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talesofealdancynedom · 3 years

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Asada Fauxbit, in fairy robes with familiar; riding a “giraffe, but with malice”

Tale 19: Meriam Craweleoth: Mage Queen of The Grand West (chapter 7.1 - Has Yet to Pass 7/10) part 4. Stories of Old

Maps

Harsh Language

Upon the western mountains of the Far East, lies the Sinoian wall of fire. The mountains between the great desert, and the temperate lush kingdom. Due south of that, where the climate is soft by the sea, lies a very unlucky fishing town. To the south west, in Indonia of the Central South, lies the Monkey Gate within the heart of a cursed jungle.

Five aligned nations, out of ten, only created half a circle around Francia; Meriam needed more alliances to make the world get along. But Francia was between Anglia and the rest of the world. The North Central kingdom, was like the hole of a donut. A donut that was bribing allies in Indonia to it’s south, and Sinionia to it’s East. Meriam would need the favor of the sultan of the South Central to guarantee a safe passage to eastern lands. She took her men with her, to meet this powerful man in his jungle palace. They traveled safely through the Westlands of Dania, to get to the South Central. Once in the ivory, pearl, marble and oak home, the sultan spoke down to her. He sat on a silk pillow, surrounded by sari drapes, wearing bangles and slippers. The sultan was quick to insult Meriam, by tasking her with an impossible quest. He did not care that she was a mage or a queen. If she wanted the trust of Indonia, Meriam must understand that people in this country are cheats, and that the secret to Indonia’s heart, lies in an alliance with Sinonia first.

“Appease the emperor on the other side of the desert, with a grand gesture, and I will mark your papers; Mage Queen. Offer me something greater than our northern neighbors do.” Th sultan said, playing with his silver beard. “You will find guides outside the cursed jungle of Veya.” He chuckled. Meriam felt frustrated; She was asked to do an unspecified favor, for an unknown man, after crossing Ealden Cyendom’s central desert.

“Fuck.” She murmured.

As Meriam and her company traveled to the Monkey Gate, they began to remove clothing; it was far hotter than any land they had been to thus far. The humidity made it sticky, and the rain’s slowed their passage. When Meriam and her men arrived at the small village, they began to look for someone who spoke their language, that may guide them. Their investigation was fruitless; and they paid good silver to sleep on weaved mats in and uninsulated stone shack. The doors and shutters were made of intricately carved wood, that resembled lace patterned in lotuses and peacocks. They did little to keep out the rain; but did keep back the wildlife and wind. The fruit and nuts they bought were delicious, as was the fresh rain water; but they began to miss home. This may be, the longest journey they will have to embark on.

In the sticky, hot, humid night, while Meriam and her men struggled to sleep, they heard someone enter their room. They sounded like they were trying to be quiet, which resulted in them making even more noise. The sliding wood window creaked, and they heard the clink of bangles, and knocking over of pots and baskets; followed by very familiar Anglian cussing. Then, Meriam suddenly rose summoning fire in her palm, as her men drew swords at the intruder; Who was now in the middle of the room. To their surprise, it was an Indonian woman with pale golden eyes and hair against, her brown skin. She wore a scarf about her head that was a translucent tan, that glittered like her clothes, in pin stripes. She had her nose pierced as well as her ears, which held elaborate gold rings that matched the innumerable bracelets she wore about her wrists and feet. She was built like a knight, under the glittering fabrics of her Monkey kingdom fairy robes. Upon her shoulder, she had a marmoset. The robes hung in an ex across her shoulder and breast, and she wore gold armour to link the loose fabric. Her pants were baggy, her sash wrapped and left a fabric tail at her back, and her curled slippers matched perfectly. Meriam wanted badly to draw her; for she had never seen a mage of this kingdom.

She was stealing their fruit.

“You spoke in Anglian just now!” Meriam said. The woman was surprised, and looked Meriam up and down, with a mango in her mouth. Then she also held out a palm of fire. Magic. This must be the mage of the Monkey Gate.

In order to share magic, and teach it, mages use the language and letters of Anglia, as few other peoples know the language well. This meant they found a translator; but not a guide. More pressingly, they had an intruder.

“Who are you!” a knight demanded.

“I am Asada Fauxbit.” She said, chewing her bite of fruit. “Who the fuck are you?” She contested.

“We are the queen of Anglia’s royal guards; we need to cross the desert to Sinonia, to impress their emperor with a grand gesture of peace. We need the favor of his kingdom, to win the heart of this one. So, we are told. Anglia and other lands need as many lands as possible united, to restore balance.”

“You got so conned, miss raven mage.” Asada smirked, examining Meriam’s feather and velvet fairy robes. “Indonia don’t give a shit about other kingdoms. The Sultan is putting on a front to extort Francia’s bribes.” Asada laughed. The knights all drooped in defeat, and sheathed their weapons.

“Also, that mission sounds so awful; I pity you. I’ll make you a bargain: Find me a mage husband, so I can produce a mage daughter to protect this cursed magic forest, and I’ll come with you and provide guides to cross the fields of fire. Just to be sure, this is to help you do this thing you think will work, for this person, that is somewhere.” Asada teased. It became apparent that the sultan had actually given Meriam no information at all; his instructions were vaguer then being asked: can’t you not put that thing there maybe? Meriam rolled her eyes. She wasn’t a quitter.

“Are you conning me? You’re willing to take us across a desert in exchange for magic seed donor? That’s all?”

“Yup. Preferably Sinonian in ethnicity, with blue hair, and an aura of chaotic silliness.” Asada mused.

“But why?!” one of Meriam’s men asked.

“My bloodline is cursed by the Monkey King, because of my mom. The Monkey King is a lady who likes a matriarchy, and her children shrouded in mystery and isolation. My mom said she’d raise me to keep the gate open, and tend the monkey fey; as I was a mage. In exchange the Monkey king promised to provide a protective curse on the jungle. The Monkey King said that a line of pure-bred mage daughters, must be the ones guarding her gate. Starting with me. A cursed magic bloodline, in exchange for safety. Oh, also, If I leave the forest for any reason other then looking for a groom, I kind’a die.” Asada explained casually. While she explained the curse, Meriam racked her brain of mages she knew. And she knew of many. But, when Asada said blue hair, she membered one of Feon’s books. It was the teal journal detailing types of mages; and the illustration for the storm breaker mage, was a Sinonian man of blue ridding an Orca. Sirulius Healpenbroc; a warlock who made storm staphs, like Feon’s. And possibly joy induced natural disasters. This was a bargain Meriam could make.

“If your determined to be another dame, pigeon holed into relying on men for events in your life, I may have heard of a suitable man, south east of the desert, in Sinonia.” Meriam grumbled.

“Pigeon holed? What if I want kids and a nice guy to hold me? What if I want to protect my magic forest home and fey friends? I can do both! Cursed or not, it’s my life and choice; as a mage I have more choice than any lady in this land. And I chose a man of the Grand East who can fulfill my feminine desires.” Asada boasted. “Wait? You seem madder about me willing to abide by this curse, then going across a desert called the fields of fire. Who hurt you?” Asada inquired. Meriam glared at her; She was a queen surrounded by demanding men. Five of them were with her right now. Of course, she was rabid with envy. Happily, wed or not, Meriam would have at least of liked the choice. Her knights wisely chose not to comment.

Coincidences can make a day. Exact change, or meeting an old friend at a market: things sliding perfectly into place is satisfying. The only trouble is that these moments are rare, and you never know when one is going to happen. If you are looking for one, it’s like watching water boil. Speaking of boiling, the desert earned its name; The Fields of Fire. Though Asada and Meriam could alchemize water, and they had all gotten loose white clothes, the desert felt eternal in it’s unrelenting discomfort; like a socially obligatory holiday gathering with collogues. The expanse of dry nothingness, resulted in there being little else to do, but talk to your road companions. The guides Asada found where merchants, who regularly crossed the desert. They did not know a word of any other language; which seemed counterintuitive for efficient trade. Meriam was on a long road of days of travel upon stinking spiteful camels with a group of knights, and Asada.

Meriam admired how unbothered Asada was. Her men wouldn’t stop complaining about how they feared the desert would consume them before they could ravish a Sinonian maidens, and drink rice wine till uncoordinated. Meriam was too sober to talk to human males, and was forced to talk to Asada.

“What are these animals?” Meriam asked looking over her camel.

“Giraffes; but unkindly.” She laughed smugly. Meriam was confused; she didn’t know what a giraffe was either.

“Do you hawk? You have tiny falcon on your shoulder? Also, didn’t catch your name.”

“My name Queen Meriam Craweleoth. I do not hawk, this is my familiar Nihten; she is a kestrel. You have been seeing me send her off to see where we are. I meld with her to use her eyes. As well as make her big enough to ride if I have to.”

“Neat. So, where are we? According to Nithen?”

“Nowhere.” Nihten said. Gave everyone a good chuckle. To distract from their discomfort, Meriam’s entourage listened in on the two mages conversation; and then began butting in.

“Are there fey in the desert? If magic is less frail then men?” one asked.

“Oh yes. There are many basilisks and drakes in the sand. I heard once of one who was disowned by the dragon king for breaking a sphere at a banquet. If we convince him to let us cross a river, he might accompany us on our journey to the west.” Asada said. Meriam looked confused; she was lost in the second half. They were going to the east. Asada’s smiles faded into bitterness.

“That was a joke. The dragon king would never disown a child nor make one capable of guiding people.”

“We rode dragons once!” another knight said. “You must have spent too long in your forest, monkey girl; I’m not sure you even know what magic this desert holds.”

“Ah, but I do. It holds desert magic; obviously. Now stop complaining, and telling me I’m wrong, or I’ll summon my Iron staph to knock some sense into you. It matches the Monkey King’s; who is also a woman not opposed to striking things. Your men are idiots Merriam! No wonder your sexist. Are all Anglian men this daft?” Asada exclaimed.

“Actually, their very loyal, talented, and make sure my husband’s mind is sound whilst I quest. They are made of the finest fibre Anglia can provide, by order of my King husband.” Meriam said proudly. “Intelligence is not a factor in determining their value as people.” She added. Her knights smiled proudly upon their grumbling ‘steads’.

“So, you hate being controlled by people, sorry men, but you still accepted your betrothal to the king? then gave him a child, and take his men, sorry your men, with you, just to make him happy? You knew you were a mage and could have used magic to evade them, right? Your ungrateful; I would love to live in a palace and have someone who takes care of me, supports me, and loves me for being myself! And you judge me for wanting that!”

“Shut up, I love him! And love is powerful,” Meriam snapped. “and no; I don’t judge you for wanting a romanticized version of reality you use to cope with being cursed into heteronormativity. I judge you for talking like a drunk, and pulling my leg. It is about respect and freedom. I am equal, if not above, the men I meet.” Merriam snapped.

Asada looked off into the desert. She was nodding quietly while refraining from laughter. Meriam wondered what was worse; Asada, questioning the motivations of all her life choices, the desert, the malicious giraffe, or how she had complimented Tiberias’s architecture. She felt a little faint. Meriam began to hate Asada for ripping apart the meaning in her life. Meriam looked away in distaste.

“Must be nice to love someone so much, you throw away your philosophy to kiss them goodnight… Before I knew I was cursed, as only a child, when I saw the people in the village, all I lusted for was to hold even one of their hands. I want that Meriam; I want someone to be with, that makes me feel like nothing else matters.” Asada said into the sands. The morale went down as they clomped across the bright dune. Meriam never wanted to be in this arid wasteland again.

NEXT--->

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#art #tales of ealdan cynedom #fantast #short stories #fantasy #meriam #nihten #asada #sirulius

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starwars-babey · 5 years

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Consider: an Obianidala AU where Obi-Wan knows about the pregnancy the second he sees Padmé, can easily sense it, and it take every ounce of self control to keep from running to her and falling to his knees right then and there.

Obi-Wan is so incredibly excited to be a father with Anakin, who shares in the excitement once he fights out. They can feel the presence of these two small lifeforms in the Force, already so strong and vibrant.

But then, Anakin falls, and it takes all of Obi-Wan’s strength not to strike him down when he dares to choke Padmé. He holds himself back, because maybe he can be reasoned with, maybe it’s not too late.

Anakin is the Chosen One, though, meant to bring balance to the Force, and he does. He brings down the Jedi Order, who, for so long, overshadowed the Sith vastly in numbers, in power. Obi-Wan, through tears, strikes down his love, searing his own heart as he does so.

He doesn’t dwell, doesn’t stay to watch the life fade from Anakin’s eyes; he has to get back to Padmé, has to bring her to a medical center, and quickly. He carries her into the ship, comforting her as best he can while she cries out in pain.

Obi-Wan is by her side throughout the entire childbirth, holding her hand through hours of labor, to hell with the others watching. The Jedi Code is meaningless now, all that matters is Padmé, their children, their safety.

In spite of the horrors they’ve been through, they smile when they see their baby boy, tears in their eyes. “Luke,” she whispers, and Obi-Wan nods.

“Luke.”

Their daughter follows quickly, and this time Obi-Wan asks, “Leia?”

And Padmé smiles, she smiles so brightly despite the pain and sadness within her, “Luke and Leia.”

Padmé lives through the traumatic childbirth, she lives for her children, for their father, her love. They build a home in the mountains of Naboo, secluded from the Empire, and adopt new identities.

Ben and Dania Kenobi raise their children on the far outskirts of a village; the names Obi-Wan and Padmé are only heard in the night, within the safety of their home. They mourn the loss of their husband, make sure to tell the twins tales of the hero Anakin was, refusing to let his fall overcast the light and good he once brought to the universe, to them.

Luke and Leia are fraternal twins, of course, and as they grow older, Leia’s wavy locks are in every way Anakin’s, and Obi-Wan’s eyes are unmistakable in Luke. They both carry their mother’s kind smile, something Obi-Wan mentions at every chance he gets. That’s the smile he fell in love with, the smile that pulled him through hell. He does everything he can to see it again.

They find happiness together, their small family, not broken, but not quite whole. Obi-Wan trains the twins in the art of the Force, helping them construct their own sabers with the kyber crystals they’d found. Leia has a special affinity for dueling, loves to show off her skills, asking “Mom! Mom, did you see that?” when she pins Obi-Wan to the ground.

Padmé laughs and claps for her daughter, pulling a chuckle from Obi-Wan as well. “You might prove to be a better Jedi than me, little one.”

Luke finds more interest in his use of the Force, spends hours upon hours learning and practicing different skills. He excels at a rate that makes his parents incredibly proud, if not a bit surprised.

Both twins love to sit and listen as their mother teaches them the foundations of language, history, and art. They look at her paintings and sculptures in awe, as does their father.

They live happily, but eventually the twins grow bored of their safe, small corner of the galaxy. When they’re young, they look at the stars and dream of traveling to every one of them; as they age, they dream of bringing down the emperor, restoring peace to the entire galaxy.

Though it pains Padmé and Obi-Wan to watch them go, they know their children are grown, more than ready to face the challenges ahead of them. They wave them off with a smile, and return to their small home, so much quieter without the sound of the twins.

Years pass, until one day, they receive a visitor. In their doorway stands a translucent figure, emanating a soft glow. Anakin, their Anakin.

“I’m so sorry.”

#obidala #obikin #anidala #obianidala #obi wan x anakin #obi wan x padme #anakin x padme #au #soft #angst #headcanon #my writing #obi wan kenobi #padme amidala #twins

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uponaspoiler · 6 years

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'Tell Me a Story' Cast Explains Why It's Not the Next 'Once Upon a Time'

On October 23, the stars of CBS All Access’ upcoming series Tell Me a Story, including Paul Wesley, Kim Cattrall, Danielle Campbell, Billy Magnussen, and James Wolk, hit the red carpet at the Metrograph in New York City to celebrate the show’s forthcoming premiere this Halloween.

The series, which will take the world’s most beloved fairy tales and reimagine them in a new context, might have that in common with the ABC hit Once Upon a Time, but viewers will quickly find that Tell Me a Story is a brand new animal.

“[Tell Me a Story] is a lot heavier, a lot darker, and with a lot more adult themes — things like addiction, and greed and lust. A host of things that Once Upon a Time would not really [address],” said actor Michael Raymond-James, who plays Mitch in the new series and coincidentally also starred as Neal Cassidy in OUAT!

“A lot of [fairy tales] came from a different era — they’re hundreds of years old. So they came from a time when the world was a lot darker, and a lot more violent... They were tales told to children to keep them alive, essentially. Little Red Riding Hood [teaches you] ‘don’t stray from the path, because the consequences are pretty great.’ They tried to teach kids [these lessons] in a way they thought they could understand,” said Raymond-James.

“He’s not only an amazing creator, he’s got an incredible mind—he’s just a beautiful person. His vision is so authentic and specific, and there’s something really great about the show coming out on Halloween. In true Kevin Williamson form—that is his genre—suspense, thriller,” offered Dania Ramirez (Heroes, Entourage), who also starred on OUAT.

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#once upon a time #tell me a story #michael raymond-james #Dania Ramirez #mrj 2018 #dania interviews #dania 2018 #once in the news #MRJ Interviews #MRJ

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onceland · 6 years

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Once Upon a Time stars Ginnifer Goodwin and Josh Dallas talk the end of an era

Josh Dallas stands in front of a massive war room table, his Prince Charming rallying the troops in a last-ditch effort to prevent a great evil from stealing their happy endings. A combination of old guard and new from Once Upon a Time’s seven-season run sits before him.

“A new generation has joined the fight,” Dallas says in his most Charming tenor, nodding in the direction of Alice (Rose Reynolds), Robin (Tiera Skovbye), Henry (Andrew J. West), and Ella (Dania Ramirez). “Enemies have become friends,” he continues, looking to Regina (Lana Parrilla) and Zelena (Rebecca Mader). Charming concludes by addressing the presence of Wish Realm Hook (Colin O’Donoghue) as a new friend who feels like an old one. Once Upon a Time is days away from completing production on the final episode of the series, but everyone has gathered for his and real-life wife Ginnifer Goodwin’s final day on set.

The moment is charged as Charming reveals they’ve uncovered final villain Wish Realm Rumplestiltskin’s (Robert Carlyle) ultimate plan. Goodwin’s Snow White signals the Black Knights to bring in a stack of personalized storybooks — but so does Charming. They’re both trying to have their characters take the lead. When Dallas also does the signal during their third take of the scene, Goodwin can’t help but break character, ribbing her husband: “You can’t not do that, can you?” Mader cuts in with a laugh: “That’s called marriage.”

While OUAT has depicted Snow and Charming’s epic love story since the show’s launch in 2011, fans also got to watch their portrayers fall in love. The duo, who began dating while filming the show, got married in April 2014. They welcomed their first child a month later and their second in June 2016. Though Goodwin and Dallas left the show at the end of season 6, the two will return for the upcoming series finale, which airs over two weeks starting this Friday and concluding May 18. EW hit the set on the couple’s final day of filming to talk about the show’s legacy. [Editor’s note: The interviews took place separately, but were stitched together.]

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: As you head into your final day of production, how are you feeling right now? GINNIFER GOODWIN: Oh my gosh, I’m a mess. Leaving a show was a really tough decision, but one that we spent years making. … It involved a lot of discussing child rearing with our showrunners, because we really wanted to be spending more time with the kids. We really needed to start Ollie in school — we had gotten him into a school in Los Angeles. But anyways, we had decided that that was what was best for our family. Though a difficult decision, it was one that we were very confident about. We left celebrating. I realized in coming back and having had the show decide to tell its final story in this final episode, that I had always counted on this show as being here — I always counted on my being able to return, sort of like when we all go off to college, we know that home is still home. Now knowing that home is being obliterated, as it were, that the sets will be torn down, I’ve been really overly emotional. I have been crying for the past 24 hours. It doesn’t help that the scenes, of which we are part, are classic Once Upon a Time scenes. They’re inspiring. The word “hope” is batted around an awful lot, so it is very nostalgic feeling. I’m definitely mourning the loss. I wish that it could just go on forever and that we always knew that it would be here when we’re homesick.

JOSH DALLAS: It feels surreal to be back, but also wonderful. I’m so grateful that I was part of the fabric of Once Upon a Time, a show that seemed to touch a chord in so many people and had a fan base that is so passionate, so smart, so vocal, and so willing to go along on the ride with us. It will always be a great thrill in my life that I was part of Once Upon a Time, and I got to play this character, and hopefully show a different side of this character to people, and show you things that you didn’t know about him. And hopefully, the show inspired. It’s a show about hope and it’s a show about how it’s your actions that define who you are. You’re not either all good or all bad. It’s about your choices that make your character. Saying goodbye to it is bittersweet, but I’m so grateful.

Ginnifer, what does it mean to you to have had a strong female character like Snow White brought into a new era? GOODWIN: It’s amazing that, honestly, these guys wrote a truly female-driven show. I mean, they began years before we joined the fray in 2011. It was instrumental then in my choosing to take part. I was coming off of a female-heavy show [Big Love]. I was coming off of a show that was written in which the roles for women were very strong, but to come on to a show that was female-driven, and by the way written by men, was important to me. The way that women were depicted in this show, it was brave of the men to write them so bravely. It’s wild to me, also in the current climate, in talking about television, that it hasn’t been highlighted that Once Upon A Time has always done this. [Showrunners Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis] both come from very strong relationships with very strong women. Those have been definitely celebrated on screen in their writing.

Can you talk about the oddity of playing Jennifer Morrison’s mother for years when you’re basically the same age? GOODWIN: Yeah, I know. There’s always sort of this safety net of, “We are fairy-tale characters, and therefore we are ageless.” Colin’s character, Hook, is supposed to be — I don’t remember how old — hundreds of years? Rumple is hundreds and hundreds of years. In that way, in justifying it in character, it’s always sort of made sense that we could be so similar in look and in spirit. As an actor, we’ve only really felt old in realizing that this next generation that we’re representing today really did graduate from college like a minute ago, like they really could be our children. That’s what’s made us feel old.

And Josh, what has it meant to you to play Prince Charming? DALLAS: It’s meant everything to me. It changed my life as well as other people’s lives, our fans’ lives. It’s meant everything to me. It did change my life and helped create my family, my own family at home. Like I said, I’m just forever grateful to be part of it.

What do you think it was about Once Upon a Time that made it last this long? GOODWIN: The show is so optimistic, while being really realistic. These characters were all extraordinary, but we can see ourselves in them. I think that the part of us that wants to escape, can. We can disappear into their stories. I feel like everyone can find not just one, but probably several characters that they relate to, and whom they would want to be. But at the same time, these characters are really flawed and messy. I think that their feelings are so universal. Yeah, it’s that relatability. I love extraordinary stories that are full of really relatable characters. Who knew that fairy-tale characters could be relatable in any way?

What do you think Once Upon a Time’s legacy will be? DALLAS: I think it will be a show that preached hope. I think that’s the legacy.

GOODWIN: Oh my gosh. Well, I like to think that it was the first of its kind. At the time that we made the pilot, no one was doing anything like this. And I feel like it even pre-empted the swashbuckling princesses on the big screen. It was so new. And I hope that it’s remembered as being groundbreaking. And I hope, as we’re discussing, that it’s remembered as being representative of the strongest kinds of complex and beautiful women. And I hope that there is enough love for the show that we do reunion specials along the way.

What was the most poignant fan interaction you’ve had because of this show? DALLAS: There really has been so many. I’ve been so humbled and grateful that there have been so many. Many people coming up saying how Once got them through a rough time or how it inspired them to love better, to hate better, to do everything better, and to know that they’re not alone. I’ve heard that from several different people. Those are always memorable.

GOODWIN: I feel like, more than it being about anything that’s been said, having fans not just come to Comic-Con, but show up in Vancouver on location dressed as our characters, has been truly amazing to me. They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and the fact that people relate to it to that extent I find to be powerful. The show’s been fun, and it has been meaningful to me because of what I’ve gotten from the scripts, and also because of the relationships that I have formed on set. The fact is that my entire real life has blossomed because of this show. Early on, to see that the show meant that much, that people went to that extent in representing the characters, made me really take what we’re doing here more seriously. And then, I could not respect more that the creators also took that seriously and really have listened to the fans over the years, and really have written the show for the fans. I don’t think I’ve ever been part of something where there was that kind of focus. I mean, there’s always been a need, obviously, to draw in viewers. And I don’t mean monetarily, I mean just in general what we do, we want people to need us. We need to be needed. But to have a show that’s written on or of the public, I find to be really special.

Do you have any regrets about leaving the show when you did? DALLAS: No. None at all, none at all. It’s always worked out. It’s worked out the way that I hoped it would. I’m forever grateful for our time on it, and when we left, it was time. It was time for us to go.

How would you describe the finale and how it compares to past OUAT season enders? DALLAS: The series finale compared to all the other finales is special because it is the last one, and it’s emotional like true Once Upon a Time style, but it’s also satisfying because it again comes full circle and ties everything together. I think it will leave our viewers and our fans so happy that they invested their time and their hearts into watching our show.

GOODWIN: I will say that, for the Evil Queen, there is a definitive change in this episode in what she really reveals she has learned, what she has taken to heart. I find it to be so powerful that I cried. That’s part of why I cried all through yesterday.

What brings Snow and Charming back into the fold? DALLAS: They get a message that Henry is in a tight situation and needs some help, so they do what any great grandparents would do that know how to use a sword and a bow and arrow, and they come to help out. They come to help out and rally the troops.

GOODWIN: I will say that I don’t really know what they’ve been up to. I mean, they’ve been in retirement. I think there have been a lot of lazy Sundays. What we do see is longer Snow hair. We don’t really know what has happened to them, but we know that they have gotten the message that they are needed, and they have answered the call.

How do you feel about the ending for your characters and how it comes full circle to the beginning of the series? GOODWIN: The pitch for the whole show was, “What would a world look like in which the Evil Queen got her happy ending?” And we feel that we’ve finally figured out what that would look like. Josh and I talked in the few minutes we were still awake after yesterday, we talked and talked about what an honor it was to be part of her happy ending. It was beyond satisfying. It was emotional, it was thrilling. It was dreamy. It’s where we always hoped it would go, but it has taken the Evil Queen … like her journey has been so dramatic. That circle has been so dramatic and she’s gone so far, she’s grown so much, that to see the fruits of the writers’ labors was really satisfying. I can’t imagine the fans won’t gobble it up.

DALLAS: It was really emotional, actually. The story began with Snow and the Evil Queen and Charming. We’re ending it with Snow, the Evil Queen, and Charming. The idea that Regina gets her happy ending is really emotional, that it’s finally come full circle, [it shows that] you just gotta keep at it and you have to keep believing.

GOODWIN: I love that the ending is open-ended. I feel that even our coming back just exemplifies the fact that nothing is ever over. Despite my devastation that we are ending the show in general, I do feel like we’re leaving it in a way that we could do those specials we discussed, that we could come back in five years, in 10 years, and revisit this. I fantasize about a special miniseries we could do — streaming, I don’t know. I think the revisitation is appropriate. This is the epitome of a Once Upon a Time episode, this is an old-school, nostalgic Once Upon a Time episode.

Can you talk about the importance of sending a message that anyone can get a happy ending? DALLAS: I think it’s so important to send that message, particularly in this day and age when we have so much negative-seeming in the world, and to know that you do have a second chance, that you can have redemption, is super-powerful. I think if you go through life and you don’t believe you can do that, it’s pretty bleak. I feel like Once Upon a Time can shine a little bit of lightness in the dark.

GOODWIN: I just know it to be true. I am dead-certain that Snow White is right, that hope is the magical ingredient in the potion. That is, everyone can find love, everyone can find happiness. Dreams are achievable. And the hope speech in the pilot, Mary Margaret’s hope speech, was what sealed the deal for me in the first place.

What are you doing to take away from this experience? DALLAS: Total gratitude.

Do you have a different affinity for fairy-tale characters after your experiences on OUAT? GOODWIN: My fairy-tale affinity/Disneyphilia is probably a bit stronger. It was part of the appeal in the first place because I love that whole world, these whole worlds. But yeah, I would say that it definitely hasn’t burned me out, it’s definitely fed the addiction.

If you could open up a new chapter of Once Upon a Time 10 years later, what would you want it to be about? GOODWIN: Yes! Well, we’ve been joking about the line Charming has today about the new generation that’s joined the fray, and we do have an opportunity, because of our agelessness — though it has made us feel very old today, that line. I’d like to think that we would be able to because all of the realms represent generation after generation after generation of magically infused beings. Yeah, just keep introducing more. I mean, I would love to have Snow White come back and fight alongside her great-great-granddaughter.

DALLAS: I hope there’s more adventures. I hope there’s just more adventures and these characters still keep trying to figure life out. I think that never ends for anybody, not just these characters, just anybody. You’re always trying to figure it out. I hope they still are pushing forward and they’re still growing and they’re still going on adventures.

You both have pilots in contention for the fall — Josh on NBC’s Manifest and Ginnifer on ABC’s Steps. GOODWIN: Yes, I cannot leave the Disney company, obviously. I did a play after we wrapped last year, after Once Upon a Time wrapped. And then my husband and I both took the fall off, and the winter, and we both just shot pilots, and mine is again with ABC. This one shoots in Los Angeles, which was the vital thing for us as a family in terms of keeping our kids in school, and why we left the show last year in the first place. So yes, ABC found for me yet again a magical life on another ABC show.

Once Upon a Time’s series finale will air over two weeks, kicking off this Friday at 8 p.m. ET and concluding Friday, May 18, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

#ouat #ouat spoilers #7x22 spoilers #ginnifer goodwin #josh dallas #s7 spoilers

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mateushonrado · 5 years

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Status Post #6877: In less than two weeks' time comes the release of Ralph Breaks the Internet and one most talked about scene is in fact Vanellope interacting with the Disney Princesses plus the "unofficial" ones like Anna, Elsa and Moana, so here's the first row of six Disney Princesses (official or unofficial).

Row 1: Snow White from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Adriana Caselotti in original film, Carolyn Gardner in House of Mouse and Kingdom Hearts, Ginnifer Goodwin in OUAT, Katherine Von Till in Sofia the First, Stephanie Bennett in Descendants and Pamela Ribon in Ralph Breaks the Internet), Cinderella from Cinderella (Ilene Woods in original film, Jennifer Hale in sequels, Kingdom Hearts, House of Mouse, Sofia the First and Ralph Breaks the Internet, Jessy Schram and Dania Ramirez in OUAT and Ella James in live-action remake) and Tiger Lily from Peter Pan [unofficial] (Corinne Orr in original film and Sara Tomko in OUAT)

Row 2: Aurora from Sleeping Beauty (Mary Costa in original film, Jennifer Hale in Kingdom Hearts and House of Mouse, Erin Torpey in Enchanted Tales, Elle Fanning in Maleficent, Sara Bolger in OUAT and Kate Higgins in Sofia the First and Ralph Breaks the Internet), Leia Organa from Star Wars [unofficial, Lucasfilm now part of Disney] (Carrie Fisher in the films, Ingvild Deila in Rogue One, Julie Dolan in Rebels, Shelby Young in Forces of Destiny and Rachel Butera in Resistance) and Eilonwy from The Black Cauldron [unofficial] (Susan Sheridan)

#disney princesses #snow white disney #cinderella disney #tiger lily disney #aurora disney #leia organa #elionwy disney

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efnewsservice · 6 years

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THE FINAL BATTLE IS WAGED BETWEEN OUR MOST BELOVED FAIRY TALE CHARACTERS AND THE ULTIMATE VILLAIN, ON THE SERIES FINALE OF ABC’S ‘ONCE UPON A TIME’

“Leaving Storybrooke” – Wish Rumple’s evil plan is revealed and Regina realizes the only hope to stop him is by turning Wish Henry from his path for vengeance. Meanwhile, Tilly and Margot try to get help in Storybrooke. With his hope of ever being reunited with Belle fading, Weaver struggles to find a way to defeat his evil alter ego; and when Rogers’ life is threatened, he is faced with the ultimate sacrifice, on the series finale of “Once Upon a Time,” FRIDAY, MAY 18 (8:00–9:01 p.m. EDT), on The ABC Television Network, streaming and on demand.

“Once Upon a Time” stars Lana Parrilla as Regina/Roni, Robert Carlyle as Rumpelstiltskin/Weaver, Colin O’Donoghue as Hook/Rogers, Andrew J. West as Henry Mills, Dania Ramirez as Cinderella/Jacinda, Alison Fernandez as Lucy and Mekia Cox as Sabine/Tiana.

Guest starring in this episode are Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White, Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan, Josh Dallas as Prince Charming, Jared Gilmore as Young Henry, Emilie de Ravin as Belle, Rebecca Mader as Zelena, Sean Maguire as Robin Hood, Tony Amendola as Marco, David Anders as Dr. Wale, Lee Arenberg as Leroy, Jack Davies as Pinocchio, Faustino Di Bauda as Sleep, Beverley Elliott as Granny, Gabe Khouth as Sneezy, Rose Reynolds as Alice/Tilly, Tiera Skovbye as Robin/Margot and Keegan Connor Tracy as Blue Fairy.

“Leaving Storybrooke” was written by Edward Kitsis & Adam Horowitz, and directed by Ralph Hemecker.

#Press release #ouat spoilers #7.22 leaving storybrooke

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paulwesleychronicles · 5 years

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Variety Tell Me a Story Review - https://paulwesleychronicles.com/variety-tell-me-a-story-review/ #PaulWesley

New Post has been published on https://paulwesleychronicles.com/variety-tell-me-a-story-review/

Variety Tell Me a Story Review

In theory and logline, “Tell Me a Story” is about the intertwining lives of New Yorkers that resemble some of the most famous fairy tales of yore. The new girl in town is an unwitting Red Riding Hood with a wolf tattooed on her thigh, surrounded by predatory men. A brother and sister, long estranged from and somehow still dependent upon each other, find themselves running from forces bigger than them in a twist on Hansel and Gretel. Three men in pig masks attempt a robbery that goes horribly wrong, ending in accidental death and a vengeful man hunting them, threatening to huff and puff and blow their lives to the ground. As per the series’ marketing and self-consciously “edgy” tone, “Tell Me a Story” wants to make sure you know that you’ve never seen these fairy tales play out like this before. And yes: all their lives have something to do with each other’s, whether or not they know it (yet).

In actuality, that doesn’t quite bear out. The new CBS All Access drama from thriller connoisseur Kevin Williamson ends up indulging more cliches than not. Red Riding Hood, aka Kayla (Danielle Campbell), accidentally on purpose ends up in an illicit relationship with her teacher (Billy Magnusson) while playing out “Gossip Girl” sideplots with her new rich friends. Eddie (Paul Wesley), one of the three little pigs, struggles with his conscience and addiction in a series of tight tank tops as grieving husband Jordan (James Wolk) tries to prove his guilt. Hansel and Gretel, aka Gabe (Davi Santos) and Hannah (Dania Ramirez), come with more interesting backstories of abandonment and sacrifice, but they quickly get swallowed up in the story of them skipping town.

Click here to read full article.

#CBS All Access #Paul Wesley #Tell Me a Story #Variety

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nimthirielrinon · 2 months

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Dania’s Tale

Chapter 20: The Mage in the Dungeon

Chapter 20 is up!!! The long-awaited continuation of Dania’s Tale, where they reach Redcliffe Castle, meet an imprisoned mage, and learn a bit more about what is happening with the whole undead rising thing.

And Dania just keeps finding more reasons to hate Lady Isolde.

#Dania’s Tale #dragon age #dragon age fic #dragon age origins #dragon age oc #jowan dragon age #alistair theirin #Redcliffe castle #ao3 fanfic #dragon age fanfiction #my art

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thepaladincosplays · 2 years

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Gus heads for the most dangerous city in all of Mewni, Under Town, to perform a routine inspection. Along the way, he meets a strange woman from a strange tribe...

Gus belongs to @kururu418

#thepaladinrambles #gus johansen #dania #tales of mewni

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proftrumanchez · 2 years

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2020 Wasn’t Funny

Conclusion and Special Message

Truman Smith & Dania Abu-Rmaileh

74 pages

Thank you for reading this comic. Thumbnails by Dania Abu-Rmaileh, Miranda Cosme, Peter Shutt, and Truman Smith. All pages were inked, colored, bubbled and lettered by Truman Smith. Script by Truman Smith. Special page by Charles Smith. Share with a loved one. Or forward it to your boomer parents. Stick around for other, more lighthearted tales and concepts.

#comics #collab #conclusion #webcomic #original character #oc #my art #my writing #digital #comicart #original story #prose #writing #end

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coykouchou · 5 years

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Other TV Guide news for today:

Sons of Anarchy Is Leaving Netflix

Dania Ramirez Is No Fairy-Tale Princess in This Tell Me A Story Exclusive

Sarah Shahi's Reverie Canceled at NBC

Criminal Minds Sneak Peek: Alves Goes Full-On Tom Cruise to Catch the Bad Guy

Good Behavior Canceled by TNT After Two Seasons

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geekcavepodcast · 6 years

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youtube

Tell Me a Story Sneak Peek

CBS All Access has released a sneak peek for their new original series from Kevin Williamson. Tell Me a Story re-imagines fairy tales in a dark and twisted psychological thriller set in modern-day New York City. Season one includes “The Three Little Pigs,” “Red Riding Hood,” and “Hansel and Gretel.”

Tell Me a Story stars Billy Magnussen, Kim Cattrall, Danielle Campbell, Paul Wesley, James Wold, and Dania Ramirez.

Tell Me a Story premieres on CBS All Access October 31, 2018.

#TGCLiz #cbs all access #tell me a stoy #billy magnussen #kim cattrall #danielle campbell #paul wesley #james wold #dania ramirez #little red riding hood #three little pigs #hansel and gretel

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talesofealdancynedom · 3 years

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Melida Deigandun, in casual dress; Before all that magic happened.

Tale 24: Melida Deigandun & The Chase (chapter 1 - The Purple Dragon 1/5 ) part 6. Stories of Wizards

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Melida Dawnhill was a second-generation Westlander. Her parents were born in the Westlands, but Melida was born here in the Grand West. The land of unity, shinny things, subtle patriotism, green yonder, pears, and diverse peoples. In the summer, her family would go home to hike, and in winter they would ski. The people of the Westlands of Daneia, are strong, unbiased, fetishized, and like absurdist humor. Melida didn’t know it, but that is how other people would describe her. She brought new meaning to the ancient proverb of “Make mine Dane.” But enough about heritage; This is about Melida. Clad in comfy sports wear, she started her journey when magic would not stay away from her.

Melida’s active and magical obsessions, often exposed her to danger. So much so, she was given her fairy robes early. Even as her skill grew, Melida’s parents feared the next time she encountered a fey, she wouldn’t come home. Melida enthusiastically accepted her new magic garbs. They are violet, authentic, heirloom dragon kingdom robes; From her father’s side. Something to protect her from physical and magical harm, that complimented her blonde hair and silver eyes. Melida was exhilarated; Rescuing luck cats from the local oaks, would no longer be precarious. She was always good for a short quest, or mystical favour. Melida’s attraction to magic, and vis versa, was making her a passionate potential wizard. Her parents were keen on nurturing this. They believed their little girl, if guided, would turn out to be a talented wizard.

Melida read a lot about old magic on vacations. The Westland’s had a strong heritage board, which preserved a lot of records. Even the horrors of history, are free to display in Dania. Cultural comities were keen on withholding judgment on all matters; Even magic. This meant that mages and fey, were not perceived to be as scary as they were in other lands; But still frowned upon. The Westlands provided a sanctuary, that allowed Melida to sharpen her magic skills. From dragon lore, to talking with fey, every detail was wonderous and memorable; Like how dragons were said to be made by a Dragon King, just to be cool. Like two magnets in proximity, Melida and the enchanted were inexplicably drawn.

In fact, magic just kept happening around her. As if all matters of legend, searched for Melida. She would end up finding pixies hiding in the school, rescuing injured phoenixes, and releasing all of them somewhere safe. Melida was a fearless investigator, and solver, of local magic emergencies. Compassionate to all sides, and bursting with bravery, Melida couldn’t imagine being anything other then a paladin; A protector of both fey and men. Therefore, when she was the appropriate age, she immediately applied to the most prestigious paladin school in all the nations: The Golden Knight Academy of The Grand West. Located by her neighborhood in the Capitol.

Paladins, as guardians of magic and people, wield enchanted arms and spells designed to stop, deter, or maim. They are the field workers, that stay calm in the face of mythical dangers. They are wizard police, guards, and hunters. Once this profession was rare, and occupied by mages; But since magic housed men learned spells, wizards took on the job. Often using it irresponsibly. Magic swords are no longer used to defend those in need, but to show off, and injure anything deemed subjectively unjust. The field needed more magic users like Melida. Ones that genuinely wanted to protect, without judgment, or jumping to violence. When it came to paladins, corruption had brewed between The Day Veil of men, and the Shadow Veil of magic.

Right before the practical audition, Melida was approached by a dryad, who lived in the park on the way to the school. A good maple nymph. Dryads are the only nymphs that are mostly male; And as they are bonded to their tree, never go far from their stand. Melida had never met him before. Which was surprising, given the amount of fey and people she helped. What he told her, nearly ruined her audition:

“A real Mage! This forest has a genuine mage to protect it! It’s nice to meet you. where are you going if you don’t mind me asking?” He inquired. A fairy with the ability to talk to humans, means they have been around people long enough to learn how. This maple Nymph, was likely as old as it’s towering tree. Thus, his words may have real wisdom. Melida looked up at him, trying to remain calm. Usually, she loved new magic friends, but this one unsettled her.

“I’m Melida Dawnhill; I am-”

“House Daigandun?” he chirped.

“Sure… To answer your question, I have to go to a paladin school audition. It’s a competitive school.” Melida said, trying to continue on her way.

“Oh. Well, I hope those wizards don’t hurt you. Or teach you lies about magic, and make you do unfathomable things. We fey could use a proper mage around here.” He spoke. The sadness in the dryad’ss voice, made Melida nervous for her exam. Mages aren’t aloud to go to the academy; In fact, magery was illegal even though mages are just normal housed people, born with a greater connection to The Shadow Veil: The ether, and source, of magic. Mages just used different spells, and preferred fey over people; Or something like that. Melida, decided to take this new knowledge to her grave. Being a mage could give her an edge, or a death sentence.

To get into the Paladin Academy, a prospective student must show: pre-existing magic ability, proficient combative skills, and athletic resilience. To do this, Melida, one punched the male instructor before he could raise his wooden sword, then stepped back to grab her back opponent’s wrist, disarming their wand. She then stood obediently, before the panel. All of them sitting in plastic chairs, in a gymnasium that echoed, and smelled of old wax and sweat.

“All right, show us a spell. You have fairy robes, so you must have a wand, right?” the second master said, looking into Melida’s duffle bag. It contained her heirloom dragon armor, matching lance, and her purple fairy robes. Melida did have a wand. However, she couldn’t use it. The warlock who invented wands, left wand crafting instructions that included a short circuit. This controlled the amount of magic a wand could focus; For safety, of course. Mages used so much magic however, that using a wand can amplify spells to such an extent it causes wands to explode.

The wand in Melida’s waste band, was her third one. They kept breaking. Melida had no clue how wands are made or function, and thus she was left disheartened. Additionally, Melida could do magic perfectly without a wand; Shr assumed this was also normal. Then the words of the dryad shivered down her spine. Melida had trained for years to get into a good magic academy; And it could easily become meaningless, depending on her next move. She realized that spell casting without wizard tools, may not be normal, and supported the Maple nymph’s claims. Melida made silent eye contact with the intake panel. She could be denied entry or be lynched if she was a mage; Suspected, even. She reached back to grab her wand, and decided to cast the spell, but pretend to flick the wand. It was made of alchemized pink diamond, like her necklace.

“Well, don’t just look at it miss Dawnhill; cast a spell.” Another instructor said. In honour of her dragon magic house, Melida chose to do a higher-level spell; To impress and distract her observers. Melida summoned enchanted fire. In Ealden Cynedom, there are many types of magic fire, indicated by their colour. It depends on whether the source is wizards, fey, royal dragons, or mages. Melida chose the wizard accessible, and lovely lilac hued, guide fire. She lifted her wand above her head, and summoned the spell with a whisper, to make it look like she was using the wand. Melida got an applause and entry. She realized she needed to keep up the act, and give in to wizard culture to survive. The dryad was right. She hated that the dryad was right. Melida started thirsting for proof that she was not a user of old forbidden magic.

At dinner, Melida shared the good news about school. However, her parents said they were moving back to their hometown, leaving Melida alone to board at the school. They needed their old lucrative industry jobs, having trouble finding proper employment. Additionally, though most magic schools are public, the paladin academy was not. Melida would have to go six years without her parents to pay it off comfortably; Only visiting for winter and summer breaks. She loved her parents deeply, and was heartbroken. To deal with it, Melida decided to put her all into school. For her parents, favourite fey, neighbors, and her dream to loyally protecting them all. A local paladin station wasn’t big enough for her mission anymore. Melida had an opportunity, if she hid her magery; She could to become the highest commanding paladin in the land. Melida wanted to be he Lead Paladin of The Grand West. The top magic guardian. Untouchable. Melida was to remain calm, open, collected, and invested. She wanted to be the mage this magic forest needed.

NEXT--->

#art #tales of ealdan cynedom #short stories #story 24 #melida #fantasy

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onceland · 6 years

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Fairy tale ending: Inside the magical Once Upon a Time series finale

To read more scoop on this year’s season finales, pick up the new issue of Entertainment Weekly on stands Friday, or buy it here now. Don’t forget to subscribe for more exclusive interviews and photos, only in EW.

“Oh, man, I’m fired. Guys, I think this might be my last day!” Once Upon a Time is in its final days of production, and Ginnifer Goodwin is feeling particularly punchy after flubbing a line during a pivotal scene. Her Snow White stands before our beloved heroes at a massive war-room table, giving a rousing speech about hope as it seems all but lost. A great evil threatens to steal their happy endings once and for all — if it sounds like a moment from the pilot, there’s a reason for that. As actress Jennifer Morrison puts it, “The heartbeat of the show has always been hope.”

Despite being the brainchild of Lost writers Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis, Once’s premise — Snow White and Prince Charming’s (Josh Dallas) daughter Emma Swan (Morrison) returns after 28 years to rescue a variety of legendary literary characters, like Jiminy Cricket (Raphael Sbarge) and Little Red Riding Hood (Meghan Ory), from the Evil Queen’s (Lana Parrilla) dark curse — seemed a lot to swallow when the series launched in 2011, and many critics expected the fairy-tale mash-up to fail.

Instead, OUAT went on to become one of ABC’s top performers, bewitching audiences with emotionally grounded and relatable stories that resonated with adults and children alike for seven seasons. “Even though it’s about fairy-tale characters, the writers have written [the show] in such a way that really goes to the heart of everybody,” says Colin O’Donoghue, who joined the show in season 2 as Captain Hook. “That’s hopefully where it will endure.”

Part of the show’s initial appeal was the OUAT bosses immediately bucking age-old expectations, setting a game-changing tone of female empowerment with a very simple, if not monumental moment in the pilot: sticking a sword in the hand of Disney princess Snow White. “When we wrote it, we didn’t realize,” Kitsis says. “We wanted her to pull a sword and not be a damsel in distress, and that is what people respect about Snow White — she’s a fearless warrior for good.”

“At the time that we made the pilot, no one was doing anything like this,” says Goodwin. “Honestly, these guys wrote a truly female-driven show. It was instrumental then in my choosing to take the part.” Goodwin notes OUAT’s female-forward approach was also used behind the scenes — she was No. 1 on the call sheet for years until Parrilla took the top spot in season 7. “I hope that Once is remembered as being groundbreaking, that it’s remembered as being representative of the strongest kinds of complex and beautiful women.”

That was never more apparent than with the character of Regina Mills. She started out as the show’s ultimate villain, unleashing a curse that trapped everyone in a land without magic, where Regina could live out her own personal happy ending. But it was one that turned out to be anything but happy, evolving into a Groundhog Day-like prison of her own making until she adopted Henry (Jared Gilrmore), eventually leading to the arrival of Emma Swan, who went on to wake the cursed characters.

Slowly, but surely, Regina conquered her own demons, becoming not just an ally to the Charmings, but family. “Regina is a very hopeful character because she’s so flawed and complex,” says Parrilla. “Following Regina’s journey over the years, we’ve seen that she’s made some mistakes, but she picks herself back up. I think she’s an inspiration to many, including myself; I’ve learned so much from her.”

Aside from its compelling leads, the show’s fortitude also stemmed from its ability to reinvent itself from season to season, sometimes multiple times within. The Onceuniverse expanded into a playground sandbox where characters like Aladdin (Deniz Akdeniz) and Belle (Emilie de Ravin) could cross paths with Tinker Bell (Rose McIver), the Wicked Witch (Rebecca Mader) or Dr. Frankenstein (David Anders). The show even birthed a short-lived Wonderland-set spin-off.

The biggest reboot came last year when — after the exits of six major cast members — Parilla, O’Donoghue, and Robert Carlyle (as Rumplestiltskin) were left to take center stage alongside Andrew J. West as an older version of Henry (Jared Gilmore), Dania Ramirez as a new iteration of Cinderella, and Rose Reynolds as Wish Realm Hook’s daughter Alice. But audiences waned without the original cast, seemingly losing hope at the worst possible time. “It makes me sad that something so positive on television is being taken off the air when we need it most,” says Parrilla. “It breaks my heart.”

Even the characters of Once may come to lose hope as the series heads into its final episodes. Despite developments in Hyperion Heights that could signal a brighter tomorrow, an unleashed villain intends to follow through with a dangerous plan, the painful effects of which would be felt by our cherished characters for eternity. “I would definitely say the last episode is as epic as probably any episode that Once Upon a Time has ever done,” O’Donoghue teases. “It’s like taking the best of all seasons and jamming it into one — literally.” West concurs: “The finale is maybe the single most massive episode that the show has ever done. And I mean that in all sincerity.”

Though their future may look bleak, Snow White would (and does) tell our heroes to keep hope alive, a notion Morrison attributes to why the show “had such a strong connection with the audience.” It didn’t hurt that the show launched in a time when social media allowed fans to share in the characters’ experience, cheer their triumphs, and criticize their missteps in real time, creating a community of fans who have cemented a strong bond over the years. “It’s brought a lot of people together that maybe never felt seen,” says Mader, who joined the show’s ranks in season 3. “These people will now be friends forever, because of a TV show that we made — that’s really special.”

For some, it’s much more than that; the mark that OUAT has left is indelible. “There’s been a couple of times where people have said that they were so desperately alone that they’ve considered taking their own lives,” O’Donoghue says. “Through the show, they’ve met other people who felt the same way and realized they’re not alone. That blows me away.”

Sometimes, even the OUAT actors can forget how much the show has affected fans, something season 7 addition Reynolds learned while filming the final episodes. “It didn’t really hit me, the impact of this show, until I went to Steveston,” says Reynolds of the real-life Storybrooke set that the show will return to before series end. “We had people coming out to see it, and even just being on the street I saw in the pilot, that is when it really hit home for me that this is a big deal and this show is epic. Working with [returning stars] Ginny and Josh as well has hammered that home even more.”

Though the Once bosses depicted their originally planned ending in the season 6 finale, they have cooked up a particularly magical final chapter that brings the show back to the beginning in a number of ways — keep your eyes peeled, as there are Easter eggs galore. “The pitch for the whole show was ‘What would a world look like in which the Evil Queen got her happy ending?’ I feel that we’ve finally figured out what that would look like,” says Goodwin, just one of the season 6 departures who returns for the finale. (Read who else is returning here.) “We saved Regina’s happy ending for the end,” says Kitsis. “Her journey has really been watching somebody confront the demons within and emerge on the other side a better person.”

“I know everyone’s been waiting for Regina’s happy ending and no one really could define what that is, and no one really knew what it was going to look like, and nor did I,” Parrilla says. “Once Robin died, it was really hard to foresee another love in her life. But I’m happy with where her happy ending is at.” Parrilla remains coy about the specifics of Regina’s happily-ever-after, only teasing that it takes place “in the same location” as the opening of the pilot.

O’Donoghue, meanwhile, offers that Hook’s fate is intrinsically tied to Rumple’s. “I remember thinking [the ending] was just such an amazing way for this relationship that Bobby and I have invested in over six seasons,” O’Donoghue says. “It’s been so integral to both of our characters, so I thought it was a really beautiful moment and very, very important to me for that to be the happy ending for Hook.”

The notion of happy endings has been vital to the success of the show, particularly Once’s central message that no matter who you are as a person, good or evil, everyone deserves a happy ending — all three of this year’s legacy characters initially entered the show as villains. “It’s so important to send that message,” says Dallas, “particularly in this day and age, when we have so much negative in the world, and to know that you do have a second chance, that you can have redemption, is super-powerful.”

But the question remains whether Once will get a second chance in the future, someday joining the pantheon of shows getting the reboot or revival treatment. “Look, you never say never, but for now this is our ending and the end of this show for us,” says Horowitz. “But if in the future something else happens with the show, we’ll be excited to see what that is.”

Once Upon a Time’s series finale will air over two weeks, starting Friday, May 11, and concluding Friday, May 18, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

#ouat #ouat spoilers #7x22 spoilers

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