Welcome to Broadway’s Finest “Foe-lies”: a tribute to some of the best villain songs from the world of musical theatre! (No Disney songs allowed; already did two lists for those.) Today, our countdown begins in earnest, as I begin ranking up my Top 31 Favorite Villain Songs from Broadway, the West End, and Beyond!
TODAY’S LYRICAL HINT: “Under the smiles, under the fun, I’m Public Enemy Number One!”
NUMBER 31 IS: C.B., from Starlight Express.
“Starlight Express” is arguably the weirdest musical ever created by Andrew Lloyd Webber, and one of the trickiest to pull off, for lots of reasons. It’s also an example of something we’ll see a couple of times over the course of this countdown: the ever-changing nature of theatre. One of the interesting things about theatre that makes it so unique from virtually any other form of media is how it evolves and changes over the years: not only is every separate performance different, by nature of it being live, but as time goes on different elements of various plays will be focused on. For example, there are numerous cuts and edits to the works of William Shakespeare, and people have set those plays, aesthetically, in all kinds of new locations and time periods.
However, Shakespeare has been…well…kind of DEAD for several centuries. It’s not entirely surprising people will adjust things over time to fit their ideas, since his work has been in the public domain for a very long time. It’s honestly so much more interesting to me to see how more recent productions, such as musicals of more contemporary eras, get changed and fixed up and adjusted and so on over time, as not only companies but the composers and other creative minds will find new ways to tell the story they want to tell, and perform the songs they want to perform.
In the case of “Starlight Express,” while the basic story has remained the same since 1984, so much of this show has been changed, retooled, and retroactively adjusted over time. There are songs and characters who keep popping up and disappearing again, and even when they do show up, they don’t always appear in the same form as they did initially. Nowhere is this constant string of evolution more evident than in the titular villain for my first big choice on the countdown, C.B.
In the original “Starlight Express,” C.B. is the name given to the Red Caboose of the model railway the whole story takes place on. The play is inspired by “Thomas the Tank Engine,” and C.B. seems to be this universe’s version of the Spiteful Brakevan or the Troublesome Trucks: he’s a piece of rolling stock whose greatest delight is causing chaos by forcing trains to crash and wreck. The big difference is that C.B. is a very manipulative and duplicitous character: for much of the show, he actually seems like a fairly decent guy…but suddenly it’s revealed he’s arguably the most evil character in the entire play, showing sadistic glee and wicked pride in his many “achievements” as he dances and sings his own praises. He’s always able to get away with his villainous deeds because no one ever suspects that the sweet, humble, cheerful red caboose at the back of the train could be responsible for sending engines plummeting off bridges, or forcing them into head-on collisions, or running right into the waiting traps of train robbers. In short, C.B. is a psychopath.
He also doesn’t always appear in the show. As the years have gone by, various productions of “Starlight Express” across the globe sometimes keep C.B. and sometimes don’t. And even when they do, his role isn’t always the same: sometimes he’s a fairly minor character, rather than one of the main antagonists. In the most recent version I’m aware of, C.B. is replaced with a new character - an oil tanker named Slick - who even sings their big villain song with some changed lyrics (and a different title, "Wide Smile, High Style"). It’s not surprising why this character is so infrequent, since Starlight Express is - to be perfectly honest - kind of an “overstuffed” show. The plot is pretty simple, and I think it overcompensates (and overcomplicates) things by throwing tons and tons of characters, subplots, and so forth into the mix that don’t always gel. I will say though, I think that of the major antagonists in the play, C.B. is the one I’m the most interested in, and he gets - in my humble opinion - the most fun villain song out of all of them.
Tomorrow, the countdown continues with Number 30!
LYRICAL HINT: “The morning will come when the world is mine!”
Hello! Searching hard for this fic that I think was on A03 but I can't quite find. It was long and complete.
It's an au with like, prince/assassin Kurogane and Prince/Priestess (I think) Fai. I think they're rival kingdoms but I could be wrong. Either way Kurogane is captured trying to kill Fai and they slowly fall in love and it's revealed that they're like, representative of a dragon and Phoenix gods that were lovers. At one point Kurogane is training for years in his powers but when he comes back no time has passed for Fai.
"I'm not alone and neither are you." - Doctor Strange Supreme/Peggy
Rearranged (AO3)
Fanfiction
Fandom: Marvel's What If...?
Rating: PG-13ish
Warnings/Triggers: None
Ship: Doctor Strange Supreme/Captain Carter
Peggy closed the refrigerator door then didn’t bother holding back her gasp when she saw Stephen Strange had been concealed in the kitchen doorway just behind it. “Bloody hell, Stephen! It’s a good thing my heart isn’t actually a hundred and two years old or you’d have a dead woman on your hands.”
The Sorcerer Supreme gave her a semi-apologetic smile. “Sorry, Peggy, I couldn’t resist.” He was dressed in his regalia and she immediately went on full alert.
“Just give me a moment to change and grab my gear.” I can do a lot of things in my pajamas but defending the Multiverse isn’t one of them.
“It’s not a mission.”
Peggy immediately relaxed. “I don’t understand,” she said as she put the leftover pizza she’d retrieved on a plate then carried it to the microwave. “If it’s not a mission, why are you here? Not that I mind, except when you nearly scare me out of my wits, but you’re not known for being social.” Being a recluse, on the other hand…
He gave her one of the amused half-smiles that she always loved. “You forgot?”
“Forgot what? Oh…”
Stephen chuckled. “Yes, it’s your week for sorcerer-sitting.”
After pressure from Peggy and the others, the Watcher had agreed that Stephen’s part in saving the Multiverse from Ultron absolved him of destroying his home universe. Stephen, though, felt he should not be left alone, so everyone agreed that he would alternate staying with each Guardian for a week at a time.
Peggy smiled sheepishly. “Sorry, I forgot what day it is. The guest room’s ready, just-washed sheets and everything. Have you had dinner?”
He eyed her chicken-and-pineapple pizza. “I’ll have some of that if there’s more.”
Peggy smiled a bit. “Plenty. Go get settled and I’ll make this a proper dinner.”
“Will do.” He left the room with a swish of his purple, black, and gold cape.
I see Dr. Dramatic is in residence once again, she thought, grinning to herself, as she went back to the fridge. Over the year that had passed since the Guardians had saved the Multiverse, she and Stephen had become good friends, to the point that gentle ribbing was second nature to both of them.
By the time Stephen came back in the room in gray pajama pants and a faded navy blue t-shirt, Peggy had the pizza reheated to perfection, a quick garlic bread made, and wine poured. They settled on the couch in front of the TV and after a short debate, they both agreed on Great British Bake Off.
“If you need me to make myself scarce at any point while I’m here,” Stephen said casually, his eyes on the television, “just say the word.”
Peggy raised an eyebrow. “You mean if I bring a date home?”
“Yep,” he said, his gaze turning to his food.
She sighed quietly. “I’ve given up on dating.” Not that you can call a string of blind dates that go absolutely nowhere “dating.”
Stephen choked on the bite he’d just taken for a second then he swallowed and stared at her. “What? Why? Trust me, Peggy, you don’t want to be like me – alone. You don’t deserve that.”
“I’m not alone and neither are you,” she said gently but firmly. “I have friends, good friends, both here and across the Multiverse.” She smiled a bit and lightened her tone. “As do you – do you think we welcome you into our homes out of duty? You’re our friend, Stephen.”
“It’s not the same,” he muttered as he turned back to the TV, brooding. “You know it’s not.”
She couldn’t help smiling at the picture he made – a grown man brooding like a sullen goth teenager, his pajama pants and t-shirt grey and blue instead of black, and his feet bare. He’s the most powerful man in the Multiverse but at the moment, he looks like he just needs a cuddle. Oi, where’d that come from? None of that, Peg. Teammates are off-limits. “I didn’t know my love life was that important to you. Or are you this concerned about everyone’s love lives?”
Stephen rolled his eyes but kept his gaze on the screen. “Everyone else can handle their own, it’s you I’m worried about.”
She couldn’t help being touched. “That’s sweet, really, but why?”
“We … we have a lot in common.”
Peggy thought about their traumatic past relationships. “That we do, but I trust you’ll find the right person at the right time.” She smiled a bit, amused. “You don’t trust me that way?”
He finally looked at her, his pale blue eyes much more solemn than leftover pizza on a Friday night called for. She would have blamed it on the wine if she hadn’t known Stephen so well. The sadness will always be a part of him, I think.
“I think you could end up like me,” he said quietly, “full of regret.”
She scooted closer to take his hand. “Everyone has regrets, Stephen. You’ve turned your life around.”
He let out a short, bitter laugh. “You think so? I can’t even get up the courage to make myself a new home. I don’t trust myself to do anything but fall back on old and really bad habits.”
An idea came to her, one so perfect she wondered why it hadn’t occurred to her sooner. “You can make a home here. I have the space and more than enough money to provide for both of us.” She smiled at the thought of coming home to him every day. “Not to mention, I could use the company. Your company, specifically.”
He stared at her. “You want me to move in permanently?”
“Why not?”
“My past aside, having a male roommate will definitely hurt your love life, for one.”
That’s when Peggy knew exactly what she really wanted, and what she wanted was Stephen Vincent Strange. She smiled a bit. “You never know, my love life could drastically improve because of this arrangement.” She was still holding his hand and she gently squeezed it.
It took the genius neurosurgeon-turned-sorcerer a moment to understand but when he did, the full, happy soft smile he gave her was so very welcome.
Why are the number 31 and 13 important in satanic groups?
The Moon travels an average of 13 degrees a day and there are 13 weeks between the equinoxes and the solstices.
On October 13, 1307, that Friday the 13th would become a day meaning bad luck. The Knights Templar raid occurred on this date.
The number 13 became a number of fear and superstition because the 13th card of the Tarot is the card of Death.
13 was the characteristic number of participants in many orders and occult groups, including sacred meals. Some modern covens may have 13 members, but most range in size from four to 20 members. Covens usually conduct their meetings at the full moon, which occurs 13 times a year.
In the occult science of numerology the belief is, “He who understands the number 13 will be given power and dominion. It is a number of upheaval and destruction; a symbol of power which, if wrongly used, will wreak havoc and destruction upon itself.”
In Norse mythology, Loki causes chaos as the uninvited 13th guest at a feast for the gods.
In the Bible, Judas Iscariot is the 13th person at the Last Supper.
Thirteen was also important to the Egyptians, who believed that life has 13 stages, the last of which is death -- the transition to eternal life.”
Genesis 14:4, “Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.” The number 13 represents rebellion.
31 doesn’t have much meaning in the occult, it’s the reversal of the number thirteen and on October 31 is Halloween.
In the Gematria 3 = Divine Completeness 31 = Offspring
