..bc he is never mentioned ever in either movie. My explanation/characterization derives from “A Frozen Heart”, but likely strays from canon (as I have made him a bug horse).
also it’s secondary to the art, I mostly wanted to post some pictures
🐎❄️.
Who is this ‘Lars’?
Lars is the third oldest prince of the southern isles, being at least ~14 years older than Hans (5 year gap between children 3 and 4, 10 babies thereafter). He is bookish and the main scholar of the royal family, handling most documentation himself. He has passion for history (being able to recall the full history of the Isles to the first king) and is a bit..socially inept.
🐎❄️.
Why is Lars sympathetic towards Hans?
Growing up, there was a period of 5 years where the queen of the isles was unable to conceive, leaving Lars to face the harassment reserved for the youngest. Not many other brothers had an elongated period where they were the default punching bag, having a new, younger, and less important brother take their place the next year — until the birth of the youngest and final prince of the Southern Isles. Hans would face this torment throughout childhood, festering into darkness.
🐎❄️.
How is Lars less present?
Hans is not Lars’ top priority. Lars becomes engrossed in his current work, be it research or ensuring decisions of the oldest prince do not throw the kingdom into shambles. Lars will also partake in long historic rants while registering little of the real world, of which Hans is the usual audience.
🐎❄️.
What drove the brothers apart?
Lars is a poindexter who, once married to Helga, had a child (eventually children) of his own to take care of. Helga was herself shipped to the Isles like a product to be taken as wife, resulting in a deep resentment from her towards the Westergaard family. Sympathetic towards Hans’ situation, Helga emphasized the importance of Lars being more involved in his daughter’s life — even if that meant neglecting Hans more.
🐎❄️.
How does that all..go?
Bitterly.
Lars, being familiar with their surrounding kingdoms, informs Hans upon the death of Arendelle’s King and Queen that the two had an unwed daughter. If Hans could connive his way through the ranks and ensure he had a seat at the coronation, he could marry and begone of the Isles for good.
After the birth of Lars’ first daughter, Hans continued to slip through the cracks of attention, festering alone with his goal of power and freedom. Hans is less sympathetic to Lars’ situation. Convinced he had one chance to escape, he poured his all into his future role as the Isles’ ambassador to Arendelle.
What do you think of Lars (hans' 3rd oldest brother and nicest one) and Lottie (Tiana bestfriend) as a couple?
Prince Lars of the Southern Isles, the third eldest of Hans' older brothers and the only one of the lot that was decent to him. Charlotte "Lottie" La Bouff, best friend of Tiana, who gave up her own chance of becoming royalty for her friend's happiness.
Looks like Lottie finally got to marry her prince, then.
Lottie is the only child of Eli La Bouff, and only had him for company her whole life; I assume her mother is dead. All she had were her father and her best friend Tiana.
Lars is the third of thirteen sons; a prince, obviously. The impression I got from A Frozen Heart is that the Southern Isles were not a very prosperous kingdom.
So his father would have been in favor of the match. Lottie is a rich girl, after all.
And Lottie would have been thrilled to finally be part of a large family. Eleven brothers- and sisters-in-law! (She only met Hans later.) With accompanying nieces and nephews! How much better can it get?
Except she didn't know what Lars' brothers and father were like. I get the feeling that they were unpleasant people in general, not just to Hans. The king of the Southern Isle and his oldest son Caleb pretty much ignore their wives all the time, for instance. And considering that the king considered Hans weak simply for being the youngest, and tacitly approved of his other sons' treatment of him...
Hopefully Lars forewarned Lottie that his brothers could be pretty nasty sometimes.
Maybe Lars decided to live in New Orleans in the La Bouff house. Usually the bride goes to the husband's family, but the La Bouff mansion is pretty big, and Lars is only the third son. He won't be needed to take over the throne unless there's a plague or something.
Maybe they could just move to Maldonia.
By the way, how did Lars and Lottie meet and decide to marry? Well, Lottie was probably ready to get married right after Lars introduced himself as "Prince Lars," but what did he think of it?
Also, you know the theory that Prince Hans is Dizzy Tremaine's father? Imagine her and Celia meeting Lars and Lottie!
Jay was on autopilot as he led the others around the alleyways of the Isle. His muscle memory kicking in that even though it was unneeded, he flipped over small obstacles like overturned carriages and clambered over chainlink fences so he could flip off. He wasn’t showing off, it was just how he usually scoured through the Isle.
It was always harder to attack a moving target than one that was simply sneaking through the alleyways.
But right now, no one was following him or trying to attack. Rather he was at the head of the pack on the hunt for the four Coven members who were undoubtedly heading to the wharf so they could get to Auradon.
The white light had dazed them all but Uma was the one who got them back on track, realizing what had happened. Even though they had defeated the Coven of 13, the mini Coven still brought down the barrier.
Now it was a race against time to get to them, and while Uma was queen of the Isle, she mainly stuck to her ship and didn’t know the alleyways like he did.
Well like he and Jade did, he corrected himself as he saw Jade. Her unwieldy long dress gone and her jangly jewlery discarded. She was back to basics in a ripped tank and shirts, her viper tattoo flashing as she passed him.
Jay didn’t bother slowling down so the others could keep up. As long as they knew where they were all heading it was fine.
Besides if he got there first maybe he could face his father.
Uma, pettily in Jay’s opinion, hadn’t done the signalled as they had agreed on. So he, Aziz and Jordan had missed that battle. But he did have a brief look of Jade triumphantly standing over the unconscious form of her mother. No bruises on her today.
He saw the disbelief in Jade’s eyes that she had done it. He also saw the relief too.
Maybe he would get some relief if he got his chance to face his father. Man to man.
With that goal in mind, he pushed himself harder. He heard Coach Jenkin’s words in his head. That he couldn’t let his anger guide him, he had to channel his anger into energy. He tried to visualize it as bounding into his feet, pushing him faster. Into his muscles pumping faster. Into the stitch in his side that he would not give into for a break.
Things were too dire for a break.
He didn’t see the sights or the people he barged past. He didn’t hear anything but the wind in his ears and the goal pounding in the same rhythm as his running feet.
Find Ja-far. Find Ja-far. Find Ja-far.
He burst into the town square. The one where he had said goodbye to his dad so long ago.
When he had been so different. When he had thought he’d return only to pick his Dad up before they went to their new palace in Agrabah.
Now the towns quare was the complete opposite than it had been that day.
Where once their cowered crowds, cheering for fear of Maleficent’ wrath if they didn’t, teens doing their best posturing to be the baddest of the bad, there was nothing. Everyone had been scared off by the Coven’s rule.
There was no Jafar.
Jay cursed and whirled around to look at the exit but there was no one there either. He would have known if the four were running across the road as it was flat, nowhere to hide.
He scanned and searched, looking for that one flicker of movement that signalled someone was hiding in the shadows but there were too many homeless orphans and muddle-minded beggars distracting his view.
Then he saw a wizened old man.
The skin that stretched over him was barely skin, so papery thin it was. It had a mottled yellow color that indicated how malnourished the old man was. But what he lacked in skin, he had a long flowing white beard that slightly curled at the end.
So twisted.
Jay strode forward in two easy steps and picked up the old man by his collar. He ignored how feathery light he was, how fragile he seemed with the sound of bones rattling when he shook him. Like this was some innocent old man that could break any moment.
This was no innocent. He knew this man was his father.
How could anyone forget the elderly disguise his father had put on to trick Aladdin to enter the treasured Cave of Wonders. It was laughable that that was all Jafar could think of now to disguise himself.
Then again, Jafar had always been stuck in the past and his former glory. Couldn’t do anything in the present. That was Jay’s job to make something for both of them.
And now that Jay had Jafar in his hands, he let his anger overtake him.
Just like the golden rubies in Jafar’s snake staff, red was all he could see.
Red for the hypnosis, red for the neglect, red for all the years Jay had cared so much for this man who cared for no one at all.
The paper jaw crumbled against Jay’s fist, each landing a sickening crunch but Jay was too caught in himself.
Blood splattered across the dirt, and the red was the only thing that paused Jay’s beating.
He stared at as if he had never seen it before. Remembering the last time he had spilled blood, Jordan had yelled at him, looking at him as if he was a murderous Vk.
His stomach sank seeingthe blood. Sunk down to his gut when he realized that he didn’t hear the wheezy breath.
He slowly looked at the old man’s face, the nose flattened and covered in blood. The white beard stained red. The discolored veins were faint. Faint but the temple vein was still thumping.
And then he coughed. More blood splattered, a fleck landed on Jay’s cheek and just when he thought he’d never get rid of all the anger in his body, shame and relief flooded it instead.
He hadn’t crossed the line.
But he didn’t feel the relief he expected. He just felt hollow. He wanted to say something. Something so Jafar would know why Jay was angry at him. That it had nothing to do with becoming good but everything to do with what Jafar, himself, had done to him.
Yet he didn’t know how to put that into words. Funny considering he shared so much with Jade and the others this week. But.. it wasn’t the same. It wasn’t the same as talking to his father who he was sure wouldn’t even understand the anger. Just think that Jay was brainwashed.
But he didn’t have time for that as Uma whistled, signalling attention from everyone in the town square. Harry, Gil and her crew were rapt as usual. Several kids came out from the shadows that Jay recognized as the Anti Villain Club.
Harry gave Uma his hand as she stood up on a pile of barrels, giving her height and leverage to look over them all. But for once, the sight did not irritate Jay as it would have before, knowing she was only doing it to annoy Mal.
He somewhat gingerly picked up the unconscious Jafar in a fireman’s carry, giving a curt nod to Uma so that she’d know that he had Jafar. A moment of eye contact was all that she gave him, confirming that she knew.
“People of the Isle. It is time to rise!” Uma boomed, “The Coven’s reign is ending today. They have ruled over us all in fear for too long. And for what? Because they’re powerful? Because they have magic?”
Several people nodded their heads, agreeing with her statement that the Coven ruled because they had powerful magic. Confusion rippled over them as to where this was going.
“We are more powerful than them! For we have numbers. We are the ones who do the hard work. We make their food and their clothes and we give them power by obeying them.”
“But we do not have to. We can take away their power if we stop letting them rule over us. They are kings and queens if they do not have us to reign over!”
“Nine of the Coven are done. They will not get up again after this defeat. We need you to stop Maleficent, Nerissa and Morgana from leaving the Isle.”
“Why should we? They brought down the Isle!” Gaston shouted, stumbling out of his tavern, several of his knuckle headed stooges nodded in agreement.
“And they have left you here.” Uma countered, “Do you see them leading you to freedom? No! They will never give you freedom. Not unless you count freedom as being one of their slavish citizens.”
More discontented murmurs joined the crowd as more people peeked out of their houses and left the safety of their walls.
“Uma’s right!” Celia shouted followed by cheers and claps.
“But I can. I’m Ben’s new right hand for Vk coordinators. I have an agreement with him taht all children will be removed from the Isle!”
More cheers and whoops exploded.
“Henchmen and lackeys may come too if you help us capture the three who are trying to escape.”
Surprised and interested whispering followed this and Jay could see some familiar faces of head hunters like Clayton and Sa’luk seem interested.
“Mercenaries, rise up! You are the most skilled fighters on the Isle. The most sane ones who’ve had jobs before. Rise up and capture the three. You should not be dogs for the egomaniacal and insane.”
“Former princes and sheriffs and aristocrats, rise up! Reclaim your place as someone of importance. Bring down the Coven members.”
Jay saw the long missing spotted fur coat of Cruella. Still smoking her long cigar but for once, she smiling at Uma’s words. A strange sight to see.
Jay could see Prince Hans’ son cheer, only to be punched out by Gil. He didn’t know what the prince had done to deserve Gil’s surprisingly furious face, Jay never thought he’d see the good hearted pirate so mad, but he assumed it was deserved.
“Whores, orphans, thieves, pirates, all the lost boys and girls, Vks all, rise up! Rise up and be the baddest bad of the isle by knocking the remaining Coven off their perch. I promise you will be rewarded. You will get off this damned Isle, you’ll have food, you’ll have safety. You’’ be treated like human beings like you deserve. You will have your chance at freedom!”
Excitement thrummed through the crowds and Jay felt swept along with it. Never before had he’d been so thrilled and inspired by a speech. He felt the enthusiasm Uma commanded. He felt the loyalty, he could see why her crew followed her so loyally. He felt like she could do anything and if he followed her lead, he’d have a chance too.
The crowds spanned, searching the corners and alleyways for the wayward Coven members. Jay came up to the small group of Aziz, Jordan, Calix and Uma and dumped the old man at their feet.
“Got Jafar.” Jay said neutrally. Hoping they wouldn’t get into questions of why he was bloodied and unconscious.
“I wouldn’t be too sure of that,” the old man rasped. His bones creaked as he twisted into sitting position, not dazed or concussed as he should be.
The figure rippled as if it was a fading…
“Illusion!” Jay growled, kicking himself for falling for the same trick twice.
The elderly man was replaced by the gleaming black fur of the teenage catboy. His fangs gleamed smugly, sticking his tongue out at Jay for his foolishness.
Uma lept into action, brandishing her sword against Illusion’s throat, “Where are Jafar and the others?”
Illusion nonchalantly pushed the sword away. Effortlessly much to Uma’s clear surprise as she struggled to keep the sword against Illusion’s throat.
“You’d might want to check Auradon,” Illusion purred.
A flash of black smoke appeared next to and Illusion’s twin materialized.
Chimera smiled brightly at them, “Sorry to trick and run but Mom wants us back in Morbia.”
Then the two faded away.
“Damnit!” Jay cursed this time, looking to the far off horizon that was Auradon.
“Jay you get the kids off.The adults will still be distracted trying to find the Coven members.” Uma commanded.
Jay hesitated, every part of him wanted to race over to Auradon. To complete his goal of facing his father before the final battle was over.
But he remembered the look of the dirtied orphans he saw when he first landed here. Some of them had no chance like he had. Not all of them were children of big name villains. Not all of them had special skills of thievery or strength or agility.
Part of this mission was stopping the Coven. The other part was rescuing the children.
He had to go to the children.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------Harry’s heart pounded as he bounded up the steps of the Jolly Roger. Harriet was waiting for him as expected at the bow of the ship.
The wharf was silent as everyone in the town square searched for the missing Coven members. None of the gas lamps were lit as they wanted to maintain the illusion that no one was guarding the docks.
They knew CJ was planning to strike tonight. It made the most sense since CJ knew of the Coven’s plans, she’d use their invasion as a distraction.
But she didn’t know they knew that she knew, so she’d be in for quite a surprise when the Jolly Roger wasn’t the deserted ship she had been expected to plunder so easily.
Harriet swung down to the starboard side, cut the rope and Harry ran to her side so they stood back to back with their swords at the ready.
“Where is that cur?” Harriet scanned their surroundings, dim and undistinguishable as they were in the twilight hour. Harriet had stationed men at the stern, at the starboard, on all sides of the boat that CJ, Lady Caine and her men could possibly grapple up.
Then the boat moved.
It was a small splash at first, unsteadying them all as they adjusted to the boat hitting the water.
“Whose at the wheel?” Harriet shouted angrily at her men but none responded.
“Why it’s me!” The familiar drawl of their baby sister sounded in the silent night.
Harriet lit up her trusty cigarette light that she always kept for her emergencies. Giving them enough view of CJ at the wheel, confidently steering the ship to sea.
Harry went right and Harriet went left. CJ was at the wheel and she had not many choices if she wanted to leave the helm. There were only stairs. And a rope, but Harriet had cut all the swinging ropes, cutting CJ’s favorite choice of entrance, exit and/or escape route.
Slowly, cautiously, the two neared the stairs on either side of her, but CJ looked undisturbed until they got to her side.
Harry caressed his hook around her neck and Harriet dug her knife into the wooden wheel but CJ kept steering.
The silence between them all was palpable. Harriet was suspicious that much could be seen between the lighter and the slit of her eyes. Harry was waiting for the inevitable snap. CJ was at once predictably unpredictable. If she was this calm, she probably had a trick up her sleeve. It would be flashy and showy just like her. And she wouldn’t be able to wait to show off.
Then Harry felt a nudge against his ribs. He heard a cocking sound
He looked down and saw the cold metal muzzle of a gilded pistol prodding his ribs.
“Dammnit to Davy Home’s locker!” Harriet cursed and CJ smiled.
CJ clicked the pistol again.
“How about you two be a dear and back away. Back away or else I’ll make ye walk the plank.”
The wheel turned unsteadily now that CJ was no longer steering, jerking the ship to the left and nearly throwing Harry off balance. At least the pistol wasn’t jabbing at him anymore.
“CJ, this is cute but yer not gettin away with this. The Jolly Roger is mine.” Harriet said with clenched teeth.
CJ lifted the pistol and pointed it at Harriet’s head, “No, it’s mine now. Looters rule.”
Then she shot.
Harriet ducked, the bullet flying into the distant nothingness of the dark.
Harry stared.
He never thought CJ would take the shot. But she did. Backstab, neglect, leave the family, yes, he imagined CJ doing all those things. She had done them.
But to kill…
“Are yer crazy!” Harry lunged at CJ, wresting the pistol from her but that left them gun to gun, triggers cocked at the ready.
“I’m not insane. I’m a pirate,” CJ answered with a deadly coldness that Harry had never heard from her before. HIs little sis had always been boisterous and dramatic, theatrical really. But never this serious. Never cold.
“I should be the heir to the Jolly Roger. I should be the heir. I’m willing to killl like a true pirate.”
Harry tapped his index finger on the trigger, a bit of a nervous habit as pistols were not his weapon of choice.
“Great, yer a pirate. We all are. But the Jolly Roger is not yours.” Harriet began to stalk toward CJ now that she was facing Harry but she whirled around, pointing the gun at her head again.
Harry moved forward, and placed the pistol at the back of CJ’s head where they all froze in place again.
“CJ, I don’t want to hurt you.” Harry tried to stay calmly, knowing that one wrong move can mean death.
“I know you don’t. And I don’t want to hurt you. I want the Jolly Roger.” CJ repeated her terms again.
“Why?” Harriet began to reach for the back up sword she had sheathed in her vest, “You don’t need this ship. You already had the one you were using to galivant across Auradon.”
“Huh so you know about that. You know and yet you don’t respect me.” CJ scoffed.
“Why would we respect a traitor?” Harry spat, annoyed by CJ’s ridiculousness. She really thought betraying them all to follow her so-called mother, their father’s enemy, Lady Caine.
“Because I’m a true villain! I should be the legend. Not you too. Neither of you set foot off the Isle but yer the famous Hook kids.” CJ yelled, some of her old brough returning.
Harry nodded at Harriet who chanced CJ’s distracted mood and took her pistol, using her left hand to aim her sword at her throat.
“That won’t be fer long.” Harriet said calmly, “We’re leaving the Isle. We’re gonna be “good” somewhat. At least enough Auradonians won’t kick us back ‘ere. But ye can still be the bad one because we never want to see ya again.”
CJ looked at Harriet, coldly in the eye, then she turned to Harry. “Yer not going to go on the high seas like I am?”
“No,” Harry answered truthfully. His future plans laid at Uma’s side and she was to be Ben’s co-head of the newly improved VK program with Evie. And he’d be her right hand man as always.
“Fine, I’ll go.” And then Harry heard some of the old CJ return. The reluctance in her voice. Disappointment like when she was a little kid and hadn’t pick pocketed quite right. Whether she was disappointed in herself for failing or for being kicked out of the family, Harry didn’t know. But he did know CJ was definitely grown up, a grown up he didn’t recognize.
For she crossed a line in her willingness to commit sibling murder. The shot of the bullet would echo in his ears for years to come.
The two watched her walk away and leap off the railing. No smirk or “ta ta” flourish. Just a splash and she was gone with the tide.
Harry took the wheel to guide the ship back home. Back to where Uma was waiting.
I find Lars really interesting, being the teen dad of his younger brother who was lost in a sea of family — a role taken on out of empathy and lingering bitterness rather than capacity or desire. I ended up getting really into this ask but have enough pieces on this spread to warrant making a separate post.
Initially I made his patterning more of a paint’s, but the design adds a little more noise than I’d like.
