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itsclydebitches · 2 years

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Sandman, Slightly to the Left: A Netflix Review

WARNING: This review contains MAJOR spoilers for the new Netflix Sandman series as well as the original Sandman comics. I do not recommend reading this if you haven’t already read the comics, or unless you don’t mind me spoiling a great deal, including the end of the series.

I’m of the opinion that television adaptations should be both faithful representations of the original story, while simultaneously looking nothing like it. They should embody a paradox of sorts which, in this case, is quite fitting given the themes of The Sandman. Throughout its 75-issue run, Morpheus—and the reader—grapple with the concept of change in a static (or endless) existence. What does character growth look like in a being who, in some fundamental respects, cannot (or will not) adapt? At its core, Sandman is a story about stories, with our title character, the Prince of Stories, acting as a personification of the very questions we apply to all storytelling: When should stories change? How can we be faithful to them? Should we be? How will they serve a new generation? And as Morpheus himself claims, will their original endings always return? Recently, in an attempt to get my mother to watch the Netflix adaptation (fun fact: I succeeded), I admitted that as a teenager first reading the comics, I bawled like a baby throughout the final arc. “I assume someone dies then?” she asked and... yes. But also no. The answer to the above questions is indeed a bit like a paradox. Morpheus undergoes great change throughout the course of the series and yet at the same time, it is his unwillingness (or inability) to change that is his doom. Morpheus dies, but Dream does not. Dream is Daniel, but Daniel is not Morpheus and he stands in his castle as others mourn his passing, despite the fact that he’s still here. How can you ever kill a story? Yet at the same time, stories undoubtedly die. Alongside fantasy creatures, supernatural forces, and the personification of sentient qualities, The Sandman encourages the reader to accept things that we’ll never quite wrap our heads around—and it’s the ambiguity of that understanding that’s precisely the point. This is a world made up of dreams, after all.

As said, I was thinking about these themes because The Sandman’s Netflix adaptation, as my title suggests, is indeed Sandman... just slightly to the left. It is undeniably The Sandman of my youth, as faithful a translation of the comics that I think anyone can charitably expect, and yet it is simultaneously so different that it feels nothing like the comics at all. For a majority of the runtime, my initial thought was continually that this was a radically different version of the tale, yet as the story continued, those changes inevitably succeeded in fulfilling the same roles as the originals. Is it truly different then? Yes. And no. It depends on which facet of the emerald you’re looking at.

This circular, paradoxical experience is seen most prominently in Morpheus himself, who is both far more emotionally mature than his comic counterpart, and yet just as deeply flawed in precisely the same ways. Putting the confusing thematics aside, The Sandman is also just about a king, specifically an arrogant, duty-bound king who must learn to change for the benefit of others. And, as established, he either succeeds remarkably, or fails when it most matters. From which angle are you approaching the jewel? Nevertheless this Morpheus, Netflix’s Morpheus, starts out showing a level of care that his counterpart needed 50+ issues to reach. Whereas the Morpheus of the comics takes a whole series to figure out how to say “please” to his raven (with prompting, no less) and only ever divulges a kind word during extreme situations, or does so in sudden, thoroughly unexpected bursts—“Is he okay?” the guardians of his door ask, when Morpheus suddenly praises them for their eons of work—this Morpheus’ love for his subjects, specifically his displays of that love (because it existed in comics Morpheus the whole time too, even if he couldn’t always show it) is what drives the entire show. Take, for example, Jessamy.

In the comics, Jessamy was Morpheus’ raven during the late 1700s, long before he was ever captured by Burgess. There is no rescue attempt in the original, certainly nothing as badass as her setting a fire as a distraction and then beating herself against the glass in a futile effort to free her master. Yes, this scene made me stupidly emotional. More importantly, it made Morpheus emotional too. Tom Sturridge makes for a wonderful Lord of Dreams, capable of conveying so much through his eyes alone that we don’t need anything so OOC as Morpheus shedding an actual tear. It’s clear to anyone watching that Jessamy’s attempts to save him—and her sudden, bloody death—have moved him greatly, to the point where decades later he’ll resist replacing her with Matthew, despite the fact that the Ruler of the Nightmare Realm always has a raven. This is a Morpheus who is willing to change tradition, the rules, for the sake of her memory. Just try running that past comics Morpheus and see where it gets you! However, more shocking than Morpheus changing the rules is, perhaps, how Jessamy’s death drives his continued imprisonment. Originally, there’s no test of Morpheus’ forgiveness. Alex Burgess is much changed in this adaptation, giving us a second son who has never approved of his father’s actions and, with the exception of one horrific decision, has shown Morpheus as much empathy as another abused captive is capable of. He wants to free him... just not at the expense of his own safety. For a time, that means avoiding his father’s wrath—hence why he shoots Jessamy, to gain favor—but once Roderick has died, Alex wants nothing that his father demanded. No immortality. No riches. None of the gifts that humanity never had a right to in the first place. All he asks is that Morpheus not seek vengeance on him for his father’s actions, nor on the gardener who’s only sin was to fall in love with Alex. In the original, Morpheus truly has no choice in his captivity. He cannot fulfill his kidnapper’s wishes even if he wanted to. But here? Morpheus could have been out decades earlier, but he explicitly rejects his freedom due to love for Jessamy:

“Should I have believed him this time? Should I have forgiven him for murdering my raven? Perhaps... but in the end, I could not.”

As Alex says, all he ever wanted was freedom from Morpheus; freedom from his father’s cruel, world-altering decisions. They’re both looking to be free, but Morpheus rejects that because he cannot bring himself to trust the man who killed Jessamy. When I first watched this, I was wary, to say the least. Because the Morpheus of Preludes & Nocturnes NEVER would have bypassed such an opportunity, especially for the memory of (from his perspective) a mere servant. He certainly would not have stood in his cage, reaching out to the son of his kidnapper in a moment of genuine connection. The entire point of his five-hundred years with Hob and Matthew’s incessant grumblings is to teach him that yes, he needs friends and yes, he’s already got a few of them—so treat them better, dammit. To paraphrase Death, didn’t it ever occur to this fool that people might be worried about him? That kind of emotional work is far from Morpheus’ strong suit though. This is the guy who needs his older sister to tell him hey, imprisoning a woman in hell for 10,000 years because she dumped you is kinda not okay.

So, Morpheus appears at first glance to be in a remarkably different place than his comic counterpart and yet, as I explained at the start, he’s managed to maintain his primary flaws despite acting so differently. After all, is his mistrust of Alex not a thoroughly selfish act? Morpheus condemns himself, the waking world, and his realm to decades of additional hardship all because he was unable to forgive a young, abused man for what he would see as the killing of ‘just’ a bird. And though yes, we can quibble about how this decision might undercut Morpheus’ devotion to responsibility, at the end of the day this choice still highlights his most damning characteristic: pride. Morpheus is, first and foremost, a prideful individual. Netflix has merely tweaked how that pride is expressed. This might be a version of the character who more explicitly cares about his ravens, but the rest of the Dreaming are right to point out that he abandoned them, at least for the second half of his imprisonment. That moment between Lucien and Morpheus in the comics during the vortex arc never sat quite right with me, the one where, in looking for the escaped nightmares, Morpheus asks if it’s not his fault that all this happened, then whose? “Burgess’!” I always want to shout at him. “It’s the fault of the man who kidnapped you! You’re not responsible for being held captive in a crazy man’s fishbowl, you stupid, traumatized meow meow!” But here, that moment rings at least partly true. Morpheus could have come back earlier, but anger and pride kept him imprisoned as surely as the binding circle did.

We see this same sort of emotional work with Lucienne herself—formerly the male Lucien. It always struck me, even as a kid, that he was introduced through kneeling.

After decades of guarding the Dreaming while nearly everyone else fled, Lucien spares Morpheus only the briefest of greetings before he’s dropping to his knees, formally welcoming his master back to his realm. This is who Lucien is: rigidity, tradition, organization, courtesy. He is the one who constantly sneers at Merv’s casual criticism of their Lord, up until Morpheus’ inaction gets Merv killed, that is. But that’s the point. It isn’t until the very end of the series that Lucien is able to say something as straightforwardly pointed as, “How dare you?” to his creator. Until then, his suggestions are couched in hesitance, overblown respect, and the immediate acceptance of Morpheus’ will once he (almost inevitably) disagrees with him. Though the reader knows how much Lucien cares for Morpheus, that’s shown to us primarily through his interactions with other characters, such as worrying about him with Nuala post-breakup. The kneeling encapsulates the formality of their relationship and the changes Morpheus undergoes as a result of his captivity are only obvious when compared to the extreme of how they used to interact before. You think they appear formal and somewhat distant with each other now? Matthew points out that in the past Morpheus would rarely say more than a few words to Lucien every hundred years.

The Netflix adaptation strips most of this away. Acheampong does an excellent job of bringing Lucienne’s long-suffering rigidity to the small screen, but the writing turns her into a far warmer presence in Morpheus’ life, as well as more of a challenge. Gone is the kneeling—which, putting aside the fact that technically most of these characters can look however they please, was probably a good call, just so we didn’t have a black woman kneeling before a white man—and in its place Lucienne is the one to find Morpheus passed out in the sands of his realm, their reunion now carrying both a care-taking vibe and a far more intimate familiarity.

Changing Morpheus from the cold monarch generously allowing his servant to stand into a passed-out mess in desperate need of a hand up (a role originally given to Cain and Abel) in turn changes their dynamic. This Lucienne isn’t afraid to speak up about how boneheaded her boss is being and though she does back down when necessary, it’s almost always with a sarcastic quip. “What could go wrong?” Morpheus of the comics asks, displaying that frustrating arrogance even as things are still falling down around his ears. Neftlix gives the line to Lucienne instead, right after watching her idiot lord go off on another dangerous quest he’s not ready for.

It reaches the point where Matthew is essentially telling Lucienne to get over herself (whether she’s at fault or not) because their spat is threatening the Dreaming. She’s a librarian doubling as a very done BFF to the King of Bad Choices, though despite it all she still shares her counterpart’s devotion: “I never felt abandoned.” In thinking about the ways in which the show lessens that divide between master and servant, “Playing House” goes so far as to imply that Morpheus may even fear for his throne. Following on the heels of his now inaccurate accusation that Gault wished to rule a Dreaming of her own, he acknowledges that Lucienne essentially had to fulfill his function to the best of her ability while he was gone, a sentiment echoed by Merv when he says she’s the one who really runs this place. Following this acknowledgement, Morpheus sternly and pointedly sends her back to the library. It’s a moment of cruelty—compounded by Gault’s horrifying punishment for a well-meant act, for merely wanting some agency and the freedom to grow, this entire scene contrasting how gentle Morpheus has been with Rose throughout the episode, but only because he wants something from her—but it’s also a moment that puts Lucienne on fairly equal footing with her creator.

That is, until Morpheus forcefully reminds her of her place, kick-starting this subplot of Lucienne nurturing her anger, Morpheus kinda apologizing, and the two of them essentially agreeing to run the Dreaming together. If, at this point post-binge, I have any outright gripes with the adaptation, it’s the heavy-handed way the show explains character development to the viewer. Ultimately, I have no real issue with this Morpheus being more developed than the original—especially when the result is a far better plot-line for a black actress—or even with the story being more overt about its themes. It’s not my preference, but I understand completely why that would go over better with a world-wide audience looking for some Friday night fun. However, like many shows I’ve come across, Sandman seems to doubt the intelligence of its audience at times, doubling down on the same message to ensure it's not missed, them outright stating it in dialogue because hell, let’s cover all our bases. By the time we reached Morpheus asking Lucienne if she would “mind taking care of things while I work?” in the finale, I had resigned myself both to the fact that not only is Netflix’s Sandman establishing dynamics not seen in the comics, but that the writing was going to be super duper sure we understood what those new dynamics were. A Morpheus all but agreeing to share leadership with Lucienne is a new one, even if yeah, Merv was right in the comics too: he does do a ton of the work. But Morpheus’ admittance of that is the real change.

All of this intimacy (whether it’s producing warm fuzzies, or making me want to smack Morpheus upside the head), echoes out towards the other characters. In particular, these close bonds make Matthew’s theme of refusing to leave Morpheus’ side all the more meaningful. While reading the comics, him sticking around is presented primarily as a kindhearted quirk: the former human recognizing when his boss needs a silent, supportive presence and providing him with that, whether he asked for it or not. Then, this gesture is flipped and Matthew is forced to help Morpheus most by leaving him and allowing him to die. It’s a trend that only hits you at the very end of the series, when you think back on how much of an influence his friendship has had on Morpheus and how the simplest acts (like those seen with Hob too) have helped change him for the better. Here though, Matthew isn’t just battling the Dream Lord’s several billion years of static personality and a hefty dose of stubbornness to boot, he’s also fighting the recent (for an Endless) death of Jessamy which, as established, has made Morpheus resistant to a new raven. Realistically, Matthew’s inclusion in additional scenes was probably so Morpheus would have someone to talk to. It’s a whole lot easier to explain what’s going on and streamline some worldbuilding for the viewer if he has a “new guy” to explain things to. However, the end result is still the same: Matthew disobeys a direct order to go back to the Dreaming and weasels his way into a trip to Hell—which, we later learn, Morpheus only allows because he wants to ensure that Lucienne knows what happened to him this time. Rather considerate, huh? Surprisingly so. It’s Matthew who gives Morpheus a pep-talk during the battle with Lucifer, highlighting that losing will also mean failure to another raven, leaving him stranded in hell. I can’t help but feel like Morpheus’ final answer of “hope” is no longer just a philosophy that he believes in, but a specific response to Matthew’s worries. He already cares about him enough to fight for him, not just for his helm.

(Note: this takes place seven issues before the series finishes and Morpheus’ response is still, “Friend?”)

Again, I’d feel as if the show were failing to establish the emotional growth Morpheus needs to undergo if these changes weren’t offset by additional changes of equal value—as well as a number of other faithful inclusions. As said, the entire Gault debacle is pretty devastating to watch now. Yeah, Morpheus, I think your punishment was a little harsh. We’ve still got Nada which is its own, horrifying situation. Morpheus doesn’t give two shits that Matthew just died and is suddenly stuck being a raven. He still has no desire to help Rachel until Johanna points out his cruelty. “I’m not the one who left her with [the pouch]” was a damn low blow. The promise of Johanna having no more nightmares is now first presented as a bribe, not just a thankful gesture (though Morpheus still gets there in the end). He’s willing to keep a demon in the waking world just to gain a lead on his helm. He chews out Matthew for “spying” on him despite having just gotten a compliment. “But I don’t get the sense that you’re listening, so fuck it! Let’s go to hell!” fantastically summarizes how well Morpheus tends to take advice. (And, as said, the show is extra sure we understand that he’s changed by having him outright say that he’s listening now in the finale. There’s little subtlety here.) He requires an entire episode of Death showing him the joys and worth of humanity—a recreation of “The Sound of her Wings” that is, I believe, as close to perfection as any adaptation can get—and just a little over a hundred years ago, he was still having a hissy fit over the idea that he and Hob might be friends.

Basically, Netflix’s Morpheus remains a mess. He’s an arrogant, prideful, dramatic asshole and if you take a moment to look past the sad boy pouts, tumblr was right to warn newcomers that hey, your future blorbo is kinda morally gray. If anything though, Morpheus’ new moments of compassion make his inevitable indifference all the more cutting. I particularly like the emotional back-and-forth I experienced during Gregory’s story. Rather than simply absorbing the contracts he gave Cain and Able, Morpheus now comes for their gargoyle instead (perhaps WB couldn’t afford to CGI two pets?) and the entire sequence is a tug-of-war between Morpheus’ love of his subjects and his unintentional cruelty. Cain is understandably furious over their “abandonment,” Morpheus is emphasizing that this act will save all the Dreaming, we highlight the horror of unmaking Gregory to achieve that goal, Morpheus is nevertheless asking Gregory’s permission to undergo that sacrifice (although, as a side-note, I wonder how the implication that unmade creations can’t simply be re-made once Morpheus has power again might hinder the final arc...), he walks away without a backwards glace at the brothers’ grief, yet takes the time to gift them with a new gargoyle. Abel’s “He feels just as bad about losing Gregory as we do” directly challenges the Corinthian’s “He doesn’t give a fuck about you or me,” allowing the viewer to see that really, both statements are true at different times, with Morpheus leaning more and more towards the former as time goes on. That’s the growth. That’s the kind of incremental, arguably subpar development you can expect from someone who has barely changed in literal eons. For me though, the show presents a wonderful push-and-pull that helps demonstrate the multitudes that Morpheus has within him, someone capable of great honor, pragmatism, kindness, and harm. “Do my own subjects not know me?” he asks Lucienne and it’s a great line because no, they don’t. Or, they arguably very much do. We the viewer are easily able to see how much Morpheus cares, but to the majority of the Dreaming he remains a cold, distant monarch who left one day and never returned, damning them to their various, horrific fates. Then he comes back and oh look, now he’s personally condemning one of them to a couple thousand years of darkness for daring to want something new. So which is it, oh Dream Lord? Do they need to fend for themselves, or do you dictate their every action? Though it's not emphasized in the comics, Netflix is highlighting the fact that in Morpheus’ absence, the Dreaming had to become their own masters—learn agency and free will—only to suddenly have that ripped away when their creator returned. Is it any wonder they’re feeling conflicted? Most of Morpheus’ subjects don’t know him at all when it comes to his kindness and yet they know him completely when it comes to his cruelty. As Gault points out once she has nothing left to lose, they returned out of fear, not love, because how can you love something if you’re not given the freedom and agency to make that choice in the first place?

So we’ve got a Morpheus who is, somewhat contradictorily, just as cruel as the original, and yet so much kinder too. In some ways, this is a version of The Sandman where everyone is kinder, at least a little bit. I really was struck by how many side characters I suddenly gave a damn about, or whose stories were modified to invite sympathy where before there was none. Alex, despite his inevitable failure, originally didn’t want to keep Morpheus captive. It’s implied that Paul deliberately broke the binding circle—or at least, that look back says he noticed the mistake and decided not to do anything about it. John Dee, while still dangerously insane, has far more of a purpose now that better explains why he’d want to hurt people in such a way, beyond his own crazed boredom, that is. The foster worker reconsiders helping Rose and goes to check up on Jed. The aunt is no longer in on the scheme, but another abuse victim of her husband. And Gault, replacing Brute and Glob from the comics, never actually wanted to rule a Dreaming of her own, only to “Inspire rather than frighten.” Everyone feels a little more human in this, a little more understandable and relatable, despite maintaining their canonical failings, which is probably inevitable when you’ve got a live action cast.

The flip-side of that though is that a great deal is lost by translating this story to real, blood and flesh actors, particularly the sense of supernatural, cosmic awe that only the freedom of artwork can convey. As good as Sturridge’s acting is (and he is very, very good), he can’t fully convince me that he’s an ancient personification and not just Some Guy having an emo crisis.

But I think that’s a good thing in some respects. It was nice to see a version of The Sandman where I could wrap my head around Morpheus a bit better; where I wasn’t questioning how a guy who looked Like That could sit in the park feeding pigeons without garnering a second glance. Alongside storytelling, The Sandman is arguably a tale about a non-human’s humanity and though yes, stripping away that inhuman appearance lessens the impact of that message a bit, it also helps to highlight the very emotions Morpheus is working to strengthen. I am, at all times, literally, looking at a human being pretending to be an entity, which is, for obvious reasons, just a little more relatable than the picture of an entity showing the slightest hint that he’s maybe, possibly, a little like us. Seeing actors embody these characters brought many of The Sandman’s themes to the forefront for me and though I understand why some fans remains disappointed in the lack of special effects, I personally don’t think this was a loss for the series as a whole. It’s a different way to experience Sandman, certainly, but the heart of the story remains the same. We’re simply looking at it from a different angle.

There are other changes, of course, many of which exist simply to help new viewers follow a pretty complex plot. In the end, I found myself agreeing with the majority of the tweaks. It makes sense that Morpheus might be more vulnerable in the waking world when he’s called by Burgess and having the Corinthian escape early gives him a more compelling motivation than, ‘I left because I suddenly could.’ It also helps establish him as a season-long antagonist (useful in the television medium) and, frankly, the adaptation doesn’t need any vague gestures towards Overture; things that wouldn’t be explained in this run anyway. I’m more persuaded by the Corinthian helping all these humans than I am by the assumption that they just happened to figure out how to contain/avoid one of the Endless. We get frequent references to the term “Endless” itself and mention of the other siblings helps the viewer get a sense of the world-building right from the start, even if we won’t meet them until the next season at the earliest. And then there are the numerous ways in which the plot was usefully streamlined. Why introduce the additional thread of Sykes when you can just have John be Burgess’ son? Why write the protective amulet out—something that might look like a plot-hole in a TV show—when he can give it to Rosemary and bypass killing her instead? (Though I’m particularly interested now to see if she’ll return to the story with it.) As these plot changes piled up, Sandman felt less and less like the comics and more like an AU of them, a reality just slightly off the original where everything reaches the same, basic end-goal, but the characters have gone about the journey in new ways. Whether that works for you is a personal preference, but given the necessity of an adaptation being, you know, adaptive, I think generating that feeling of, “Sandman, slightly to the left” is the best you can hope for. A damn good achievement, actually.

Indeed, the only time I found myself disappointed in these changes (beyond the heavy-handed thematic preaching, as discussed above) was when episodes continually dropped the humorous aspects of the comics. There is admittedly still a great deal of humor in the show. Though I’m unable to find the tweet anymore, I remember coming across a comment from Gaiman about how the lovely people making Netflix’s Sandman trailers had found all the “serious bits” to compile together, so don’t worry: this isn’t an accurate representation of the show as a whole. I’d say he was mostly speaking true there. Between the wonderful scenes adapted almost word-for-word—Death throwing bread at her idiot younger brother—and new scenes designed to break the tension—as a comics reader, Johanna’s “Do you have any ex-girlfriends?” made me YELL—Sandman is definitely not a 100% dark show, despite the gore and dramatics. That being said, I think it still suffers from the curse of many TV adaptations. That is, taking itself too seriously. Which isn’t to say that the comics aren’t serious literature—there’s a whole, decades long debate about that—but rather that modern television as a whole is often afraid to cut loose, leaving us with plot-stuffed series because the episodic character work is just oh so boring (/s) and anything that’s too lighthearted for too long risks getting a thumbs down from the critics. I have a lot to say about how viewing culture that was once Game of Thrones obsessed is now—happily, to my mind—turning towards shows like Our Flag Means Death instead, and what that means for changing tastes, but for now I’ll say only that although The Sandman isn’t the worst offender in this regard, it’s definitely been cleaned up in a way that feels disingenuous to the original. A lot of the comics’ quirkiness was cut to, I would presume, be palatable for the average viewer and simply to save time. But bluntly put, the comics are weird. And silly. And grungy. And hard-hitting. And downright ridiculous in places. Though I do think Netflix found a decent balance in some respects, there’s nevertheless a sense that the story has been dutifully tidied up for the everyday viewer. To illustrate what I mean, I’m going to photo-dump for a minute and show you all—but particularly any Netflix-only viewers—some of my favorite details from the first volume, Preludes & Nocturnes, that didn’t make it into the show:

The physicality of Cain and Abel, including Cain’s strange way of walking, Abel coming out of a painting, and them lounging around with Gregory, complete with a soda and straw. Also yes, Abel stutters in the comics.

Morpheus being a little shit and transforming his supernatural cape into an exact copy of Constantine’s coat.

Gregory carting Morpheus around like a sack of potatoes.

Morpheus running naked through people’s dreams, raiding buffets because he’s starving after his imprisonment.

Rachel’s father becoming living wallpaper due to the sand she’s been using.

Morpheus bowling the demon who dared question his visit to hell.

The battle for his helm taking place not in Lucifer’s castle, but the Hellfire Club.

(Which includes Morpheus dressing up for the occasion.)

The particular insanity that is “24 Hours.” Netflix might have kept much of the violence, but little of the creep factor remains, stemming from the strange and humiliating things Dee forces the diners to do. Netflix’s version, though an excellent hour of television all on its own, ultimately felt like any other horror story I’ve watched lately (and can browse social media through because eh, I’m desensitized). The comic issue though? It still makes my skin crawl.

The simplicity of a naked man scratching his ass.

Death not just liking Mary Poppins, but teaching Morpheus about supercalifragilisticexpialidocious and giving her classic line, “Peachy keen!” Also, note the pigeon on Morpheus’ head.

I could go on and it is important to note that this is just a small sampling. I’m not really talking about specifics I just HAD to see for this to be a “good” adaptation, but rather the overall vibe that Netflix failed to capture. The humor of these moments aside, I think it’s worth emphasizing that dreams are weird. Thus, the story of the Lord of Dreams is weird too. For however beautiful Netflix’s Dreaming is and however faithful they were in adapting Merv, Matthew, Lucien, and the like, I never quite got that sense that things were off like I did in the comics. Like this is truly a place—and a collection of characters—who don’t follow the rules of reality. Yes, a part of that stems from the very human cast I praised above, but I think just as much comes from an unwillingness to include all those ridiculous details that make the fantasy world feel lived in. Netflix’s Sandman, like so many other adaptations I’ve come across, feels sanitized to a certain degree; stripped of much that wouldn’t land with the broadest audience possible.

Admittedly, that’s not an entirely accurate claim given the amount of wonderful rep Sandman includes—we’ve sadly all seen the backlash Howell-Baptiste and others have gotten—but daring to keep the queer characters and diverse cast doesn’t erase my feeling that Netflix wants The Sandman to be a neater, more palatable, generic story than it actually is. So much of it adapted extraordinarily well.. and so much of it looks like it came out of any 21st century fantasy series. While watching, I couldn’t help but wonder if Sandman should have gone the Spider-Verse route and been an animated show, allowing for the artistic variety seen in the comics, as well as the voice acting of the already stellar cast. Because for me, The Sandman isn’t just an epic about a badass monarch reclaiming his throne, it’s also the story of that monarch going through weird shit and mostly being awkward about it. Eventually, Morpheus should be handed a red balloon by the child representation of chaos, then he’ll give that balloon to Matthew because why the hell not? Will we see Morpheus with his balloon then, or is that too inconsequential a detail for an adaptation? Is it too silly an image for a very expensive show that works pretty damn hard to keep Morpheus looking like that respectable, powerful king? Frankly, I don’t want him in a leather fighter’s outfit to face down Lucifer, I want him in his stupid suit and hat. I don’t want Lyta rolling out of bed with artfully styled hair and jewelry on (seriously, who the fuck sleeps like that?), I want her dirty and crazed in a basement, screaming that she’ll kill anyone who comes after her child, Dream Lords included. I don’t want Lucienne always looking polished and put together all the time, I want her to be the same drowned rat that Lucien becomes when his boss is being dramatic. So much of big budget shows nowadays are pretty and perfect and entirely unpersuasive when it comes to convincing me that this is a real place, warts and all. The warts are important, dammit. It’s certainly no great argument to claim that the art, including all its quirks, is a HUGE part of what makes The Sandman great, but losing that is indeed... well, a loss.

Of course, what this really comes down to saying is that the show is not the comics, to which everyone is entitled to reply, “No shit, Clyde.” So, I suppose I mean this less as a Sandman criticism—though it is a criticism for fantasy adaptations as a whole—and more of a hopeful acknowledgment. For however faithful the adaptation is, by its very nature it can never be the original, and yet I love the original enough to hope that this show encourages others to seek it out. Just as there’s a wealth of lovely decisions that one can now only find in the show—even more queer rep than we got in the 80’s, the deliberate use of Morpheus’ eyes, Howell-Baptiste as Death, Gwendoline Christie as Lucifer, her battle with Morpheus causing them both physical pain, modern technology that allows the story to streamline character connections such as seeing Rose via Face-Time, etc.—there are an equal number of lovely decisions that exist only in the comics too. Netflix’s The Sandman, like any adaptation, is just one small facet of the overall whole; one perspective and one way to tell the story. It’s a good story, arguably an excellent one (when I’m done this Very Serious review, I fully intend to join tumblr is flailing about everything from Sturridge’s voice to Christie in that robe), but I still hope that new fans will decide to turn their hand and glimpse other parts of the gem too.

~Fin

(P.S.

All you fans going on about how you never saw the sexual tension between Morpheus and Hob in the comics well SORRY YOU DIDN’T LOOK HARD ENOUGH. I’ve been shipping these two assholes for over fifteen years and now I might finally get some more fic of them. I’m ready. I’ve been in rarepair hell for so long, folks. Someone free me. Please 😭)

#Sandman #The Sandman #Netflix Sandman #Sandman spoilers #Sandman review #mymetas

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feysandfeels · 3 years

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Nobody asked for my opinion, but listen, to me, personally, the next book should be about Elain. Work in that who’s she going to pick angst, give us a Lucien pov, start to work on Azriel’s development, spy plot, revealed child drama, more found family, court politics, Jane Austen romance, all that, and then end with Elucien.

Then the next book would be more Az focused. He’s sad because everyone is happy but him or with that lingering feeling. However, instead of being a Gwynriel book it would be Moriel friendship-acceptance book: Have Gwyn as a hinted romantic interest for Az and a full on w/w romance for Mor (Emerie, come take the stage my love); the Az plot is not a romantic driven one, but rather the acceptance of himself, from himself, truly dealing with his attachment to women (which would have started in the previous book, but now he’d have to deal with the big one for him) and coming to love Mor for who see is fully and not the idea of her; and for Mor to find love and have the pining, the romance, all of it and tell her family.

By the end, Az doesn’t end with Gwyn, rather with the hint that in some time they will get together, now that he is in a much healthier place, while they smile looking at Emorie be happy flying into the sunset. The Mor and Az situation is the one that truly needs to get dealt with just because they are no longer romantic, doesn’t mean Mor and Az’s povs wouldn’t offer growth and an interesting dynamic. Finally, Mor deserves more than the novella where y’all want to put her, just because there hasn’t been a clear ship to link her too (besides Emerie saying that she finds her cute).

Disclaimer: This is not to say that I do not think Mor should have her own pov book, because she is queen and she should. But being realistic Az is pointed to be one of the characters who will definitely get a book and Elain the other one - with this being said, Mor fits better with Az’s arc than Elain’s so yeah.

#I'm sorry I adore Gwyn I truly do but if she gets to be half of a book before Mor???? Mor who's been here for like ages now??#Mor who has more ground to work with Az than her?#Like c'mon the shitshow that is Moriel needs to be dealt with in a healthy manner #Mor deserves the same appreciation and push to get her own healing arc as other characters #I know she was barely in ACOSF but did y'all forget about the sunshine queen of Velaris?#and like it or not a lot of Az growth is tied to his situation with Mor #This is not to say that his growth depends on Mor because it does not #but a lot of his issue can be seen in how he dealt with his feelings for her #her above all #her above Elain #and her above Gwyn #Mor could also be tied with Gwyn's development through the library so it's not like I'm forgetting or neglecting my favorite academic #Like how can you overlook a Mor pov when it comes to Az's own arc.#Mor #The Morrigan #Azriel #Elain Archeron #Lucien Vanserra #Gwyn Berdara #Inner Circle #ACOTAR #ACOMAF #ACOWAR #ACOSF #ACOFAS #Feysandfeelspost #Imma tag this as #Moriel Raft #for Lisa #because she will get it hahahah

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highfaelucien · 3 years

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I completely agree with how you feel towards azriel. Thinking about azriel’s character now vs how I used to view him during acomaf times is just... sad and so so so much more complex. Part of me still wants to love him for the character that was presented to us in acomaf and other small good moments, like his friendship with nesta. And then the other part of me is disgusted, disappointed, and honestly kind of terrified of who he may become if sjm allows him to continue acting predatorily/toxic. The whole mor/az situation really fucked me up. As someone who is also a lesbian and an abuse survivor, it broke my heart to watch the situation unfold in acowar. It still hurts seeing many readers (and sometimes even sjm) take az’s side and paint mor as some sort of liar/two faced character that is playing everyone. I kept thinking that things would be fixed in future books, but instead az has grown worse and mor was, once again, sidelined and written out as a character. And honestly... as much as I love the idea of gwyn x azriel ... I think his books would need a lot more focus on his own recovery/growth and not center on a romantic relationship. If anything, I hope it’s written as friends to lovers so az has a better way of interacting and forming relationships with women. Because right now... well, that shit is borderline predatory and isn’t coming across well. And I really really do not want that for him. Basically, azriel deserves a better arc than what has been written for him. I miss him :( he used to be a character that made me feel safe and now :/ idk anymore

I'm going to quote parts of this/chop it up and reply to them a chunk at a time. because there's a lot going on here and I want to try and reply to as much as I can because I resonate with.....all of it. Please forgive me for the length of this.

I completely agree with how you feel towards azriel. Thinking about azriel’s character now vs how I used to view him during acomaf times is just... sad and so so so much more complex.

He feels like a different character? There was always an anger simmering under the calm surface, we knew that. But it was an anger born of love, deep down, and the desire to protect his family, and his court, at the expense of himself. Az was always the first to volunteer himself for dangerous missions, to spare the others.

Now that anger is directed at his family, and at the world, for not giving him what he feels he 'deserves'. That has NEVER been Azriel. Azriel's deepest issues and insecurities have always stemmed from the feeling of being unworthy, and undeserving of anything.

She's just made him into......Every other dude in this series tbh. Snarling, and possessive, and wanting to fuck anything in a skirt that moves.

Azriel was actually somewhat of an original, complex character initially. It's unusual that we see trauma affect men in the way it did Az. Usually it makes them angry, and vengeful, and eager to prove they are the alpha etc. Seeing them withdraw, and think less of themselves/that they're unworthy is something not explored often enough. But bye bye nuance hello #Drama.

Part of me still wants to love him for the character that was presented to us in acomaf and other small good moments, like his friendship with nesta.

I feel this. I found a lot of comfort in Az's character. Particularly the way he reacted with Mor. I was a big fan of their relationship, and I wrote a few 'missing scenes' style fics in the gap between ACOMAF and ACOWAR. One of them was where Az went to her when she had pushed everyone else away, including Cassian, and comforted and calmed her.

I hate that Maas took that away from Mor. I hate that Az no longer does that for her. I hate that Az was the one to betray her along with Rhys and bring her abuser into her safe space behind her back. I hate that he is no longer a symbol of calm, stable, dependable comfort and support for Mor, but is instead a threat. I HATE it.

Every now and then Az has lovely, gentle moments - his friendship with Nesta is a good example, and something I hoped we'd see. But also quieter times with Rhys, and their similarities being explored. And I adored the flying lessons with Feyre in ACOWAR, and the training he did with Cassian and the others in ACOFS.

But then she goes and twists him and does something else that just makes me want to fucking scream. Like the High Lord scene where he 'frightened' Mor. And his entire POV chapter which is frankly fucking gross.

And then the other part of me is disgusted, disappointed, and honestly kind of terrified of who he may become if sjm allows him to continue acting predatorily/toxic.

I agree.

I don't know how she can write a series that explores the effects of emotional abuse so well with Feyre and Tamlin...And then write what she did with Az?

The possession to a traumatised, still impressionable and desperate young woman, who likely finds the same comfort and safety in him that Mor did. Before that got shot to fucking pieces.

He sounds like a whiny toddler 'Cassian has a mate, and Rhys has a mate, where is mine!?!?!?!?' I DESERVE Elain, because I'm your brother and you guys have her sisters and what the FUCK. Who let that shit get published holy mother of god.

It's just...It's so unhealthy? Like, not even talking ship wars here (which I'm aware are rampant, and which I'm trying my best to stay away from). But that just.

How can that ever be a healthy foundation for a relationship? A man who thinks that he deserves, not only to be in a relationship with her, but to be bonded to her. Not because of HER, not because of who she is, or how she makes him feel. No. Purely because her sisters are mated to his brothers?

The whole thing made me feel so uncomfortable. It's predatory and toxic, just as you said. It's not right, it's not fair. Forget alliances and Lucien, even if none of that was a factor, that sort of thinking is still not right. And it's completely unfair to Elain.

But it also just. It didn't read like Azriel. The first part, where he struggles to sleep, and pushes himself until he passes out, and the insight that his shadows are basically hovering beside him screaming SELF CARE YOU DUMB BITCH at all times was very pleasing.

And the part where he goes to Clotho and leaves an anonymous gift for Gwyn. No fanfair. No audience. No pressure on either of them to react/perform. That felt like Az, too.

But everything in the middle. Everything with Elain, was just...Gross and out of character. And this is not because I dislike E/riel as a ship. I could get on board with it, tbh, if it wasn't written the way it was.

But it's not about ships, for me. It's just. Everything felt out of character. The predatory way he was with her. The fact he lies awake and gets himself off to fantasies of her. How apparently quickly he was aroused by putting a necklace on her. Idk, maybe it's my ace ignorance, but that doesn't sound normal/healthy to me.

Nor does him having to leave a room because he can scent her mating bond with Lucien. Or not being able to control himself to sit and eat dinner with her?

This is the same dude who has, apparently, been in love with Mor for 500 solid years, and who never did a damned thing about it. Who always kept himself in check. Even while she's had other lovers. But he can't control himself through one dinner with Elain?

It just. It doesn't feel like him. It feels like...Honestly not even Cassian. It feels like Tamlin on horny, predatory steroids. And that's not something I ever wanted to see from Azriel's POVs.

She could have explored a darker side to him without making it sexual? And misogynistic. And having him treating Elain as little more than a fucking object that he feels entitled to because 'everyone else got one, where's mine?'. What the FUCK???

The more I write it the more angry I get.

Because SJM has consistently put Az in the position of saving women when they were in danger? He was the one who found Mor near death at Autumn. He was the one who rescued Gwyn from her attackers during the war. He was the one to retrieve Elain when she was taken.

She always puts him in this position and, for better or worse, presents him as a safety figure for these women. The first person who they saw come for them, and fight for them, and protect them.

And on the inside she makes him this vile, predatory monster who just thinks constantly about fucking them? Who isn't actually safe at all?? It's sad. And it's infuriating. Because this isn't about ships anymore. This is about female survivors who have an apparent safe person who's presented as almost as dangerous as the people who attacked them in the first place. And that makes me feel so sick and sad that we've gotten here.

It still hurts seeing many readers (and sometimes even sjm) take az’s side and paint mor as some sort of liar/two faced character that is playing everyone. I kept thinking that things would be fixed in future books, but instead az has grown worse and mor was, once again, sidelined and written out as a character.

This is yet another vile thing SJM has done to queer readers with this whole fiasco. Because it puts me in a position where I want to call out her shitty writing, and what she's done to Mor - sidelining her as soon as she became queer. Undermining her power and her strength. Undermining her role as the survivor to look up to. Saying her power is truth but then making her seem like a liar. Which is all shitty, shitty, shitting writing.

But I'm also a queer person. And I will always always ALWAYS want to defend a queer person's right to remain closeted. Regardless of their reasons for doing so. But in this case it's a concern for their safety/a fear of how those around them will react. And I will NEVER condemn that. I will never say Az is suffering more than Mor for her being closeted. I will never call Mor a liar/a manipulator/two-faced when all she's doing is trying to survive.

I WILL condemn SJM for making this a scenario. For putting homophobia in her world purely to cause pain for queer characters, and drama for her straight ones. And for sidelining Mor as soon as she can't write graphic scenes with her fucking men because now she's a lesbian so we best get her off the page so the guys can get their cocks out some more.

And honestly... as much as I love the idea of gwyn x azriel ... I think his books would need a lot more focus on his own recovery/growth and not center on a romantic relationship. If anything, I hope it’s written as friends to lovers so az has a better way of interacting and forming relationships with women. Because right now... well, that shit is borderline predatory and isn’t coming across well. And I really really do not want that for him.

This is going to sound sarcastic but I actually mean it fully and completely genuinely: 95% of the drama inducing problems in this series could be fixed with some fucking therapy.

But I agree with you. I think it's high time Azriel worked on his own issues. Even if they've apparently made a complete 180 from what they were in ACOMAF.

I...Like the concept of Gwyn/Azriel, but I'm not sold on the ship. Not with the way Maas has been writing Azriel lately. That kind of man shouldn't be with any woman right now. But especially not a rape survivor who sees him as one of the first men she's been able to trust in a long time.

Basically, azriel deserves a better arc than what has been written for him. I miss him :( he used to be a character that made me feel safe and now :/ idk anymore

"he used to be a character that made me feel safe" - This shit hit me like a tonne of bricks because this is EXACTLY how I feel about Az, too. You just managed to say it in a few words instead of 12 pages of rambling, like I do.

And I think this was intention. Azriel was presented as a very dependable character. He rescued Mor, and was respectful enough to keep his distance, despite his feelings, for 500 fucking years. Because he didn't think she was ready/interested.

He had a very calm, and calming air about him. Always in control of himself. Without the expected bursts of aggression and temper we'd seen from...Every other male character in this series. He was stable, and solid, and that was comforting. An anchor. And someone who would quietly, and without fuss, seek out Mor/others when they needed someone to talk to or comfort him.

That was a very soothing, reassuring presence in the book, I felt. And now she's made him seem...volatile, and unstable. With this dangerous anger that he can't control, that he uses not to protect, but to intimidate, and to fuel his entitlement and desires.

it's just sad. It's sad that she's taken this away from Mor, but also from other survivors who found comfort and safety in Az. Because I'm sure we weren't alone in that regard.

I miss him. And I mourn the character he was, and feel anger for the character he should have been. but instead he's become yet another possessive, entitled, snarling cardboard cutout dude like...everyone else.

And I ache for the Az/Mor dynamic that we had in ACOMAF. Even without it becoming romantic, there was no reason for that to be destroyed/ruined.

She could have written it that Az is the only one who knows about her sexuality, and that he pretends he's still in love with her as a shield/buffer, so no one looks too closely/to protect her and make her feel comfortable.

Instead she turned it into a soap opera style drama. And wrote it almost as though her sexuality was her cheating on him? Denying him what he deserved. And now she's just...just pussyfooting around it. And apparently he's just. Just moved on. Without them having any kind of conversation or closure at all. He just wanks off to the thought of Elain instead of Mor, now, problem solved /s

I miss what they were. I miss what he was to Mor. I miss when she had that support system, and that safety net. I miss when he protected her. And looked out for her. And understood her in a way that no one else, not even Rhys, did.

Mor deserved that. Azriel deserved that. WE deserved that. And she nuked it for some fucking twisted drama that punishes a lesbian because a man is thirsting after her. it's a fucking disgrace. I'm so fucking done with SJM, y'all. So fucking done.

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professorspork · 3 years

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Hi. I reread your Floating Array post because of the continuation of it, and had a thought that was probably buried under completely agreeing with every point about Penny. You mentioned how Cinder is the only person ever to replace their weapon completely in RWBY, and i wanted to ask what you think Jaune is going to do with his sword. Every upgrade he's gotten so far was to the shield, and I'm actually thinking he might throw the remaining half of the blade away entirely, seeking to (cont)

(part 2) hyperfocus on his role as support during Volume 9, and even once he heals from that enough to acknowledge he DOES need some form of offence, he still won't go back to a sword.

WHAT A GREAT QUESTION

(and shout out to Jo’s post about Crocea Mors as murder weapon for giving me a place to start here)

First I’m just gonna be incredibly pedantic, I’m sorry, bear with me, but-- technically he has upgraded the sword before, insofar as he upgraded the sheath. Before their walk across Anima, he didn’t have the ability to make the big two-handed broadsword version, which the sheath megazords into the sword to make. But he’s also hardly used it in a while, to my recollection, because his style has changed so much since unlocking his Semblance. As you noted, so much of his growth as a person has been tied up in his learning to accept that he’s defense guy, not offense guy.

As to your actual question... I don’t have a solid theory one way or another as to how this is going to go, because I think it’s going to depend a great deal on a) how long the gang is in superhell and b) how much fighting they have to do while they’re down there.

Jaune’s obviously been deeply traumatized by what he’s had to do; I don’t think he has any interest in using the sword ever again, if he can help it. And right now, he can’t-- he’s carrying a hilt and about five inches worth of shard, and unless he wants to try and use it like a dagger, that’s useless to him. But I’m not sure if they’re going to be facing violent threats in the immediate future. If they do-- if Jaune must fight to keep RWBY safe-- I think he’ll force himself to make peace with the fact that he needs a blade of some kind, and that will affect his decision-making moving forward. But if they’re just processing/speaking to the dead/looking for a way to escape... he might decide to make some drastic changes.

Here’s a few ways I think it could go:

Option 1: Same As It Ever Was. If Jaune feels like he’s powerless to help his friends because he’s not armed, he may just get a new sword all over again when they return. I’m less enthused by this option, as I think what he’s gone through merits a Big Change, but also... weapons really rarely change on this show, plus there’s the family heirloom angle. It could be that he finally gets a sword he makes himself, instead of one he inherited, and that its new design reflects his growth.

Option 2: Some Steve Rogers Shit. Who needs a sword anyway, huh?! If Jaune has to do a lot of fighting on the island, it will have to be like this (unless he uses his sheath as a blade, like Blake will have to do until she finds the other half of Gambol Shroud). This, I think, would be most in line with the trajectory he was already on-- constantly upping his defensive capabilities. Before he killed Penny, I lowkey thought this would be where he landed eventually, but now that he’s had to use the sword, I wonder if this will be the kind of thing where he won’t be able to move past it until he’s used it again. And his current shield isn’t exactly aerodynamic, if he wanted to go full Steve Rogers and throw it. But then, you know who had a circular shield? Which brings me to my current favorite--

Option 3: Milo and Akouo Redux. This strikes me as very likely, especially if Jaune gets to spend significant time with Pyrrha again in the afterlife. It would be a step-forward, step-back for Jaune, growth-wise, which I think maps onto where he is. On the one hand, letting go of the family heirloom legacy and expectations, but on the other hand, still clinging to someone else to help define him instead of forging his own path. But to mold himself more in Pyrrha’s image wouldn’t have to be a purely unhealthy thing, I think, depending on how it’s pulled off. The thing about the sword being also a javelin and a rifle is that it gives ranged capability, which feels more in line with the support role Jaune’s grown into. Plus, carrying a spear after unlocking his Semblance when Cinder’s spear, clearly meant to evoke Milo as a cruel joke, nearly killed Weiss... yeah, that feels very full-circle to me.

Option 4: Gun! Probably not, as he’s never shown any interest in carrying one and is unlikely to start now, but I might as well say it’s an option. Weiss shoots people now! Why can’t he? This would be a huge departure for him, and imo show that he’s backsliding-- trying to be combat-effective no matter the cost, in a way that feels a little less personal than having to stab someone.

I’m eager to hear what other people think about this, though, because I think they could reasonably take this in about fifteen different directions.

#rwby #jaune arc #Anonymous

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good-forthe-weekend · 3 years

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Okay, so like, this blog has low key become an ACOTAR theory/headcanon blog. But here we go again. Because I’ve been thinking about the remaining books/novella, and what might be obvious about what the next book may be. So stick with me on this one, but here’s how I hope it plays out. (Gonna be really long, because 3 books worth of theories, so gonna make it a read more post)

Let’s start with what I’d like the books to be (not in a demanding bitchy way, just what I generally hope for)

Books 5 and 6 (in no particular order): Azriel, Elain/Lucien

Novella: Feyre’s pregnancy from her/Rhys’ perspective

While books 5 and 6 could be in any order, depending on the overarching plot with Koschei and everything, I really think the next book is going to be about Az. I know that the 2 main contenders for obvious choices are Az and Elain, but I don’t think their stories are meant to be told together. Their arcs are completely different. Az needs to be someone’s first choice and get over 500 years of darkness and self hatred, whereas Elain needs to find her own agency. Here’s how I’d do those things.

Az’s story, to me, is rooted in self worth. I don’t think he has much. I think that the events of his life have done everything to convince him that no matter how much good he does, no matter how many people love him, he will never be good enough. Similar to Nesta, tbh. Just rooted in different places. His family loathed him, Mor’s been stringing him along for 500 years, and most people value him for what his shadow singer abilities can do for them. I think his story should revolve around him finding self worth, and being his own first choice, but also realizing how inherently valuable he is to everyone around him. (If we get a brothers bonding moment in Az’s book, I will cry my eyes out in the best way) Now *personally*, as a lover of Gwyn, I would love to see her tie into Az’s story. (NOTE: No hate for any shippers, Gwynriel, Elriel, Elucien, idc. They’re all valid, this is a respect only zone. This is simply my personal opinion on what *I* would like to see) Gwyn has also been shown to need some help in the self worth category. She literally says how she believes she’s a bad person for not being able to save her twin. So I’d love if her and Az have parallel stories in Az’s book. Romance or not. Actually, I’d love to see them grow side by side without having to be all horny all the time. I’d love if Gwyn prioritizes her mental health and growth above having a relationship, and tells Az that she cares for/loves him, but needs time to herself before getting into a relationship. Mates wise, I do see the merit in the Gwynriel mates theories. (I’ll get into why I don’t like Elain as Az’s mate later. But also, I have no problem with Elriel, I just don’t like the idea of them being meant to be mated. Although I have this evil!Elain idea brewing in my head that would fit with Elriel being supposed to be mates that the cauldron effed up) but I also am on the fence about it, because even with my own headcanon about ACOTAR mates, I’m still getting a little tired of every single romance having to be mated.

For Elain, I have 2 theories that I favor. Either she gets kidnapped by Koschei, and her story is a loose retelling of Swan Lake, or she ends up going to the Spring Court, and we get Beauty and The Beast part 2, but different this time. Either way, I want her story to give her some damn agency and flesh out her character as more than the Cosette character whose whole personality is “Well, I went through a trauma and stayed kind”. Because there’s a way to do that meaningfully, but since it’s been coupled with her being a character that simply does not do anything for herself, it falls flat for me.

Also, side note about Elriel being mates who the cauldron messed up. I don’t care for that. First of all, I don’t think that the cauldron picked Nesta and Elain’s mates when they were Made. Which I mention in my personal theory on ACOTAR Mates, which I linked above. I think that the Cauldron picks mates when you’re born, which would mean that Elain and Lucien were always meant to be mates. Besides which, while I’m not a rabid supporter of either ship at this point, I see what people are saying about it not being a good thing that Az’s shadows disappear when Elain is around. His shadows are a part of him, they’re his friends. So I think it’s better for them to respond well to someone’s presence than disappear entirely. Also, with the light singer theories (which I see on both Gwynriel and Elriel sides), in ACOSF, it’s said that light singers weren’t good. They were beings that looked kind but ultimately were evil, just like shadow singers look all bad, but ultimately Az is an extremely kind, empathetic person with a savior complex. So, unless you want to make your fave be secretly evil (which, again fits in with this evil!Elain theory I’ve been stewing on lately) it’s probably not a good idea to say they’re ‘the light singer to Az’s shadowsinger’. ALSO ALSO. Azriel deserves to be someone’s first choice. Not their 3rd, behind the guy that the universe destined them for AND the human that they still aren’t entirely over. Azriel isn’t a ‘well, since there’s no one else to choose, I GUESS’. Azriel is someone who deserves, and should be loved as a first choice. And no matter if that person is Gwyn or not, we should see someone fall for him as a first and only choice.

Anyway, if she got kidnapped by Koschei, I’d like for everyone to freak out and be trying to save her (Lucien included, because protective fae mate), but Elain ends up saving her damn self. Without anyone knowing until she just sort of shows up somewhere in Prythian. Whereupon everyone is like “You escaped Koschei?????”, and Elain just responds “What, like it’s hard?”. I don’t have too many specifics in mind for this theory, but yeah, I’d love if that were to happen. I can even see a path for Elain and Lucien to fall for each other in that scenario, I just can’t find a way to verbalize it.

Alternatively, and hear me out on this one, I would love for her to go to the Spring Court. SJM keeps putting connections between Elain and Spring, and has even had several characters say she’d love the Spring Court. She doesn’t belong in the Night Court. And I would love, and again hear me out here, for her to help Tamlin. I know, I’m not his biggest fan either. But I don’t want him dying alone and angry either. He was an ass, and reacted poorly to many things, but I want him to grow from that. And learn how to be a better person. And not be so overprotective. How does Elain fit into this? Well, I’m not sure how to get her there, but I would love for her to end up in Spring Court, where she befriends him. Friends. Nothing more. Not a drop more. In fact, I want Tamlin to make an advance on her, thinking that he’s falling for her, only for Elain to be like “Dude, you only think you like me because I’m the one who’s been helping you, but we’re friends. We wouldn’t work as more.” Or even vice-versa. Either way, I would LOVE to have a story about a character coming into their own without a big romance, and frankly after the way Elain has treated Lucien and Az, she can stay alone (as much as I think her and Lucien would be cute together). But I also think that Elain befriending Tamlin, and eventually becoming a member of his court, could lead to some nice healing places for Feyre, and would afford her the opportunity to actually confront Tamlin about everything they went through. (It would also be cool if Tamlin made her High Lady of Spring, without them being together. Idk, I think it would be cool for him to abandon tradition so much when he held it up to a toxic level before)

‘But how does Lucien come into this?’ I hear literally no one asking because this post is so fucking long already. Well, beloved reader of this bullshit, I simply want him to officially be able to move on. I want him and Elain to have arcs that happen at the same time, and are tied loosely together, but are ultimately separate. I want Elain to find agency and finally make up her mind, and I want Lucien to call her out on stringing him along. And I ultimately want him to find peace. (And for him to find out he’s Helion’s son in the messiest way possible, but I digress) I really just want Lucien to ride off into the metaphorical sunset and be happy and content and finally value himself. If Elain is in the Spring Court, maybe call out Tamlin for the way that he abused Lucien too. As long as he ends up happy, I’m cool with it.

Also, I want a comeuppance for Mor/Eris. They’ve been hinting at something for several books now, and I damn well want to see what’s behind those hints. (I also low key want the Eris/Mor comeuppance to cause a confrontation between Az/Mor/Cass about their weird dynamic and how toxic it was, and how it kinda made Mor treat Nesta like shit. I just really want Cass to officially choose Nesta in front of the IC, esp Mor. I think it’s important for their relationship. I could go on and on about that tho.)

Personally, I kind of want Mor and Eris to have been Mates. Not only because I already ship Mor/Emerie and want to see a mated pair that don’t end up together, but I think there’s a ton of opportunity for angst there. Maybe they fell for each other, never actually let the mating bond fully set (because, up until this point we’ve never seen a mating bond click into place without sex, which we know they never had), and Mor realized that no matter how much she cared for Eris, she was in fact gay, and so she slept with Cass, and you know the rest of her story there. Eris didn’t care, and told his father that he would marry her anyway because they were in love (I don’t think he’d play his full hand and admit to being un-mated mates because it would put Mor in a whole new level of danger). Beron basically told Eris that under no circumstances would he marry Mor, and told him to abandon her completely. With a threat to Mor’s safety thrown in there for good measure (like “Go ahead, marry her. See exactly what will befall her her in the Autumn Court. It will not go well” except more eloquent and shit) When Mor’s family dumped her, I don’t think that he found her first with people with him. I think he would have found her shortly after she got left, and he’d have been alone. So he found a way to tip off Az that she was there, and staged it to look like he found her and semi-publicly abandoned her completely. Idk, I just feel like there’s a lot more to the story than we know, and given how extremely Mor responds to someone who never actually laid hands on her, I think there’s more to why she does that. Maybe it’s because she knows he’s her mate, and is terrified he’s going to get spiteful and let that info slip. I kind of want this to be a situation to be one where she didn’t outright lie about what happened, just the context, because she knew if the context was revealed, then she’d be forced to come out, so she lied by omission.

Personally, I would love for this to be a not insignificant piece of Az’s book, because I think there’s a not insignificant part of his personality that’s been influenced by Mor, so whatever comeuppance that Cass/Az/Mor have (and I’m praying they do), I hope it’s not just glossed over. I also wouldn’t hate if this story was told in the novella, but I also really want to see Feyre and Rhys’ side of their pregnancy story (I think it would be weird to have such a significant plot for them told during someone else’s story, and not give us Feyre and Rhys’ perspective). And that would really only fit in either a novella or bonus short story. Also, I think that Feyre’s pregnancy would make a better novella, and Mor/Eris would fold nicely into the plot of a book.

So yeah, there’s my ridiculously long rundown on what I want to happen/my theories for the rest of the ACOTAR series. Feel free to add/dissect/interact/tell me I’m horridly wrong. I wanna talk about these books at length so bad

#acotar #acowar #acomaf #acofas #acosf #feyre archeron #rhys #cassian #azriel #mor #eris #lucien #vanserra #beron #emerie #gwyn #nesta #elain #tamlin #theory #headcanon

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walkingshcdow-a · 6 years

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8, 12, 23?

Pretend Munday | Accepting!

8. what is each of your muses otps? notps?

I feel called out af. OK. I’ll be honest because you catch more flies with the truth than with- ANYWAY.

Erik

We’ll get Erik out of the way FIRST because he is probably my most controversial and high-interest muse for people where shipping is concerned. I don’t ship Erik much, or rather, I don’t ship him with other RPers much because his OTPs are:

Pharoga (Erik/Nadir)

Erik/Luciana

That’s it. My Erik is Kay-based and I saw these two relationships in the Kay novel as having the possibility to bloom into love. I write Nadir, so very often, I will write Erik and Nadir in a relationship with one another. I loved the idea of Pharoga when I read Leroux in 2005; when I read Kay shortly after, it was cemented in my brain that Nadir and Erik were in love. I can cite plenty of canonical evidence from the book, but even if I’m not citing evidence, this is THAT SHIP for me. The one that I will ship no matter what. Susan Kay could show up at my door RIGHT NOW and tell me “No, Erik and Nadir were two straight men who did not have romantic feelings for each other” and I would just link her to my AO3 page and tell her this was the new canon. Gaston Leroux could show up from the grave and tell me that Pharoga was never a thing and should never be a thing and I’d cross his ass back over to the spirit realm and go about my day, shipping Pharoga. Erik/Luciana is my dark horse, guilty-pleasure ship. I’ve written it (with great success!) with @thefavoritedaughter. It requires a lot of character growth, but it is worth it. I think people tend to forget that Erik and Luciana were children when they knew each other and hold Luciana to the standards they would hold an adult woman. They were kids. Teenagers. I work with teenagers. Let me tell you something: they are irrational critters. Emotional, developing... I just wish these two had gotten a fairer shot and that the Phandom didn’t out-and-out hate Luciana for responding in the realistic and immature fashion she did when seeing Erik’s face for the first time.

I don’t have any other romantic ships for Erik that I’m particularly interested in. I’ve done Erik/Meg in the past, but I don’t think I will again because the more I’ve thought on it, the version of Meg that Erik would be compatible with could not be Christine’s best friend and that undermines a female friendship to make a problematic ship work and that’s.... gross. I don’t want to get into it again. Likewise, I don’t have any OCs I ship Erik with. I’m not looking to ship him with OCs or other canon characters (within PotO or outside of it) because I’ve had people literally make muses to try to ship with my Erik and I’m just so done. I’ve been playing him since 2005-ish. I am Tired.

Of course, those aren’t even my NOTPs. My NOTPs are:

Erik/Christine

Erik/Raoul

I’ll start with Erik/Christine. For starts, you read that right. I did say “NOTP”. As in I don’t ship them, have never shipped them, and will never ship them. I think they have a fascinating dynamic, but it is not a relationship between equals. It is not a respectful, healthy, loving relationship. It does not have the potential to be, due to Erik’s abusive, manipulative, and violent actions against Christine. People who believe she was the only one who��“saw” or “understood” Erik are ignoring the very meaningful relationships he had - in Kay, anyways - with Giovanni, Nadir Khan, and Charles Garnier. (Look at that! Erik has healthy parent/child, best friendship/possible romance, and definite best buddy work partnerships in Kay canon!) He was seen - at least in Kay - and loved for what and who he was. But even in looking at non-Kay versions, even if Christine is the first soul to show him compassion, much less understanding, it doesn’t erase his behavior; it doesn’t justify his behavior. And compassion and romantic love are not the same things. So, while Erik and Christine have an intense and fascinating dynamic, I do not find it romantic, I do not wish to write it. I don’t even want to read it. I generally pretend the counterpoint in Kay didn’t happen. “Hey, remember when Susan Kay stayed in her lane and left off right before Leroux’s novel began?” (Ok, actually, I acknowledge the counterpoint when I’m talking OOC; my IC representation of Erik does not stick to his canon emotions or all of his canon actions. I tend to defer to Leroux or Webber, depending on what’s at hand.)

I also don’t ship Erik/Raoul and I didn’t think I had to tell people it was a NOTP until like... a week ago when one of my friends reminded me people genuinely ship it.

Okay. That’s Erik done. Next up, we’ll talk Nadir Khan. OTPs include:

Erik/Nadir

Nadir/Rookheeya

I explained Pharoga. Rookheeya is Nadir’s deceased wife in canon. I love her. I also would be so willing to OT3 Erik/Nadir/Rookheeya, except where Nadir is with both of them and Erik and Rookheeya have a respectful friendship that does not include romance or sex. Idk. That’s just an idea.

NOTPs include

Nadir/Darius

This is my only (current) hard “no”. And that’s because my NPC Darius is Nadir’s illegitimate half-brother. I also refuse to ship Nadir with @exitiumparit‘s Christine BECAUSE THAT IS HIS DAUGHTER. IDK how I feel about other Christines on this matter - I’ve never really thought about it. I just wanted to tag Haley in a post where I complain about E/C (see previous). Now I’m trying to imagine what I’d do if a Christine approached me and I feel lost. Why did I do this?

Meg Giry

OTPs

None, but I think Meg/Christine is super cute and I NEED IT.

NOTPs

None, but I’m not about to do Erik/Meg any time soon

Sorelli

OTPs

Sorelli/Philippe (even though I know they can’t be endgame)

I also want to shout-out at @fantomexnoir for that one time we planned Erik/Sorelli and it was bad ass.

NOTPs

None

More general NOTP thoughts on all my muses - I don’t ship with minors (I don’t write with minors, but I also don’t ship adult muses with underage muses), I don’t ship incest.

Mor general OTP thoughts on all of my muses - all of my muses are queer, most of them could be persuaded to be in a polyship. I love shipping, but I don’t live for it.

12. what is something everyone should know about your muses before interacting?

I’m Kay-based is a good starting point.

Read each of my muses’ notes pages - at the bottom of their bios, there’ll be a link that says “notes” - for more specific things.

This blog is smut-free, but there are still a lot of really adult themes, so let me know if you need something tagged or avoided in RP.

23. which muses’ fandom do you like the best?

All my muses over here are PotO... sooooo probably my Frankenstein fandom. XD

Seriously though, I just love the classic lit fandom (or, rather, the loose archipelago of classic lit and classic lit inspired bloggers) that I’ve befriended. Whether it’s my Salt Squad, Frankenfriends, the Percy to my Marguerite, or the numerous amazing OC friends I’ve made.... Thank you for welcoming me and my small army into your hearts.

#Anonymous #anon #asks #munday #meme response #;;told by an idiot | {out of character}

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courting-stories-blog · 7 years

Text

Fae Characters

Earlier in the year, I posted a list with brief descriptions of the major mortal characters in the ACOTAR series but never got around to posting about their fae counterparts - who I, personally, find much more fascinating.

**caution spoilers ahead**

Tamlin:

Tamlin is, in all honesty, one of my least favorite characters in the series. Not only is his personality unappealing, he is, quite frankly, not well developed. In the beginning of the series, he is the “beast” to Feyre’s “beauty,” a terrible High Lord with incredible powers and the ability to shape-shift. He is the one who steals Feyre from the mortal realm and forces her to live amongst those she hates and fears the most. However, he loves her. He loves her incredibly, and deeply, and unconditionally - according to the author, Sarah J. Maas. However, his actions do not always reflect this professed “love and devotion.” Rather, he is easily influenced by the opinions of others and does not consider the happiness and wellbeing of those around him, instead choosing to act in accordance with his own desires. These characteristics conflict with his position - as High Lord of the Spring Court, he is expected to be gracious and good, full of innocence yet wizened by his years. However, the youthful innocence of spring manifests itself in Tamlin as ignorance and selfishness, two negative characteristics which reveal themselves increasingly throughout the second and third books in the series as Tamlin’s childish “love” for Feyre blinds him to her personal growth, well-being, and mental health. He tries to control her and manipulate her into believing she needs him for survival, that she cannot do anything by herself and should remain dependent on him. **much dislike**

Image by @morgana0anagrom

Rhysand:

Rhysand is hands down one of my favorite characters in the ACOTAR storyworld. Mysterious, handsome, and secretly kind despite his cruel facade, Rhysand shines with inner light - though he is the High Lord of the Night Court. Throughout the first book in the series, readers were unsure of Rhysand’s position and motives as he was one of the only High Fae who retained some semblence of his former status in Prythian under Amarantha’s rule. However, by the end of the book, we realize that Rhysand was one of those who suffered the most during Amarantha’s reign. He essentially became her “boy toy,” enduring rape from Amarantha and ridicule and disgust from the rest of his fellow Fae. In enduring this fate, he was able to protect an entire city of people living in the Night Court, the City of Velaris. He also helped Feyre through her trials at the end of ACOTAR, though he never never failed to remind her that she is strong of her own right. Rhysand is widely known as the most beautiful and most powerful of all High Fae, with the ability to control, shadows, darkness, and minds. He is also Illyrian, meaning he comes from a tribe of ruthless and talented warmongers, gifted with the ability of flight and bat-like wings. Rhysand is Feyre’s mate, meaning they are destined and meant to be together.

Image by BloodyDamnIt

Lucien Vanserra:

Lucien is, by blood, a member of the Autumn Court, youngest son of the High Lord of Autumn, Lord Beron. However, Beron is known for his cruelty and his sons for their bloodthirsty competitiveness, so when Lucien fell in love with a lesser Fae female, his older brothers held him down as his love was executed. Following this devastating event, Lucien fled to the Spring Court as he was on very good terms with Tamlin. Lucien was appointed as Court Emissary for the Spring Court and had one of his eyes ripped out by Amarantha. Now, Lucien is a staunch supporter of Tamlin, though he also became fast friends with Feyre. Conflict arose as Tamlin decided to remain loyal to Tamlin despite going against Feyre’s desires for herself, and also after a mating bond snapped with one of Feyre’s sisters.

Image by @morgana0anagrom

Morrigan:

Morrigan, more formally known as “The Morrigan,” but more affectionately called “Mor” is a member of Rhysand’s inner circle. She is third-in-command of the Night Court and daughter of the ruler of the Court of Nightmares, the Hewn City. Now, Mor is overseer of both Velaris and the Hewn City, Court of Dreams and Court of Nightmares. However, as she was female and both powerful and beautiful, she was seen as a prized bargaining chip to be used for breeding by her family. They promised her to the eldest son of the High Lord of the Autumn Court, Eris, who was known to be cruel, against her wishes. So, knowing that she was prized in part for her virginity, Mor had sex with Cassian, the most powerful Illyrian in the Illyrian camps. Following the incident, Eris no longer wanted to marry her, so her family tortured her to the brink of death, then left her on Autumn Court lands with a note nailed to her abdomen, telling Eris that she was his problem. She was rescued by Azriel who brought her to Rhysand in the Night Court where she thereafter remained. Despite - or perhaps because of - the trials of her youth, Mor is strong, fierce, and capable. She also has a soft side and cares for her loved ones deeply.

Image found here

Cassian:

Cassian is widely known one of the most powerful of all the Illyrian soldiers. He holds the position of General Commander of the Night Court’s Armies and is a member of Rhysand’s inner circle - and is Rhysand’s childhood best friend. Like Rhysand, he has bat-like wings and fights ferociously, though he also has the ability to siphon his power through 7 stones to channel his raw power into usable energy. Cassian has a quarrelsome personality and often likes to pick fights, though he deeply cares for his comrades. He is close friends with Azriel and takes on the task of training Feyre for combat. He is mates with Feyre’s sister Nesta - a point of tension.

Image found here

Azriel:

Azriel, like Cassian and Mor, is also a member of Rhysand’s inner circle. He too is an Illyrian solder, though his powers are less flamboyant. Rather, he is a shadowsinger and uses his heightened sensitivity to spy on Rhysand’s enemies. Azriel too had a hard childhood - he was the bastard son of a high fae. His stepmother confined him to a locked windowless room. Thus, he was unable to learn to fly or fight, though once freed, he became one of the most powerful Illyrian soldiers in existence. Azriel is generally soft spoken, though he is known to banter with his good friend Cassian, and often provides valuable insight to issues at hand. He is also gentle and understanding with Feyre when she struggles to learn to fly, Mor throughout all of her many moods, and Elain as she struggles to adapt to later books.

Image by @merwild

Amarantha:

Amarantha is the main antagonist of the first book in the series. She hails from the land of Hybern where she was a military general, though she took the title of High Queen of all Prythian after invading. She is cruel and malicious, finding joy in the murder of innocent fae. She lusts after Tamlin, but after he rejects her advances, curses the entire Spring Court such that they all have masks permanently affixed to their faces - unless Tamlin agrees to become her lover. Tamlin refuses, so she turns his heart to stone, saying he shall stay that way until he can convince a mortal to fall in love with him within 49 years. This leads to the retelling of Beauty and the Beast between Feyre and Tamlin. She also forces Rhysand into being her lover as she waited for Tamlin to fail. Basically, she is evil to the core and harbors immense hate against both fae and human alike.

Image found here

These are just a few of the main characters -- some are more present in ACOMAF and ACOWAR than in ACOTAR, but I thought it would be valuable to include them anyway and along with their character descriptions, share a little more about the realm of ACOTAR. Hope y’all enjoy!

#storyworlds characters #acotarlow

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