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fierce-little-miana · 7 months

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I have recently watched Mulan: Rise of a Warrior (2009), the Chinese movie about the ballad of Hua Mulan. It was a good a movie, I had a nice time watching it (even if I have my issues with parts of it) but what fascinated was how the final tragedy unfolded.

For a moment I really believed Mulan was going to die, and maybe even lose militarily, or at the very least her love interest was the one who was going to die. None of them did. They won the war, defeated the evil warlord and survived. And yet their end felt deeply tragic. At first I wondered why.

Mulan goes home to live with her father. She has no life, her childhood friend is dead, she has been fighting for 12 years. No one and nothing waits for her besides an aging sick father that probably won't live long and a life of domesticity for which she doesn't seem really eager (when she was a child her father said in her presence that he had failed raising her because she went beyond this domesticity to protect her friend). Her love interest becomes the heir of the emperor and marries for the good of the people. They both decide to part way after having spend years together, to live the role they were supposed to have at birth (that the war took away from them but which did not make them happy to begin with).

It is a sad ending, but not the saddest possible. So why did it nag me so?

And then I realized that the ending of Mulan: Rise of a Warrior asked the exact parallel question of Electra's ending by Jean Giraudoux.

In Giraudoux's Electra, the play ends after Oreste has killed his mother and uncle and this murder, in addition to avenging his father's murder, leads to the fall and sack of the city of Argos by Corinth. This is how a character resumes the situation:

"How do we call it? When the sun rises, like it does today, and everything is ruined, everything is wrecked, and yet the air has become breathable, and we have lost everything, the city burns, innocents kill each other, but the guilty people are dying in a corner of this very rising sun?"

(Translation mine)

In a way seeing our two main leads in Mulan so wretchedly unhappy at the end of this movie, after having done everything for their country and making sure everyone can live in peace and harmony, asks the exact opposite question:

"How do we call it? When the sun rises, like it does today, and everything is in order, everything is fixed, and yet air has become unbreathable, and we have gained everything, the city stands, innocent are safe, but the heroes are dying in a corner of this very rising sun?"

The answer to this question is given by the choir/god-like figure of the play in Electra. He says:

"It has a very beautiful name, […], it is called dawn."

(Translation mine)

You can read this line a myriad of ways of course. Personally I have always read it two ways. First it represents the mundanity of it all. How is it called when the sun rises? It is dawn. The fact that the guilties are agonizing, that innocents are punished too is mundane, not a thing really worth commenting on. The other meaning is tied to what dawn is. Dawn is the beginning of a new day, the symbolization of a new beginning. This great waste, this great moment of truth is a new beginning.

I have always made the synthesis of the two significations in my head: that all new beginnings, all great moment of truth, are born of colossal waste, always. That it is this connexion between the two that is as mundane as the sun rise being called dawn.

The ending of Mulan: Rise of a Warrior fits this perfectly. This new beginning for the collective is born of a colossal personal waste (while in Electra the colossal waste is public and the new beginning is personal).

From that I gather that you cannot get some worthwhile change without someone getting massively hurt in the process (someone who did not really deserve to be hurt like this). In this way the two stories answer each other.

That is why this ending keeps nagging. It looks at me asking "was it worth it?" and the answer is both yes and no.

#mulan: rise of a warrior #mulan 2009 #jean giraudoux #electra #don't mind me I am analysing on my own

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hush-they-speak · 2 years

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"Only longtime veterans understand that there are no heroes on the battlefield, only dead men and crazy ones."

Mulan's father, Hua Hu

Mulan: Rise of a Warrior (2009)

#Hua Hu #Mulan: Rise of a Warrior #Mulan #Hushtheyspeak #quotes #Film

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romanceyourdemons · 6 months

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forever enthralled with when a character lets another character drink blood from their wrist

#big shoutout to persona (1966) mulan rise of a warrior (2009) and tian ya ke for their important contributions to the genre #ryddles

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guzhuangheaven · 2 years

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Hua Mulan (2009) - Mulan: Rise of a Warrior

Don’t do martial arts anymore. You are a girl...

#hua mulan #cmovie #perioddramaedit #filmedit #movieedit #花木兰 #mulan rise of a warrior #zhao wei #vicki zhao #northern and southern dynasties #gzh #gifshistorical #filmtv #filmgifs #cinemapix #moviegifs #tvfilmedit #tvfilmdaily

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thisonehere · 2 months

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The Lin Kuei Boys finds out you were a woman

A/n: You were disguised as a man and they knew nothing until your true gender was revealed in some way or another. This is a headcanon version of the fic I recently mentioned in a poll, still working on that, just thought to do this because I thought it would be fun.

C/w: Mulan rip-off, afab reader, Bi-Han being Bi-Han

Bi-Han

He holds you in very high regard. You were one of his most seasoned warriors. You impressed him with your skill and ferocity in wielding a sword, shooting bows and arrows, and your tenacity in hand-to-hand combat.

He hadn't always respected you though. When you first came to him, he saw you as a sickly little boy who no would doubt die before you even entered a training ground.

But you surprised him, you were much stronger, faster, and vicious than you appeared. Impressed, Bi-Han took you under his wing and taught you everything he knew.

You made Bi-Han proud with every victory you had. Though most of the time he had a stern frown on his face most of the time, it was noticeable that Bi-Han had a smile on his whenever he watched you train. He even laughed to himself when you and him would spar. Finally, he has found a worthy warrior to welcome into his inner circle.

Whenever you had meetings, he was sure to sit you close to him with Kuai, Sektor, and Cyrax. He would even try to replace poor Tomas with you. But, much to his surprise, you declined. You didn't hesitate to argue and push back with Bi-Han whenever the situation arose. And Bi-Han liked it, you have the spine to talk back and stand up to him. Though it is stupid to stand against him, he appreciated the gall enough.

He notices how often you hide your body and even your face with masks and baggy clothes. He of course found it strange, but he was willing to look past it. He has seen your face and he found it weird how...womanly you sometimes looked. He also found it weird how he was attracted he was to you...but, once again, he ignored it.

When it is revealed

...

WHAT!?!?!?!

Impossible. It can't be. You...You're a woman?!?!

Bi-han's brain is frazzled by all this news. He doesn't know what to think. All those times he spared with you, argued with you, watched you fight...you were a woman, you could've gotten hurt. A wave of confusion and strange anger encompasses him after this.

He feels...emasculated by you. Every time he lost to you, he lost to a woman! He is the grandmaster of the Lin Kuei and he was brought low by you, it wounds his fragile ego.

Things change considerably after that. Where once he saw you as steel and mighty, now he views you as glass and fragile. Whenever you asked to spar he declined, he even would try to shut you down if you tried to fight with any other of his men. He wouldn't send you on missions, but he would begrudgingly concede because Kuai would insist that you'd come.

He suddenly views you as weak and constantly at risk of dying, even though you have proven that you are just as good as any of his other men.

He would always berate his men and wouldn't hesitate to be rough with them, but with you, he was very gentle, almost respectful. Whenever you entered the room he would rise from his chair if he was sitting, even going so far as offering his set to you. He would be strangely polite to you, which just felt wrong for him to act that way.

He couldn't deny anymore that he was attracted to you. Whenever he held meetings you felt his eyes linger on you. Whenever he is alone, images of you run through his mind. You're all he can think about, he has become obsessed. He can't take it anymore, he has to have you. This makes sense, doesn't it? Surely, a strong woman like you belongs with a strong man like him.

He doesn't straight away reveal his intentions. Instead, he teases and suggests such ideas to you. He gets angry when you don't seem interested, or worse, that you don't notice. And unfortunately for him, you refuse. Things get rough between you two, the tension is sometimes so thick you could cut it with a knife. Bi-han still looks at you with desire in his, and you ignore him.

Kuai Liang

You and Kuai had a very close relationship. You would spar together almost all the time, and you'd hang out in a normal way too. Kuai was a much easier man to be around compared to Bi-Han.

When you first came to the Lin Kuei, Bi-Han almost immediately turned you away. You would have been sent away in shame, had not Kuai Liang intervened. He spoke on your behalf and convinced his brother to let you stay. And even he was surprised when you proved to be an exceptional warrior.

You make him proud to call you "friend". He loved watching how you fight, it's almost like you're dancing. He beams in pride at every victory you take in Kombat. He struggles to fight off a smile whenever Bi-han acknowledges you with respect.

Kuai loves you greatly, he considers you a brother like he does Tomas. But he will admit, there are some parts of you that he finds weird. Such as how you always were sure to wear clothes that were baggy and didn't show the shape of your body, or how your voice sounded a tad bit weird, like you were trying to make it sound deeper than it truly was. Nonetheless, he respected you and your choices.

He can't lie, Kuai does feel some strange attraction to you. He doesn't know why, it feels so strange to feel this way, especially towards you. He doesn't say anything about this to you or anyone else, such feelings should be suppressed and ignored. Besides, you his closest friends and greatest warriors, why would he ever want to change things with you and jeopardise your relationship?

When it is revealed

Oh...Well, that's a surprise.

Kuai is taken by surprise by this. He never would've anticipated who you truly were. Unlike Bi-han, he isn't upset because you're a woman, he's upset because he feels a little betrayed. The person he thought he knew may not be who they say they are. His mind races, who are you truly? Are you the same person he grew to love and call a friend, or was that an act so you could fit in?

Kuai has always been respectful to you, and that doesn't change after you are revealed to be a woman. He still thinks of you highly, though his view of you is shaken slightly. He still treats you like an equal and like family. He hopes that you, though it might have been fake, keep your close bond and stay friends.

Kuai notices Bi-Han's sudden treatment towards you and often finds himself arguing with him on your behalf. He refuses to sit aside and watch his brother treat him this way. Kuai makes an effort to treat you the same as when he thought you were a man

He does have thoughts about you, many thoughts about you. The feelings he has for you seem to grow every day. He wants to say something to you, express how he feels. But he knows this could ruin your relationship, he also doesn't want to treat you differently, so he continues to smile to your face and treat you with respect and desire you in private. He watches you train, awed by your greatness. "You fight well, for a...uh...n-nevermind." He says, embarrassed and instantly regretting his words.

Tomas

Tomas? You two are inseparable. Though Kuai always tried, Tomas has always felt like an outsider. Bi-Han didn't help matters with his constant berating.

So he is so happy when you come. With you, he feels a close bond. You're both outsiders, no Lin Kuei blood in your veins. But you form some sort of "brotherhood" of your own.

With you, Tomas feels fully able to express how he feels with fear of being judged like he is with his adoptive family. You don't mock his shyness, you embrace it and make him feel special.

He deeply appreciates you don't hesitate to defend him whenever Bi-Han even thinks about bullying him. You're protective of him, it makes him feel so safe and loved. You and Kuai mean more to him than you could even know.

You're such an amazing warrior, so strong, so brave. Tomas... loves you. It feels strange for him to feel this way about another man but he does and he doesn't hate it. He ha ya grown so attached to you that he can't imagine a single thing coming between you.

After it is revealed.

Oh, my Gods! You're a...this is so embarrassing...

Tomas can't help but feel panicked and embarrassed. After all that time you and he have spent together, he has said some things, and done some things that he would be too shy to ever do with anyone else but you. he thought he knew you, but now he's not sure if he even knows a single thing about you.

He feels cheeks flush with abashment whenever he sees you. After all, you have done and said with each other, he worries about what you might truly think of him. Are you still friends?

Hates the way he now views you so differently. You're a woman, yes, but that doesn't mean you deserve to be treated differently. For some time, he is awkward and distant around you, scared that he'll make a wrong move and embarrass himself in front of you.

But you act no differently than when he thought you were a man. You still fought with strength and ferocity, you don't back down whenever someone like Bi-Han attempts to put you or him down, and you still have that glorious fire in your eyes. The fire that Tomas loved so much.

So things go back to normal between you two. Well...he still has a crush on you. But what's new? As long as he could stay by your side and call you "friend", that's all that matters to him.

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utterlyazriel · 3 months

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whom the shadows sing for —(and the thief's echoing hymn)

a/n: eek not a request but an idea that wouldn't leave me alone! thus... we embark on a mulan-esque story that i hope u will enjoy <3 big thank you's to @strangerstilinski who listened and helped immensely as i whittled a hunky idea down to a plot

word count: 2.9k

synopsis: Someone in the Illryians Mountains has been making a name for themselves— a bastard like Azriel and his brothers, ruffling the feathers of a war camp's Lords. But they seem to have no loyalty to the fighting legion, or much to anyone for that matter. fem!reader

— CHAPTER ONE :: STRANGERS

Frost was everywhere.

Despite all the eerie memories that tainted them, the Illyrian Mountains were hauntingly beautiful, even Azriel could admit that.

Pine trees stretched up tall, their timber trunks hidden beneath the snow-leaden branches. It was a sea of swirling frost. Snowflakes eddied down from the frozen sky, a soft blanket of white draped across the landscape.

He was sure that some, maybe the likes of Feyre and her artist's eye, could see that beauty easier than he could.

Beautiful, Azriel thought bitterly, but fucking freezing.

Normally, dealing with the likes of the war camps that riddled these mountains was left to Cassian. He had that raucous, fiery way about him that was far better suited to it. Enough pride to challenge the warriors and more than enough eager attitude to back his taunts if need be.

But Cassian was currently very much occupied— and highly unsuited to crack the whip against some rowdy Illyrians in his current state.

Azriel couldn't help the smile at the thought of when he'd last seen his brother.

Freshly mated Cassian looked as though he had tiny hearts circling around his head at all times. He resembled a puppy following his nose, always that wicked grin on his face as he trailed after Nesta. His adoration was impossible to miss.

Cassian had more than earned the time off. He deserved to celebrate properly, to have a couple weeks with no badgering worries, with no bickering Illyrian warriors to deal with (beyond his usual two).

So, as a mating gift to his brother —and partially to escape a house filled with intolerably mated couples— Azriel had taken over his duty temporarily. To oversee the war camps he detested so much.

Today, he was to investigate the rumoured stirrings amongst the camps and assess the level of threat it posed. More often than not, these sorts of stirrings were simply whispers of rebellion but nothing more.

There was an easy fix; a visit from one of the most powerful Illyrian warriors in history, or even from Rhys himself. It always made the Illyrians a little nervous and those whispers of a coup would sweep away with the wind in a matter of time.

This time, however, the network of spies that operated under Azriel had not come back spinning such rumours.

Instead, there was talk of Lords with ruffled feathers. Lords with bruised egos due to a single bastard warrior, rising in the ranks and not playing by the rules.

The familiarity of the situation was almost too ironic, Azriel thought. He had half a mind to tell Rhys what he had learned and leave them to it. Cauldron knew these brutal camps needed a bastard to challenge their ways from time to time.

But still, there was always the potential for such a warrior to pose a threat in the future. Azriel could not leave a possible danger to brew. No stone left unturned.

The snow beneath his boots was beginning to melt.

He had been standing in the cold and peering up at the war camp ahead, barely seen through the heavy snow falling, for too long now. Snow was gathering on his wings, tendrils of ice shooting through their sensitive membrane. Find the bastard.

Shaking off the snow, he began to walk.

—

Gods forsaken males and their egos.

The bone in your forearm ached, having taken the brunt of your initial fall in the mud. It's covered in it too, the muck of the ground that always seemed to linger. Always a layer of dirt beneath your fingernails. Truly, one of the many incredible appeals of the Illyrian mountains was never actually being clean.

You'd probably hate it more— if it didn't do such a good job of masking unwanted scents.

But right now with a jagged cut that tears up your left arm, all the way to the elbow, you're cursing the mud. It's likely festering with uncountable grim diseases. You'll have to flush the wound to properly clean it before it begins to heal.

That means water. That means energy that you don't particularly feel like summoning to fetch it. You cast your glance to the window.

Outside, the Mother's Kiss howls loudly.

The southerly chilled wind current that Illyrians don such a precious name is quite fitting for their backward ways — to expect a kiss from your mother to have such a sting on the face.

Tonight, the current seems particularly fierce. The windows of your shelter rattle in warning. A storm had blown through camp rather unexpectedly and you'd caught the worst of it, tangled up in a snarling fest against Brudam.

Brudam, who is responsible for the current state of your arm. Your lip curls at the mere thought of the arrogant male. Your wings bunch up tightly and you huff quietly to nobody.

He'd caught wind of the broth you had made that had filled the stomach of three ravenous bastards in the camp. It had been just enough to keep them on their feet. Tonight, you know that one hot meal might very well be the difference that helps them survive the night.

But Illyrians are a tough breed— and they don't take kindly to people giving handouts, as Brudam had put it.

You preferred the term leveling the playing field.

As if Brudam and his Lord father had ever experienced to ache of starvation. Ever had to sleep in the snow with nothing but their own wings for warmth against a blizzard.

Another deep pain twinges in your arm and you hiss, drawn out of your thoughts. If you have to pick your wins, you can at least admit you're glad he had only found out about the broth— and had seemed none the wiser to the healing tonics you were slipping the freshly-clipped girls.

It ached to see them and their quivering wings. The way the muscles in their backs buckled when they tried to spread their wings, a cut too deep into the wrong nerve. It ached to see it, yes, but beneath that pain was an ocean of bitter and furious fire.

But your righteous anger would not help these girls.

You were not the most proficient healer and the tonics you were attempting... it was hard to say if they would make any difference in saving any females' wings.

You were gathering knowledge as best you could though, scraping together herbs that scarcely grew in the frozen climate. It was a poor imitation of something that might work.

Whether it would be enough... that was up to the Mother. But you had to try.

You assess the wound on your arm once more, wondering about the reserve of water you had in your small hut— whether you could both clean your wound and have enough to hydrate.

Another glance out at the wintry snowscape outside. You grimaced. If you didn't, you would have to bear the blistering chill of the Mother's Kiss to get more.

Weariness weighs on your bones. You hadn't been prepared for the fight, hence your almost embarrassing injury, and it drained you more than you expected.

You stand with a sigh and drag your feet toward the tiny cauldron filled with melted snow collected earlier in the day. It hangs over the fireplace, the embers within long since snuffed out. Your motion stirs them up.

For a moment, you stare into the fireplace. The water in the cauldron shimmers. The shelter creaks around you, bending in the wind.

It's covered in soot, marred by the flames that usually lick it from beneath it. The lip of it, however, is still clean enough to see your own reflection. You peer into it.

And in that reflection, you find a tall figure with massive wings looming above their shoulders standing behind you.

Your heart spasms in shock and you have to swallow your gasp of surprise. Your eyes dart up, frantically hunting for a weapon. You grab the closest object you can, your hand closing around a kitchen fork. And before they get the chance, you twist and lunge, arm raised.

The floorboards groan as your boots slam into them, darting forward to attack. But the male dodges you easily, your strike passing through empty air.

You don't stop, turning and striking for him once again. The male sways back again easily to avoid your swing and you scowl.

Quickly feigning one way, you watch as his hands, weaponless, move to defend his gut — and you change direction, fast. Neck exposed, you snarl as you sink the fork deep into his shoulder.

The male hisses in pain.

You falter for a moment at the noise but it's a mistake. His hands move so fast you barely see them, gripping your wrist that holds the fork and twisting it down to the ground, immobilising you from using it.

You snarl again and tug against him fruitlessly. A swell of panic begins to rise within you as you tug again, again, again. His hold doesn't falter.

"Stop," The male commands you quietly.

This time when you tug, he opens his fingers and you fly back onto your ass, wings flaring out a moment too late to catch yourself.

You expect him to trudge forward, to beat an attack down on you now that you're less defended, but he doesn't move from his spot.

In fact, you realise as you stare at him, cheat heaving, he hasn't attacked you at all.

His weapons, which there are many of them, stay strapped to his side, glittering against the snow's reflected light. You spot the siphon on his hand, a churning sapphire colour — and clock the matching one on his other hand.

This was not just any Illyrian warrior in your home.

Faintly, your panic subsides as you realise that if this male meant to hurt you —to kill you— he very well could have done so by now.

You let your eyes trail up, taking in the face so hidden in shadow, and recognize that the darkness swirling around him is not ordinary shadow.

The revelation has you sitting up a bit straighter, the bindings around your chest pulling tight. You swallow, your throat suddenly dry.

What do you say to one of the most powerful Illyrian warriors in history —one who served on Rhysand's inner circle, friend of the High Lord of the Night Court— when you've just stabbed him with a fork?

As if your thought had reminded him, the male —Azriel, you know his name to be— shifts and reaches for the utensil still sticking out of his shoulder. He yanks it out without a noise of complaint.

Then he says, "Considering your choice of weapon, it's no surprise Brudam cut up your arm."

You scowl at him but at a closer look, you can see that his expression isn't condescending. No, with his raised brows, he almost looks... impressed.

"I wasn't expecting visitors." You bite back defensively.

Azriel's eyes dance with amusement. He throws the fork onto your table with a clatter. "That's how you greet visitors?"

"Uninvited ones, yes."

His amusement fades, the planes of his face shadowed and yet still handsome. Like most Illyrians, there's this incomprehensible sense of elegance to him, an alluring pull tied to his very demeanor.

But looking at him now, even in the dimness of your shelter, you could see Azriel went beyond to type of beauty that usual Illyrians had. An unparalleled grace, an unmatched Adonis.

He is the most beautiful male you had ever seen—and you had just stabbed him with a fork.

"Sorry," You mutter eventually when he doesn't say anything.

You shift onto your knees to stand, your hand coming to cup beneath your elbow— the ache of the injury had begun to bleed back in now that you weren't focused on fighting off an intruder.

"You're forgiven." He says. You can see lightly, through the dimming light, the faint blood on his neck you've caused.

"You fight well," He comments, with the air of a compliment. Something like amusement is in his eyes when he says, "Even with your unusual choice of weapon."

You glare at him as you climb to your feet and all but collapse into a chair. You don't even have another to offer to him. Buried beneath your leathers, your chest aches in pain — a reminder that it's been bound for far too long. You ignore it and tilt your chin towards him.

"Why are you here?"

You're actually sure that even if you offered Azriel a chair he wouldn't take it, given how stiffly he stands before you. He takes a moment to answer, his gaze flitting around the small room you both stand in. Calculating, categorizing.

"There were rumours of a warrior turning up trouble here."

He fixes his hazel-eyed gaze on you. You steel yourself beneath it. "A couple days in your camp and it became clear who the outlier was."

A couple days? For some reason, you can't believe that he's been surveying this place without detection from anyone. Another glance at his shadows, the dark masses that hang around his shoulders, and you can believe it a little more.

Besides, it's hardly as though the Lords would deign to tell a bastard like you anything important.

You clench your jaw but don't say anything.

"Brudam mentioned you feeding some warriors." Azriel continues, his tone unreadable. Though something, you couldn't tell what, glittered in his eyes. "Not very in the spirit of Illyrians."

You scowl at him again. Even if he had once faced these conditions before, you wondered if his time away, spent Cauldron knows where, had softened his memory.

"It's not against any law."

"No, it isn't," Azriel says. His eyes narrow. "But making healing tonics without a Healer's jurisdiction and selling them to young females is."

Your heart stops for just a moment. How could he know that? The last batch you had dropped off had been over a month ago.

Without thinking you snarl back, "I'm not selling them, you prick."

Something blooms on Azriel's face, surprise and a hint of smugness.

Your mouth snaps shut as you realise what you've done. You curse yourself. Slumping back in your chair, your wings sag with you and you let them droop onto the floor, uncaring. He could very well be here to kill you, given the knowledge of what you had just admitted.

For a long moment, there's just silence.

You stare at the floor and wonder which version of the High Lord is true; the Court of Nightmares whose power ripples through these camps and keeps them in line. Or the rumours of a softer side, a dreamer.

You wonder, more importantly, which of those this male before you is friends with.

Something in the floor creaks when Azriel finally moves. He crosses the room swiftly to the fireplace and gathers two logs from the stack of firewood beside it, tossing them onto the pile of ash.

You watch, perturbed, as he hunches over the fireplace for a quiet minute— and when he pulls back, a small flame is burning on the wood. It dances on the log, entrancing and amber-coloured.

Heat begins to fill the room. You pick your wings up and stretch them towards it, grateful for how they begin to warm. You hadn't quite realised the extent of your chill until right now.

It's such a kindness that hasn't been shown to you in many years. Surprise and silent gratitude bloom in your chest.

Azriel turns back to face you. You school your surprise away.

"What's your name?" He asks, his voice gruff.

It's been a while since anyone asked that either. Bastard. Mongrel. Imposter. There are a thousand other words that have become your name whilst growing up here.

You can't tell him your name. In the same way you can't tell anyone here your real name without revealing too much about yourself.

So you shorten it and tell him that instead.

Azriel nods. Doesn't repeat it, doesn't blink at your hesitance. Instead, he just says, "Like I said, you fight well. You could be better though."

You frown at the backhanded compliment, something in you sneering at the jab at your fighting skills. Worse, you know he's right.

If you had weapons suited to your size, exercises that focused on your agility more than your brute strength... There's a good reason you have to work twice as hard as every other warrior in camp.

Azriel looks at your arm, no longer bleeding and beginning to stitch itself up. Shit, you really need to clean that first.

"Clean that and get a good night's rest." He orders, not meanly. Then he crosses the space of your shelter in a few paces of his long legs, heading for the door.

"You—" The question dares to come out of you. "You're not going to turn me in?"

Azriel pauses, one hand, one scarred hand you can now see with the fire going, on the door. So, the rumours of that were true.

"No," He says lowly. He sees you staring, and as if on command, the shadows swirling around his shoulders dart down to cover his hands. They and the doorknob in his hand disappear from sight completely.

You evade your eyes back up to his hauntingly beautiful face. His expression is stony, unreadable. He stares at you for a long moment, the dancing fire reflected in his hazel eyes.

"I'm going to train you."

[next part]

#ahhhh!!! i'm very excited for this one!!#pray i can do it justice !!#azriel #azriel x you #azriel fanfic #azriel x reader #azriel shadowsinger #azriel acotar #azriel shadowsinger x you #azriel fic

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darkeraven22 · 2 years

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DVD Review Update 5/27: Mulan Rise Of A Warrior First Look

So since I put together a plan to pit the live action Mulans against one another, half of that review has finally arrived. Mulan: Rise Of A Warrior. The Chinese made Mulan from 2009… SPOILERS? 2009, 2019, odds are those wacky Chinese were ethnically cleansing their lands of a certain Muslim Minority when both movies were being made. Maybe I’m wrong but… ok ok. Nuff said. Sigh. Stop being a…

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#2009 #China #Chinese Movie #DVD #DVD Review #Mulan #Mulan Rise Of A Warrior #Upcoming Review #Update

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retirement-home-rumble · 11 months

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Your Elderly Representatives:

Gravity Falls - Stanley and Stanford Pines

Avatar: The Last Airbender - Uncle Iroh

Muppets - Statler and Waldorf

Lord of the Rings - Gandalf

Dream SMP - Philza Minecraft and Technoblade

Discworld - Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg

Ace Attorney - Wendy Oldbag

Doctor Who - Wilfred Mott

The Magnus Archives - Gertrude Robinson

Batman - Alfred Pennyworth

Star Wars - Yoda

Critical Role - Chetney Pock O'Pea

Up - Carl and Ellie Fredrickson

The Owl House - Principal Hieronymus Bump

Just Roll With It - Old Man Earl

Splatoon - Captain Craig Cuttlefish and DJ Octavio

Half Life VR but the AI is Self Aware - Dr Harold Coomer and Bubby

Jojo's Bizzare Adventure - Joseph Joestar

Transformers - Ratchet

Cats - Old Deuteronomy

Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Splinter

DuckTales - Scrooge McDuck

Ninjago - Sensei Wu

Undertale - Gerson

Amphibia - Hop Pop

Golden Kamuy - Hijikata Toshizou

The Good Place - Michael

Back to the Future - Doc Brown

X-Men - Magneto and Professor X

Zero Escape - Tenmyouji

Genshin Impact - Zhongli

Five Nights at Freddy's - William Afton

Welcome to Night Vale - The Faceless Old Woman Who Secretly Lives in Your Home

Homestuck - Nanna Jane Egbert

Kingdom Hearts - Master Xehanort

The Adventure Zone - Merle Highchurch

RWBY - Maria Calavera

Hermitcraft - TinFoilChef

Full Metal Alchemist - Pinako Rockbell

Miss Marple - Miss Marple

Skullgirls - Black Dahlia

Yu Yu Hakusho - Genkai

Umbrella Academy - Five Hargreeves

Golden Girls - the Golden Girls

Breaking Bad - Mike Erhmantraut

Dimension 20 - Bishop Raphaniel Charlock

Final Fantasy - Emet-Selch

Warrior Cats - Yellowfang

One Piece - Dr Kureha

My Little Pony - Granny Smith

Spongebob Squarepants - Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy

Stardew Valley - Grandpa

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power - Madame Razz

Bloodborne - Gehrman the First Hunter

Courage the Cowardly Dog - Muriel Bagge

Dragon Ball - Master Roshi

The Emperor's New Groove - Yzma

Mulan - Grandmother Fa

Death Note - Watari

Kung Fu Panda - Master Oogway

Christmas - Santa Claus

Plainview Discord Server - Funky Old

Token Tumblr Real Person - @theangstking 's cat, Lilly

Real Life Old Person - Betty White

EDIT: Results from all preliminaries have been updated

#retirement home rumble

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s10127470 · 1 year

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My Ideal Revival of the Disney Heroes Franchise

What you’re looking at is the official logo for a now defunct franchise known as Disney Heroes.

Disney Heroes was basically meant to serve as the sister…..or more appropriately, the brother franchise of the Disney Princesses, with the focus being placed on the male heroes of the Disney pantheon.

The franchise initially started back in 1999, but under the name of Disney Adventurers. Not only that, but the line-up was rather small, consisting of the titular protagonists of Hercules, Aladdin, Peter Pan, and their most recent film at the time, Tarzan.

The franchise mainly existed through toys, with some notable merchandising besides that here and there.

The franchise remained this way until about 2003, when it got a notable revamp.

The franchise would get its current name and it would expand the roster quite a bit. The new members included Merlin and Arthur from The Sword in the Stone, Robin Hood, Prince Phillip from Sleeping Beauty, and Li Shang from Mulan.

I also think Simba from The Lion King was a part of the roster as well, I think I remember seeing him on a backpack done for the franchise.

But in 2005, the Disney Heroes franchise had a another revamp…this one notably different from the previous ones.

Although the franchise mainly existed through toys and play-sets that more or less stayed faithful to their respective films, these however…..

Your eyes are not deceiving you….these were actual action figures created and designed by Disney for the Disney Heroes franchise…..and I couldn’t be anymore happier.

Hercules looks like an ancient Greek warrior with the golden armor, plus he’s carrying a big xiphos and a golden shield with the face of a lion.

Peter Pan is now sporting some tan gloves, boots, and ever a mask, carrying a bow and quiver of arrows alongside his trusty dagger.

And Captain Hook has a more swashbuckling look, and his rapier has been replaced with a big ass cutlass!

Prince Phillip and Maleficent were also apart of this line-up of action figures as well.

Phillip had a more knight-like appearance, even having a helmet with a golden falcon on top.

And Maleficent…well, she was in her dragon form.

Sadly, only five action figures were made in this style….

And it’s a shame, given that there were plans to revamp the franchise with a more action-oriented style.

These designs by Disney animator Ruben Procopio for planned future figures for the franchise really highlight this…

Aladdin was gonna look like an Arabian Knight, complete with a dagger and a huge ass scimitar that would make Cloud Strife impressed.

Tarzan was gonna go for a Conan the Barbarian-esque look, complete with a headband, a vest, a tooth necklace, boots, and even a quiver filled with spears, knives, and arrows.

And as you could see, they were even gonna introduce The Beast from Beauty and the Beast as a new member of a roster, with the appearance of a warrior prince and a mace as his weapon.

Unfortunately, these figures never came to be....

Although Disney Heroes franchise was doing decently fine, it was nowhere near the level of success of the Disney Princesses.

As a result of that, Disney slowly but surely phased out the franchise over the next three years.

By 2008, the Disney Heroes franchise silently ended, only merchandising through coloring books and their only new addition since 2003 being....of all characters....Milo Thatch from Atlantis: The Lost Empire.

So yeah....that's pretty much the story of the Disney Heroes franchise.

It's honestly a shame because I could totally see this franchise being pretty successful today.

And given the rise of nostalgia and crossovers in media over the last decade, I could see this being an absolute goldmine for all parties involved.

And today, I'm gonna share on how I think a revival of the Disney Heroes franchise should play out.

.It would aim more towards a older audience, mostly teenagers, similar to the Disney Villains franchise. It wouldn't really focus all that much on toys like the Disney Princesses, though there would be some figurines here and there, instead focusing on media that's more accessible with a older crowd like novels, comic books, video games, and even animation.

.Unlike it's previous iteration, and to that extension the Disney Princesses, it would be more gender-neutral, featuring male and female representatives of most of the represented films as members of the roster.

.Also unlike the Princesses, this franchise has its own backstory. Various Disney villains have joined forces in other to further their respective goals. In retaliation, a group of various Disney heroes, led by Merlin, have united to fight against the villainous alliance and protect their respective realms. I know it's a pretty simple premise, but I think it's the perfect that way.

.The franchise will have a major focus on action and adventure....which for a franchise like this, should be expected.

.Many of the characters will be receiving redesigns in the veins of the ones done for the franchise back in 2005, which give off a fantasy warrior, almost Dungeons n' Dragons vibe. While these wouldn't be to the extent as say, Disney Mirrorverse, they would clearly by different from the characters' usual attire and makes them come off as more like warriors ready for adventure and battle.

.The series will essentially expand on the worlds of the films and bring in elements from their original source materials, official continuations like the TV shows, and even the cultures they represent.

Okay, now that we got the major elements out of the way, I'm gonna briefly share who would be apart of the roster for this new franchise, and list them in chronological order of movie release.

.Alice

.Peter Pan

.Princess Aurora and Prince Phillip

.Merlin and Arthur

.Mowgli

.Robin Hood

.Ariel and Eric

.Belle and Beast

.Aladdin and Jasmine

.Simba

.Pocahontas and John Smith

.Quasimodo

.Hercules and Megara

.Fa Mulan and Li Shang

.Tarzan and Jane Porter

.Milo Thatch and Kida Nedakh

.Jim Hawkins

.Tiana and Naveen

.Rapunzel and Eugene Fitzherbert

.Merida

.Anna and Elsa

.Moana and Maui

Just imagine.....seeing this iconic heroes going on various adventures, from the hottest deserts to the deepest jungles. Fighting against mythical monsters, thieves, wild beasts, villainous knights, deadly invaders, mysterious spirits and swashbuckling pirates!

Anyway, that's all for now. I'm planning to go more in-depth on this idea, fleshing out the characters and their worlds.

If you have any ideas for this franchise, let me know.

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dangermousie · 11 months

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List of completed cdramas I plan to watch/rewatch

I’ve seen a lot of them in whole or in part (tho most so long ago it’s like starting from scratch, also I am terrible at finishing) but I haven’t a bunch, either.

Here is what you might see in this tumblr (it will take me probably two years to get through all of this tbh, also I am sure I am forgetting stuff)

The Advisors Alliance both seasons

As Flowers Fly and Fade Across the Sky

Beauty’s Rival in the Palace

Bichunmu

Big Shot/Da Ren Wu

Bu Bu Jing Xin

Chinese Paladin 1, 3, 5

Cuo Dian Yuan Yang

The Dream of Chang’an

Dugu (both dramas)

Empress of China (I have uncut version with Russian subs)

Gong 1-3 seasons

Female Prime Minister

The Firmament of the Pleiades

The Four

Four Women Conflict

General and I

Glamorous Imperial Concubine

God of War Zhao Yun

The Great Ambition

The Great Shaolin

Handsome Siblings 2005

Ice Fantasy

The Imperial Doctress

The Investiture of the Gods

The King’s Woman

The Lady and the Liar

Lan Ling Wang

The Legend and the Hero

Legend of Banshu

Legend of Condor Heroes 2008

Legend of Fuyao

Legend of Heavenly Tear

The Legend of the Military Seal

Legend of Mulan

The Legend of Qin

Listening Snow Tower

Little Fairy

Longest Day in Chang’an

Lost Love in Times

Love and Destiny

Love and Fight with the Terracotta Warrior

Love Better than Immortality

Love and Redemption

Novoland Eagle Flag

Novoland Tribes and Empires

Orphan of Zhao

Patriot Yue Fei

The Promise

The Promise of Chang’an

Qin Dynasty

Rebel Princess

Red Dust

Return of the Condor Heroes 2006

The Rise of Phoenixes

Rouge Snow

Siege in Fog

Singing All Along

Secret of the Three Kingoms

The Shanghai Bund

Song of the Clouds

Sound of the Desert

Song of Glory

Starry Night Starry Sea (period season)

The Story of Han Dynasty

The Story of Minglan

Three Kingdoms 2010

Too Late to Say I Love You

Under the Power

Untouchable Lovers

Vigilantes in Masks

The Virtuous Queen of Han

Wu Xin

Xuan Yuan Sword

Young Blood

The Young Warriors

Zu Legend

Man, I have enough to cover me until inevitable WW3 starts and we all have to depart for our bunkers.

#cdrama #references

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marthaskane · 8 days

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MULAN: RISE OF A WARRIOR (2009) dir. Jingle Ma

#mulan rise of a warrior #mulan 2009 #mulan: rise of a warrior #hua mulan #mulan x wentai #dailyworldcinema #dailyflicks #filmedit #bigscreensource #moviegifs #filmtvcentral #fyeahmovies #mine #mine: gifs #mine: misc #movies #they make me feel SO MUCH #this film makes me feel SO MUCH

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yourartmatters-itswhatgotmehere · 23 days

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so, alright, here are the movies/MEDIA that make me go *oh shit I'm so bi, omg bisexual panic*

so, alright, here are the MOVIES that make me go *oh shit I'm so bi, omg bisexual panic* (it can be very bi-vibes movies or simply movies that make me feel how very deeply i love being bi, or the ones i just enjoy rewatching-not necessarily with bi/queer representation!) : Red, White & Royal Blue 2023 , The Mummy 1999, The Little Mermaid 2023, The Little Mermaid 1989, Anne Of Green Gables 1985, The Road to El Dorado 2000, Mulan 1998, The Cutting Edge 1992, Ten Inch Hero 2007, Better Off Dead 1985, Anastasia 1997, Rise Of The Guardians 2012, 10 Things I Hate About You 1999, Do Revenge 2022, Charlie’s Angels 2019, Bottoms 2023, Cadet Kelly 2002, Lemonade Mouth 2011, The Little Vampire 2017, John Tucker Must Die 2006, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies 2016, The Princess and The Frog 2009, The Addams Family 1991, Addams Family Values 1993, Atlantis: The Lost Empire 2001, The Favourite 2018, Challengers 2024, (+ will probably keep adding to this soon-ish)

+ edit TV SHOWS that my bi heart loves: One Tree Hill(OTH), Shadow and Bone, Roswell 90s(OG), White Collar, Reign, Mary & George, Heartstopper, Wild Cards, Living for the Dead, Warrior Nun, XO Kitty, Wednesday, Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous(JWCC) , Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Dawson's Creek, Vampire Academy, Willow, Dickinson, Heartbreak High, Teen Titans, Legacies, TheAddamsFamily(1964-1966), Love Victor, Lockwood&Co,

+ edit BOOKS/ BOOK SERIES that my bi heart absolutely LOVES:

Artemis Fowl Series by Eoin Colfer, Shatter Me Series by Tahereh Mafi, The Folk Of The Air Series by Holly Black, The Diviners Series by Libba Bray, The Devouring Gray Duology by C.L. Herman, GRISHAVERSE books (Six of Crows!!, Shadow and Bone, King of Scars-3 mini series) by Leigh Bardugo , This Woven Kingdom Series by Tahereh Mafi , Fallen Series by Lauren Kate, Elixir Series by Hilary Duff, The Cemetery Of Forgotten Books Series by C. R. Zafón, The Keys To The Kingdom Series by Garth Nix, Infinity Cycle Series by Adam Silvera, Anne Of Green Gables Series by L. M. Montgomery, Bloodlines Series & Vampire Academy Series by Richelle Mead, An Ember In The Ashes Series by Sabaa Tahir, The Selection Series by Kiera Cass + STANDALONES Lauren Kate-Unforgiven (standalone book in my opinion), Eoin Colfer- Airman, David Nicholls- One Day, Gayle Forman-Just One- Day & Year & Night (mini series), Vanessa Len-Only a Monster (mini series here too), Adam Silvera- History Is All You Left Me, Adam Silvera- They Both Die At The End , Adam Silvera- The First To Die At The End, Becky Albertalli-Imogen,Obviously, Mason Deaver- I Wish You All The Best(+short novella here!), Casey McQuiston-Red White&Royal Blue, Aaron H Aceves-This Is Why They Hate Us, Mason Deaver-The Feeling Of Falling In Love, Sophie Gonzales-The Law Of Inertia, H.E.Edgmon-The Witch King & The Fae Keeper (duology!) , H.E.Edgmon-Godly Heathens (mini series here!) , Carlos Ruiz Zafón- The Midnight Palace, Isabel Abedi- Whisper Haunted House, Francis Scott Fitzgerald- The Love Of Last Tycoon, Leo Tolstoy- Anna Karenina, S. E. Hinton- The Outsiders, Becky Albertalli & Adam Silvera-Here's to Us & What If It's Us (duology) (will keep adding here probably!)

+ about THE MUSIC:

love you all, we need MORE bisexuality in media!!

+some links:

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kanzakurawrites · 7 months

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Descendant's Character List Part One: AK's

I have been asked to make a list of characters who appear in my fics, both book canon and ocs, so... I apologize for how long this is going to be. (The only characters excluded on this list are those who appear in the movies).

This is everyone born before the first Descendants movie. I may add on to this list as time goes on and more characters are created. All ages are the ages at the time of D1. I headcanon that the first movie takes place in March-April of 2015, or A.C. 20

Alice:

"Ally" Allison (Canon) - First seen in Wicked World. I made "Ally" be a nickname. Longs to be a detective, and works at her mother's tea shop. 15

Aladdin & Jasmine:

Prince Aziz (Canon) - First mentioned in The Isle of the Lost. 17

Prince Amir (Canon?) - His name is said during the Tourney Game in the first movie, spelled Amir according to subtitles. His jersey says Emir, but I went with the "A" spelling and made him Aladdin and Jasmine's son. 15

Princess Jamila (OC) - The baby of the family. 12

Anastasia and Dimitri:

Princess Alina (OC) - 18

Prince Damien (OC) - 14

Princess Dasha (OC) - 13

Anna & Kristoff:

Prince Aleksander (OC) - Heir to Arendalle. His friend group consists of Pierre, Emery, Ruby and Erica. 18

Prince Aksel (OC) - Best friends with Elsie and Ben, good friends with Reiner. 16

Prince Asmund (OC) - 13

Princess Kari (OC) - Best friends with Eira. 9

Princess Klara (OC) - The youngest of the family, and friends with Clementine Charming. 7

Ariel & Eric:

Princess Melody (Canon) - First appeared in The Little Mermaid 2. She's quite a bit older than her little sisters, and is married with kids of her own (all ocs who won't really appear much). The only reason she hasn't taken over her parents kingdom was at King Beast's request to wait until Ben became High King. 32

Princess Abi (OC) - She is older than Ebba by only 6 minutes, but unlike her sister she doesn't have as strong of a call to the sea. With that said, she is still a mermaid. 16

Princess Ebba (OC) - Ebba loves the sea and everything to do with it. 16

Princess Elle (Canon-ish) I believe she was confirmed by Kenny Ortega. She was born without the use of her legs, but thanks to her grandfather, is able to transform into a mermaid. 14

Aurora and Phillip:

Prince Pierre (OC) - Audrey's older brother and heir to Aurora and Phillip's kingdom. He is dating Ruby Fitzherbert. 20

"Cinderella" Ella and Kit:

Princess Karine (OC) - Chad's younger sister. She's best friends with Reiner. 14

Prince Emil (OC) - He has not yet started at Auradon Prep. 11

Princess Clementine (OC) - 6

Elsa:

Erica (OC) - Inherited her mother's powers, but grew up in the Arendalle castle with her cousins at King Beast's "request". 19

Eira (OC) - Best friends with her cousin Kari. Unlike her sister, Eira got to be raised in Northuldra. She has powers similar to Elsa's. 10

Esmerelda & Phoebus:

Zephyr (Canon) - First seen in Hunchback of Notre Dame 2. Best friends with Li Shang Jr. 19 as of D1

Genie & Dalia (From the live action Aladdin)

Lian (Canon) - Seen in the live action Aladdin movie. 22

Omar (Canon) - Seen in the live action Aladdin movie. 21

Jordan (Canon) First seen in Wicked World. 15

Hercules and Megara:

"Herkie" Hyllus (Canon) - Mentioned in the books. I made "Herkie" a nickname while naming him after on of mythology-Hercules son's. 16 as of D1

Makaria (Kinda Oc) - Named after one of mythology-Hercules daughters. 15 as of D1

Merida & Feradach (Bravely book):

Marette (OC) - The eldest of Merida's triplets. Marette is a dreamer, and loves to be out in the highlands. 15

Moira (OC) - 1 hour younger than Marette, and 30 minutes older than Maisie. Moira is a warrior, she's trained to be one. 15

Maisie (OC) - The youngest of the girls and the most "lady-like". 15

Mulan & Shang:

Li Shang Jr (Canon) - Mentioned in Rise of the Isle of the Lost. 19.

Rapunzel and Eugene:

(I accidentally put Elsie and Reiner as 14. They are not. They are 15 in D1)

Prince Emery (OC) - Heir to Corona. 19

Princess Ruby (Wicked World) - She's in her last year of school and dating Pierre. 18

Prince Reiner (OC) - The heir to the Dark Kingdom. He's Elsie's fraternal twin, and his best friend is Karine Charming. He's also good friends with Aksel and Ben, partially due to his sister's friendship with them. 15

Princess Elsie (OC) - Reiner's fraternal twin sister. She's a lot more bubbly than her twin brother, and is best friends with Aksel and Ben. 15

Princess Edeline (OC) - She's not quite as friendly as her siblings, and is focused on ballet. 14

Princess Rosalind (OC) - She was a surprise baby and has her older siblings all wrapped around her finger. Along with most of Corona as well. 5

Robin Hood & Maid Marian:

Rowan Hood (OC) - 18 as of D1.

Bobby Hood (Canon) - 17. Mentioned in the books.

Mason Hood (OC) - 16 as of D1

Roger and Anita Radcliffe:

Rebecca (OC) - 15 as of D1

Andrew (OC) - 13 as of D1

Snow White & Florian:

Princess Sandra (OC) - 14

Princess Sascha (OC) - 8

Tiana & Naveen:

Princess Teresa (OC) - 17

Prince Tyrone (Canonish?) - His name is on a Tourney jersey, I just gave him parents and a personality. 16

Princess Naomi (OC) - She's best friends with Carolina, her Aunt Charlotte's daughter. 14

The Madrigals (Yes, I'm putting them all together):

Dominique (OC) - Dolores and Mariano's oldest. 8

Felix (OC) - Dolores and Mariano's son, named after his grandpa. Nicknamed Fe. 6

Ines (OC) - Isabella's oldest. 6

Emmanuel (OC) - Luisa's oldest. 6

Soraya (OC) - Isabella's youngest. 4

Catalina (OC) - Camilo's daughter. 4

Mercedes (OC) - Dolores and Mariano's daughter. 3

Lorenzo (OC) - Luisa's son. 2

Natalia (OC) - Camilo's daughter. 1

Others:

Koa (OC) - The son of Kida and Milo, and heir to Atlantis. 21

Derek (Canon) - First mentioned in Escape from the Isle of the Lost. Dopey's son, Doug's older brother. 18

Tiger Peony (Canon) - First mentioned in Return to the Isle of the Lost. 17

Brendan (Canonish) - He's on the Tourney team, I just gave him parents. Son of Big Nose and Assunta (Tangled: The Series). 17

Colton (OC) - Charlotte la Bouff's son. 17.

Carolina (OC) - Charlotte's daughter. Best friends with Naomi. 14

Arabella (Canon) - Seen in Rise of the Isle of the Lost, Arabella is one of Ariel's nieces. 14

Lorne (OC) - The daughter of Leezie, a character from the book Bravely. 14

Callum (OC) - The son of Leezie, and younger brother to Lorne. 12

Graham (OC) - Leezie's youngest child. 7

Pin (Canon) - Mentioned in Return to the Isle of the Lost. Son of Pinocchio. 13

Maia (OC) - The daughter of Kida and Milo. She wasn't happy about being sent to Auradon Prep. 12

Artie (Canon) - Mentioned in Return to the Isle of the Lost. Son of Arthur. 11

Marin (OC) - Daughter of Melody, Ariel and Eric's oldest grandchild. 9

Malik (OC) - Son of Melody. 7

Mahalia (OC) - Daughter of Moana. 8

Finlay (OC) - Son of Hamish, one of Merida's brothers. 3

Murdoch (OC) - Son of Hubert, one of Merida's brothers. 2

Amelia (OC) - Daughter of Hamish. 2

Ean (OC) - Son of Harris, one of Merida's brothers. 1

I'm sorry if this is confusing! And with how long it is, there's not much to say about all the characters. But feel free to ask me about any of them, or even give suggestions for other Disney characters who might have kids!

The Vks

#my ocs #ocs #disney descendants #descendants

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romanceyourdemons · 5 months

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saga of mulan (1994), an opera film, is not only very fun but a strikingly effective take on the mulan story. unlike the wartime intrigue of mulan joins the army (1939) or the large-scale suspense and spectacle of mulan: rise of a warrior (2009), this film is largely psychological, surprisingly so for a medium as stylized and at times broad-stroked as beijing opera. not only are the relationships between characters clearly defined and consistently followed through with, but the extreme expressivity of the stage actors does not read as stiff but rather translates highly effectively to the film medium, both due to skillful cinematography and the aforementioned overall stylization of beijing opera—the costumes and choreography of this film were absolutely stunning—which circumvented the usual problem of stylized stage acting contrasting sharply with the more naturalistic sets and costumes of early 20th century film. the film conveys its moving, character-based narrative well, but it surprised me a bit to see that the film deemphasized patriotism and filial piety—generally the absolute central themes of the story of mulan—to highlight the romantic element. the love interest of this film is the loyal, bashful captain jin, mulan’s sworn brother of twelve years with whom feelings develop butterfly lovers-style the moment she is outed as a woman to him. as perhaps thematically odd as this romance may be, however, it is undeniably an effectively told, moving story with a well-paced and emotional ending. i deeply enjoyed saga of mulan (1994), and i would definitely recommend it to anyone interested in mulan films

#ryddles

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stirringwinds · 9 months

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Had a random thought seeing that beautiful NZ art but would there be any changes in the mentor-protege relationship with Japan and China if it was Nyo Japan? Or maybe the reverse?

hey, anon, interesting question! but i have to admit the nature of sino-japanese history is such that this is one dynamic where i am most comfortable exploring it if they are both men—or, both women. the reason being that while there were periods where china and japan co-existed somewhat peacefully, that mentor-protégé relationship nonetheless also exists against a backdrop of asymmetrical power dynamics between both nations. during some eras, it was china as the unquestionably more powerful empire—and as we all know, after the meiji era—it was japan. as a sea/east asian woman, that most recent history has a lot of weight concerning gendered violence too. so while i wouldn't say that it's something that absolutely can't be done, it's a relationship that i personally find works best if it's explored with yao and kiku both being men—or women.

further, in the confucianist sphere of influence—there are gendered implications. it's been restrictive towards women in east asian societies due to how it's been interpreted to hold up a strict separation of gender roles as ideal, with women being restricted from many spheres of public life or ideals of "widowed chastity" (that widowed women should not remarry). now, this does not mean that chinese (or japanese) women had zero opportunities to break that mould—sino-japanese history is long, and attitudes waxed and waned. the tang dynasty is one era noted for more liberal attitudes and women in public life (including wu zetian rising to power as the only female emperor in chinese history). and of course, the ballad of hua mulan exists—even if mulan is a legend, it shows how female chinese warriors aren't unthinkable; there's the real life ming dynasty general qin liangyu. japan too, while being influenced by china and marked by public life being dominated by men, also has its own distinct history and culture of japanese women who wielded political power, whether from the shaman-queen himiko or kasuga no tsubone, who was a very important power broker during the tokugawa shogunate. women in samurai families also had certain expectations and did fight in battle. nonetheless, compared to other cultures that were more egalitarian, gender has real implications on the power dynamics in the sino-japanese context, which would have to be layered atop framing the irl power dynamic of chinese or japanese imperialism.

so, to answer your question a little—but with a nyo!china and nyo!japan duo—i think there would still be the mix of rivalry and the mentor-protégé dynamic, but with a greater emphasis on having to exercise and wield power in more subtle and creative ways, compared to how men are unquestionably accepted in ancient chinese and japanese political and public life. for example, many chinese empresses wielded power as regents or otherwise being close advisors to their sons. so, imo a greater proportion of nyo!japan and nyo!china's confrontations would be diplomatic skullduggery than yao and kiku's straight-out, battlefield clash. nonetheless, this wasn't absolute—as per the examples i've mentioned of chinese and japanese women in military life. further, humans in unequal societies are not incapable of revering the divine feminine. where i think things might result in interesting differences for canon re: japan is that nyo!japan would be far more associated with the sun goddess Amaterasu, compared to Kiku, who imo, would be associated with either a male deity like Susanoo or Ninigi-no-Mikoto (Amaterasu's grandson and the supposed ancestor of the emperor jimmu). in the case of China, probably the mother goddess Nüwa, who in Chinese cosmology, is the one who created humanity from clay—which i think works very nicely with how chinese civilisation was born from the fertile silt of the yellow river. so I can definitely see a shared experience where their clearly immortal nature opens up more space, freedom and reverence than what human women get.

#hetalia #hws china #hws japan #hetalia headcanons

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