Descendants Rewrite: Origins of Auradon and the Isle of the Lost
Now, when Disney first announced that they were making a 4th movie for Descendants, I was at first sceptical, concerned and curious as to how this would go, but I was immediately hooked once Wonderland was implicated.
Wonderland is my absolute favourite when it comes to fantasy lands, be it the wholesome Disney version, the dramatic Tim Burton version or the nightmarish American McGee’s version, so I was happy to hear about its place in the world-building among Auradon.
However, as I previously mentioned in my last post, I wasn’t too happy with the execution of some of the movie, that felt it had a lot of plotholes that don’t really get addressed throughout the movie.
Now, while I liked the movie and its overall premise is interesting, the canon-stickler in my brain is screaming at me at how everything was so out of whack that I wondered how some of these decisions got greenlit.
I’m just saying, a movie can be as good as it wants, but some things need to make sense; otherwise, people like me go online and complain about it or make rewrites about it.
Which brings me to this post, as I would like to discuss what I would’ve done with this movie and maybe even the origins of this franchise itself.
But before I get into the fourth and fifth movies, I want to briefly talk about the origins of Auradon and polish it up a little bit, so that the heroes are not totally reprehensible for trapping a bunch of people and their children on a tiny-ass island. Because honestly, it never sits right with me that the main reason I’ve been hearing is that Adam and the other heroes allowed the Villains to be resurrected just to boot them and their children onto a tiny prison island, just to feel extra secure.
So, without further ado, here's my version of the origins of Auradon:
So, once upon a time, a long, long time ago, there were several different kingdoms and regions spread out, separated from each other, in a magical world where sorceresses, monsters, princesses and princes were spread out far and wide.
Now, these princes and princesses have had their fair share of battles with various villains, with the majority of those villains meeting an untimely (and sometimes gruesome) ending to their story. These villains, of course, all ended up in the only place that villains go – the Underworld. Villains such as Maleficent, the Evil Queen and Ursula, while the surviving Villains were either incarcerated, like Cruella De Ville and Jafar or in hiding like Captain Hook and Lady Tremaine.
And that didn’t sit well for some villains: one in particular.
Maleficent, the Dark Fairy of the Moore.
She did not like the fact that she, the most powerful villain of them all, was reduced to a wandering soul in the Underworld, while those who scorned her got their happily ever after.
So, she went to the only person capable of setting them free – Hades, God of the Underworld. She knew he was still fuming over having lost his chance to take over Olympus. So, she cut him a deal. He resurrects her and the other Villains and helps her take over the mortal world, and she, in turn, will help him overthrow Olympus. The good ole’ ‘you scratch my back’ and so on.
Hades, never one to back down from a good deal, agrees.
And so, each and every villain that had ever died at the hands of the heroes was brought back to life before releasing and rallying any living villains. And just like that, Maleficent and Hades had an army powerful enough to conquer the world and the heavens.
The heroes soon heard of their former villains bid for revenge and, under King Adam, the former Beast, and Belle, his Beauty, rallied the heroes to fight back against the Villains.
It quickly escalated into a brutal and ongoing war that took nearly three years of their lives. A lot of shenanigans happened during this period, such as Tremaine secretly funnelling money to Maleficent and Hades’ cause. Finally, it took the collaborative efforts of the three most powerful magic users in the realm: Merlin, the powerful Wizard of Camelot; the Fairy Godmother herself, Fae; and Hekate, the Greek Goddess of Magic. Together, they pulled their magic together to push back against Maleficent’s magic and push all the villains onto a prison island and sealed them all away. Even Hades himself wasn’t spared; he, too, was imprisoned on the island.
And just like that, all the villains are all locked away on a miserably tiny island, with the big-name villains quickly marking territories for themselves, with some villains aligning with others, such as Maleficent, the Evil Queen, Cruella and Jafar forming a coalition and taking over territory in the more ‘affluent’ part of the island (‘affluent’ being a very loose term here. VERY loose).
Anyway, shortly after the imprisonment of the Villains, Adam, Belle and all the other heroes, decided it was better to stand together and united their kingdoms into one nation, with Adam and Belle being crowned as High King and Queen of the United States of Auradon.
Anyway, that is the new backstory for my version of the Descendants Universe, which I feel is much better for the palette then “Beast and the other heroes have a meeting and decide its perfectly ethical and moral to resurrect the toughest villains that have ever roamed the land and imprison them on a tiny island, including the God of the Underworld, possibly risking a Walking Descendants situation”. In fact, how funny would that be if that was the plot of the 3rd movie where Mal would have to consider releasing her dad, since if she doesn’t, literally all of Hell would break loose?
While I still have your attention on the Origins of Auradon, I'd also like to post my personal layout of Auradon.
Central Auradon is the crown state of the United States of Auradon, wherein the Beast family, King Adam and Queen Belle, rule as the High King and Queen, where they are situated in their castle home, the Beast’s Keep. Central Auradon’s neighbours are Ebony Hills in the North-West, the Olympic Lands in the South-West, and Evangeline's Light in the West. There, they live with their son, Ben, and govern the entire kingdom under Adam’s firm grip and Belle’s fair judgement. It is also where Auradon’s most prestigious high school, Auradon Prep, was founded under Beast, as a welcome place of education for all youths of the neighbouring kingdoms. Well… almost all (but that changed, didn’t it?).
The school is run by none other then the Fairy Godmother, who serves as the Principle and protector of the school. The neighbouring sites and buildings include the Museum of National History, which involves attractions such as magical artifacts like the Genie’s Lamp and Maleficent's Spinning Wheel, as well as statue depictions of history’s most prolific villains like the Evil Queen and Cruella De Vil. Other historical sites include Quasimodo’s Bell Towers and The Cat’s Meow Opera House, run by Madame Bonfamille.
Their neighbouring kingdoms of the state include Églantine Castle, home of Queen Aurora, the famous Sleeping Beauty. She lives with her husband, King Phillip and their daughter Audrey. They serve as members on the Grand Council and take the security of their home very seriously, or at least Queen Leah, Aurora’s mother, does. Églantine is also neighbour to the Fairy Cottage, the place where Aurora was raised and a frequented summer home of the family and the Moors, home of the fairies Flora, Fauna and Merriweather.
The second neighbouring kingdom is Verre de Charme, home to Queen Ella, more famously known as Cinderella. She lives there with her husband, King Christopher Charming and her two children, Chad and Chloe. The Charmings value hard work and compassion above all else and support Ben’s new declaration 100%. Queen Ella herself tends to her gardens personally and always fixes breakfast for the family. Verre de Charme rules and cares for the citizens of their village, Glass House Villa. And every once in a while, Queen Ella sends servants to continue the upkeep of Tremaine Manor, which has been abandoned since Lady Tremaine and her daughters were sent to the Isle of the Lost, something that Ella vehemently protested. Ella was all too happy to invite the Tremaines back into their home when the Isle’s barrier was torn down.
Central Auradon uses little magic in terms of the hard times dealt to King Adam and Queen Aurora, though the good that came of it from Ella’s experience did ease people's concerns about the usage of magic.
New Camelot is an island country that sits North of mainland Auradon, where King Arthur rules as the Once and Future King, living with his wife, Queen Guinevere, in Pendragon Castle. With the help of the great wizard Merlin, Arthur rules Great Albion as a wise and true king. Merlin resides in his cottage,and teaches at Merlin’s Academy for the Magically Inclined.
The village of Nottingham and Sherwood Forest sit near by, home of the altruistic Robin Hood, who works as the sheriff alongside the G.M.D Agency, where Basil the Mouse Detective resides and works on numerous cases, the Dalmatian Plantation Home, run by the Radcliffe Family and their Dalmatians, Pongo and Perdita, where they help many little critters find a new home. There is also Mrs. Darling’s School for Lost Children, a children’s home run by Wendy Darling until they find loving families. And there is a small cottage on the far edge of Nottingham, where Alice from Wonderland is rumoured to live as a recluse.
One thing that is unique about Great Albion is the numerous magical passageways within its land. In the Sherwood Forest, a great tree stands, serving as a passageway to the grand Hundred Acre Wood, a place where toys come to life and sing and dance and indulge in a small smackerel. In the sky, right above New Camelot’s tallest tower, is a passage of stars called the Starway, which would take you straight to Neverland, where you can fly and live out your childhood forever. On the other end of the Sherwood Forest, not too far from Alice’s Cottage, is the Rabbit Hole, which leads straight down to Wonderland, known for its whimsical ways and curious creatures. And finally, in a sheltered lake in the caves of the Sherwood Forest, is a whirlpool which leads to the land of Prydain, known for its mysteries and secrets.
However, these magical realms, while whimsy and exciting, are not to be trifled with lightly; The Hundred Acre Wood is prone to Woozle infestations and should those enter with embittered hearts and joyless imaginations are to be forever trapped in an impenetrable fog. Neverland is only accessible to those that Peter Pan trusts with Pixie Dust, and the children who decide to stay must surrender their shadows to Peter Pan so that they can never grow up. Wonderland is said to be run by a ruthless queen, who sealed off the Rabbit Hole after a violent war with Beast’s armies and Alice reportedly lost her mind after her journey there. And finally, Prydain is home to the most vial dark artefact ever conceived; the Black Cauldron, able to resurrect an army of the dead. As such, it has been encouraged to leave these magical realms to their own devices.
Armed with none other than Excalibur, Arthur protects New Camelot and these realms from those who might do them harm. Or in case such realms decide to perform a hostile takeover.
The Divine Lands is a neighbouring state of Auradon, situated in the southwest of Central Auradon by the coastline. It is under the rule of King Eric and Queen Ariel, the fabled mermaid princess in their kingdom, New Atlantica. What is most fascinating about the Divine Land is that its magic is not from fairies or wizards, but from actual Gods. Ariel herself is the daughter of King Triton and the granddaughter of Poseidon, God of the Seas. With these relations, she is also related to the famed Demigod, Hercules, who resides in the neighbouring village over the hills, New Thebes.
Within the seas, there is the Merpeople kingdom of Atlantica, where Ariel’s father, Triton still rules to this day, with her eldest sister, Attina standing beside him as royal advisor. And in the heavens, rest the kingdom of the Gods, Olympus, where the God of Thunder, Zeus still rules to this day.
The village of New Thebes is also home to numerous temples that were erected in the name of the Gods and the Merpeople, as well as Thatch’s Museum of Ancient History. Though no-one is quite sure where he lives…
Despite sharing a land with the gods, King and Queen Eric and Ariel rule the land, as Hercules advocated that mortals should rule the humans while the gods must only protect them. Ariel was sceptical about accepting Villain Kids into Auradon, but in the end, concluded that Ursula was family, and by extension, so was her daughter, Uma. And she at least deserved a second chance.
Seven Suns Hills is a neighbouring state to Central Auradon, sitting North-East of the crown state, where the famous Queen Snow White rules with a fair hand. She lives in the White Castle, alongside her husband, King Florian and her son, Samuel. It is also home to various sites and stores, including the Seven Dwarves' Cottage and the Diamond Mine where they work, as well as Geppetto and Son’s Little Wooden Heads Workshop.
Their neighbouring kingdom is the Kingdom of Corona, home to the famous Queen Rapunzel and King Eugene, who together govern and care for the village of Old Corona. It is also home to sites such as the Snuggly Ducking Pub, where she and Eugene often go for a time of merriment and fun.
Sitting between the two kingdoms is a woodland forest known as the Great Forest, home to the Great Prince of the Forest, Bambi, a dear friend of Snow White, who frequently drops by on her way to visit the Dwarves during the holidays.
Both Queen Snow and Queen Rapunzel serve as members on the Grand Council and have mixed feelings about leaving all the villains on the Isle, but they were adamant on getting the children away from the Isle, so wholeheartedly agreed with Ben’s proclamation.
Seven Suns Hills share a neutral stance on magic, recognising that it was the user that magic was dependent on, not magic itself. Snow White and Rapunzel have worked hard to make the Seven Suns Hills Kingdom a safe haven for all, with the support and love of their husbands, Florian and Eugene. The Seven Suns Hills Kingdom is a popular place to visit, namely for the wide variety of jewellery and woodwork, as well as the Floating Lights Festival.
Evangeline's Light is a neighbouring state of Central Auradon, situated East of the region, ruled by Queen Tiana and King Naveen, the famous Frog Prince and Princess, who value hard work, the pursuit of your dreams, and the making of new ones. Tiana and Naveen stand out from the crowd of royalty: instead of living in a palace, they live and rule at their restaurant, Tiana’s Place. They are best known for their food, namely Tiana’s ‘man-catching’ Beignets and classic Swamp Gumbo. It is also home to the Foxworth Family and the Rescuers HQ, where they frequently go across the world to save lives. Evangeline’s Light features a diverse landscape that many call home, such as Pearl and her farm animals at Patch of Heaven Farms in the Old West. The Bayou, where Louie the crocodile, the fireflies and Mama Odie’s Boat can be found.
And up in the mountains, where the lights touch the earth, lives Kenai and his bear family nearby the Salmon Run. And just on the outskirts of the coastline, live Lilo and Stitch on their island paradise, Hawaii. Though there is not a lot of magic in this part of Auradon, Evangeline’s Light is no less magical. Under the rule of Queen Tiana and King Naveen, they rule the region with a can-do attitude and a drive for making things better. You just have to dig a little deeper.
They serve as members of the Grand Council and needed some convincing about allowing the children of the Isle of the Lost to live in Auradon. In the end, Tiana and Naveen agreed that it wasn’t fair that the children's dreams were effectively crushed before they could even dream them, and so agreed to allow them to move here.
Agrabah is a far-off land far south of Central Auradon, under the rule of Sultana Jasmine and her husband Aladdin, who, with the help of the Genie, protect the land and its riches from those who wish to exploit it. They govern the city of Agrabah and defend the Cave of Wonders, a far-away, magical cave that hoards and protects the most powerful of treasures. While they are not close neighbours with the states of Auradon, they are close allies.
Deeper south of Agrabah, there is the Pridelands, a vast and powerful savannah where the lions roam and rule, all under the command of King Simba. In the far west lies the jungle home of legendary Tarzan, who protects the jungle and his family group of gorillas. He lives with Jane in his treehouse, and not too far from there is his father-in-law’s Field Lab.
A land with its own unique wonders, whether it’s in the streets of Agrabah, in the Pridelands or in the Jungles of Africa, the land is filled with adventure and hope for a bright future.
A far away in the far East, the Imperial Kingdoms rest. The Emperor earned his voice in the council for distributing weapons and other military means of defence during the War for the After. – The Emperor’s Palace (Home of the Emperor/Capital); Fa Mulan’s Village (Fa Mulan and Li Shang’s Home); Mulan’s Martial Arts and Fencing Academy (Fighting Camp);
The Emperor earned their voice in the council for distributing weapons and other military means of defence, such as swords, bows and arrows and cannons, so long as Mulan serves as his faithful ambassador to the kingdom, as a reward for her service in the war.
The Jungle Rhythm Islands
The Jungle Rhythm Islands is a far-off island situated in the North-West of Auradon, living under the command of the village chief, Mowgli, who protects both the village and the jungle from those who would harm them, be it poachers or animals who break jungle law. Counselled by Bagheera and Baloo, Mowgli acts fast with the pack of wolves to protect them all.
Mowgli frequents the Wolf Den and visits Baloo many times in the Ancient Ruins, which have since been remade into a fun getaway for the animals. He also opened his jungle home to the elephant mother-and-son duo, Jumbo and Dumbo, after they were released into the wild when their circus act was retired. Dumbo quickly assumed control of the herd, due to his miraculous flying abilities.
So, there are my new Origins for Auradon and the structure of the kingdoms. Hope you like it!
Next, I'm gonna pop up my version of the fourth and maybe fifth movie, which will include a little backstory on certain characters.