#prettywitch observes

[prettywitchiusaka]

You know? I'm starting to think that Kathryn Hahn must've taken inspiration from Meryl Streep in Death Becomes Her for her performance as Agatha. Because man, was Madeline in that film giving me serious Agatha vibes (personality and performance wise)!!!

[prettywitchiusaka]

I'm not the only one who feels underwhelmed by the fairy designs in the Winx Club reboot, right?

The transformations themselves are nice, very reflective of their power sets. I especially love how acrobatic Flora's is. But...I don't know, it's gonna take some getting used to those new designs.

I will say that Stella's new look is my favorite, so far. And I also love that they featured a brief glimpse of the moon in her new transformation, which we don't often see. hell, I would make the argument that it's reflected in her boots being silver instead of orange, but I digress.

[prettywitchiusaka]

Okay, so I was away from the computer most of yesterday and didn't learn about DeMayo spilling some tea about MOM's original script until late last night.

Having read through his response, as well as information I've gathered from someone in the DS Fan Community on twitter (who got a chance to meet one of the key staff involved in the film), here's what it sounds like the original script contained;

Mordo would've been at Karmar-Taj. Not sure how, though I imagine there would be more of an explanation.

Clea would've made an appearance earlier in the film than the mid-credit scene. Though, my inner storyteller feels like they would've revealed her connection to Dormammu in the mid-credit scene as a tease for DS3.

Wanda would not only have been with Stephen, she would've also been aiding him and Wong and would actively tutor America (and also warn her about abusing her power).

The film would've been a team-up film between Stephen and Wanda.

Nightmare would've been revealed to be a Stephen variant who'd been corrupted by The Darkhold.

Wanda would've resisted corruption right up until the end where, unable to resist finding a universe where she can with happy with her children, breaks from Team Strange.

Wong would've tried stopping her...only to get beheaded by mistake.

Wanda would've felt guilty about it and, according to DeMayo, would have been repeatedly apologizing to Stephen as she departs, leaving him with his friend's decapitated corpse.

And, from what we know from the concept art that came out a few years ago, The Book of Vishanti would've had a piece that would break off and attach itself to the Eye of Agamotto, giving Stephen a power upgrade, and, most notably, the death of Donna Strange.

So...yeah, that's a lot to unpack/take in! But yeah, to summarize, it really is fascinating/infuriating how, for all of Waldron's insistence on "starting from scratch" that he took many of Derrickson and Bartlett's concepts and watered them down to their most basic elements. All so he could make a script HE was satisfied with.

That being said, assuming DeMayo's not talking out of his ass? It's nice be vindicated regarding Wanda's original arc in the film. That while she learned her lesson from Wandavision and was able to overcome Vision's death, she's still lonely an unable to accept things as they are. It makes her arc even sadder, and keeps her villainous turn empathetic like it was in that series.

Now let's address the controversial elements from the script; Wong's death and the reveal of Nightmare being a corrupted variant of Stephen.

Honestly? I'm mixed. I've really grown to love Nightmare's character over the past year or so, so I'd prefer him being a separate entity from Stephen. And, like most MCU fans, I like Wong. But, and this is where I'm gonna probably get some flack...I think I could honestly learn to be okay with these decisions.

They're a hard pill to swallow, yes. Though honestly, I can sort see where Derrickson is coming from; is there's one thing I know about Nightmare, it's that he's a manipulative narcissist. And while Stephen isn't an outright sociopath, he is kind of a narcissist at the beginning of the first film. It wouldn't be that big of a stretch to see that he could easily become this corrupted if he wasn't careful. So yeah, I could learn to be okay with this idea. Especially where Wong is concerned. From what I can gather, it sounds like the film's main theme of "be your best self" was there but tied more into the original film's themes of humility and self-acceptance. Here Stephen gives into despair and, maybe even learns to accept Donna's death...only to now watch his best friend and mentor get killed right in front of him. Thus, leaving him with that pit of self-loathing, and the wound it left on his heart re-opening at the sight of someone else he loved getting killed.

Also, I just love the irony of Wanda accidentally re-traumatizing Stephen. There's just something that's kind of poetically dark about that.

But yeah, those are my thoughts on what the original script for DS2 would've entailed. Needless to say, it would've been controversial, but I think it wouldn't have been as controversial than the movie we ended up with.

And frankly? If Marvel is gonna take chances with their properties, these are the kinds of risks they should take. At least these come from a place of passion, instead of outright cynicism.

P.S. I'm kinda hoping DeMayo drops some more tea in the future, like some tea about Waldron. That'd be great!!!

[prettywitchiusaka]

Been reading She-Hulk and...am I the only one who thinks she and Clea would really get along well? Mostly cause they're both horny on main and they'd probably bond over lingere shopping?

[prettywitchiusaka]

Am I the only one who, having read the Jack of Hearts mini from the 80's, that I think it would make for a great space opera/love story film ?

Seriously, Marvel! Get on with this, already!

[prettywitchiusaka]

So in light of Rachel Zegler tanking the Snow White remake before it even comes out, does anyone else think Bob Iger should find someway to turn this movie into a tax write-off and lock it away in the Disney Vault?

Because I don't care if you wanna do a different take on an established IP. All I ask is that you actually...you know, watch/read the source material, not piss all over it and act like it's so out of touch. Especially when the reality is that most women, no matter how ambitious they are, would like someone special in their life...and that's okay!

[prettywitchiusaka]

So one of the criticisms I’ve seen people lobbying towards Multiverse for several days is why they chose to focus on Stephen’s infatuation with Christine, rather than focusing on his loneliness as a whole.

Normally, I’d agree. Except, and I know I’m (probably) gonna piss off a lot of people when I say this, I feel like they did...sort of? Let me explain.

I feel like, based on the flashback we see (and the Donna mention) that it wasn’t just that Stephen was in love with Christine, it’s that (save for Wong) she was the only person he made a connection with as an adult. And given how the first Doctor Strange film ended? I think it makes sense that he’d be actively wondering why things didn’t work out between them.

Now don’t get me wrong, I wish they’d focused more on the why, too. But I still feel like the film did a good job in exploring Stephen’s issues with control, which are very much rooted in fear and trauma (the line “But we don’t talk about that.” is telling), and giving him an arc where he was allowed to admit to that fear of being vulnerable and choosing to move on.

Granted, we still don’t know what the future holds for the Good Doctor in the MCU. But if they play into him keeping his new (dark) powers in check while opening himself up to being vulnerable with Clea and any potential allies that things will be fine.

[prettywitchiusaka]

Do you ever...stop and think about how Stephen and America bond over the fact that they both feel responsible for a death of a loved one?

The difference being that Stephen encourages America to consider that she didn’t kill her moms and that they’re still out there, while he doesn’t give himself that same assurance regarding Donna?

Point I’m getting at here is that the self-loathing is strong in Stephen Strange.