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sapphics-world · 3 months

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Liana and Alexa from Barbie and the Diamond Castle are in love and here’s the proof

So, a bit of background first. I used to be obsessed with the Barbie movies when I was younger, just like everybody else my age. From time to time, I catch myself re watching a few of them, such as the Magic of Pegasus and Mermaidia, which were my favorites. However, last night I decided to go for a different one, and I’m glad I did. I only watched Barbie and the Diamond Castle once when I was a kid. My scarce recollection of it was about two girls who sold flowers and ate bread from their cabinets and eventually found a castle in a lake. But, upon re watching it, I now understand that it is so much more.

I started taking notes originally just as a joke, but I’m actually 100% serious at this point. Also, it’s probably easiest to understand this if you are at least somewhat familiar with the movie, or you could watch it alongside my notes as I will be going in chronological order. But you do you.

My interpretation of Liana and Alexa’s relationship as more than just friends is under the read more because this is going to get really long. My notes were 1.1k words, but this is about 3k words. Also, expect too many commas, italics, and low quality pictures.

Okay. So, the story begins with normal Barbie and her friend, Teresa, singing a song about their friendship. Right off the bat, I noticed the lyrics.

Somehow when you’re around

The sky is always blue

The way we talk

The things you say

The way you make it all okay

And how you know

All of my jokes

But you laugh anyway

If I could wish for one thing

I’d take the smile that you bring

Wherever you go in this world

I’ll come along

Super cute. The lyrics, given no context, can easily be interpreted in a romantic way.

After finishing singing, Barbie begins to tell her sister a story about friendship, and here we are introduced to our two main characters: Liana and Alexa.

They live together in a cottage in the countryside and plant flowers. Honestly, that should be enough proof in itself. But, the remaining hour and fifteen minutes provide enough supplemental evidence that these girls are in love.

After Liana (the blonde) and Alexa (the brunette) finish singing the same song as Barbie and Teresa, Alexa describes the song as “magical.” Liana goes on to tease her about believing in magic and wishes, and Alexa chases her with a dish cloth. It’s only a few minutes in and they’re already flirting and just being cute in general.

Later, Liana finds two heart shaped stones in the river that runs near their cottage. Her immediate reaction is to call Alexa over and give her one of the hearts. Of course, Liana has to make sure her girlfriend doesn’t slip on the rocks though, first. She offers a hand as Alexa leaps about one foot over. Just an excuse to hold hands, I’m guessing.

Liana seizes another opportunity to hold hands with Alexa as they close their eyes and recite, “Best friends today, best friends tomorrow, and always,” and then share a laugh.

A magic spell is cast while their eyes are closed, and the hearts symbolize the physical manifestation of their love for one another. Alexa has the idea to turn the stones into necklaces, but before she can do anything, a storm suddenly rolls in and they head inside.

Liana surprises Alexa with the heart necklaces that she had wished for, and puts on hers, calling them “the perfect match.” Although, I don’t think she was just referencing the necklaces; Liana and Alexa are a perfect match as well.

The storm ends up destroying their garden, so the couple is left with very little income. They have two options on what to eat: bread and jam, or jam and bread. (Ironically, this is one of the few scenes I remember watching when I was younger.)

Alexa wishes that they could have more - more food, more clothes, more house. But when talking about her future plans, she doesn’t hesitate to include Liana in them. Each sentence includes an “us,” “our,” or “we.” Alexa is in love, and she doesn’t plan on spending her future without the love of her life.

Alexa and Liana acquire a mirror from an old woman, and then proceed to work to fix up the garden. As they work, they sing, and once again, I present you with some of the lyrics:

But I know that I’m never alone

I think of you

And how you never let me go

I feel connected

Protected

It’s like you’re sitting right

With me all the time

You hear me

You’re near me

And everything else is gonna be alright

‘Cause nothing can break this

Nothing can break this tie

They’re in love. Just saying.

The song about how in love Liana and Alexa are literally conjures a girl in the mirror. She sings along with them, and they quickly become friends. But, before they can bond too far, a dragon swoops down from the sky and tries to steal the mirror with the girl trapped inside. He burns their lovely cottage down, so the girls are left with no home.

Apparently, the girl in the mirror was an apprentice to three muses in a place called the Diamond Castle, where the stone hearts are from. However, one of the muses went rogue, so the Diamond Castle was hidden, and the key was given to the girl, an apprentice, to protect it. The dragon works for the evil muse who wants to regain access to the Diamond Castle.

While the girl in the mirror is explaining this, Liana looks at Alexa with so much love in her eyes it hurts my heart.

Since Liana and Alexa no longer have a house, they decide to journey to help the girl in the mirror find the Diamond Castle. While in the Valley of Flowers, Alexa hears rustling in some bushes and screams, believing it to be a snake.

However, it turns out it’s just some dogs, which Liana teases her for.

Alexa responds, “Okay, okay, I was only trying to protect you,” in the softest voice ever.

Okay, okay, that was really cute. During this scene, they also take in the dogs and name them Sparkles and Lily.

Liana and Alexa arrive in a town where, to get food, they sing at a restaurant. The lyrics aren’t super romantic here (since they have a crowd,) but there was one line I rather liked.

We’ll stick together

Staying strong

While they’re on this journey together, they will always have each other.

Later, Liana and Alexa are eating on a break, and they are approached by a pair of British boys who attempt to serenade them with a song about how handsome they are. Liana is unimpressed.

She’s too in love with her girlfriend to even consider the possibility of dating one of them. She’s confident Alexa feels the same way, as they share a look.

After they leave the tavern, the girl in the mirror observes, “They were really cute.”

Liana replies, “You have to be kidding,” and laughs. She could not care less, and she makes eye contact with Alexa again.

It’s what I like to call the knowing-lesbian look.

Unfortunately, while they are in the forest, the dragon reappears with the muse. She tries to hypnotize the girls into giving her the mirror with the girl inside, but is unsuccessful because of the stone hearts they wear. The necklaces, symbols of their love for one another, make them immune to dark magic since they came from the Diamond Castle.

Liana and Alexa manage to escape and are picked up by the two British boys from earlier. British boy #1 does flirt with Alexa but is greeted by an eye roll from her unimpressed dog. The best way to get rejected, if you ask me.

Also, the British boys keep trying to be funny, but they’re not - at all - and it’s really annoying. Liana even comments, “They think they’re charming.” (She knows her girlfriend is funnier and more charming than they could ever be.)

At this point in my viewing, I was a bit concerned that the British boys would become love interests for the girls, but I was pleasantly surprised. They weren’t too involved in the storyline, and I wasn’t greeted with a random wedding at the end a la Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper style. Some flirting occurred, but overall the British boys were insignificant.

Essentially, this picture is a summary of the relationship between Liana, Alexa, and the British boys:

The British boys fall into a hole. The troll who refused them access to a bridge is responsible, but I like to think they’re just that dumb.

In order to cross the bridge, the girls have to answer a riddle. They must name an instrument that you can hear, but not see or touch. Liana figures out the answer relatively quickly: your voice.

The troll is shocked that she got the answer right, and I was shocked at what happened next.

A rainbow bridge appeared.

Yeah. Even better was what happened after. Moments after Liana and Alexa step on the rainbow bridge, the bridge begins to recede quickly so that the British boys cannot gain access to it.

The gay girls who are in love literally walk away on a rainbow bridge from the straight guys pursuing them. Barbie did that.

While it definitely wasn’t intentional, I did find it hilarious.

Once over the rainbow bridge, Liana and Alexa continue their hike. Alexa grows extremely tired and stops to take a break. Liana immediately halts and turns around to comfort her girlfriend. “Are you okay?” she asks.

They care about each other so much. Goals.

After their break, the couple spots a house in the distance. Upon arriving, the man and woman who live there offer up their mansion to Liana and Alexa, claiming that it was destiny that they ended up at that house and it now belonged to them. (I don’t blame them - if a cute lesbian couple turned up at my doorstep, I’d offer them my house.)

As the man recites a tale about how it had been foretold that “two friends, best friends will come to live in the hall,” Liana and Alexa glance at each other when he mentions that they were destined to show up, together.

Because their love is destiny. There isn’t a universe out there where they aren’t hopelessly in love with each other.

(Side note: I also totally just realized they’re wearing the colors of the bisexual pride flag. Amazing. Lesbian, bisexual, however they identify, they’re in love.)

Now, this is where things get rocky. Alexa wants Liana to stay with her in the mansion so that they can finally have all of the food and clothes she wanted them to have in the future. The couple can spend the rest of their lives in the mansion and be safe and happy.

But, Liana wants to help the girl in the mirror find the Diamond Castle and defeat the evil muse. C’mon, Liana. Who cares about the plot, just go be happy and gay with your girlfriend.

“Stay with me,” Alexa begs.

Eventually, Alexa erupts in anger: “You’re choosing Melody over me!” she accuses.

Guys, it wasn’t the British boys we had to worry about. It was the girl in the mirror all along. Magic: causing lesbian fights since 2006.

Liana storms out angrily with Sparkles the dog. Alexa rips off the necklace Liana gave her and throws it on the ground with a sad look on her face. Depressing music is playing. This is the worst day of my life. Why aren’t they allowed to be happy?

Alexa hears a knock on the door, and her head hopefully perks up and she gasps, “Liana?” She already wants to put this fight behind them and spend the rest of their lives together, whether it be in the mansion or searching for this castle.

Turns out it was the evil dragon knocking at the door, instead. He kidnaps Alexa and brings her to the muse’s evil lair. Apparently, the mansion was a trap, and Alexa fell for it. At least Liana’s safe.

Until the muse brainwashes Alexa because she took off the love necklace that protected her.

Same, Alexa.

“Where is your friend? Or should I say…ex-friend?” the evil muse taunts. Too soon, muse, too soon. Unfortunately, Alexa reveals Liana’s location unwillingly because she doesn’t have the power of love to protect her.

The movie then cuts to Liana ranting about how much she loves Alexa: “Miss her? Why would I miss her? We’ve only been friends for as long as I can remember. She’s been with me through the best and worst times of my life. She knows me better than anyone else in the entire universe. I - I feel like a part of me is gone.”

Now that’s what I call love. Also, Liana’s too busy expressing her feelings for Alexa that she doesn’t even notice the dragon swooping down and kidnapping her. Iconic.

Now, it gets kind of traumatizing.

The evil muse commands Alexa to walk off a cliff into a pool of acid. All Liana can do is watch in anguish and scream Alexa’s name as she walks closer and closer to the edge.

Liana is desperate to stop Alexa from falling off the edge. She can’t imagine life without her.

Thankfully, the girl in the mirror convinces the evil muse to stop and promises to tell her where the Diamond Castle is. They leave, but before flying off, the dragon knocks Liana and Alexa off the cliff into the acid.

When I started watching a Barbie movie, I really didn’t think I’d be encountering the Bury Your Gays trope. For a good 30 seconds, we’re led to believe that they’re dead.

Luckily, the camera then pans down and we see Liana clinging onto the cliff for dear life, holding her girlfriend’s entire dead weight with just one arm.

Damn. Liana’s strong. She somehow manages to pull both of them back up onto the cliff as well.

“I’m sorry, Alexa. Why did I ever leave? I’m so sorry,” Liana mourns. I’m not entirely sure why Alexa is suddenly unconscious, but, y’know. Plot. Liana had to cradle her in her arms, so I’m not complaining.

Lily the dog comes to the rescue carrying the necklace Alexa dropped on the ground. Dogs: saving lesbian relationships since 2006.

Liana puts the necklace around Alexa’s neck, and once again recites, “Best friends today, best friends tomorrow, and always.”

Liana’s love for Alexa literally just saved her life. Love is real, guys. Liana helps her girlfriend stand up, and then they search for a way out.

“How?” Alexa asks.

Liana replies, “We’re going to climb up.” Gay pause. Eye contact. “Together.”

As they walk out of the cave, Alexa places her hand on Liana’s shoulder and apologizes for their fight. The two share a hug since they couldn’t bear to be separated from one another for too long.

The British boys return and Liana and Alexa find the evil muse and defeat her. (I oversimplified this because it’s just not relevant to their relationship. Whoops.)

Well, it’s not relevant until they need to unlock the Diamond Castle. Before them lies an empty lake, with no castle in sight. Liana and Alexa realize that they can only see it with the key: a song. And, oh boy, these lyrics.

Every breeze that whispers

Reminds us constantly

Sometime’s what’s real

Is something you can’t see

Believe in all that can be

After singing, the Diamond Castle rises out of the water and towers over them.

Specifically, the lyrics sometime’s what’s real is something you can’t see really struck home with me. The Diamond Castle is a metaphor for Liana and Alexa’s relationship. Their love is what’s real, but it isn’t something that you can obviously see since it isn’t outright stated (given it’s a Barbie movie in 2006.)

Inside the castle, the girl from the mirror is safe and Liana and Alexa are crowned princesses of music by the muses. Mirror girl asks them to stay in the castle with her.

But, Alexa refuses, “Live in this beautiful castle? Once, I would have said yes in the blink of an eye, but now, I just want my old home back. It was more than enough.”

She has realized that it isn’t the material things that matter, it’s the love she shares with Liana that she doesn’t want to live without. Alexa wants to return to their simple but happy life in the countryside with their garden and two dogs.

The muses grant Alexa’s wish by handing her seeds to plant and regrow their flowers at home. To celebrate their success, the girls reprise the song from the beginning of their story with a change in lyrics.

It’s not an accident

The time we spent apart

But now we’re so close

I can always find you

Right here in my heart

You’ve given me

Something I need

And I don’t ever want it to end

Because of you

I know I’ve found my strength again

They’re in love. Do I even need to explain more at this point?

The girls wave goodbye to the British boys and muses to spend the rest of their lives accompanied by their dogs and at peace in the countryside. Liana and Alexa rebuild their cottage and plant the seeds for their future together. Literally.

The movie ends as we return to Barbie and Teresa in present day. Stacie, the younger sister, comments, “I would have hated it if Alexa and Liana didn’t make up.” Same, Stacie, same.

Barbie and Teresa then sing the final lyrics of the movie:

Two voices

One song

Because this was a movie about two girls, one love story.

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