Erik: (lying in his coffin with his eyes turned towards the ceiling) So let it be done. Before I leave this cruel, accursed world, Christine, I want you to know that you are the very fibre of my being and I love you. I love you like the sky loves it's stars, like the ocean loves the heavens it strives up to kiss each time it rises, my beautiful angel. Let these be my last words, spoken into the silence, with only you and my fettered conscience as the witness.
Christine: (turning book page serenely) Thank you, Erik, but for heaven's sake and for the last time, you have the common cold.
There's a YouTuber named Katherine Steele who mostly makes videos about musical theatre, and who has a small video series in defense of ingenue characters, titled "Why Everybody Hates..."
There are four videos in the series: "Why Everybody Hates Cosette" (Les Misérables), "Why Everybody Hates Christine" (The Phantom of the Opera), "Why Everybody Hates Johanna" (Sweeney Todd), and "Why Everybody Hates Maria" (West Side Story).
Some other sources – like TV Tropes, for example – have cited those videos to talk about why these characters are "widely" disliked.
But is it really true? Of all four of those musicals' fandoms, I've only been deep in the Les Misérables fandom, but from what I've seen people say about the others, I had no idea that those ingenue characters got big amounts of hate!
Being indifferent to the character doesn't count as hate, nor does considering her unoffensive but boring.
Do Johanna and Maria get the same kind of real loathing in the diehard Sweeney Todd and West Side Story fandoms that we see in the Les Mis fandom with talk about "that horrid Cosette," "I hate her with a passion," etc?
There is a lot of visceral, venomous Cosette-hate in the Les Mis fandom, or at least there used to be in the '90s and early 2000s. But it has a cause: Éponine. Immature people hate Cosette because she's loved by Marius, when they want him to love Éponine instead. (And to a lesser extent because she "abandons" her father Jean Valjean, but that's more the novel's Cosette than the musical's.)
I know that there's also some Christine hate among Phantom Phans, which is also love-triangle related: they hate her for choosing Raoul instead of the Phantom.
But I had no idea that Sweeney and WSS fans were venomous about Johanna or Maria – are they?
From what little I've seen of Sweeney fans, I've occasionally seen them call Johanna boring or a Mary Sue (and even then, the context has been "I always thought she was, but then [insert actress here] made me appreciate her"). But for the most part, I see people talk approvingly about how she's more complex than an average ingenue, how she can be played as mentally unstable, etc.
And Maria? Yes, there are the people who can't stand how quickly she forgives Tony for killing Bernardo. (Although that complaint only seems to have become widespread with the 2021 film's release – I remember occasionally reading it in the past, but not nearly as much as now.) But apart from that, and from sometimes seeing people call both Maria and Tony boring, I had no idea that anyone hated her! And if you think she had no characterization but "pretty and nice" until the 2021 film, then you've been giving both the stage version and the 1961 film a shallow surface read! She's always had intelligence, playfulness, passion and strength!
I'd like people who have been deep in the fandoms of these musicals to tell me. Is there really a widespread problem of loud, venomous hate for all these ingenue characters, the way there has been for Cosette in the Les Mis fandom? Or is it really just a few people calling them "boring" now and then, with only the love triangles in Les Mis and Phantom making people nastier about Cosette and Christine?
The Hidden Plot: A Tale of the Phantom of the Opera Fandom
It’s here!! My write up on the infamous Hidden Plot about the 2004 Phantom of the Opera movie! I know I said I wanted to put this on the r/hobbydrama subreddit, but I’m not sure it meets their guidelines, so I’m posting it here on Tumblr.
Disclaimer: If you come across any of the people mentioned in this write up, do NOT bother them. This is silly and strange, yes, but is ancient fandom history and is also relatively harmless. Be nice and don’t hassle online strangers. Now, on to the story.
——
The Beginning of the Journey:
Allow me to set the scene: It is the late 2000s. It is after school, and you are a young teen with too much internet access and no social life. What do you do? You go visit one of your favorite forums to lurk on — phantomoftheopera.com.
You browse around for a bit, trying to decide what thread you’d like to read. You settle on one that’s something about a hidden plot and symbolism in the 2004 adaptation of the Phantom of the Opera musical.
As you begin to read, you are very confused. The author of this thread is talking about lens flares, lighting, and camera angles all pointing to a secret, secondary plot hidden within the movie. All of this, the OP says, was completely intentional on the director’s part. Even though you are at an age where you’ll believe some pretty far fetched stuff, this still sounds TOO out there for you.
Unknowingly, you have stumbled across what has infamously become known in the POTO fandom as the Hidden Plot.
Explaining the Hidden Plot (Kind of):
You may be asking, “What exactly IS the Hidden Plot?”
Good question, and one that is a little complicated to answer due in part to the fact that many sites that hosted threads about the Hidden Plot are now lost to the internet sands of time. It seems they can’t even be accessed via the Wayback Machine. (Trust me, I tried.)
So, I’ve done my best to cobble together an overview based on the recollections of POTO fans who were there when this theory was being actively posted, as well as info provided in this Google doc, which has direct quotes from the author of the Hidden Plot. The doc was helpfully provided by @glassprism (thank you!).
I have made sense of the Hidden Plot based on the above linked doc, this post from rjdaae, and a summary of the Hidden Plot on the FFnet bio seemingly written by the main author of the theory. I’m not going to link her bio so no one leaves her mean comments.
A Summary of the Hidden Plot:
The basic idea of this fan theory is that there is a second, deeper story embedded into the 2004 POTO movie. This story is conveyed through cinematography, lighting, clothing, sets, the placement of props, and more. The Hidden Plot is as follows:
Erik is literally the King of Music. What does that mean? Well, I’m not sure what it means beyond the fact that he feels he is in charge of the opera house, but I think there’s some supernatural element. Christine is his Queen of Music, naturally.
Speaking of a supernatural element, in the Hidden Plot, the “Phantom” is not a persona that Erik uses. Oh, no, the Phantom is a literal evil spirit that possesses Erik sometimes.
Raoul factors into this by being a Priest of Light (I’m also not sure what that means) and is … ERIK’S BROTHER!! Yep.
Somehow, Christine and Raoul save Erik from the clutches of the evil spirit, and Christine and Erik become King and Queen of Music and go off into the light. (Or something like that.)
Wait … What? Where Did the Theory Author Get This Stuff From?
Like I mentioned earlier, apparently this Hidden Plot is revealed through EXTREMELY subtle “clues.”
I’ll give a couple examples of the theory author’s own words, which were compiled in the Google doc:
Evidence for Erik being King of Music:
“** ERIK: “Since the moment I first heard you sing, I have needed you with me to serve me to sing, for my music, my music”
“** These also seem like key words that Erik is king of music. This is his kingdom. He wants her to serve him as his queen, to sing for him, and he uses "me"--first person, showing Phantom is gone. (Kings send a servant {or more} to do their bidding and bring s person to them for an audience, just as what happened when the Phantom went to collect Christine and bring her to the king. The Don Juan song shows that is what happened.)”
Example of using the movie’s lighting to hint at the Hidden Plot:
“** When he helps her out of the boat, a long ray of blue light goes across her head, followed by another blue ray of light going through his middle--his heart (spirit). (This isn't just about being a reflection from the light—because if it were it should logically have happened many more times all the times they showed white light, and didn’t. It happens other times in story, and always in the same places on their bodies, sometimes without any white light showing.) Also, as he sings to her "Turn your face away from the garish light of day"--another blue line of light goes across his back (his middle, where his heart would be).”
Evidence that Raoul is Erik’s brother:
“** Because the white horse is symbolic of Raoul and they made a point of putting it next to the family crests in Erik’s lair, I believe this is a clue showing Raoul is a relation (Erik’s brother), and that Erik is actually a de Chagny. Count de Chagny to be exact.”
And now, for a few visual pieces of evidence that would make any YouTube conspiracy theorist proud:
(Screenshots taken from this post.)
What Are the Origins of the Hidden Plot? Who Came Up With It?
I thought that the Hidden Plot originated circa 2007-2009, which is when I was actively lurking on POTO.com and saw it pop up there.
However, it appears to date back further than this.
According to rjdaae and this forum thread, the Hidden Plot first popped up shortly after the 2004 film. Its first home was on the WB message boards, and then moved to different forums across the internet. As I mentioned earlier, it appears that all of these forums are now gone, and all that remains of the Hidden Plot are pieces saved in the aforementioned Google doc and people’s recollections of threads discussing the Hidden Plot. But I digress.
As for who came up with the Hidden Plot, according to ya-chai 2 in this forum thread, two unnamed people first came up with the Hidden Plot, but its most fervent advocate and writer was someone who used to go by the username Honeyphan.
However, the idea that it was created by two other people shpuld be taken with a grain of salt, as that’s the only source I’ve found saying the theory was made by someone other than Honeyphan.
At any rate, who IS Honeyphan? Based on old profiles of hers I found, she is/was a huge fan of the 2004 POTO film and created lots of fanfic and photomanips for it. She appears to be a pleasant enough person and a very dedicated fan with some unusual inclinations toward the conspiratorial, if the Hidden Plot is anything to go by.
What was the Fan Reaction to This?
Largely the fan reaction seemed to be, and still is, skeptical amusement. POTO fans generally do not seem to hate the Hidden Plot but find it very silly and entertaining.
However, based on fans’ recollections, there was a group of very dedicated people who discussed and espoused this theory.
Quoting again from ya-chai 2 again, it sounds like proponents of the Hidden Plot might have brought their passion into the real world:
“At one point there were supposedly sessions where forum members met at each other's houses to discuss it. That's all I know about that.
“I do know that both Gerard Butler and Patrick Wilson were asked by members of the WB forum if they were aware of any hidden story. Both actors denied knowing anything about a so called hidden story.”
If you’re a very charitable and understanding person, you might be wondering why the Hidden Plot had any attention at all. After all, there are lots of POTO AUs out there, and this could pass as one.
The reason why it has gotten so much attention over the years is very well explained in this post by ancientphantom: “What differentiated it from regular shipping and fanfic-writing was A) the extreme insistence that it was actually part of the movie and not invented by fans, and B) the willingness to create “evidence” out of the most ridiculous details, including the timing of random lens flares, what shoes everyone is wearing, how we should interpret hairstyles, and of course the memorable Stockinggate.”
What Can We Conclude from All of This?
My general takeaway is that the Hidden Plot is an early example of something we’ve seen in other fandoms in more recent years — intense fans insisting that a conspiracy theory surrounding their favorite piece of media IS real. I think the best example of this phenomenon is the Johnlock Conspiracy.
The Johnlock Conspiracy actually has a lot in common with the Hidden Plot, imo, in that proponents of both pointed to subtle clues planted in cinematography, decor, etc., which revealed the “true” story.
But yeah, that’s about it! That’s what I could dig up about the Hidden Plot. If any POTO fans have other memories of the Hidden Plot or interacting with its proponents, feel free to share in the comments or reblogs of this post!
Dancing in the Rain - Phantom of the Opera Reader Insert
Pairing: Erik Destler (Phantom) x GN!reader
Word count: 510
Warnings: none, pure fluff
Request by: @nsfw-kill-me-now
“Can u do poto Erik x reader with a reader who loves walking in the rain, even tho they get absolutely soaked Bc they don't use an umbrella... so their hair is just absolutely drenched but reader doesn't give a damn”
A/N: Alright, I hope y’all enjoy this one! Thanks for the request darling and I hope it’s what you’re expecting. (And y’all, I know the GIF is a bit *modern*, and probably not Paris, but I thought it was appropriate)
You pull Erik along behind you, excitement racing through you as your feet hit the cobblestone streets of Paris. Puddles are starting to form in the dips and depressions in the streets and as you quickly drag Erik behind you, you find yourself gravitating towards the small pools of water. You let out a squeal as the rain starts coming down even harder. You tip your face up towards the sky, letting go of Erik’s hand to spin around, your cloak flaring out around you as you speed up, the world around you becoming a dizzying array of soft, cloud touched colors.
“Mon amour (my love), you are getting soaked.” Erik’s voice breaks through the sounds of pattering rain on the rooftops and the soft drops of rain hitting the streets below.
A giddy laugh bubbled up in your chest, your spinning circles slowly coming to a stop. You close your eyes, allowing the world to come to a stop as you say, “Why, mon ange de la musique (my angel of music), have you never heard of dancing in the rain?” You open your eyes then, closing the distance between you and Erik in only a few strides.
You throw your arms around his neck, looping them together softly as your fingers move to find the short hair at the nape of his neck. “Dance with my amour (love)?” You breathe out, a puff of warm air filling the space between you.
He wraps an arm around your waist, pulling you closer as he begins to slowly sway with you. “Mon amour, we are getting absolutely drenched.” He says, a tone of mirth coloring his words.
You let out an airy laugh as you tip your head up towards the sky, allowing the large drops of water to land softly on your face, causing a light shiver to pass down your spine. “Why, that’s the joy of it mon fantôme (my phantom).” His warm hand comes to cup your face, his thumb tracing soft lines along your cheekbone.
You turn your face just enough to press a soft kiss to the palm of his hand before you spin out and away from him. “The rain washes it all away, mon amour.” You say softly, savoring the feeling of water dripping down the back of your neck, wetting your eyelashes and soaking your hair. “Everything is fresh and clean after the rain.”
Erik doesn’t say anything as he walks towards you, lacing a hand with one of yours. “Well then, ma chérie (my dear), we shall stay out here as long as it takes until it all washes away.” His voice is quiet as he leans in to give you a soft kiss.
You give him a soft smile, leaning against his arm as the two of you continue on your way. You walk along the streets long after the rain stops, the scent of fresh baked bread wafting through the streets and the slowly brightening sky serving as the only sign that dawn was breaking just below the horizon.
