#sofia30day

DAY 10 - FAVOURITE PARENTAL MOMENT

well basically every single moment between CEDRIC and his sweet little niece CALISTA

very sweet moments!!!

I know most of you are probably expecting me to talk about the lesson in this episode, so I’ll get that out of the way first. 

I enjoy how Hildegard, like Amber, has to learn to implement the same lesson in different situations. She’s still very self-centered (which remains consistent, unlike Amber’s) and now, she has to understand the value of teamwork in order to get things done. She needs to realize how important everyone’s individual skills are to the overall mission. It’s a simple lesson, but still one that needs to be taught, especially in the US where there’s the “Every person for themselves” mentality. This is something useful for kids. 

Now, why I actually love this episode. Two words. BLIND. PRINCESS.

Princess Cassandra freaking made this episode. She is the first proper, consistent, and positive bit of visual impairment representation I’ve seen on TV ever. She has a cane that folds out when she needs it. She has a seeing eye pet that helps guide her. She makes blind jokes. 

Princess Cassandra is the most pleasant thing about this episode, from the way she arrives, to the way she teaches the girls to use their other senses, to the way she encourages the girls without impeding their exploration. She, as an older role model, guides them without holding their hand through the whole thing. 

“Come to Your Senses” was a fun song. It’s catchy, it’s fits the overall thesis of the episode, and I just really missed Madison Pettis. She was a childhood icon of mine. 

This entire episode was just so much fun because it was 10% Hildegard learning a lesson, 5% Kaldoune lore, and 85% the club having fun with the coolest princess to step foot on this show.

Day 30: Crossover. 

DAY 11 - FAVOURITE SIBLING MOMENT

I have really enjoyed  every single moment between 

CEDRIC AND CORDELIA 

when they were little

when both said “MERLIN’S MUSHROOMS”

their little arguments

when Cordelia finally realized that Cedric was a really great sorcerer and finally they made up 

I contemplated Desmond or Khalid, but I knew, as soon as I rewatched some of my favorite episodes, that Hugo was the one. Hugo is my favorite because, even after four years, I still hate his guts. However, even despite that, I love the messages that come along with his episodes. The themes of episodes that prominently feature Hugo have to do with how hurtful, irritating, and toxic hypermasculinity is, and also about how stereotypical or ‘traditional’ gender roles can be harmful and need to be demolished. 

In his very first episode, I wanted to punch him. However, I also enjoyed how he was the antagonist that helped Sofia prove that girls can be and are just as good as boys in everything and anything. Sure, the example used here is sports (calling to mind the differences between softball and baseball, all the way down to a demeaning name change), but this can be applied in pretty much everything. Even better, is that they used him for the exact same lesson in reverse later in the series. Hugo enjoys Ice Dancing, but doesn’t want his “MEN MUST PLAY MEN’S SPORTS” dad to find out. It shows that the roles imposed by parents can be just as harmful and that Hugo’s behavior in the first episode wasn’t born of nothing, but came from somewhere: how he was taught. 

The lesson with how toxic and irritating hypermasculinity can be came in “The Flying Crown”. All through the episode, Hugo paraded himself as the best. Looking down on Sofia because she was a girl and clearly “just got lucky” and looking down on James for not being good enough to win the derby using sheer speed alone and needing help to win. Then, the competition shows up, and they basically pound their chests like apes, and have a wing-measuring contest to see who’s better. This is important to note because Desmond, Khalid, and even James don’t do this. It’s only Hugo who behaves this way. Which shows how terrible his environment was for him to understand how important team work was, not just for sports but for survival. 

DAY 27- MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT

Sofia defeating Vor

Sofia becoming a Protector

the times that Cedric saved Sofia’s life

it was a brief moment but I have really liked when Wormy finally realized what a great sorcerer Cedric is