can change how the others look

Virgil can in fact control shadows/darkness

Patton made up a game called "patton cake" and it is very messy and confusing to play

Janus is cold-blooded and sheds his scales

Remus and Roman both have sustained long-lasting injuries

Logan can't "duck out" like Virgil did

Logan has a literal "thinking cap" that he wears

Roman and Remus can conjure living things

Virgil has kept/stolen items from both Logan and Janus

Logan and Virgil are great at giving each other gifts

Logan's gifts that he gives are usually some form of money

Virgil hates being babied

Patton has no idea where babies come from

Logan called puns his "forbidden fruit spread" and has actually made several dad jokes on purpose

Both Logan and Roman have fainted over crofters

Virgil cannot skateboard to save his life (but still pretends he can to seem cool)

Roman insults things as his way of showing love, and has in fact made fun of nearly every side

Patton is allergic to cats and Remus is allergic to soap

Remus deliberately attempts to smell bad

Logan said crofters are the only thing that understands him

For about a year this phrase has been trending on Chinese internet: "This family is going to fall apart without me." And dare I say it is very Arthur Morgan core

Roman, Claus of Wishes! From my fic Christmas Wish~!

I wish the hoo books didn't erase the 'roman-ness' from jason completely just because he adapted to the greeks. we needed a proper, cold, calculating roman representation. hazel and frank could just as easily fit into the greeks because they were very new to camp jupiter and reyna was shipped off to the hunters.

jason was always kind of eccentric in the argo ii if you guys hadn't noticed. when jason was talking in praise about diocletian(?) hazel looked at him in horror because he wasn't supposed to be saying good things about him. but the romans were supposed to be like that. they were supposed to take in the beneficial aspects of even bad people, they didn't think about feelings. they were the "we see good in everyone but only because we need them for our benefit".

it would take a million years for jason to trust someone completely, hot take but he would take longer than nico to warm up to someone. nico is just more open about not trusting someone, but jason would hide it better. annabeth said jason had this unnerving vibe about him and neither she or hazel could get a read on him. he would be calculating your every move and would read so much into what you say, because he's a roman by blood, by virtue.

and jason would take betrayals HORRIBLY, arguably he'd take it the hardest, it isn't easy to anger him but a broken promise, a broken trust, drives him absolutely insane.

by the way ☝️ the other thropple thing i dont see people talking about enough is the inherent hysterical comedy of elphaba (magical powerhouse and radical), glinda (social linchpin and queen manipulator), and fiyero (guy with a gun)