do you have any ideas for a Brave 2? i really want a sequel
I’m never sure if I really want a sequel to Brave or not, but if there was one and I had supreme godly powers over the narrative? Oh my god, hold onto your buttcheeks mate.
There are so many loose ends I want to see tied up and, erm, non-bear oriented Scottish mythology to be tackled.
First the major loose ends.
- You don’t fuck with the stones
In Scottish folklore, custom, and tradition you just don’t mess with old stones. Hell I’m not even that superstitious, but you wouldn’t catch me drawing so much as a handlebar moustache on an old standing stone (mind you, I am a coward). People are still superstitious about standing stones today. Not so long ago in the 1960s there was a building site in my town that caused a lot of anger in the neighbourhood because they had moved an ancient standing stone. They were eventually forced to move it back (right smack bam in front of the house they had built).
A great deal of mystery surrounds the purpose of these megaliths. Were they used in Bronze Age rituals? If so, what about the older sites, such as the Callanish Stones (the inspiration for the stone circle in Brave) which were erected in the Neolithic era? Were stone circles a kind of early lunar observatory? Did they align with surrounding mountain ranges? The explanations in folklore are just as numerous: the Grannie Stone in Irvine tells the story of a Goddess turned to stone. Sometimes the stones are said to be haunted by faeries or ancestors, or they were giants turned to stone after refusing to convert to Christianity. In other stories the stones are soldiers- private armies ready to be called upon by their master. In these tales bad things tend to happen to those who harm the stones.
The climax of Brave saw Mor'du being crushed by the stone Elinor had broken, thus symbolically breaking the cycle of violence. But if we’re to follow the logic of Scottish lore, not only has a stone been felled, but a sacred circle has been broken. There could be consequences to that. Can’t imagine the Bear Witch would be much chuffed with it either. Seriously, there are tons of stories you could pull from this. Get on it, Pixar!
- Elinor’s necklace
At first Elinor’s necklace seemed to be important to be the plot. After all, we see Elinor wearing it in the film’s very first scene. In the end its purpose was largely symbolic. But maybe there’s more to explore there? The witch was certainly quick to snap it up. Maybe there’s a reason why… The necklace bore a symbol of three bears chasing each other endlessly, much like the Ouroboros symbol, and the stone circle that features in the film. However, once Merida gives away her mother’s necklace to the witch we never hear nor see of it again. So Brave ends with the stone circle broken and the necklace bearing an infinity symbol lost. Definitely something to work with there! Add to that is Elinor’s crown. We never see her reclaim it (but I guess that’s also symbolic of her own personal journey and changing attitude to her role as Queen and mother).
- The Ex-Suitors
I really, REALLY hate Once Upon a Time’s portrayal of the suitors. It’s just too easy, too obvious and too insulting to portray the young lords as stupid, arrogant dudebros who disrespect Merida because she’s a woman. How about a story where Merida and the young heirs have to put aside their differences and work together, preparing the four of them as future leaders? There’s a ton of stuff you could work with here. When we last see them, Wee Dingwall is slobbering kisses up Merida’s arm, MacGuffin has struck up a strong friendship with MacIntosh, and if we’re to take the cut epilogue from the artbook as canon (which I do as it explains certain things in the movie), Merida sees something in Young MacGuffin. I wouldn’t want a sequel to be a romance, however. I like the idea of hinting at Merida and MacGuffin as a future couple, without their romance leading a sequel or even being a major sub-plot.
I think one of the reasons Brave wasn’t so popular with audiences was its narrow focus on two characters: Merida and her mother. Now I personally love that. We rarely get mother/daughter stories that are adventurous and fun and genuine. But I wouldn’t want a sequel to have the same narrow focus. As Merida grows, her world should expand and a sequel should reflect this, developing relationships with people outside her family. Her ex-suitors are perfect for this. When we’re first introduced to them, they appear very one dimensional. MacIntosh is arrogant, MacGuffin is shy, and Dingwall is …uhm. Odd. By the end of the film, like Merida they are revealed to be more than first meets the eye: MacGuffin may be shy, but he’s also empathetic and kind, aware of the unfair situation the suitors and Merida have been forced into. MacIntosh may be arrogant, but he also cares deeply for his father and shows signs of great leadership. Dingwall is surprisingly lucid, even eloquent - despite his vague stares, he has strong views on his situation. They’re far from fully-fleshed out characters, but there’s enough there to build on. After all, if Brave is partly about not judging people by first appearances, then it would be good to explore and challenge audience expectations. Just because MacIntosh is arrogant and a bit of a git doesn’t mean he can’t have heart. Just because Dingwall is a bit of an oddball doesn’t mean he can’t be observant and clever. Just because MacGuffin is shy and fat doesn’t mean he can’t be brave or a romantic interest.
You’ve also got the makings of a cracking comedic set up with Merida and the young lords. Imagine Dingwall as this cunning Machiavellian strategist who also has a tendency of breaking into sonnet around Merida; MacGuffin trying desperately to keep the peace between MacIntosh and Merida who constantly pit their egos against each other; the occasional sweetly awkward moment between Merida and MacGuffin, with typical gender roles completely reversed (think MacGuffin damsel in distress XD); MacIntosh being the butt of every joke, but too enamoured with himself to realise. Each character should present some kind of challenge for Merida or support her in what she lacks. MacIntosh’s big ego presents a challenge to her own pride and ego. Where Merida tends to be a bit hot-blooded and quick to jump, Dingwall hangs back and observes. MacGuffin is humble and shy, where Merida is bold and brave. He is the antithesis to Merida’s stubbornness and opens up potential romantic feelings which are entirely new to her and take adjusting to.
Ultimately, I think the focus of a Brave sequel should take its lead from the first. Brave is largely a film about family, coming of age, and the connection we have to the rest of the world. The tapestry in Brave symbolises our interconnectedness - our decisions don’t just affect our own fates, but the fates of those around us (especially if you’re a privileged person with power). So a sequel should really be the next chapter in Merida and her kingdom’s story. What are the consequences of the first film’s ending? The stone circle is broken. Could that be symbolic of a threat to the unity of the four clans? After all, the Lords didn’t exactly intend their sons to stop competing for Merida’s hand.
Merida has had her first real taste of leadership and that should definitely be built upon. Will she be the future leader and Queen of Dunbroch, or will that title fall to one of her three brothers? Her relationship with her mother has changed, so how about exploring her relationship with her father? Fergus never believed in magic and his ignorance almost led to the death of his wife by his own hand. Would he blame the Bear witch? I can also totally see Fergus secretly preparing Merida to take his place when he’s gone, with or without Merida’s knowledge. How would the four Lords feel about that when it’s revealed?
I think if Brave was to get a sequel it should be part of a trilogy, with each film marking a new turning point and chapter in Merida’s life. This would tie in nicely with the recurring number 3 in the film: the symbol of the three bears on Elinor’s necklace, the triplets, Merida’s relationship with her parents, the three lords, the three clans, the three suitors. If this is Merida’s story, then her relationship with each of the aforementioned should be the focus of a trilogy. And I think at the forefront of that should be her relationship with the three young lords. The kingdom was forged in Fergus’s friendship with MacIntosh, MacGuffin and Dingwall. Therefore, if Merida is to lead then the second part of her story should be about challenging her (and the audiences’) first impressions of the young lords and forging a bond with them, strengthening the kingdom and thus symbolically repairing the broken stone circle.
The second part of the trilogy should also introduce a major conflict which has its roots in the first film. Maybe there’s a looming threat on the horizon; a supernatural threat i.e. the broken stone circle (could be symbolic of the threat to the four clans unity?) or the threat of invaders? Maybe it’s both?
So yeah, I think there are a TON of things you could do with Brave. I know it’s not one of Disney Pixar’s more popular films, but that’s easy to fix. Merida continues to be a fan favourite, so expanding the scope of her story would be a risk worth taking. Definitely more so than Cars 3 or Toy Story 4. -_-
