Skyes the Limit

I don’t know what it says about a series when the fandom rewrites entire seasons but it’s probably not good.

(Quick thank you to anyone who actually reads this! You are awesome!)

Cassandra’s dream was to save the Lost Princess

What if Before Ever After started the day of Rapunzel’s return?

That same day, Cassandra had found a gap in her schedule and slipped away to….train in the woods. Revealing her deepest desire to the audience with a truckload of dramatic irony. Immediately marking her as sympathetic and giving her hatred of Eugene some additional weight.

I think the best introduction for a surprise villain character from would have been to drop the Disney formula and show the audience more of who she is even if she would then hide it from other characters. As it was, she was coded villain from the start and it didn’t sit well when she befriended Rapunzel, at least for me.

While in the forest, Cassandra sees a huge flash of golden light and decides to check it out. She comes to the tower just after Rapunzel and Eugene left it. 

Connecting Cassandra to Gothel almost immediately also makes it look less like a shit decision. She isn’t certain of anything but it’s potentially foreshadowing the later reveal

She goes up the tower and considers what she finds immediately heads back to the kingdom.

While doning her waiting maid apparel (as she would have likely served the Queen with another 2-3 young women) The Captain comes to usher her quickly to an audience with the King and Queen. 

On the way, the palace is a buzz and Cass asks what’s going on, the Captain explains, the princess has been found and returned and the King asked for you. The Captain stops them before entering the throne room, straightens two tiny threads of Cassandra’s appearance and his typical stoic look is clearly conflicted with a lot of emotion as he opens the door

“In light of my daughter’s return I have decided to assign you as her lady in waiting.” Cassandra’s surprised, excited and a bit disappointed. Likely, she’ll have less time to train now. As she stands to accept the King’s decision he continues, “I want to be clear, Cassandra. Your…particular skillset is not being overlooked in this choice. My daughter will not be taken from me again.” 

Cassandra has to stop herself from staring at Rapunzel; she’s beautiful and radiant. Everything she’d imagined their princess would be and more

Off to the side of the room, Cassandra catches a familiar face out of the corner of her eye. And not in a good way. Cassandra immediately moves herself between Rapunzel and Flynn Rider ready to draw one of her knives when The King tells her to stand down.

Cassandra is introduced to Eugene Fitzherbert, once Flynn Rider, the man who brought the princess back. Cass really must have pulled a face cause Eugene immediately commented on it-she’s hated him ever since.

The man who got in the way of what should have been her destiny.

Most of BEA happens as it did; the hair returns, Cassandra give Eugene snarky but solid advice and the threat of Cassandra being sent to a convent is very much real post hair return.

Cassandra leaves before the season starts and before she has a chance to be found out. 

Basically, all this is to create a MUCH more compelling and more believable betrayal at the end of season 2. 

The Sundrop and the Moonstone were designed to be together by the fates themselves; what better way to regain the destiny that was stolen from her than the become the Sundrop’s counterpart herself?

Cassandra takes the Moonstone but she doesn’t turn on Rapunzel; she takes Rapunzel. Because of how the powers interact, Cassandra discovers she can actually control the intensity to which Rapunzel can call upon the stones. She weakens her. (Raps can do this later but not yet.) Realizing the Dark Kingdom is not going to be the best place to stay and/or hide, she turns to leave with Rapunzel in tow.

Eugene calls out that he will never stop looking for them. Cassandra shoots back, good luck doing that when you can’t see. She blinds him. And THAT’S what makes Cassandra an enemy for Rapunzel. 

And, fine, THAT’S the parallel drawn between her and Gothel.

So since everyone’s giving short haired Punzie the love she deserves, here’s a little piece from around a month ago !

“Your Black Friend" animated short film by Ben Passmore, Alex Krokus & Krystal Downs

I don’t know who wrote this or why, but this writing is just *chef’s kiss*

Writer: Oh, I’m gonna break them alright

Reader: No, A break, give them A break

Winona Ryder photographed for Vogue

Or when people rec songs/shows/fics and you suddenly know everything you need to know about who they are as a person?

Are people scared that using a white cane will make their blind character seem weak? They can’t use a cane because they’re so special that they already know what’s around them, and other blind people who use guides are inferior because they’re not special?

I’m tired. Give your blind characters white canes and other guides. Let them hold onto their friends, let them have guide dogs. Don’t make white cane users feel ostracized for not being “strong enough” to go without.

Another thing that pisses me off is when a sighted character comes up with the fantasy equivalent of braille and teaches it to the blind character. Braille was invented by Louis Braille, a blind man, in 1824. The blind character should be the one coming up with it.

Tldr I’m blind and tired of sighted people lol