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that's the mood for tonight amirite fellas

#The hisirdoux casperan XIV #hes so stupid i hate him

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I will forever and always ship Jackunzel.

#jackunzel #rotbtd #cute cute cute

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#its not nice to call people out #httyd

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the writing of Jack Frost

(And why it works so well)

Jack Frost is one of the most notoriously well-known animated protagonists out there. I'm on Tumblr, so I don't even have to defend that stance, you all know it already.

Why is that?

The story he's placed in is entirely simple. It's a light vs. darkness conflict. There are all of seven characters who get real screentime. The main character has amnesia. This movie is almost Shadow of the Colossus in its simplicity.

It's the details and the context and the design of the world that make that simplicity work here. Each character is visually based on a color and a shape, but then details got worked in that made them intriguing to look at, and that "design with a center in mind, then make it feel complete" ideology succeeds in making each character feel grounded and rounded out personality-wise, too.

Jack is the main character, so we're privy to extra complexities with him- let's look at those.

That amnesia. This trope has been done to death; why does it work well here? Because his character has developed for so long in-universe without him even knowing he had amnesia. Sure, he doesn't know why he's here, but he's also not aware of what he is missing, so he's gone ahead and lived for 300 years as best he could.

He's confident in his powers; he's confident in his own body; he's confident in his control. The conflicts that are most common in both coming-of-age plotlines and amnesia plotlines are not there. Jack's natural upbeat attitude and the immaturity he chooses to nurture in himself make him seem like he's a teenager in his head, too, but he is not. He knows all his own patterns, he knows how the world around him works, and the audience is incapable of understanding how exactly he must think because of just how old he actually is, and how much he's done and seen.

Jack gets reduced for simplicity in a lot of fanworks, and I think that's because trying to put oneself in his head and trying to then see his world through the mindset of anything but a child or teen is like trying to comprehend something eldritch. He's not still human and relatable because of his innate humanity leftover from his mortal life, he's still human because he has chosen to be human. Heck, Jack doesn't remember his past life, his only reason to believe he's even a little human is his appearance.

And that idea that he chose humanity, that he chooses goodness, is compelling, because it means his human self and his incomprehensible circumstances have meshed into something cohesive.

Then the amnesia shows up! If you're watching this movie for the first time, you guessed he has amnesia because duh, but you're just as in the dark as he is as to what he's missing. You only know as much as Jack does on that first watch- you're as curious and even desperate as he is to know, if you're invested. Because what could create this man? What could cause such a strong connection to humanity in him despite 300 years trying to whittle it away?

Even after seeing his memories, it's! Still! Jack's! Choices!!! This movie sets him up to be a tragic character, but it's not a tragedy because he chooses to be happy and help other people and refuses to back down and stop trying to fix things, even when only one child believes. They take a tragic character premise and turn him into a walking feeling of triumph because the good, kind, happy person who fell in that pond survived- and he did it because he chose to.

And- people want to hate Manny for never talking to Jack except to drop in and tell him what to do, but that's not what he did! Jack asked him to tell him why he was put in the world, and he was put in the world to be a Guardian. After he had already spent both of his lives choosing to be one without the Moon's direction, all Manny did was formalize it. He let Jack make his own choices, already knowing from his sacrifice what he would choose to be. From that freedom, from never being told who to be and what to do by the Moon, Jack learned how to choose to be human, to be good, to be a Guardian- under any circumstances -because he wanted to, and not because Manny told him to.

Manny did Jack more good by letting him learn how to be himself than he ever could have done by explaining to him who he was and what he was meant to do.

Anyway, I'm realizing most of this as I'm writing it, back on topic now.

Most amnesia plots cannot make the concept of "the person you were pre-amnesia shines through after amnesia strikes" work like Rise of the Guardians does, and I believe that it's because of that 300 year gap. That's the key. Jack has been the pre-amnesia person for 300 years without knowing where that person came from. He's refined being that person without ever realizing that's what he was doing; he's given that person confidence in his powers and skills. He's been that same person the entire movie already. Jack wasn't chosen because he was a Guardian in his past life; he was chosen because he was and still is a Guardian.

... anyway I'm out of thoughts

#i love this analysis sm 💙💙 #rotbtd

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Low quality Beast Jim

#low quality beast jim #tales of arcadia

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Themst in Brothers by Blood cause brain go bbbrrrr

#tales of arcadia #carterdoux #<3

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Okay, this song is great! So jaunty and folk-like!

#httyd #:)

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this one is also from School of Dragons

#httyd #💙

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Idk- I felt like I should post something on here so here's 10 of my headcannons on Trollhunters!

#maybe jim's hatred for them is why we never got a musical episode 😒 #but all of these <33 all of them are so good. 10/10 #tales of arcadia

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The coding of Jim’s transformation scene, and what it meant to me: a meta

*warning: this post discusses suicide and mental illness

When I first finished watching A House Divded, I immediately broke down in tears. For one, season 3 of Trollhunters dropped on thbe day of my high school graduation– something which, after going to three different high schools, going through spinal surgery, and surviving a suicide attempt, I never thought I would do. 

What really hit close to home, however, was the coding of Jim’s decision as a suicide scene. 

To be perfect blunt, as someone who attempted sophomore year of high school, this was personal. Because this scene, well, this is what it felt like. In a powerful way, not in a triggering or PTSD inducing way. 

Just incredibly deep and meaningful.

Jim’s hesitation– his staring in the mirror, prepared to make an impossible decision that, ultimately, doesn’t feel like a decision at all. When you’ve been told repeatedly your life is worthless, there’s no choice. Just as, having been mentally and emotionally manipulated by Merlin, Jim’s choice was taken away from him. 

It feels more a difficult task– a permanent change– which you have been forced to make. 

Jim’s hesitation in this scene to make such a permanent change, but ultimately making it because he believes it to be necessary, is incredibly reminiscent of my own experience. That final breathe, before you finally cross that line and rack up the courage to make this impossible decision. 

And like Jim, I had loved ones at the door, prepared to help me and support me. 

One thing that people don’t realize that suicide is often a lack of autonamy over your own life. It is society taking your life into their hands and telling you that it is worthless. That choice to live, as stated above, is taken from you. 

Jim goes through a similar ordeal, as Merlin takes his control and choice over his own humanity away. His life, his humanity, is taken from him. He is, in many ways, killing his human self. His life as he knows it is gone.

The fact the writer’s recognized this paralell between suicide/ depression and Jim’s transformation, and depicted it with such beautiful nuance? Is incredible. 

Because when Jim is standing before the mirror, conflicted and desperate, I have been there. When Barbara, Claire, Strickler, Toby and Blinky pound on the door, begging Jim to stop, that is my family. 

So yeah. Watching A House Divided after coming home from high school graduation– something I never thought I would live to do– hit hard. It was, frankly, one of the most powerful scenes and some of the best writing I had seen in a very long time (it still is). 

It is not flashy, or a harmful and expoitive depiction of mental illness and suicide. It is not capitalizing on trying to be “edgy”. It is sophisticated coded and metaphorical storytelling, with a powerful message and a very real depiction of human emotion and mental illness. It is grounded and real, and full of heart, as we see a boy in a position which is all too real to so many people.

And words cannot describe how much I appreciate it. 

#tales of arcadia

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“Yo-ho, yo-ho a pirate’s life for me.”

Douxie in the potc fic! That's a pirate lad if I've ever seen one

#tales of arcadia #my ouat au made me think abt this post #lovely art <3 #🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ #Spotify

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another redraw

#hes so 💙💙 #throwing him off a cliff #tales of arcadia

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Platonic dynamics I want to see more in the (tiny) Rise of the Brave Tangled Dragons fandom:

Jack being like an older brother to Hiccup and sort of seeing an older version of Jamie in him and not scoffing at how nerdy he is ("holy crap you MADE this? Man show me how it works!!")

Rapunzel post-her-movie being all gung-ho and cheery, and Merida trying to get her to stop being so naïve, only for Rapunzel to calmly list all the ways she was betrayed and abused throughout her adventures (and you'd only have to go through the canon events of the movie and show to make this work, btw, girl's been through STUFF) and tells Merida she is upbeat and kind because she chooses to believe that most people are good, because so many people stuck with her through so much and so many people came back to her after betraying her. And Merida is like "well dang ok, wanna learn to shoot a bow"

Jack being calm, responsible, and protective of the others without becoming too angsty in the process- playing harmless little pranks to bring everyone's spirits up, that sort of thing

Merida being annoyed by Jack at first, but it's because she misses her brothers, not because she categorically dislikes the pranks. She tells Jack this and he asks her to join him doing pranks. She has much more fun after this.

Rapunzel is good at many things, but not so much inventing, as we see in TTS; her trying to assist Hiccup and him being good-natured about it but entirely accidentally outclassing her

Jack very deliberately keeping his past and loneliness to himself, and the others figuring out something's off because they never catch him sleeping, he's pensive when he's not interacting with them, he's got such wide and extensive experience, and he starts admitting bits and pieces like "I'm older than I look" etc etc

Jack never openly getting angry with the kids because they're kids and he's a Guardian, so instead when one of them is upset or trying to pick a fight with him, his staff will glow brighter or it'll get cloudier or windier or snowier- his magic responds, but Jack refuses to, making his calm all the more scary.

Jack being the first to realize Rapunzel has been through Stuff and sitting down with her when the other two are asleep "what happened to you?" entirely gently and patiently because HE'S A GOOD BIG BROTHER DANGIT I WANT THIS SIDE OF HIM TO SHOW MORE-

Hiccup worrying/getting upset/doing that I Have To Stand Alone thing and Rapunzel approaching him like "you're not the only one who grew up alone, you know. It's okay to rely on us, we won't let you down"

Hiccup doing the I Have To Stand Alone thing in general cause I don't see that a lot in crossovers or at least the arts

The others finding Jack in weird places because super-balance go brr

Jack being reluctant to touch any of the kids for any reason because he doesn't want to see the way they treat him change once they realize how cold and inhuman he really is

Merida recognizing Jack immediately as the only other obviously competent fighter by the way he moves (she was raised around all manner of warriors and guards, after all) and immediately setting about allying herself with him because Heaven knows they all need as much protection as they can get

Merida helping Hiccup to have a moment like he has in the HTTYD books where he realizes he's actually a really amazing swordfighter when he actually uses his dominant hand

Hiccup and Rapunzel asking Merida and Jack what siblings are like

Jack just treating them all like his little siblings

Jack and Merida gathering ingredients together and, depending on the region, Jack teaching Merida the safe local vegetation and herbs because he's been everywhere. Also, Jack teaching the others how to cook with local ingredients

Jack knowing a lot about herbal medicine and helping and teaching the others

After much internal deliberation, Jack choosing Hiccup to hold his staff while he takes care of two-handed tasks

Jack knowing how to style hair because of Mary, and he and Merida helping Rapunzel tame her hair

#rotbtd #favorite

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First thing, just wanted to say this blog is great and all the work you do for it is amazing!

I came here to ask if there’s any concept art for Douxie’s clothes? Specifically the Camelot look, it’s been a bit hard for me to find any good references for the cosplay I’m making, hope you have a great day/night btw!

There is two actually! Two versions of his concept art appearance and his the orthographic which has his front paint included.

Apologises for the teeniness of this, it's a screengrab from the Art of Wizards video. I think there is a larger version of this blowing about somewhere that was screenshot when it was live though not got it to hand.

Then this one is the finalised concept art! Both are by Betsy Bauer.

Tumblr is absolutely going to eat this so do pop it out into a tab, reference wise I prefer the landscape version. This is a full orthographic turnaround thanks to Andy Murray.

It's also thanks to him we have any artwork of Camelot!Zoe too... Got the concept art for his stick too should you ever need it.

Hope these help!

#tales of arcadia #oh interesting #and clicking on the link i saw zoe's concept art too :) #i so wish we could have seen it outside of 2 cameos

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you have references for concept art Douxie’s staff I hear?

We do! Not the orthographic version mind but we do have it's paint including the base colours which for reference is always a bonus. Can be easy to miss things with the shiny details and/or textures.

It's by Alison Donato. The linework this is painted on was drawn by Sam Drummond.

#tales of arcadia

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Screenshot drawing of troll Jim captured in Arthur’s castle. I think I’m getting better with faces

#tales of arcadia #the face does look good!

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mmm

#tuffstrid #httyd #💙