please rePete that

Peter | he/him | art insta: repetethat

[sarcasticace]

What if (and i realized this might not fit within the confines of the 3-episode per act structure, but stay with me) Viktor stumbles upon the golem that would be Blitzcrank. Partially buried somewhere in the area that would become his commune. Uncovered as they started cleaning up the place. Maybe we pretend Caitlyn's strike team caused a bit more pollution than they were hoping. Some actual consequences. Maybe now under martial law, they use it more from time to time. Just to eliminate major threats. Only sometimes... and it's for the greater good. They're actually helping Zaun when you think about it. Trust them. don't trust them. Viktor knows the golems were used pre-ventilation system to help out. Not just with the Gray, but with general toxic runoff. Can't just 'stop' polluting the undercity, but they might as well clean up after themselves. So thoughtful. Viktor fixes them up. Going back into some science and mechanical engineering. He's been out of touch, but aided with some hexcore magic, baby Blitzcrank is working great! Not the Blitzcrank we know though, but he's getting there. Sometimes, Viktor sends Blitzcrank out on his own. Clean up some areas in the undercity. Maybe encounters Isha once or twice. Maybe she doodles on them. But Blitzcrank isn't quite Blitzcrank just yet.

Skip ahead a few episodes, Jayce literally claws his way out of that pit. That's when he encounters Blitzcrank. Scares him at first, but Blitzcrank is a friend. They is friend shaped. But there's something... different... about them. Something more. The way they reacts to Jayce. The way they moves. The way they follows along when people talk. Blitzcrank helps Jayce reach the peak where they both encounter Wizard Viktor.

Fast forward. We're reaching the finale. The enforcers have captured Blitzcrank.... somehow. Actually, I got it, Blitzcrank was helping Jinx, Vi, and the gang. As he's not fully sentient yet, Viktor didn't have a connection with him, so he was unaffected when Viktor was shot through the heart. When everything was going to shit, Blitzcrank's programming was like... welp, time to go. And tries to help everyone escape, but then everything got worse. In addition to Jinx, Blitzcrank was taken into custody by the Enforcers. They were gonna trash them, but Jayce intervenes. Jayce knows them. This is blitzcrank, a friend, but... not as he remembers them. Anyways, Blitzcrank is under custody. There's a moment of peace before the war happens. Calm before the storm. To relax, Jayce begins tinkering with Blitzcrank. It's been so long. It almost seems like forever ago since he was in the lab, creating Hextech with Viktor. And he's just so curious about Blitzcrank. He notices Viktor's handiwork immediately. Jayce replaces some old tech with modern hextech. Leaving a bit of Viktor's improvements behind. But Blitzcrank won't turn on. Huh. Strange. Jayce ponders this for a moment, but then his attention is drawn to his hammer. Not his hammer, the other him, but still... his hammer. Both originally built as tools. To help people. Now used as a weapon. To hurt and kill. He's made so many weapons. More than he ever intended. Hextech was meant to help people. Oh! An idea. There must be one here somewhere. Jayce finds a hexcrystal. Places it within Blitzcrank's core. And Blitcrank, finally, awakens. New to this world. Equal parts Jayce and Viktor. Their final creation together. Not a weapon, but intelligent life.

Blitzcrank follows Jayce around. If anyone asks, Jayce reprogrammed Blitzcrank. Personal bodyguard. No one questions him. They've got no time. Blitzcrank is present when Viktor arrives. At first, he hardly gives Blitzcrank a second glance. And they are left behind when Viktor takes Jayce upwards. That's a long way up, but Blitzcrank has to follow. They… want to follow. Strange. They wants? Blitcrank tries making his way to the top. The big boy tries so hard. But what's this? Someone is hurt. An unconscious body on his way to the top. Blitzcrank was programmed to help Zaunnites, but.... that's not it. Something more. They... want to help. They will help.

Just when all hope seems lost. Viktor is about to win. In comes Ekko to save the day. But he's not alone. Blitzcrank is there too. Following after Ekko on their short, heavy legs. Oh, sweet boy. They’re trying their best. This is still very much Ekko's fight. Not going take away from that. Ekko is the MVP after-all. Hero of Arcane.

Perhaps Blitzcrank saves Ekko, just once, before getting overwhelmed. They helped a little bit. On impulse, let's say, Viktor's mannequin doll-soldiers tries to assimilate them. And it... works? Viktor connects to Blitzcrank. How strange, but he can't actually control him. He's kinda just... there. Well, doesn't matter, he's captured Ekko too now and nothing can- [rewind] Ekko just disappeared. Where did he... oh, there he is and he's throwing the concentrated power of time at my face.

Epilogue time. Jayce and Viktor are gone. Maybe dead, maybe in another plane of existence. Who knows? That's sad, but Blitzcrank is okay. They return to Zaun. Maybe they’re welcome by the Firelights. Who's to say? But Blitzcrank knows that's where they belong. Patrolling the streets of the undercity. Helping people. Just like their dads wanted. Zaun has a long path ahead to becoming the greatest city Valoran has ever seen.

What do you think? I know Blitzcrank being the lovechild creation of both Viktor and Jayce isn't anything new or original, but I think I came up with something fun that could fit within Arcane canon. You know, if you just... pushed it into place real hard.

[sarcasticace]

Being a fan of scarlet witch and playing marvel rivals sucks because it's kinda obvious they gave up or just didn't care when building her kit. You look at characters like Spiderman, Captain America, blah blah blah and it's like... yeah, they put some thought into how to incorporate the comic character's powers so it FEELS like you're playing spider-man or whoever. AND they're powerful. But then you have scarlet witch. Sorceress supreme. nexus being. chaos witch. Can reshape reality. Arguably one of the strongest characters who isn't like... a cosmic being or whatever. and it doesn't feel like you're that AT ALL. They gave her an auto aim beam (thats not even that powerful). only four hex bolts that need to be recharged. a fade that you can still be killed in because other dps characters are broken. a stun bubble. and her ultimate is more pure destruction then it is pure chaos that literally everyone can cancel because it's so long and obvious when she ults.

And it also sucks when you compare her kit to new characters that are released like black cat, on top of being a really good dive character (like we needed another one of those) also has an entire shop of unique abilities that, let's be honest, should have gone to other characters.

And not to get sidetracked, but it's so funny they made Black Cat a dive character meanwhile Black Widow is just there with only her sniper rifle. A sprint. A big kick AND a grappling hook, but only if you land the big kick first. No normal grappling hook ability. No widow bite. No nothing you normally associate Black Widow with because it FEELS like they needed a sniper and they just slapped black widow onto that character mold.

[spacetravels]

honestly guys i think we’re at a point where it is not only morally right to review bomb an app but necessary cuz there is No way they’re sitting at a 4.5 stars rn

[sarcasticace]

Prediction. I see three different ways The Boys could end... if they don't go this bad satire route that i've been seeing.

The Boys win. Homelander is defeated, killed or de-powered. But the future is uncertain. They'll be a lot of work undoing the damage Homelander has done. And there are still some loose ends. But there is hope. Lots of room for sequels and spin-offs.

The Boys win, Homelander is killed, but most of the boys are also killed too. Leaving only a few survivors. The future is uncertain as it's unknown if the general public will have learned their lesson. History threatens to repeat itself.

Homelander wins and turns his sights on the rest of the world. Worst case scenario. The ending is an extreme, exaggerated warning of what could happen.

[sarcasticace]

Transformers 2023 Issue 32

Okay, so... follow up post to [this response to issue 30]. But basically... I saw a bunch of people criticizing that issue because it made Elita the next Prime. Taking the matrix away from Optimus. My response was basically I thought people were jumping the gun. We should let this play out before we label it bad writing. Obviously this has to be a test for Elita, Optimus, or both. They have to be setting something up.

Then issue 31 comes out. And it seems like Elita Prime made a big mistake. Getting most of the Autobots she just took away from Optimus killed. Got Bumblebee double dead. And when she calls upon the matrix, it ignores her.... then she punches it and it gives her a star saber and makes her, I think, a triple changer. Or at the very least gives her another new powerful alt mode. And she immediately turns things around. Winning the battle single handedly.

Those autobots are still dead and/or serious injured so maybe that'll come back and bite her in the aft, but the fact Elita just... punches... the matrix and it gives her power. I mean, that's kinda cool, but what do you mean Elita can basically abuse the matrix and get cool powers? Still very possible that this is her trial. And the matrix is watching how she conducts herself. In this moment, it was going to give her strength either way, but it wanted to see how Elita requests that strength, you know? It's giving her the chance to be Prime and seeing what she does with it. And at the end it'll be like "bro you punched me to get what you want that's decepticon shit."

I still think we should let it play out, but... I'm getting a bit worried now.

[sarcasticace]

If Bruce Banner is really gonna be in the new spiderman movie then it shouldn't be professor Hulk, it should be banner AND Hulk, okay? Hulk has to be his own character. IDK how they'll do it, just say he had another gamma accident or something. Maybe professor Hulk is just banner with hulk's powers and the real hulk has been hiding. resting. whatever. But they should do it and Hulk should remember Peter. He should know he's spider-man. He should LIKE him.

[udunie]

Okay guys, so on the eve of getting rid of our fucking authoritarian leader, I will tell you how we did it, despite the governments overwhelming media presence and fucking undercover operations against the opposition.

It was actually said best by a Hungarian comic, I'm paraphrasing a bit: If your house is on fire, you can't be like 'well that's not the fireman I imagined'.

I know it's been said a thousand times before, I know everybody is raging against having to vote for a less than ideal candidate, but today has proven that it fucking works. It's the only thing that works. And if the new guy is just a step closer to what you want? That's a fucking win. That's a fucking step in the right direction.

Is Péter Magyar going to usher in gay marriage and UBI? No. But he's not going to ban pride, like Orbán tried. Is he going to cut all ties with Russia? Probably not, but is he going to make sure that we stay in the EU? Fuck yeah. And over Orbán, that's a fucking improvement, and I will take it gladly.

[sarcasticace]

Scarlet Witch skin ideas for Marvel Rivals

My girl scarlet witch needs more skins so here's a completely unbiased list of all the skins she should objectively get as soon as possible.

Scarlet Witch 2023/Hellfire Gala look. Need i give an actual explanation? This design is perfect. One of Wanda's BEST looks imo. And the thing is, apparently, they already adapted this design. But not really. The Emporium Matron skin "first appeared" in X-men Hellfire Gala #1 2022, according to the Marvel Rivals description, except... no it did not. The picture below is what she actually looks like in that comic NOT what we ended up getting. The skin we got is fine, no offense to the artist, but that was a bad adaptation. Almost like they just made up an original skin and felt like it needed to be referenced to a comic look. Bad. Unforgivable. Marvel Rivals MUST go back to this and adapt it properly. No changes. Yes, including the long cosmic hair, but I'll let it pass if they include it as an emote. A looping emote. Make it legendary. I don't care. I'll pay for it, but this is a MUST. Top of the list for a reason. 10/10

2. WandaVision. I do not understand why they went with Multiverse of Madness for Wanda's first MCU skin. Like, I get she has some iconic scenes that make for some good MVP and emotes, but let's be honest... it should have been WandaVision. That's her actual series. For this skin, I imagine they're gonna go for one of the B&W looks which feels appropriate. Maybe Marvel Rivals plans to do this one day but they want to get the B&W effect right first. And they gave us MoM to tide us over. IDK. Maybe they're release it alongside MCU Elsa Bloodstone. BUT my hope is that they'll instead go with the red maternity outfit. That's my favorite look from that series. Though I'd understand why they'd want to avoid designing a pregnant character. BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, this will be a skin for Wanda. Not Wendy. You know?

Also, depending which design they go with, her related emote should be that insane back bend that Elizabeth Olsen does. I mean, come on, that's a no brainer.

3. Age of Ultron, Red Leather Jacket. So, from what I've read, it seems like they're going to do movie events leading up to Avengers Doomsday. If that's the case... Scarlet Witch should totally get a skin for the Age of Ultron movie. That seems like a given. Ultron and Wanda. Now, imo, I think it shouldn't be her actual costume we see at the end of the movie. But the red leather jacket outfit. I have so many issues with MCU Wendy, but the costuming in AoU is very good. If we can't get a WandaVision skin then this should be her MCU skin. And just like above, not for Wendy, but for Wanda.

As for an emote? Depends. If Pietro is added, give her a co-op emote. Something wholesome. I think there should be more co-op emotes for various characters not just Jeff. I get it, he's cute. He's popular. It'll sell. But I'm still right. If Pietro's not added... then it's gotta be ripping out Ultron's heart. Have an Ultron drone fly by, Wanda grabs it and pulls out its mechanical heart. It'll go so hard.

And the MVP should be her coming out of that house and ripping an ultron drone in two. You know the scene. I'm correct.

4. Scarlet Witch vol. 2, 2016. All New, All Different. Okay, enough talking about MCU Wendy. Another iconic look for my love. I mean, this is also perfect. The black stripes going down seemlessly into the pants. The designs alongside the stripes. And the cape. That'll be a theme going forward. capes.

As for an emote. Probably something related to the image below obviously. Wild, powerful chaos energy channelled between her hands.

5. Scarlet Witch, House of M. So, many of you are probably thinking that for this part of Wanda's history, the related skin should be that flowing red gown. And i agree. That's a good look. But counter offer... have you considered this picture? I would also love if they respectfully lean into her romani heritage. Marvel Rivals was good in that it actually made her look, you know, not white... even if they didn't hire a proper VA. And oh boy was Twisted Conjurer a big miss. Wanda needs this. She deserves respect.

But obviously the MVP should be the iconic no more mutants. Like if its not then what are we even doing. They make reference to it in dialogues, but it's GOT to be an MVP.

6. Scarlet Witch, sorceress supreme. Okay, so this isn't my favorite look for Wanda. The design is a bit extra imo. Too much going on, but I would be amiss if I did not include this in my list. If only for the fact that she claims the title of sorceress supreme in 616. I know in lore for marvel rivals, Wanda is already sorceress supreme in the shattered timeline, but... you know. And I do love the cloak attached to her hips. That's a good look.

7. Scarlet witch, x-men evolution. This version of Wanda is not my favorite. But... I know Evolution comes up a lot when it comes to ideas for a skin line. I don't know if it'll happen especially since the characters are teenagers in that series. But those characters have some iconic looks. And I'm talking about their casual outfits. Maybe I'm biased because this was my first exposure to the X-men so it very much colored my perception of the characters. Most people talk about goth rogue because of course, but Scott, Kitty, Kurt, and Jean have some good designs as well. If they do make a skin line for this I imagine they're gonna wait until at least Scott is in the game. So hopefully next season. Fingers cross. But I'd also love it if Kitty and Kurt get a skin too. Even retroactively once they're added. For right now. Rogue, Jean, Scott, Wolverine, and of course my girl Wanda has to be included. Wanda and Wolverine can have their superhero outfits, because those are better, but everyone else... casual designs. Those are their more iconic looks. I'm correct.

8. Wolverine and the X-men. Okay, this look I really like. Especially the cape. And they CANNOT do what they did with Witch of the Evil Eye. She needs the full, long cape. Not a scarf. That's literally the best part. It's very red (and pink), but that's her color.

9. Lore. Did you think I forgot about Lore? Of course not. Every marvel character have their "evil" twisted counterpart and we've gotten a few skins in Rivals so far. Superior Iron Man, Magus Adam Warlock, Maestro, Malice, the Maker. And sure, Wanda got her zombies skin, but I don't exactly count that. The Marvel Zombies should've been a skin line imo, but we only got... Wanda and Blade Knight? Also, while we're on the topic, I feel like they dropped the ball with zombie Wanda's MVP. It was so basic. Off topic. Anyways, Lore is THE twisted counterpart of Wanda. And the color palette? A lot of Wanda's skins are primarily red, so changing it to primarily black with red as the secondary. It would be such a powerful look.

As for her emote, well, you're looking at it. All those shadow creatures on the right.

10. Silver Witch. Aka the universe where Pietro died and Wanda absorbed his powers. We're not going to talk about what else happened in this universe, but... can't deny this would make a really cool skin. We already have a lot of 'Wanda loses her brother' stories, but this a strong direction for that. And Marvel Rivals could go in a lot of interesting directions to adapt it. Probably unlikely, but imo I think it would be a great idea.

11. Scarlet witch, Dark ages. Okay, so this one is a bit of a pull. Very unlikely there will ever be a skin from this universe let alone for wanda. She's in one issue... briefly. And there are other more featured characters with cool designs they'd probably actually make skins for. Iron Man, Spider-man, Venom (Venom/Carnage with Miles host?), and Invisible Woman. But... Wanda looks really good here. The sleeveless suit with the long gloves. And how the black "pants" are higher up in the design. And this design just further proves my point Wanda would look amazing with a full long cape. Make it happen.

12. House of Harkness, Scarlet Witch. Okay, never got around to fully reading this one, I'll admit. But this is a really good design. More reasonable than that last one, I think, but probably still a pull. Probably not gonna happen. Especially since Wanda is a teen in this one. So like Evolution, i don't think Marvel Rivals is gonna touch that considering the way they designs characters. If they DO use this series for a skin, my hope is they do the school uniform. The casual outfits, like below, are VERY good, but the school blazer would represent HoH so much.

Okay and that's all I got for right now. Anything I missed? Please let me know I'd love to see some great looks for Wanda.

[velinxi]

Travelling with a greedy dragon is a pain.

[sarcasticace]

Transformers 2023 issue 30.

I've been seeing A LOT of people criticize this issue for the decision to make Elita 1 the next prime. Taking leadership away from Optimus. Saying it doesn't make sense. That it's bad writing. And though I do agree that, if they play it as it appears, yes it would be bad... I think people are getting too angry too quickly.

Because leading up to that moment, this issue very obviously depicts, to us the readers, WHY Optimus was chosen to be leader of the Autobots. Why he bears the matrix of leadership. Why he was chosen in the first place. And why it should not be Elita-1. At least not yet.

So why, if that's the case, did it pick her? Why did she become Elita-1 despite all that?

Because I think this is a test from the Matrix. Has to be. Either for Elita or Optimus or both.

It doesn't make sense for the matrix to ACTUALLY choose Elita after everything both of them have done in this one issue alone. Elita attacks Optimus. Demanding the matrix. Willing to rip it from his chest. He chooses not to fight back. Only throwing one (1) punch after she strikes Cliffjumper. Optimus allows the chance for leadership to be decided. He doesn't even object when he wasn't chosen. He commits to protecting humans who cannot protect themselves against the Decepticons while Elita 1 calls them insignificant creatures. She essentially exiles them from the Autobots while leaving them to fight Megatron without the Matrix and less fighters.

Like, I have issues with Transformers 2023. I feel like it sets up storylines with characters just to kill them off. But in this regard... I think we have to let them cook, guys. At least to me, it seems kinda obvious THIS is what they're doing. I could be wrong and in that case, I will also heavily criticize this decision, but I think we're jumping the gun.

[jamespotterthefirst]

It's 2026. Choices add a "back" button ⏪

[run-of-the-milf]

I highly recommend watching this testimony from Aliya Rahman, the disabled woman who was dragged out of her car and kidnapped by ICE on her way to a doctor appointment in Minneapolis a few weeks ago.

Truly my worst nightmare.

[liitohauki]

Transcript of Aliya Rahman's speech:

Thank you members, for taking the time to be here today, and thank you staff for making this happen.

My name is Aliya Rahman, and I am a resident of South Minneapolis. I am a Bangladeshi American born in Northern Wisconsin. And I’m a disabled person with autism and a traumatic brain injury.

Not all autistic brains do this, but mine fixates on sounds, numbers, and patterns. And while what the world saw happen to me exactly three weeks ago today on video was a terrible violation it is still nothing compared to the horrific practices I saw inside the Whipple center.

So I am here today with a duty to the people who have not had the privilege of coming home, and I offer this data because these practices must end now.

On January 13th on the way to my 39th appointment at Hennepin County’s traumatic brain injury center, I encountered a traffic jam caused by ICE vehicles and no signs indicating how to get around it. I had not wanted to pull in to a blocked, chaotic intersection, but verbally agreed to do so and rolled down my window after an agent yelled, “Move! I will break your f-ing window!”

His first instruction.

Agents on all sides of my vehicle yelled conflicting threats and instructions that I could not process while watching for pedestrians.

Then, the glass of the passenger side window flew across my face.

I yelled, “I’m disabled!” at the hands grabbing at me and an agent said, “Too late.”

I felt immersed in a pattern, and I thought of Jenoah Donald, an autistic black man killed by the police during a traffic stop in 2021.

I remembered mister Silverio Villegas González, who was killed by ICE in his vehicle last year.

An agent pulled a large combat knife in front of my face, which I thought was for cutting me, and later learned was used to cut off my seat belt. Shooting pain went through my head, neck, and wrists when I hit the ground face first and people leaned on my back.

I felt the pattern, and I thought of mister George Floyd, who was killed four blocks away.

I was carried face down through the street by my cuffed arms and legs while yelling that I had a brain injury and was disabled. I now cannot lift my arms normally.

I was never asked for ID.

Never told I was under arrest.

Never read my rights.

And never charged with a crime.

Approaching the Whipple center, I saw black and brown bodies shackled together, chained together, being marched by yelling agents outdoors. I continued to hear the word “bodies”, because that is how agents referred to us:

“We’re bringing in a body.”

“They’re bringing in bodies 7, 8 at a time, where do I put ‘em?”

“We can’t use that room, there’s already a body in there.”

You have no reason to believe you will make it out alive if you’re already being called a body.

Agents repeatedly had to stop and ask how to do tasks. I received no medical screening, phone call, or access to a lawyer. I was denied a communication navigator when my speech began to slur. Agents laughed as I tried to immobilize my own neck. I asked for my cane and was told no, pulled up by my arms and prodded forward in leg irons by agents laughing and saying, “Walk! You can do it, walk.”

Agents did not know if the facility had a wheelchair.

When I was finally placed in one to be taken to interrogation an agent taunted, “You were driving, right? So your legs do work.”

I pleaded for emergency medical care for over an hour after my vision had become blurry, my heart rate went through the roof, and the pain in my neck and head became unbearable.

It was denied.

When I became unable to speak my cellmate pleaded for me.

The last sounds I remember before I blacked out on the cell floor were my cellmate banging on the door, pleading for a medic, and a voice outside saying, “We don’t wanna step on ICE’s toes.”

When I opened my eyes at Hennepin County’s emergency room, I learned I was brought there to be treated for assault.

The impacts of DHS detention on my physical, mental and financial well-being and safety have been very severe, but I do not deserve more humane treatment than anyone else, US citizen or not. And I am here today with a strong spirit and a duty to the many people who haven’t had the privilege to tell their stories or see their loved ones come home. I am extremely distressed by the pattern that violence from law enforcement has been happening to black and indigenous communities for centuries, and to DHS survivors for over 20 years.

We call ourselves a civilized nation, but we lack rules and accountability around what a person claiming to be law enforcement is permitted to do to another human being.

I am not afraid, and I’m not afraid to keep working on this problem even after ICE is gone. Thank you for your time.

[abdalsalam2000]

This is not Horosh; this is Gaza, home to 2 million people.

[abdalsalam2000]

This is Gaza, where I live. It's completely destroyed, lacking any basic necessities of life. My father is living through the worst days of his life here in this hellish existence. There's no water, no food, no medicine—everything is practically nonexistent. My father suffers from cancer and recently had a heart attack; his condition has deteriorated significantly.

[abdalsalam2000]

I implore you, whoever is reading this post, please don't ignore me or my father's suffering. Your donation will help us escape from here. Please donate now so my father and the rest of my family can live in peace. Please help us and donate to us now.

[punkitt-is-here]

Please help out my friend Nader! He is a sweetheart who I love talking to. I want him and his family to get out of their situation as safely as possible.

[abdalsalam2000]

Please don't ignore us. Your help is our only hope of staying alive, leaving Gaza, and living a decent life. Please donate.

[bovineblogger]

my brother nader and his family is trapped in gaza. they are struggling and need supplies. please donate if you can. <3

[bluueejayart]

Wanda Django Maximoff; as seen in blueejayart'S AU of Captain America: Civil War (ca:cw)

(I forgot her necklaces in the first one T_T)

[bluueejayart]

Wanda Django Maximoff ; as seen in Captain America: Civil War

( or, more accurately, bluueejayart 's alternate universe / AU retelling of CA:CW with significant changes )

Included is an animated video and a still frame of the same shot.

[sarcasticace]

Avatar is so weird because on top of all the shit the humans are doing to the Na’vi and Pandora, they also took DNA samples of the Na’vi to grow brain dead, uncanny valley hybrid puppets for their scientists and soldiers to walk around in because even in the future humans are so whiny about having to wear masks.

[raeynbowboi]

Dating Disney: Beauty and the Beast

Beauty and the Beast features my favorite love story and my favorite Disney Princess, so it holds a very special spot in my heart. So, it’s worth looking into the film to decide when the Movie is supposed to be set.

During the opening musical number “Belle”, Belle is telling the Baker about the book she’s been reading. She’s clearly describing Jack and the Beanstalk, the earliest version being the tale of “Jack Spriggins and the Enchanted Bean” in 1734. But she also deliberately mentions an ogre, not a giant. Near as I could find, the only version with an ogre was written by Joseph Jacobs in 1890, making Belle nearly contemporary to modernity. Belle’s excitement over the book is likely a sign that this is a new story.

During the same musical number, we see a sign depicting a tobacco pipe, but unlike with the Calabash pipe from the Little Mermaid movie. I could place it to possibly be a Billiard type, but the exact era of creation escapes me. However, tobacco pipes have been around as long as Tobacco has been introduced to European trade, starting in the 16th century.

The history of colored printing goes as far back as the 16th century, and there are illustrations from the early 1700s with an impressive variety of color that help establish a stronger time period. The book also shows the words Le Prince Charmant or Prince Charming. Prince Charming started being used in 1697 in Charles Perrault’s version of Sleeping Beauty, although there, Prince Charming was not a name. Rather, Perrault stated that the Prince was charmed by her words. The first story to use Prince Charming as a name is the Tale of Pretty Goldilocks. It was written at some point in the 17th Century by Madame d’Aulnoy, but in her version the hero was named Avenant. It wasn’t until 1889 when Andrew Lang retold the story that Avenant was dubbed as Charming. One year later in 1890, Oscar Wilde used the term “Prince Charming” sarcastically in his novel “The Picture of Dorian Gray”, meaning that the term had gotten its more modern meaning by this point in time.

Gaston’s musket is a Blunderbuss, which was invented in the early 1600′s and remained popular through the 18th century before falling out of fashion in the middle of the 19th century. However, considering Belle states that this is a backwards town and Gaston is an old-fashioned, Primeval man, it’s possible he’s using a largely outdated weapon.

While there are no street lamps in the city, we can see in the background lanterns on the sides of buildings, which might allude to the movie taking place before the invention of gas lamps. However, gas lamps were invented in 1809, and if the version of Jack and the Beanstalk is from 1890, then by all accounts the town should have gas lamps. What this amounting evidence is leading me to believe is that the film is directly following the plot of the original fairy tale.

In the story, Beauty’s father is a merchant who loses his fortune due to a storm destroying his cargo. They’re forced to live on a farm until the merchant stumbles upon the Beast’s castle and kick starts the plot. In the opening song, Belle says “every morning’s just the same, since the morning that we came, to this poor, provincial town.” This could mean that she grew up in a much more modern, urban, and progressive town. Possibly even Paris. But that after Maurice suffered severe financial trouble, he was forced to move them to the small, backwards town that was practically living an entire century behind the rest of France, which is why she’s so bored and unimpressed by the little town. It helps explain why she’s so eager to want to get out of this town and see the world. She wants to be part of the modern world again.

Interestingly, I can support this theory with background information. According to some of my research, Belle’s village was based on the little town of Riquewihr, France, which still looks like it did in the 16th century to this day. So the idea that Belle’s little village lacks so many modern elements could be a nod to the architecture of this sleepy French village that has remained largely untouched by the march of time. Hence why it looks more like something out of the 1700s despite the many elements from the 1800s being present.

During the song “Be Our Guest”, Lumiere dances with a match stick. Match sticks were invented in 1805. Assuming the film still takes place in the 1890s, this would be concurrent with the other evidence we’ve seen thus far. Later in the same song, the silverware makes an Eiffel tower, which was constructed in 1889. Since Jack and the Beanstalk was written after that, it still fits within the suspected time frame.

During the climax of the battle, Cogsworth is wearing military garments reflective of Napoleonic styles. Napoleon was coronated in 1804 until 1814, had a brief return to power in 1815, and eventually died in 1821. So this is also congruent to the established time period.

In the Youtube Video “Fashion Expert Fact Checks Belle from Beauty and the Beast’s Costumes” by Glamour, April Calahan, a Fashion Historian from the Fashion Institute of Technology directly noted that Belle’s yellow gown lacks the shape of a proper 18th century dress, and more closely resembles the shape of 19th century dresses, fitting into the evidence that’s been mounting in support of a late 19th century setting.

As a part of his primary costume, Lefou wears a waistcoat and tailcoats, which came into vogue in the 1800s, namely from the 1840s through the 1850s.

But if the film is set in the 1800s, how can the Beast still be a prince after the French Revolution? Well something worth noting is that when he finds out that Belle isn’t coming to dinner, the Beast storms through the halls to her room as Cogsworth calls after him as “Your Eminence” and “Your Grace”. The address of “Your Eminence” is reserved for Cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church, and is an ecclesiastical style of address. “Your Grace” is noticeably an English style of address, but it’s being used by Cogsworth who is British, so I can chalk that up to just part of his culture. Although it was used for British monarchs, it fell out of use during the reign of King Henry VIII (1509-1547) and after that, the use of “Your Grace” became used to address archbishops and non-royal Dukes and Duchesses. Now clearly the Beast is not a cardinal or a bishop, especially if he is looking for the love of a woman to make him human, since it’s forbidden for Catholic priests to marry. So clearly that is not what is meant here. But the other answer actually does hold a bit of weight. Beast’s father was in fact, a Duke. So how is the Beast a prince? He’s not. Not entirely. See, there’s more than one kind of Prince in French nobility. There’s a Prince du Sang, or a Prince by Blood. Effectively, the Crown Prince, the sons of ruling monarchs. But the title is also given to lords in charge of a Principality, one of the smallest territorial sizes. The Beast’s principality probably only extends to having power over the little unnamed village. And with it being after the revolution, Beast might not even have the proper use of his title anymore. He’s effectively a rich kid in a fancy house with no real authority or power. He’s just old money from a by-gone era of human history. But if Beast’s address of “Your Grace” is accurate, that would mean that he’s a non-royal Duke, meaning he would not likely have been executed during the Revolution, as his family would have essentially been governors or senators than actual monarchs. They just had jurisdiction over a small piece of the Kingdom of France and reported back to and obeyed the orders of their King. Thus, he would not have been important enough to be killed or chased out of power by the townsfolk.

CONCLUSION

The movie is set between the late autumn and early-to-mid winter of 1890. Although the snow is gone when Belle returns to the village, the trees are still bare, signaling that it may just be unseasonably warm, though it could be the very early spring of 1891 between the receding of the snow and the blossoming of new spring foliage. Between the books, clothing, and references made, my conclusion is that Belle is a very modern girl living in a backwards little town stuck in the past, thus why a village in 1890 looks so completely lacking in modern technology despite the era. The Prince is nothing more than a fancy title as the son of a Duke, and he likely has very little if any actual government authority. Essentially, Belle married into wealth, not power, and will never be a proper queen, and I’m not sure if the wife of a lord ruling a principality is a princess or not, but I suspect the answer is no. Making Belle, like Mulan, a Disney Princess who did not marry royalty, was not born royalty, and thus, cannot be called a Disney Princess. She’s definitely a noblewoman, but she’s not royal by any means.

SETTING: Riquewihr, France

KINGDOM: The French Republic (France)

YEAR: Autumn, 1890 - Spring, 1891

PERIOD: The Third Republic (1870-1940)

LANGUAGE: French

[therobotmonster]

This would also explain why no one in the town seems to care that their regent hasn’t been seen in years. 

[ayellowbirds]

i’m losing my mind at the concept that Belle will very likely live to see the first World War, barring other catastrophe.

[rudywiser]

Belle is 17 years old at the beginning of the film. If the film takes place in 1890, she’ll only be 41 years old when Duke Ferdinand is shot some 800 miles away. The Beast is barely four years older than Belle. He’ll be 45. 

According to the Encyclopedia Britannica (by way of Wikipedia), “costly battles on the Western Front forced France to conscript men up to the age of 45.” It’s not impossible that The Beast sees combat during WWI. Trench warfare, gas warfare, no man’s land, all the horrors of front line at the dawn of the 20th century. It’s entirely possible that Belle signs up with the Red Cross as a nurse, maybe utilizing a mechanical aptitude inherited from her father to aid in the war effort.

When Germany invades Poland, Belle and The Beast will be 56 and 60, respectively. In the spring of the following year, the Nazis invades France. They occupy castles and large estates across France, to use as both bases of operation and as strongholds to hoard stolen wealth (in the form of gold and art) and political hostages.

Would Belle and the Beast fight off Nazi invaders from their home? They’ve defended it before, but is there enough magic left in those old walls to mount a defense? Or would they flee their chateau, go underground, and use what remaining assets they have to aid La Résistance?

Do they have children, and if so what’s become of them in this time of war?

Listen, what I’m getting at here is that since they’re both Disney properties, there’s an entirely justifiable team up between Beauty and the Beast and Captain America.

[panthere-bleu]

Came for the analysis, rebligged for that last sentence.