(no subject)
I think what's squicking me out about this whole "quest for the author" thing on OUaT is the abrogation of choice. The author can just say "the darkness in your heart is gone" or "you are a hero now" and the world rearranges itself to his will. I mean, in my real life right now, it would be a reassuring thing to know everything is shit because some ponce with a magic pen thinks tormenting me is funny, because it would be nice to know it's not my fault things are like this, but I prefer stories about agency. The conversation the author had with the sorcerer's apprentice suggests the author can straight up puppet people (or certain people) around rather than just arranging circumstances. Complete removal of agency. And of course everyone is asking for all the wrong things.
And then there's how they introduced Cruella and Ursula, who are total kickasses and have a lot of potential to be fun and awesome, and then promptly got rid of them within a few episodes. Yay Ursula got her happy ending, but that shouldn't mean the end of her story on the show. She just vanished from the narrative. Can we call this being Mulaned? And then they fridged Cruella. I know she and Maleficent had a falling-out over Lily before that, but no reaction from her? All she's worried about is the damn savior's damn heart? Uck.
The whole Lily thing is hella pissing me off. Again, it's an abrogation of choice. All of Emma's darkness being in Lily lowers the stakes for both their narratives and all but eliminates the tension. It's impossible for the savior to go dark. It's impossible for Lily to go light. The author has to intervene to make Lily's redemption arc possible. Not that I think she will get one. She's going to die to serve someone else's redemption, probably Maleficent's. Just ... gross.
And then there's how they introduced Cruella and Ursula, who are total kickasses and have a lot of potential to be fun and awesome, and then promptly got rid of them within a few episodes. Yay Ursula got her happy ending, but that shouldn't mean the end of her story on the show. She just vanished from the narrative. Can we call this being Mulaned? And then they fridged Cruella. I know she and Maleficent had a falling-out over Lily before that, but no reaction from her? All she's worried about is the damn savior's damn heart? Uck.
The whole Lily thing is hella pissing me off. Again, it's an abrogation of choice. All of Emma's darkness being in Lily lowers the stakes for both their narratives and all but eliminates the tension. It's impossible for the savior to go dark. It's impossible for Lily to go light. The author has to intervene to make Lily's redemption arc possible. Not that I think she will get one. She's going to die to serve someone else's redemption, probably Maleficent's. Just ... gross.