#steppenshe-wolf

Thanks~! Here I go!

Moses

What I like about him: I love how human he is in this movie. I love his kindness and compassion for others, his playfulness towards children, the way he clearly is conflicted over having to go against Rameses when trying to free the Hebrews… I just love pretty much everything about him!

Least favourite thing about him: I can’t really think of anything. Maybe his arrogance as a Prince? Even so, he proves that he still has an innate goodness within him; all it needed was a change in environment so he could properly nurture it.

Favourite Line: “Because no kingdom should be made on the backs of slaves.”

BROTP: With Rameses, for sure! I love their relationship so much, it’s such a believable brotherly relationship.

OTP: With Tzipporah, of course! They’re so sweet together as a couple, and they bring out the best in one another, so they’re perfect!

NOTP: With Rameses. It’s not really my cup of tea, and I prefer them as brothers.

Random Headcanon: Moses knows how to be as flirtatious and teasing as Tzipporah, but he’s just more subtle about it. Only Tzipporah is able to see those coy and flirty moments he has.

Unpopular Opinion: Not sure if this is unpopular or not, but I honestly think that Moses looks very handsome as a prince. I dunno, I kinda think the wig looks good on him. Of course, that’s not to say he doesn’t look good as a shepherd; I just really like his Egyptian prince outfit.

Song I associate with him: From the movie, “All I Ever Wanted” by Amick Byram, of course. For non-movie songs, “Temple of Love” by Sisters of Mercy & Ofra Haza.

Favourite Picture:

I dunno, I like how Moses is in his princely clothes while leading the Hebrews in this pic.

1. Aaron protecting Miriam (which happens often, and I love, but here I’m talking about the well scene specifically)

Always always always my heart clenches watching Aaron do this, feeling his panic throughout the scene and his anxiety toward Moses and his desperate need to protect Miriam, where he places himself between her and Moses.  Raw and vulnerable, quietly courageous and self-sacrificing.  There’s also the underlying fear of loss, of losing Miriam, coming from the real and constant threat/possibility of that happening.  All these things resonate with me.

I’ve said it before: The moment Aaron falls to his knees in an attempt to put distance between Moses and Miriam is the moment I fell, too.

2. Aaron reaching for and holding his sister’s hand during “Deliver Us” + its parallel on the shore of the Red Sea

I continue to love how much Aaron loves Miriam.  Honestly I love natural little gestures like this (Aaron grasping Miriam’s hand and looking at her, his little step forward and her reaction, her leading them both towards their mother) and the way The Prince of Egypt depicts the relationship and dynamic between these two.  Furthermore, as this pair of scenes shows, the movie does bookends and parallels beautifully.

But seriously.  The way Aaron looks at Miriam:

My heart.

3 / 4. Yocheved protecting Aaron during “Deliver Us”

Pulling him back is such an instinctive thing, and I like how soothing him flows from that motion (seeing him cling to her, he must be startled — I imagine he’s been told to move quickly, stay close, and be careful that morning).

Touch is a theme in this list along with protectiveness and Aaron-loves-Miriam-so-much (and-I-love-and-relate-to-Aaron-because-of-that-too).

4 / 3. The three siblings, together, during “When You Believe”

I love this scene with “just” the siblings, and at such a pivotal part of the story.  It’s always been one of my favorite Leadership Moments: seeing these three prophets, surrounded by their people.  The wider-angle is pretty wonderful too…

…because I love imagining what’s going on and being said.  (For example, I think it’s very clear in several frames that Miriam is speaking.)  It’s hard to see from just one screen cap of the closer-angle scene, but Aaron does move his hand behind Moses’ back or shoulder.  With Miriam’s hand on Moses’ arm, too, I love seeing them (re)united like this; Miriam and Aaron advocating for their brother, all supporting each other, working together, rallying and reassuring the crowd.

5. Yocheved holding Moses at the riverbank

I think this scene is higher on my list, to be honest, but I’m not sure where it should go.

It’s the look on Yocheved’s face, and the skin-contact between her and Moses.  It’s needful and connecting.  Those are the words.  This is the last time they’ll be able to do this, but Moses doesn’t know that, and that hits me deep.  I have no idea if my birthmother ever held me or if I ever had skin-to-skin contact with her, so… I don’t know.  I can really feel this scene.

Oh man, I think pretty much all of the characters are very good-looking; they’re all very aesthetically-pleasing, especially their outfits and hair. 

For the most attractive male character, it’s Moses, hands down. He is very handsome, both as a sovereign prince and as a shepherd. I’ll admit, I have a real weakness for Moses’ prince outfit, being shirtless for the first half of the movie, and that wig and all the jewellery, well… you gotta admit, he was pretty cute and handsome. Of course, that’s not to say that he wasn’t good looking as a shepherd; he had a more rugged kind of attractiveness as a shepherd, and his natural hair looks very soft, honestly. I’ll bet that Tzipporah just loves running her fingers through his hair when he’s sleeping.

As for the most attractive female character, it’s a tie between Yocheved and Tzipporah. Yocheved is honest-to-god beautiful, and when I heard that she was designed after Ofra Haza, I looked up her photos and I was stunned at how beautiful she was. Plus, Yocheved has a very gentle kind of beauty, and her hair is also very lovely. As for Tzipporah, well… she is drop-dead gorgeous. No wonder Moses was so attracted to her when he first saw her; I’ll bet that she can somehow make even a potato sack look good on her. I also love how she’s got this spirited, no-nonsense kind of beauty, and when she smiles for real, it’s super pretty. So yeah, Yocheved and Tzipporah are the two most attractive female characters.

And for the other characters: Rameses is also quite the looker. Like Moses, he also had that kind of charming cuteness to him as a teenager, and as a Pharaoh, he’s also got a more refined appeal to him with those broad shoulders and bare chest. Miriam is both petite and cute; I love how she’s the shortest of her siblings, despite being the oldest one, and her hair is also very pretty. Tuya is also very elegant, much like the queen that she is, and her hair is also amazing. I don’t have too much to say about Aaron, but I really like how he looks when he smiles at the end. And lastly, Jethro seems like someone who gives great hugs.

Thanks~! Here I go!

Rameses

☮ - friendship headcanon

In the canon-verse, my headcanon is that Moses was pretty much Rameses’ only friend. After all, Rameses is the crown prince, the son of the Pharaoh, who was supposed to be a living God on Earth, and so he was basically divinity. So it kind of deterred even the sons of nobles from being his friend. Moses, on the other hand, saw him as human as anyone else, which is what Rameses appreciated. He could trust Moses more than anyone else, so when Moses ran away, he was extremely lonely.

In my Modern!AU, Rameses starts a tentative kind of camaraderie with Miriam, who also develops an appreciation for him. And besides, it’s kind of hard not to like Miriam: she’s kind-hearted, thoughtful, and very caring. Her positive attitude is infectious, and 

▼ - childhood headcanon

Ever since they were children, Rameses has always been a protective older brother towards Moses. He was also somewhat jealous of how easier it was for Moses to become friends with other people, whether it was the sons of nobles, or even the servants and guards. When Moses notices how upset he is at this, he actually helps Rameses befriend a few servants and guards. In the end, however, Rameses still preferred spending time with Moses.

☯ - likes/dislikes headcanon

Likes:

Chariot-racing with Moses

Playing with his son

Relaxing on the royal barge in the Nile

Swimming in the waters of the palace

Reading some of the classic tales and stories

Spending time with his wife Nefertari

Dislikes:

The high expectations of being both crown prince and Pharaoh

Loneliness

Betrayal

Anyone who insinuates that he’s “the weak link”

♥ - family headcanon

Rameses and Nefertari are a happily married couple who truly, honestly respect and love each other. In addition, Rameses is a very loving dad towards Amun, who absolutely adores him. When Amun was a baby, Rameses was so gentle when holding him, always scared that he would break him somehow. When Amun was a toddler, he was always so proud of his accomplishments: first word, first steps, you name it, he was proud. Likewise, Tari is also a loving mother towards Amun, who gives him lots of hugs and kisses, and who loves playing with him. As a result, Amun is a little bit spoiled, but he’s ultimately a genuinely good-hearted, carefree child.

Yocheved

♦ - quirks/hobbies headcanon

Yocheved loves to sing; not only did she sing lullabies to her children, but she also sang while doing domestic tasks like cooking or laundry, and even when she’s doing labour work, she sings; as a result, she was known as “The Songbird of Goshen” because her singing can lift anyone’s spirits; even some Egyptian labourers and peasants like listening to her sing because of how beautiful her voice is.

She also likes to weave clothing; the veil she wears over her head in the opening scene was something that she made herself, and she also teaches Miriam how to weave.

Whenever her children have nightmares, she’ll always sing softly to them, and gently run her fingers through their hair to soothe them; this works like a charm every single time.

If Miriam or Aaron fell down and got hurt, Yocheved would bandage their wounds and then kiss them better. She also did this with her husband’s wounds.

She was also one of the best dancers in Goshen; on the rare days when there was some festival in Goshen, she and Amram would dance to the festive music and spread a lot of joy to the other villagers.

♡ - romantic headcanon

Yocheved is a romantic at heart. She and her husband Amram loved each other dearly, and they were always affectionate with one another. She first met Amram when he defended her from an angry overseer who was about to beat her, but Amram jumped in and took the beating for her. While healing his wounds, Yocheved expressed her gratitude, and thus, a small friendship started. She later repaid the favour by defending Amram from another angry taskmaster, one that couldn’t even whip her when she dared him to. As such, their friendship deepened and blossomed into romance. Their wedding wasn’t grand, but it was the happiest day of their lives. When Amram died, Yocheved had been so devastated, she couldn’t smile or sing for the longest of times. She tried to be strong for her three children, but she couldn’t take it one day and ended up breaking down. Miriam and Aaron were quick to comfort her, and even baby Moses just held onto her finger, despite not understanding why Mommy was crying.

☯ - likes/dislikes headcanon

Likes:

Singing and dancing

Spending her evenings with her children

The fiery colours of the evening sky

Night time, when she could rest

Listening to old Hebrew tales

Telling stories to her children

Festivals

Dislikes:

Seeing her people being beaten by the overseers and being helpless to stop them

Death

Having to send Moses down the Nile in a basket

Her children being frightened

The harsh labour that has worn her people down for many years

▼ - childhood headcanon

As a child, Yocheved was a very sweet and friendly girl. However, she also had nerves of steel, and would not tolerate anyone who mistreated her. She’s basically silk hiding steel; she may be kind and gentle, but push her too far, and she will fight back. She won’t hesitate in either raising her voice, or throwing a punch or kick if it must come to that. And she can throw a mean left hook. The few times it does happen, hardly anyone can believe that the sweet and kind little Yocheved actually did that.

She was also basically the child nurse among all the children. If someone got hurt, she was always ready to bandage their wounds and sing to them if she needed to. She was kind of like the big sister of the village.

Miriam

♒ - cooking/food headcanon

Miriam learned how to make bread from a young age, thanks to Yocheved. Her favourite food is figs, which always gave her some comfort after a rather harsh day labouring in the temples. She also happens to like pomegranates, but those were considered a luxury. So on the rare occasions when the family had a pomegranate, she would make sure to savour it as much as she could.

▼ - childhood headcanon

Since she saw Moses getting adopted by Queen Tuya, Miriam has always been incredibly optimistic during her childhood days. She knows that one day, Moses is going to return to her and Aaron, and she knows that he will deliver them from Egypt. She’s never told this to anyone else other than Aaron, because she knows that no one will understand or believe her. But this belief is what helps her get through the rough times.

Tuya

☼ - appearance headcanon

Like a lot of upper-class Egyptian women, Tuya prides herself in her appearance and clothing. She also loves perfumes, especially the scent of lotus and sweet incense. It takes her a lot of time in making herself look like a queen, but she never fails to look absolutely stunning. She also knows which crowns, jewellery, and headdresses Seti likes the most, so she always makes sure to wear them whenever she can.

☠ - angry/violent headcanon

When she gets angry, she doesn’t get furious or enraged. Her anger is tranquil, cold. It freezes like ice, and it’s almost painful to the recipient who is on the receiving end of her anger. After all, she is the Queen, and even when she’s angry, she retains her dignity. Even Moses and Rameses are absolutely scared of her when she is angry, and they sometimes feel bad for the recipient of her anger. And because of how regal and dignified she is, Tuya rarely ever gets violent. One glare from her is more than enough to make someone feel shame.

☆ - happy headcanon

When Tuya smiles, it’s truly a blessing for whoever makes her happy. Her smile is kind, gentle, and reassuring, and to see her smile is truly a privilege. Her wedding day to Seti was one where she was at her happiest, and Seti has always felt lucky to see her smile. In addition, her two sons have always made her happy, especially when they were young. Every drawing they gave her, every little gift they found for her, no matter what it was, Tuya would be happy. But ultimately, what made her the happiest was whenever her sons were happy.

Yes!

I feel that Aaron’s acts and expressions of compassion include:

His love for Miriam, the way he protects her; his not wanting to see her hurt — and there’s that tenderness in his eyes when he looks at her

Forgiving Moses — I think it’s informative of Aaron’s character, that he’s not obstinate or uncompromising; he has bitter feelings towards his brother, and is able to change, reconsider those feelings, and embrace him

Trying to hold Tzipporah back when she darts for Moses on the Nile — it’s an unwelcome action (from Tzipporah’s perspective), but for Aaron (what it says about him), it’s an impulse born from years of fear and worry and protecting Miriam, from seeing the pain Egypt’s guards are capable of inflicting on others and experiencing it himself

Comforting and commiserating with the weary, frightened/awed camel that drops its head on his shoulder

Helping an old woman climb to the shore of the Red Sea, as Rameses’ army is bearing down on them

Stepping towards the parted sea — an act that gives encouragement, not only to Moses, who sees the people’s hesitation, but to the people themselves, whose doubt Aaron understands so well and in whom he is now going to help foster a sense of belief.

I’d like to mention Aaron’s dialogue as well, particularly the lines that contain “we/us/our” (and it’s most of them).

“There’s nothing we can do.” (also written about here)

“Was it when you found out that you were one of us?”

“Pharaoh still has the power over our lives.”

Now, contextually, his responses work more naturally as “we/us/our” statements.  Aaron isn’t going to say something like, “Pharaoh still has the power over my life.”  Though true, it wouldn’t make sense here.  Beyond that, though, and speaking more to the point of the question, I think the first-person plural matters — It’s the effect they seem to have: what they reveal about Aaron (and his role in the film), and about his sensitivity, rather than indifference, to the suffering of his people, as well as his shared feelings and identity with them.

In an AU setting, yes. I feel like not only would Miriam and Aaron come to like Rameses, but Rameses would also come to like them as well. I’m sure Miriam and Aaron would be curious to learn more about Moses’ adoptive brother and see just how close they are, and likewise, I think Rameses would be curious to know a bit more about Moses’ biological siblings.

Miriam would be a bit hesitant, but she’d probably warm up to him fairly quickly. Aaron might take a bit longer, but he’ll also become friendlier to Rameses with some time and patience. The three of them would talk about how they spent their lives with Moses, tell stories, and I think Rameses would never let Moses live it down that he’s the youngest of both his adoptive family and his biological family.

Thanks~! Here I go!

1) Favourite Male Character?

Honestly, I really like Moses in this movie. I’ve studied the Old Testament when I was in high school as part of a Christian Ethics class, and the contrast between Moses in the Old Testament versus Moses in The Prince of Egypt is fascinating. I love how Moses is much more human in the movie; we see how much of a spirited young man he is when he’s a prince, how conflicted he is at going up against his adoptive brother, we see how much he loves Rameses and wishes that things were different, and we see just how much the Plagues hurt him as well. The Old Testament doesn’t really give any indication as to whether he felt guilty or not, so it’s quite a refreshing portrayal of a Biblical character, as opposed to making them so uptight and too serious. 

Plus, he is quite handsome, both as a prince and as a shepherd. So, yeah, I really like Moses.

2) Favourite Female Character?

Oh man, this is a tough one. But I guess I’ll have to say Zipporah. I mean, she’s very beautiful and also very strong-willed, and I love how supportive she is of Moses. She comes to care about him without having to change herself in any way, and her friendship with Miriam is one of the most beautiful parts of “When You Believe”. It’s pretty easy to see why Moses fell for her so hard, and her wedding scene to him was so sweet to watch, honestly. And that’s all I have to say, I guess.

3) Favourite Character Overall?

I’m afraid I don’t really have an overall favourite character, since I love them all in their own ways.

4) Favourite Song?

Yet again, a tough question. I’m torn between “Deliver Us”, “Playing With The Big Boys”, and “The Plagues”. But you know what, I’ll have to say that “Deliver Us” is my most favourite. It’s epic, the perfect song to open the movie with, and I just love the tone it sets for the rest of the movie. Plus, Yocheved’s voice is absolutely beautiful (Ofra Haza was truly talented; such a shame she’s gone), and I could honestly listen to it all day. Like others have said, Hans Zimmer and Stephen Schwartz didn’t have to go so hard with the soundtrack, and yet they did, and it’s awesome!

7) Moses or Rameses?

I don’t think I can really choose, honestly. I will say this about Rameses, though: he truly is one of the most tragic villains to ever exist in media. Just like how Moses was portrayed so humanly in the movie, Rameses also received a human portrayal. It’s obvious that his pride and refusal to be viewed as weak are what lead him to his downfall, and while he’s sympathetic, it’s also clear that some of his actions cannot be excused. His bond with Moses is truly one of my most favourite parts, and the gradual destruction of that bond was honestly so tragic to watch. 

As for the question... yeah, I really can’t choose. Sorry.

10) Queen Tuya or Yocheved?

Unfortunately, I can’t really choose between these two, but if I had to choose, I think I’d choose Yocheved. Not only does she have a gorgeous singing voice, and not only is she beautiful, but she is very brave, honestly. To put baby Moses in a basket and send him down the Nile to give him a chance at life... that definitely takes a lot of guts to do so, especially when other mothers aren’t as fortunate. And Ofra Haza’s vocalizing during the scenes when Moses is in the desert, when he’s returning to Egypt, and when he has his nightmare, I like to think that she’s watching over him in death.

Of course, Queen Tuya is also definitely worth mentioning. She did raise Moses for most of his life, after all. I really like how close she and Moses are, and how she does try her best to help him after his nightmare. It makes me sad to think of how she must’ve felt when Moses ran away. Though her advice to Moses to “forget and be content”, while good-intentioned, really didn’t help him that much.

So sorry for the late response! I like your headcanon!

I actually have come up with something similar for my modern-day AU: basically, Yocheved’s husband had died shortly after Moses’ birth, and the family ends up on the verge of poverty, so Yocheved takes up a job as a nanny for Rameses’ family, who agree to finance her children’s education in exchange for her work. And that’s how Moses and Rameses become very close friends, because they’re basically growing up together since Miriam and Aaron were already school-aged at this time.

Also, in this AU, Moses, Miriam, and Aaron are all Israeli-Jewish people who lived in Cairo when they were children. Miriam and Aaron gradually move out after graduation, and when Moses is eighteen, Yocheved dies, and Moses ends up moving out of Cairo to Tel Aviv, where Miriam lives. This is because he becomes so painfully lonely and he feels as if he’s intruding on Rameses’ family with his grief, so he moves to live with his sister in Tel Aviv, and loses contact with Rameses as a result.

It won’t be until fifteen years later when Moses and Rameses reconnect, and when Rameses gets to know Miriam and Aaron for real.