#the fat jokes were a bit unnecessary though imo

[a-literal-toaster-wtf]

just saw the wonka movie and goodness there were quite a few familiar faces!! it’s refreshing for me because i don’t typically recognise movie actors, it felt nice to know who a majority of the cast were

#i knew mat baynton and paterson joseph were gonna be in it #what i didn’t expect was olivia coleman #charlotte richie #AND rich fulcher #anyways it was a pretty solid movie #the fat jokes were a bit unnecessary though imo #wonka 2023

[bluebipples]

Mora/Bean is Canon

(but I’m not sure about Endgame)

A very (very) long, unnecessary post. I’d like to start this off by saying bisexuality is consistently erased in the tumblr community, but this isn’t about if bean is bi or a lesbian because it literally does not matter 

*ahem* Also, spoilers if you haven’t watched season 3 because, i don’t know, you probably have a life

anyway, there’s lots of speculation on whether or not Bean’s romance with Mora was a dream or not, and I’m here to give you the (probably) definitive answer (and throw a wild guess at the next season).

To begin with, Disenchantment is no stranger to foreshadowing. In fact, rewatching the show a few times you notice that the writers practically laid everything out in front of us the entire time. It’s actually admirable from a writer’s perspective, imo, but I’m not here to cream my pants over the writers. An example of their consistent foreshadowing would begin in the very first episode, when a blimp is seen in the far background of one of the scenes over some mountains. This would later be explained by the introduction of Steamland, which became a pinnacle location to the plot in seasons 2 and 3. There are plenty more examples, but I’d rather save it for the ones I’ve found in season 3. (And, one could argue, Bean asking a hot mermaid to nibble her earlobes was foreshadowing her later romance with one, but, hey, who am i to over-speculate)

Now, for the juicy stuff, as well as some artistic appreciation. Was anyone else absolutely in love with the ocean scenery? Like, somebody popped the fuck off in the background department bc hot damn. Don’t worry, I promise, this is extremely relevant. 

(excuse the thing in the top left) This is the sky a few hours after they’d left Steamland, meaning it’s early morning / sunrise. Holy shit, I nearly cried when I saw this scene. This is goddamn beautiful. The clouds? The blending? The bright coloration? Who the fuck did this??? How do I give them money??

Sorry for the lack of a consistent timeline, but I didn’t get a good shot of the sky in the same day afternoon shot, so, here’s the afternoon sky before Bean and Elfo crash.

And this delightful pink son of a bitch is the sunset, into which our ladies rode with my heart soaring. At this point, I had to pause to search ‘disenchantment’ on tumblr to see if it was gay and sure enough the top image was mora and bean kissing. i love this hellhole.

Now, why the hell are skies relevant, my friends? Well (I’m starting to realize this is another fucking dumb sky post like that one that’s 10 years long but this is worse because I’m losing my mental sanity to prove half an episode in a 3 season cartoon actually happened)

This would be when the ‘dream’ starts, which is after Bean hits her head, and presumably, late afternoon. Swimming with your mermaid girlfriend underwater all the way to Mermaid Island probably takes some time, so they get there by, say, sunset maybe?

yes, i use subtitles, i do not have a good attention span. So, yeah, maybe sunset-ish, or like, really late afternoon. 

and, of course, our wildest sapphic fantasies come true. again, excuse the subtitles. 

Here’s the juicy juicy shit that real good-good. Please stay with me.

The lyrics to Mora’s song:

They say that you’re a drowner

And we’re parted by the sea

But I can keep you floating

If you just hold on to me

I’ll keep you safe, I’m on your team

And when it feels like just a dream

Believe it’s true

Because I do

And someday if there’s a war

On some not-so-distant shore

And lines are drawn

I’m never gone

This star’s your guide

And I am always on your side

Well, well, well, how the dots have connected and my gay brain is spiraling. Not only am I swooning, but I’m also itching with theories. Lots of ‘em. I’m about to give MatPat a run for his money. 

First, I wanna get out there that if you tell me Bean’s subconscious could have written that song, you are incorrect. Bean is a lot of things, but... creative isn’t exactly one of them. There’s an entire episode dedicated to how bad she as at writing creatively (unless it’s about her familial issues): season 2, episode 8: In Her Own Write.

So, ‘when it feels like just a dream / believe it’s true’ sounds a whole lot like we’re being told something. Or, Bean is, but she’s not great at picking up hints. Another fact we are shown again and again and again. 

‘Someday if there’s a war / On some not-so-distant shore’ I mean, this shouldn’t be so hard to point out. Kinda seems like Dreamland is in a bit of a tizzy right now, huh? I mean, what with the Elves learning that the Trøgs are direct descendants of their forgotten ancestors that adapted to living underground overtime and- oh- wait- did that not get revealed yet?

Well, let me do you a think by referencing Skyrim because that’s the easiest example I can think of. There are these ugly bitches that ruin my entire day every time I encounter them called the Falmer that dwell underground that were once Snow Elves, but had adapted to living underground after, you guessed it, the arrival of... goddamn nords/humans (a few centuries after, but still). Large eyes with poor vision, bigger ears to make up for that lack of vision, and a more grey skin pallor from, y’know, living underground. I won’t give you a lecture on evolution, because this is already super duper long. Kinda wild that Disenchanted would take a commonly used Fantasy trope like creatures colonized by humans adapting to life underground, it’s almost like the whole show is to poke fun of overdone fantasy tropes.

And, of course, it’s revealed that the Lost Kingdom of the Elves is underneath Dreamland, directly where the Trøgs dwell. It doesn’t take a genius to connect the dots. Elves have hidden themselves in this world - remember, Elfo was the first elf since Leavo to leave Elfwood in years. So let me spin you a yarn about a well-known tale called Colonization. I’m sure we all know where this is going. Clearly, not all of the elves stayed underneath Dreamland. Judging by how many Trøgs there are in relation to how many elves, I assume less than or around half of the elf population managed to evacuate Dreamland while those who remained took to living in the shadows. We’ve seen the conditions of their underworld, and, well, one can assume they went a bit nutty along the way. I’m sure the mushroom spores didn’t help.

Then, there’s the prophecy. Bean, Elfo and Luci are the saviors of the Trøgs.

‘Lines are drawn’ - after Bean is crowned Queen Bean (lol) she and Elfo drift apart. He obviously feels abandoned by her, and even if he did sacrifice himself for Dreamland, I’m certain he won’t be killed. I’m on that wonderful conspiracy train that the Ogre Queen is his mother, but that’s another story for another day though it’s somewhat related. Needless to say, if the Elves declare war on Dreamland, lines will certainly be drawn. And, I recall my statement above: Bean, Elfo and Luci are the saviors of the Trøgs. I’d count it as ‘saving’ them if they reunite with their cousins, the Elves, and take back the kingdom that once belonged to them; wouldn’t you?

‘I’m never gone / This star’s your guide / And I am always on your side’ This is a callback to a few things in this episode. Mora tells Bean that the heart of the Big Flipper leads to Mermaid Island, as Bean recalls when she is given the necklace Mora made for her. So, that’s another double nudge-nudge wink-wink from the writers (a joke they also made consistently this season, making me feel aggressively mocked. so i have powerpoints on this show, now, and nothing to do with them.) 

Anyway, if the Elves and Trøgs do succeed in taking over Dreamland, Mora has explicitly stated that Bean has an ally in her - and, of course, the mermaids. So, looking too deeply into a song written by a fictional mermaid for her equally fictional girlfriend aside, let’s move on to more obvious evidence.

Bean then wakes up on the beach to Elfo saying nobody wanted to help them, , yadda yadda, it was clearly a dream, right?

(yes, I wanted to get the caption that made me cry. now you have to be sad, too.) except, wait a second, that’s a goddamn morning sky. And, beyond that, the very next episode which continues off from Bean and Elfo walking back to Dreamland, it’s also morning and leads right into the rest of the same day. well, shit me a brick. chronologically, it makes sense for this to have not been a dream.

and, naturally, the nail in the coffin. There it is, the necklace, right there in front of our fat faces. I’m sure you’re wondering how Bean can sleep through swimming underwater for presumably hours, but, hey, tHAT’S JUST A TH-

In conclusion, the Disenchantment writers make it a point to give us not-so-subtle hints (mostly in the background) towards future plots. This seemingly innocuous, what, ten minutes of a sapphic fantasy come true could be an incredibly important plot point. It’s not the first time they’ve used a small storyline to pull the strings together for a far bigger one - they literally do it every season, multiple times. My evidence towards Mora and Bean having a real romance stems from the design of the sky backgrounds that clearly show the passage of time throughout the episode (and show), as well as the fact that Mora’s necklace washes up on shore not long after Bean wakes up. Along with this presented evidence, I believe the Elves are going to try and overthrow Dreamland (just like, basically, every other kingdom or secret society in this show) and Bean will have to figure out for herself if Mora really is waiting for her on Mermaid Island. As for what else Season 4 has in store, I have lots of other theories but for the 4 people who read this, I shall not disclose.

Thank you for coming to my TedTalk, and I am so very sorry.

Also, here’s a bonus pic of the ocean scenery.

(luci voice) who did that?

#seriously THIS WHOLE EPISODE #WAS SO FUCKING BEAUTIFUL #why was this such a gorgeous episode #who did this #who dunnit #i want to personally give you a fucking raise #they really goddam popped off #also if anybody read this. #im so sorry #i thought abt posting it on reddit but i dont want to get roasted #for being uhh #fucking insane #this is probably just all bullshit and it probably doesn't make sense #but i had to expel this demon from my body #before the tumblr discourse over a fictional characters sexuality takes over the whole fanbase #for the record idk if shes bi or gay bc arguments could be made for either one but at the end of the day #it doesn't fuckin matter because it's a cartoon and we are kebabs on a rock hurtling through space #where was i going with this #oh the proper tags #disenchantment #disenchanted #disenchantment netflix #disenchanted netflix #bean #mora #bean/mora #disenchantment bean #disenchanted bean #disenchantment mora #disenchanted mora

[mermaidsirennikita]

The Postpartum Body & Victoria

Recently, I was thinking about Victoria and its sort of commentary on the ridiculous manner in which Victoria’s postpartum body was treated by the Victorians...  And it’s true that the idea of confining a woman to bed (or an old-fashioned wheelchair) for 6+ weeks is over the top and frankly sexist.  And it’s true that the concept of “churching” (purifying a woman’s postpartum body in church about six weeks after birth before she’s allowed out in public) is misogynistic and unnecessary.

But it doesn’t help matters that the show--and TV in general--treats a woman’s postpartum body in an equally ridiculous manner, just in a different way.  Nor does it give us a context for WHY Victoria is treated in such a manner.

The 2x02 promo for Victoria shows Victoria speaking to Lord Melbourne, asking him if she’s much changed.  She asked the same of Albert after a six-week separation in season one, and that was more of a joke--of course she hadn’t changed.  This Victoria is seeing Melbourne shortly after pregnancy, and the last she time she saw him she hadn’t gotten pregnant yet, so it’s more of a justified question. But it’s also silly because Victoria hasn’t changed... at all.

Women all recover from pregnancy in different ways.  The rapidness from which you recover from pregnancy and birth--or lackthereof--is often affected by things like age, socioeconomic status, and your body’s composition.  Teen moms are known to “bounce back” from their first babies faster even than women who have babies in their twenties.  A woman who maintained a high level of fitness before and during pregnancy has stronger abdominal muscles that will be more likely to “bounce back” postpartum than a woman who didn’t.  Never mind that the concept of “bouncing back” quickly after birth is ridiculous and sexist and engaging in strenuous activities right after birth in the hope of doing so can seriously hurt you...  That’s another topic.

I’m not saying that some women don’t SEEM to be the same, aesthetically, soon after birth.  We see celeb moms talking about “getting their bodies back” after baby all the time.  It’s become a somewhat disturbing trend (imo) to see women posting selfies soon after birth in which their tummies are totally flat (often in high-waisted underwear or pants that might cover up the damage of a c-section scar or the strain of birth, but whatever).  What they don’t mention is that they can afford trainers throughout pregnancy, the best possible diets, and often do have c-sections.  C-sections are just as hard on the body, if not harder, as vaginal births--but in a different way.  A c-section, especially if you have the $$$, allows for women to request a minor tummy tuck while they’re having a baby, which would allow them to “bounce back” faster.  I know someone who did this in the early 2000s; doctors are leaning away from doing it now as a tummy tuck is really unnecessary during a c-section and a c-section is already major surgery so why add another thing to recover from but... it happens, and it helps you look like “your old self” faster.

But no matter what, directly after birth you should have a postpartum belly, and this is something we as a society are so ill-exposed to that people were actually commenting on it when Kate Middleton stepped outside less than 24 hours after giving birth for the first time.  Wait--she still looked pregnant, albeit a bit deflated.  Whaaaat?  Yes.  Your uterus doesn’t immediately contract back into its old shape after you have a baby, because that is physically impossible.  Furthermore, part of the process of it contracting involves you bleeding quite heavily, usually for around 2-6 weeks.

Which leads us to the purification of the female body in the Victorian era.  Obviously, menstrual cleanliness was a bit more complicated before the advent of cups and tampons and all the things we have today.  Add in the heavier bleeding women have postpartum, and it kind of makes sense that people would want you to chill out in bed until that bleeding was over.  It’s not fair, it’s not justified, it sucks, but there is a *context* that I don’t expect the show to discuss, exactly, but...  A lot of people aren’t even aware that they’re going to bleed for a month or more after having a baby--until they’re pregnant.  We’re sheltered from this reality.

You also have to consider the fact that Victorian physicians quite possibly thought of this kind of bleeding as dangerous.  Add the queen into matters, and you have an environment of hyper-cautiousness.  (You better believe that a poor woman wasn’t being wheeled around for six weeks after her baby was born.  The degree to which you were cooped up related to your privilege, to be honest.)  What if the queen moved too much and hemorrhaged?  What if she bled so much that she passed out?  People didn’t understand the leaking female body, and the queen’s had to be protected at all costs.  (This also puts the concept of churching into context, as we today treat vaginal bleeding as something dirty--lots of moms don’t want to go out in public today if they’re bleeding so heavily that they practically need Depends, so it’s really no wonder that the church got involved here.)

Another thing--if a woman decides not to breastfeed, as Victoria is, it’s not as if her breasts instantly stop producing milk.  Every time that baby cried in her presence, it’s quite probable that a woman like Victoria would have started producing so much milk that it actually would stain through her clothes.  She would have gone through pain as she chose not to nurse her baby, and it certainly wouldn’t have looked dignified.  No shame there--many upper class women didn’t breastfeed, though I believe Victoria’s babies’ births coincided with a time in which Europeans were attempting to encourage breastfeeding.  But it’s just a fact.  Her body would have been much changed.

Obviously, when we return to Victoria, nearly a month has passed.  She wouldn’t have that deflated baby bump, most likely, and the shape of her body would be altered by a corset. But just as I’d like to see shows that featured a woman a few days postpartum with a bit of a “deflated” look (if you can fake a baby bump, you can fake a post-baby bump) I think they could stand to thicken Jenna’s waist just a little bit.  She’s gorgeous, she’s never going to look exactly like Victoria, but as she’s playing a woman who had her babies in rapid succession and suffered the physical consequences, it would be nice to have some reference to that.

I doubt they’ll every portray Victoria as fat--and her weight gain didn’t solely have to do with her pregnancies--but it’s going to be a bit jarring to see her pop out so many babies with zero physical change aside from, I assume, some aging makeup here and there.  And it is a symptom of our societal aversion to the postpartum body, and the conditioning that has made us believe that women are no longer desirable after having babies.  Because who wants to watch Victoria have a grand romance with her husband as her body changes with each baby?

#itv victoria #victoria itv #anyway it's me again w/ another critique of a show i actually love #you can thank the fact that i focused on how we visually deal with women's bodies in Art during college