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phantomnostalgist · 3 years

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An Interview with Peter Karrie

From “POTO: The Phantom of the Opera Magazine”, Millennium Edition (2000), published by Carrie Hernandez. (This btw is the greatest Phantom fan publication ever made, and if you ever see it on eBay you should snap it up. I don’t even have my copy because it’s with Paul, who conducted this interview with Peter in 1994.)

Enormous thanks to @panto-of-the-opera for typing this interview up for me!

Peter Karrie, interviewed by Paul Day Clemens:

Since falling under the spell of “POTO” (the day the Original London Cast album (OLC) became available in the U.S.) I’ve seen many fine – and a few brilliant – Eriks but only two performers have ever made me feel I was in the actual presence of the Phantom himself. One was Michael Crawford – yes, he really was that special (and you can forget the OLC which is but the palest shadow of what he was like on stage!) – and the other is Peter Karrie.

Commanding, dangerous, elegant, chivalrous and heart rending with an unparalleled physicality and wealth of detail, Peter not only made the role his own, completely, but by some rare and strange alchemy, somehow managed to make me forget I was watching a performance at all.

Thrilled, hypnotized and deeply moved, it was not until visiting with Peter after the show that the full impact of his transformation hit me. How could this warm, funny, soft-spoken, down-to-earth guy possibly be the same man I was watching on stage not an hour before hand?

Therein lies the difference between craft – albeit of a rare excellence – and true inspiration. Dare I even say greatness?

Yeah, I dare. For Mr. Karrie’s Phantom is simply one of the greatest portrayals by an actor in the musical theatre that I’ve ever had the privilege of experiencing.

I had the great pleasure of interviewing Peter at length in December 1994 in Toronto as he was getting ready for the Far East tour of “POTO” and what follows here are never before published excerpts from the interview. – Paul Clemens

Paul Clemens: Do you find that the role of the Phantom makes enormous demands on your voice, in terms of the wear and tear of doing at night after night? If you had a sore throat, for instance, would you be able to get through the show?

Peter Karrie: Yeah. You learn I guess. All professional singers in theatre have to cope with colds and sore throats. Otherwise you’ll be forever off ‘cause it’s a breeding ground of germs. And you develop your voice for stamina over a period of time where you’re doing eight shows a week. You have to. You have to survive it.... So, basically, yeah.

You take the angel [scene] for instance where [the Phantom is] absolutely broken. I’ve had very, very bad laryngitis and I’ve sung that and it sounded great! Simply because you’re breaking down in your voice is all kinds of scuffed up and cracky, you can enact it. But the show takes horrendous wear and tear on the body. It really does. You end up playing mind games with the role.

PC: That’s interesting. How so?

PK: Well, it’s such a powerfully written piece for the actual Phantom. You have to portray a person who’s schizoid, psychotic... and it all sounds very grand and technical. But the actual emotion of it can cut only come from the inside. And so you continue fighting with it.

[Note from Christine posting this in 2021 - Erik isn’t actually schizoid or psychotic (not that either are “bad” things). I know this is pedantic of me to point out, but I pointed it out at the end of Ethan Freeman’s interview from the mid 90s so I’ll point it out here too.]

PC: I imagine you found a core within the character of identification, something you had an understanding of and could feel a great deal of sympathy toward.

PK: Yes. You have to put yourself through the gambit of it. You have to be the Phantom emotionally for that time, and then it comes out quite naturally. You don’t have to think about it.

PC: Do you find, after all the times you played the role – first in London and now in Toronto – that the emotions are still immediate for you?

PK: Oh, yeah. But as I say, there’s wear and tear. When the mind gets tired then you find you get into problems.

PC: How do you keep the role fresh?

PK: There are all types of hand holds all the way along, from the time you start ‘til the time you finish. I guess the majority of it is set in the rehearsal room where you rehearse at a certain level into a certain standard, and it becomes automatic. But each show will always be different because you have a different audience, different weather conditions, you have different musicians playing in the pit, you have different people you’re playing opposite. So you will always get a variation on the theme. And so that, coupled up with what you’ve put together in rehearsal so you get a fairly high standard of performance every night, merges together. And so you do get a different show every night. But, as I say, it’s a very wearing role. More so than Jean Valjean, where you’re virtually on stage for three and a half hours. But I find the Phantom far more draining.

PC: I can imagine. Whenever you’re on stage you’re at peak intensity and you run the emotional gamut. So that, combined with the vocal demands, must make for one walloping experience.

PK: Exactly.... That, coupled with the exposure. You’re so exposed on stage. Whenever the Phantom does appear, it’s either him on his own, or it’s him with Christine, and something powerful and moving is happening. He doesn’t appear with the chorus – barring the “Masquerade.”

PC: For that reason, a number of the actors who have played the role have complained about a sense of loneliness and isolation. I wondered if you felt that way about it?

PK: No, I haven’t felt that. But I’ve always mingled with the rest of the cast and crew. I can’t abide all this keeping the door shut. So we open the door and play rock and roll music.

PC: Do you ever feel hampered by all the makeup involved?

PK: You get used to it. Totally. In fact, there are times when you forgotten you’ve got the mask on in the wig lady has to ask you for it. And you think ‘What? I’ve already given it to you!’

PC: That’s right – you wouldn’t be able to feel it, would you? Because it’s actually touching the appliances rather than your face.

PK: You feel it slightly. You know, if you first put it on you’d know it’s there. But after a while... But the wire band ‘round the head lets you know it’s there! And the edge of it catches you sometimes. But no – it becomes part of you. And as for the lip which is built up top and bottom ‘round your mouth, you get used to that as well.

PC: Has it ever come loose during a performance?

PK: Oh, God yeah! We’ve had some great moments where it’s been hanging off. That’s a bit gross. And the bald cap’s come loose in the back, so you do the Second Lair with one hand ‘rounds the back of your head holding your bald cap in place? [laughs] Yeah, you’ve got some good moments.

PC: How did you find the voice which is so distinctive?

PK: Well, that, once again came from the feeling inside. It was like once you had all that stuff on, and I discovered the walk, and kind of latched onto his intention, the voice just followed.

PC: Your interpretation of the line “You try my patience“ is unforgettable. So chilling. I was wondering how that evolved.

PK: Well, I felt that was the climax of the man. That, literally, for me, is where he turns ‘round and he’s at the actual peak of his hate, his frustration. I knew I had to find something which made that moment special. It was set to be special by the music and the way it was directed. That was the key to the man.

PC: It’s as if your voice came from some deep well – as if it bubbled up from some deep, dark place.

PK: That’s right! That’s exactly how I felt it. And then when Christine kisses him it’s like he can’t believe it. “I’ve won!” That euphoric feeling... “She can suffer this face! I think I’ve got her! I think, yes, she does love me!” And then, as he reaches out to touch her... a moment.... He’s taken in the scene of Raoul hanging as he went back to her... and then, all of a sudden, it struck a chord.... “Hang on....” And then the realization hits him: “She’s just doing it for him. She’s literally giving me her self to save him. She loves him... She can never love me the same as she loves him.” And it’s all a kind of mental game there. And you’ve only got split seconds to get the audience in on it, so he has to be kind of demonstrative in his actions.

PC: After the kiss, there was a moment where you sort of winced, pulling away from her twice like a wounded animal, your right arm almost becoming spastic... there were so many levels, all going simultaneously.

PK: He’s coming to terms. All these thoughts are rushing through his head and he’s off balance. Everything has shaken him and he’s lost his façade of “everything-under-control.”

PC: And the body is breaking down.

PK: That’s right. He’s been stripped of everything just by having to face himself – and face the truth. That one clear moment where he realizes this is wrong – this is all wrong – this is not how it should be.

PC: And when the phantom cries “GO NOW AND LEAVE ME!” – you built each word into a series of escalating crescendos which was tremendously effective, I thought. Very powerful.

PK: It’s all the process of him actually coming to terms with himself. It’s as you say – one after another, one after the other – then finally she’s gone and he’s left.... This is after she’s given him the ring and she’s gone... And he looks... and he sees the empty throne. And he knows that’s all his life is.

PC: That’s very moving. Do you ever find that the final words – “It’s over now the Music of the Night” – are difficult to get out with all the emotion you’re experiencing?

PK: I did at the beginning, yeah. Sometimes I used to get caught up in it, which is a dreadfully dangerous thing, ‘cause then everything tightens up and you get the proverbial lump in your throat.

PC: It’s sort of walking a bit of a tight rope, isn’t it?

PK: Yeah! [laughs] That’s right. And then there’s a moment where I can get space to subdue all that and concentrate on doing the last bit. That’s where he’s got the veil in his hand and she’s in the boat comin’ across the back singing with Raoul and I say “Christine I love you” very, very quietly, and very broken, and then I can take some breaths which calm it all down and get myself kind of poised for the last bit. ‘Cause that’s gotta be kind of the statement: “You alone can make my song take flight.” That is the statement of release. It’s like a rhetorical statement – you will always be the music of my life. And therefore I can’t change it.” It’s that feeling he’s got in his body. He bends over backwards. And then the final moment is where he turns around and wipes it clean. And he does it in a far stronger attitude than anything else he does... “It’s over now the Music of the Night.”

PC: I’ve read that you feel he’s starting a new life at that point.

PK: Yes! Yes... When I’m walking to the chair, I let the veil just drop behind, and I think to myself “It’s over. Now what else is there? There must be something else... It’s over.” And you do it with such a final flourish – the cape and everything – you’re back in control of yourself. You’ve had the osmosis. You’ve come out of the one period of your life which actually threatened to ruin you, and you’re now standing on the threshold of another one.

PC: Oh yes. It’s wonderful to hear what’s going through your mind as you’re doing the scene. And the impact of that final scene is tremendous. Do you have a favourite scene in the show?

PK: That would be it. ‘Cause it’s only six minutes long, that Second Lair. And in that six minutes you literally travel from one end of the emotional spectrum to the other. It’s a whole journey.

MORE BELOW... Keep reading, it’s a long interview, with plenty more thoughts and content about Phantom, including some really funny classic mishaps.

PC: The show obviously touches a universal cord in many of its audience members, sometimes to the extent that a bracket (sizable) number of people see the show again and again. Men and women openly moved to tears by the play are common sight in Phantom’s audiences. And yet, paradoxically, a substantial number of critics have charged the show with having no heart.

PK: I think they’re being very unkind. There are some Phantoms – just as there are leading men and women in any show – who do not commit themselves quite as much as they should do.

PC: I’ve seen that it does make a difference in the overall impact of the show.

PK: It makes a big difference, yeah. ‘Cause eight times a week to commit yourself to it to it as it should be done is hard work. But once you get used to it and once you get into it you can’t do it any other way. At least I can’t. They said to me many times, like when you’re feeling rough or whatever, “Can you mark it a little bit? You know just take it easy. You don’t have to give one hundred percent.” But you see, it’s not a question of giving that. That’s just the way I do it. If I start altering that, I am altering a lot more than just singing a lift show. You’re altering a thought process which I can’t control. I wish I could mark it. It would be a lot bloody easier! But you can’t. You have to do it as you do it when you do it, and that’s it.

PC: I believe you hold the record for the most injuries sustained by any actor playing the role.

PK: Touch wood it’s never been completely death-defying! [laughs]

PC: Is it true that you asked if you could actually ride the chandelier down to the stage at the end of Act One?

PK: Yes. But I’m afraid the insurance people did not exactly share my enthusiasm for the idea.

PC: The stories about technical mishaps are legion. Can you relate some of the more memorable moments along those lines that you can recall?

PK: Well... there’s been so many of them now. There’re many, many boat stories. And the same thing happen to Colm, has happened to Michael, has happened to ‘em all. The boat has a life of its own. The monkey also has a life of its own. That can be very temperamental... I’ve had some excitement in the Angel, where people have tripped over wires and tipped it up while you’re inside it, and you’re hangin’ on for grim death... I fallen off the proscenium, yeah...

PC: [laughs] you say that so cavalierly.

PK: [laughing] Cracked a couple of legs and so forth. And the Star-Trap, the same thing. I’ve fallen down that the wrong way... In London one day, the Star-Trap didn’t open at all. So you did the “Your chains are still mine – you will sing for me,” and threw the cape – I always threw the Cape up to make a trail as you go down the Star-Trap. So the trail came down and I hadn’t gone anywhere. In the cloak – they had a bigger cloak for the Masquerade then – and it just piles on top of me. And I couldn’t get it off because you’ve got the mask on. So it ended up with the two managers having to lead me off! [laughing] I mean, here you’ve got this dreadful creature saying [puts on a creepy voice] “Your chains are still mine – you will sing for me!” And then, all of a sudden, the managers are saying [whispers] “Come on! This way, this way!”

PC: [laughs] In one of the U.S. Touring Company performances, the Punjab lasso failed to work, and so Raoul just fell to the floor and lay there writhing as if he were in the grip of some supernatural force.

PK: [laughs] many times things go wrong with a bloody lasso! One time I was over here in Toronto, Byron Nease [Raoul] all of a sudden acted like an invisible hand had gripped him ‘round the throat – the noose was nowhere, it was on the floor many miles away from him – but he’s going [Karrie makes some strangling sounds] and it was as though he was being thrown—forced backwards! And he got to the grill and his hands came outstretched and he was like held there by and invisible force...

PC: Yes – the “magnetic grill!“

PK: Yeah! And I just looked at him and I started laughing. it was like a three act play to get him to the back of this grill...! But I think the funniest thing is words. The things people say. Quite innovative and inventive. I remember when I was in the wings doing the “seal my fate tonight...” and sometimes your mind wanders. It’s that mind-game I mentioned about concentration. You have to keep focused all the time – blah blah blah. And so I’m saying “seal my fate tonight... I hate to have to cut the prisoner short...” Prisoner short? Prisoner short? And I thought, no, that can’t be right. And I’m thinking that while I continue singing... And the words have gone ‘cause I’m singing “but the ducks warring in...” And I said “ducks warring in??? – By now I’ve turned away from the monitor ‘cause I’m singing on an off-stage mike – and I’m lookin’ at my dressers. And I’m waving to them as if to say “Tell me the words! What are the words??” And now I’m singing “Let my destiny ride, ‘cause my music’s afire!” And I sang it as though I’d been singing those words all my life! Loud... And of course I’m falling around. And the conductor – I can see on the monitor – he’s laughing and waving! The baton had gone to hell!!

PC: [laughing] That’s marvelous!

PK: But what was the funniest thing what the poor people on stage! ‘Cause you had the managers and everybody else all walking ‘round in this trance – like, floaty, floaty choreography. And all of a sudden, as soon as I got to “ducks warring in” – by all accounts – they as if on cue, turned up stage; all of their backs to the audience! And they all walked to the back of the stage! And they’re all laughing and laughing, ‘cause it got it worse and worse. The more I was singin’ the wrong words the more they were laughing! ...And when I came on for my bows that night, all the course we’re going “Quack, quack!” ...So the next night I got changed I did my sound-check, and all of a sudden there’s a call over the tannoy for a meeting in the greenroom. And I went there, and I thought, well, somebody must be coming down to see us. And all of a sudden, over the gentle hubbub in the greenroom, I could hear on the tannoy my voice doing this “cut the prisoner short, but the ducks warring in...” and everybody started laughing. And then all of a sudden, the company manager showed up and presented me with a cassette – they record every show, you see – and the company had the words printed up and framed, and they presented it to me with the cassette. And that’s how I know the words so well!

PC: I’d love to hear that sometime!

PK: I learned from a very early age that if you’re gonna sing the wrong words, sing them as loud and convincingly as possible. And everyone in the building will think you’re right and everybody else is wrong.

PC: Of course. Because that if they haven’t seen the show before, they’re not going to know.

PK: That’s right. It’s so true, because I had people in that night for that magic moment, and they didn’t know anything was wrong at all.

PC: [laughs] Be honest with me – are you tired of the music after all this time? For example if you’re in an elevator and you hear a song from Phantom do you just want to scream?

PK: No. I get out of the elevator. You do try to escape from it after doing eight shows a week... A number of times we’ll go into a restaurant ,] my wife Jane and myself, and we’ll sit there. And all of a sudden you’ll hear the music come on – Phantom. And you think, oh God! You don’t want to be reminded of it when you’re out enjoying yourself. But I’m not tired of the music when I’m performing it.

PC: You’re about to take Phantom to Singapore and Hong Kong. I understand that their audiences tend to be rather formal. I believe it is considered disrespectful to make too big a display of appreciation. That will be quite a change for you. How do you think you’re going to handle it?

PK: I did a satellite link up the other day with about forty reporters from the Far East, and the same questions came up then – “How are you going to cope with the way Singaporean and Hong Kong audiences show their appreciation?” And I told him as long as they enjoy the show, I don’t care... It’s quite funny actually, because when I started off working in Britain, I used to do clubs in the Northeast which is the hardest area prefer performer to work in. [laughs] The miners – it’s a big mining area – and they didn’t used to applaud. They threw ashtrays onto the stage.

PC: [laughing] Ashtrays?!

PK: That’s right. You do a Sunday lunchtime and they’d all be sitting reading the Sunday newspapers. You walk onto the stage and there’d just be a sea of newspapers. And at the end of the number, if they liked you they drop one hand onto the table, pick up the ashtray and throw it onto the stage as a mark of respect. Or are they’d just bang the table with one hand two or three times. But still, never, never, did they come out from behind the newspaper. Not unless the performer was of the female variety.

PC: [laughs] Your rock band – Peter and the Wolves – how long did that last?

PK: About four years, I think.

PC: Are there any records available?

PK: I doubt it. What records were made have probably long since been turned into ashtrays!

PC: To be thrown on stage by miners, no doubt! ...Well ,a final question: in Phantom, when you’re up in the Angel, do you ever feel a mad desire to plunge headfirst into the audience?

PK: No. Quite the opposite.

PC: Not a serious question, but I appreciate the answer nonetheless.

PK: The desire to jump off is never further from my mind.

PC: Sometimes I wonder the way you move around up there!

PK: [laughs] It does get a bit hairy up there sometimes! But it depends on which way it swings. If it swings left to right, you’re okay, but if it swings front to back then ya’ got trouble!

PC: This has been a delightful interview, Peter. Thank you.

PK: My pleasure.

- Paul Clemens

#peter karrie #poto #phantom of the opera #the phantom of the opera #classic phantoms #phantom legends #musicals #musical theater fandom #musical theatre

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devilsendslove-blog · 7 years

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anonym :

Is it just me or does Tom's US PR team suck? I think Luke did so much better for Tom all these years than his US team has the last year and a half. Essentially they did absolutely nothing for Tom. He had to speak up for himself. Tbh I know nothing about PR. It's silent, behind the scenes work. I'm sure they helped him get good coverage and interviews, but their crisis and image management seems non existent to me. Any thoughts on why? It's appalling that random ppl even said he needs a new team.

insanely-smart :

What would you have them do differently?

After September, he was nicely regaining what he’d lost. Entertainment shows were siding with him, remember? Remember how he looked Saturday at the tea, or on the RC Sunday? He was in a good spot - seemingly over everything.

The gaffe on Sunday (overblown by everyone) was apologized for within 24 hours. That’s really all he can or should do - too much draws the story out longer, which is the exact opposite of what you want to have happen. The press moves on, and a by the time SI rolls around, it will be virtually forgotten. People outside fandoms really do have short memories. The shirt will stick in people’s minds, but if that’s it? Not the worst thing ever.

As for “speaking up for himself” - that’s the way it’s supposed to be. You shouldn’t be having Luke or Lauren or Victoria speak for him. Other than those “source close to the actor” things you’ll see in tabs.

BTW, I think the US team was mostly for the spring promo tour/Emmy campaign, and prior to that for a potential Oscar campaign and CP. And they did a really good job there. Good talk show spots that he had never had before. Good, solid interviews. Times Talks, SAG-AFTRA. Some good photo shoots, too. Whatever your opinion of the actual W photos, that was an Emmy campaign spread, by a renowned photographer, and he was in it. Actors on Actors, LA Times Roundtable… all getting his face/name out there in the US, and guess what? Emmy and GG noms. That’s good PR. As for managing a crisis? He has less to apologize for than Casey Affleck, and while it won’t stop him getting awards, because his performance is good, the stories aren’t going away.

Now we really haven’t seen Lauren since April. It’s either been Luke or Victoria. Though Wolf-Kasteler are still on his team, and I’m sure we’ll see her again for SI promo, since that’s once again a big American film that could have a punishing schedule. Luke also has to rep Emma Watson for Beauty & the Beast at the same time. So I would imagine Lauren or Lauren/Victoria combo will be what we see this spring.

catwinchester

Crisis? CRISIS?

Remind me again, when was Tom in an extremely difficult or dangerous situation?

I must have missed this because all I saw was him having a new girlfriend last year, and giving a slightly rambling speech this year.

I saw no crisis.

Even if these things were more than just a few twits on Twitter thinking that they get to decide how other people behave, this is Hollywood!

We’re talking about a community where a rapist who admits to drugging then anally and vaginally raping a 13 year old girl still gets to work and win prestigious awards. (Roman Polanski)

We’re talking about a community where a violent, sexist, racist, drunk driver still gets to work and win prestigious awards. (Mel Gibson)

We’re talking about a community where a domestic abuser can blow his girlfriend’s kneecap, break her nose, and he still gets to work and win prestigious awards. (Michael Fassbender)

We’re talking about a community where biopics about famous band totally leave out the violence of one member against three separate women, and he not only gets a movie but he still gets to work in music and win prestigious awards. (Dr Dre)

We’re talking about a community where a man kidnaps and tortures his pop star wife for 9 hours (read the report, what he did was horrendous!) and he still gets to work and win prestigious awards. (Sean Penn)

We’re talking about a community where an actor is convicted of assaulting a female paramount executive, and he still has a job! (Emile Hirsch)

Others who have been accused of or have admitted to violence against women include Sean Connery, Bill Murray, Charlie Sheen, Sean Bean, Eminem, Josh Brolin, Gary Oldman, Nicolas Cage, and probabl a whole load more I can’t remember.

Judging by this, Tom is so well thought of among those he’s worked with that he could literally bugger the Queen and still have a thriving career in the movie industry, FFS!

But sure, being inarticulate and dating is a “crisis”.

I fucking hate this tendency to overexaggerate everything today. Stop making mountains out of tiny little molehills! There are genuinely nasty people out there, go remind twitter about Michael Fassbender, why don’t you, instead of pretending that anything that has happened to Tom is anything more than just an incy wincy speed bump in the spectacular career of a lovely humanitarian who chooses to use his fame to raise awareness of good causes.

tl;dr

I would so much reblog this, but I can’t because Saney (among some other blogs LOL) blocked me. I just want to tell @catwinchester that I love your comment. And there was never a real crisis. As if dating could be a cisis.

All what Tom did was falling in love.

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aratanaruu · 5 years

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my thoughts on KH3′s endgame

a lotta endgame stuff but there’s gonna be a lot of talk about general KH3 things too. Spoilers for KH3 (+ KHUx) and be warned, there’s going to be a lot of negativity. Ish.

hhhh

don’t get me wrong I loved KH3 as a Kingdom Hearts game. As a standalone game. But as a finale to a saga? I’m feeling disappointed. Like, really disappointed but in some cases, not surprised. Loved the game. Wished there were more.

I think my biggest gripe was that there was no mid-point. Or no “hub” world. KH3 started off great! I loved what they did with the KH2.9. That was cheeky, real cheeky. Good stuffs. Going to Twilight Town + Olympus really set things up. Sora’s going to find a way to bring Roxas back. Mickeyriku is going to find a way to bring Aqua back. Kairi and Lea are training. I was so excited to see how things would develop.

Then it turned into... well. Sora just. kinda forgot about Roxas for the rest of the game?? Like?? After Twilight Town, the game turned into a “go to this Disney world and fuck around. Then go to this Disney world and do the same thing with no plot relevance whatsoever.” There was no midpoint in the game where we were like oh yeah, there’s kinda an upcoming keyblade war.

I think that’s what made the endgame feel so rushed. Everything happened in the Keyblade Graveyard and beyond instead of being spaced out. Aqua’s back, hooray! And in the next ten minutes, Ven is back. Yay! And in the next five minutes, we’re at the final battle spot! Wait, what?

so i’m just gonna gloss over the whole timeline shenanigan stuff because my one brain cell is too tired to think about it rn.

I’ll talk about the individual scenes like Terranort + Xion/Roxas’ return + THE WAYFINDER TRIOS REUNION???? in separate posts cause i don’t feel like making this get long and they each deserve their own post.

but yeah anyways back to the ‘plot’. Sora forgot about Roxas? Sora did so little to actually... bring Roxas back. The keybearers just charged into the final battle without worry and the people who were supposed to come back kinda just... did. Like, Sora bringing Roxas back was emphasized so much in the trailers. And when Roxas finally does come back, he and Sora nod at each other and... that’s it? That’s all the character interaction we get?

To be fair, though, there were hardly any character interaction (coughvenandroxaslookingateachothercough). I think that’s what a lot of the fandom was looking forward to most. Ven seeing Lea? My boy made no remark on how things really have changed in the ten years he’s been asleep? He called Lea his friend (which was sweet) but that’s it? Aqua talks to Kairi sure. But Terra never once speaks to Riku, his apprentice? Terra and Riku never talk about how they both fell to darkness???? Roxas and Riku never talk things out???? Kairi and Namine??? oh thats another story. namine, sweetie, im so fucking sorry you got done so dirty sweetie i am so sorry

Everything felt rushed! Oh, the war’s starting. Oh, look, everyone’s back. (speaking of which, Xion, baby, I love you but how did you get here..?) Oh, look, Kairi’s dead. (yeah im. not gonna go there. i think the fandom’s got me covered regarding how kairi was done even dirtier in kh3.)

Scala ad Caelum is fucking gorgeous. and there’s daybreak town and since im a slut for khux ofc i ascended when i saw it. Theme’s great. If only we got to listen to it for more than fifteen seconds. I’m with the party that believes Scala was supposed to be a playable, explorable world but was cut in development. smh

I think the ending was. Well. I loved everything to do with the Wayfinders??? LIKE??? Eraqus shows up!! And HUGS! HUGS GBSIHBGKHSB im’ losing my mind over this scene one month later like??? ERAQUS APOLOGIZES TO VEN AND AQUA and Terra’s so hesitant to approach Eraqus because he thinks he doesn’t deserve his Master’s love but Eraqus brings him into the grouphug KHGBSKHGBK and he tells Terra to “take care of the two” which shows that he trusts Terra!! He still trusts Terra!!! AGBAKHGBAKHGAB

sidenote: i can’t fuckning get over terra approaching xehanort and getting ready to fuck., him up. and aqua grabs his hand because she’s afraid not of terra but of losing him again and seeing hikm hurt but terra just looks at aqua with a gaze that asks her to trust him and she does so she lets go oh my gfucking god kh3 made terraqua canon without making it actually canon BL ES S my crops have been watered my skin is cleared my fucking depression is cured BLESS

so after xehanort gets away scotch-free from giving like, everyone PTSD, there’s a satisfying ending of Sora holding the x-blade and stuff like that but. Kairi?? Where’s Kairi?? Like, all the keybearers are here. All the trios (namine sweetie i still love you) are here. Except for Kairi. It’s just. Augh.

I feel like things would have made a nice conclusion. Hell, things did make a nice conclusion! But then Kairi’s not there! It’s kinda like Nomura didn’t want the story to end. I was looking for a satisfying end to the saga but Nomura kept it going with an “oh yeah kairis kinda gone soras gonna look for her btw” while I’m just??? let it end?? endings are okay sometimes?? please//??

yeah and then sora’s like, fuckig dead or whatever. yeah im not happy about that from a writing standpoint. I want a closed ending! I want the Destiny Trio to have justice! I want them to be together like in KH2′s ending! But did Riku and Kairi even talk to each other once in KH3? It feels like the ending was just a giant set up towards the uh, secret ending.

yeah im currently playing ffxv right now. im in absolute love with the game. like, literal, absolute love. can’t stop thinking about it and making content for it. it’s great. i love it.

verum rex.

oh boy.

When I first saw Verum Rex, I was like “this is kinda getting a little too meta but maybe it’s just another cheeky easter egg.” Then later, I was like holy shit wait Verum Rex is Latin for like, True King or something. That’s a little too-too meta.

...the secret ending. yeah. to me, it just seems like nomura is still salty over versus and i feel like that affected kh3 poorly. i know he stated in a recent interview that the two had no correlation but sure. okay. i believe you.

bleahgkhsbg. I dunno. The Wayfinder Trio got done so much justice in the ending. Like, fucking Aqua and Terra adopt Ven and his cat/???? They live happily in the LoD??? Ven’s reunited with Chirithy?? More KHUx content??? Akusai got fuckign married and adopted 5 dumbass kids??

Destiny Trio got... shafted and fucked up. and versus is forcing itself into kh3 and. aaaaaa

once again. i love kh3 as a standalone kh game. I could rant about the positives (WAYFINDER TRIO?? HOW CUTE VEN LOOKS IN THE NEW ENGINE??? THE FUCKING MUSIC???) but ye. im here being negative woohoo

TL;DR:

KH3 felt lacking to me. Wished there was more content. Pacing was horrendous for me. Ven is adorable. I’d die for the Wayfinder Trio. Ienzo is fucking adorable. I’m not fond of the ending.

#ara plays kh3 #ara's posts #kh3 spoilers #kingdom hearts 3 spoilers #kingdom hearts spoilers #im open to like. talking about my opinions on the game #but if you're gonna hmu with the 'if you don't like it don't play it!! / if u don't like it you're not a true kh fan!!' then #pls save us both some trouble and Not do that

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