You can change Ruby's cursed persanality what would you change about it if anything
Hmmmm! That's a thinker. 🤔
First, I would like us to clear up a solid base to build on: the logic behind the cursed personalities.
Are they meant to manifest the opposite of the character's essence?
Are they meant to highlight the character's hidden flaws, fears or weaknesses? Are they meant as a fleshed-out shadow self?
Are they somehow influenced by The Evil Queen's relationship with each character? Is that manifestation in anyway dependent on Regina's perception of them?
Are they meant as psychological torture for each personality? Are they a test to their short-comings? (Think the dynamics of the "Good Place" Bad Place, in The Good Place)
Are they random alternative personalities, or are they purposeful — and if they're the latter: what is their purpose?
You can argue they're all that, in different ways, all combined. Each could be true, depending on what you pick from canon to justify it.
So, to elaborate on this particular change I'd make, I'm building upon the following elements: A) psychological torture, B) shadow self, C) a challenge to their essence.
I would want a cursed!personality that not only reflects Red's weaknesses¹ and mocks her defining traits², but also doubles as The Wolf force, The Monster Within — a source for Cursed!Ruby's guilt, shame and repression.
This change (but, honestly, more of an addition) will attempt to provide that.
Before we start, a brief moment to credit canon's achievements, and review what we're working with.
¹ The reflections of Red's weaknesses, as found in her cursed personality: Insecurity, self-doubt, naiveté, over-protectiveness, impulsivity.
² The mockery of Red's defining traits, as found in her cursed persona: Red is socially reserved → Ruby can be socially unaware; Red's emotional maturity → Ruby's emotional inexperience; Red speaks carefully → Ruby speaks freely; Red prefers not to be perceived → Ruby draws some validation from the attention; Red is romantically overly cautious → Ruby is driven by primal attraction.
That's a good base. That would be enough for me, as an alternate personality.
But if we're thinking of changing something, well... Allow me to dig for the one addition I would like to present: The Monster Within.
To be fair, we have a version of it in canon already, in the way Ruby is made out to be a "Predator" in her field. It's honestly a brilliant inversion of the original tale, where Predatory Men (The Wolf metaphor) hunt Innocent Girls. In the show as we have it, Ruby, the cursed persona, is the one doing the hunting, cornering her prey and going for the kill. It works! I wouldn't touch that, as it elevates the already glorious twist of Red Riding Hood and The Wolf being One. That's sacred. That stays.
However, The Repression of this "Monster" (The Party Girl, The Promiscuous Girl, The Overly Sexual Girl) comes from Granny only, and while it does serve to fuel the tension of their relationship, it's not a source of angst for Ruby herself. It's only a "Monster" to Granny, not to Ruby.
She owns her predatory ways, unashamed of her danger. She doesn't repress her hunger, she acts on it freely, with skill and intention. That's excellent to mirror Red's eventual mastery of her power, but that leaves me craving that exquisite struggle, that torturous restraint so important to werewolves stories. The Monster To Fear.
That one constant fight with herself, which is all three: psychological torture, shadow self, and a challenge to her essence.
Again, you can argue that Ruby Lucas' appallingly low self-esteem is her struggle, her torture. That the monster within she constantly represses is the cruel and condemning voice in her head, telling her she's worthless and stupid. And I would agree (in parts). That's her main struggle, undoubtedly. That holds her back significantly. That limits her full potential, and that dims her light. Indeed, indeed. No debate there.
But, see, that was the case with Red, as well. Even before the Wolf. Even before she had an actual, breathing beast, a flesh and blood monster inside herself to fight with for control, she had those demons to face. That particular struggle comes from the Human, not The Monster.
And what I'm looking for here is to give Ruby Lucas, The Cursed Persona, something within herself to be afraid of — not disappointed by.
It's to bring forth The Wolf force into existence, in this ordinary world the Dark Curse has created. It's to give The Beast a voice, since it can't have a body. It's to create a Monster to haunt Ruby's waking moments, dictate her boundaries with others, fuel her shame and guilt, cause her to fear herself...
I would give her an attitude problem.
Something that was once limited to her explosive interactions with Granny, but, with the troubled grieving of her parents, the suffocating confinements of a small town, and the constant objectification, slut-shaming and condescension... developed into a maladaptive defense mechanism.
She grows up lonely, repressed, without her parents, working for her emotionally constipated, hard-to-please, strict and controlling grandmother. She works the service industry (enough reason to go berserk...), she's objectified every day, she craves human connection, but is often perceived as too shallow, too dumb, too wild to build a friendship with. She wants to escape that town and experience freedom, but she's forced to stay to look after Granny, who fails to show her affection in any way that reaches her...
She develops a temper.
At first, it's just snark. Passed down from the Lucas blood, or learned behavior to survive her environment — or both. It's to protect her psyche. To protect the fragile safety of her self. Unsheathed only to match Granny's sharp wit and harsh comments.
Then, it's no longer a controlled response to some directed, overt offense to her character, but a reactive state, on high alert, triggered by perceived offense, as well. It's a layer on top of her insecurities, to deflect further attacks. It's a raw nerve, kept under thin cloth.
It's a hand slapping away Whale's uninvited touch. It's a curse at Leroy's drunken jokes. It's a muttered offense at some rude customer. It's the slamming of her bedroom door when Granny keeps yelling at her. It's the overindulgence on drinks at the Rabbit Hole, it's the shoving of another's creep advances, it's the low-tolerance for the aggressive jealously of offended people that direct their hurt at her, not at their cheating partners. It's the late-night driving to the edges of the woods, alone, to scream at nothing and curse the wind for her anger and loneliness. It's the drive back with tears in her eyes and smudged lipstick in the back of her hand.
It's something so reactive, it sometimes escapes her control. It works against her. It sabotages her.
She speaks without thinking. She pushes potential friends away, guarding her little independence. She mistakes innocent strangers for entitled creeps, and lets her defensiveness turn to rudeness. She rejects emotional intimacy to escape the familiar verbal abuse, and in doing so, isolates herself beyond reach.
It's this utter exhaustion from continued rejection. It's this low burning anger she keeps in check all day. It's this painful hunger for connection, always neglected, often suppressed. It's this horrible feeling that maybe she's not meant for this town, meant for these people, meant for people at all. That there's something wrong with her — immutably wrong with her. That she can never belong. That she will never belong. That she's different and alone. And there's no point to trying to hide it. And there's no point to trying to change it. And there's no point to being nice, if people aren't nice in return. It's this urge to say, "Fuck it", and destroy everything.
This gnawing loneliness that's slowly consuming her being. That could, one day, consume her heart — and turn her numb, cold, uncaring, inhuman.
It's the anger and loneliness she overcompensates for, to fight that ever-present darkness. To preserve her heart, to preserve her humanity, so there will be something to connect with...
But it's there, always. Within. A trigger away. A bad day away. Raging and hungry, the part of her she can't escape.
Who would you say is Reds best love intrest between canon/fanon options
Aaaaaaah, come on! You're setting me up for another Red Snow Rant!
I can't be held responsible for this now, it's all on you. Anons da minha pátria, blame Ghost.
No, but for real... Not to be a slimy goblin evading a decisive answer once again but....... It's not as objective as it might seem.....! It really depends on what I'm craving at the moment, on what kind of itch I need to scratch, on what kind of mood I'm looking to indulge—
I have AUs to fill a wide, wiiiiiiiide variety of voids. I have pocket verses and brain farts for every genre. I have versions of Ruby Lucas so removed from canon and so reworked from her primal pieces that you wouldn't recognize her immediately. All this to say... There is no such thing as "best" in this case. Only... "more appropriate". To what? Well, that's the crucial condition! That's the variable that changes the result!
I mean, yeah, sure, I'd take a fleshed out, detailed, possibly tragic, definitely romantic canon Red Snow journey anytime, anyway, anywhere, riding any beast— But that's for a specific flavor of ship, isn't? Red Snow is sweet and kind and reassuring. (When it's not at the hands of @lovecanbesostrange at 4am) It's simultaneously innocent and wise love, it's enduring loyalty and the incredibly bravery in caring for another person, despite the risk inherit in the feeling...
Red Snow is home. Red Snow is safe, it's secure, it's known. It's the healing retreat, the cabin in the woods at the end of a long adventure. To regroup, recover, recharge...
Each possible romantic interest brings out a different side of Ruby, tints her a different shade of red. To pick one would be to pick my favorite Ruby, and I love her completely, comprehensibly, every which way!! Don't make me do this!!! IT'S TORTURE!!!!
But, anyway~
Let's go down a short list, shall we?
Red Snow is easy. You see it. It's the force that kept Red alive, to put it simply. Without Snow, Red wouldn't have survived the horrors of her life. And, arguably, without Red, Snow wouldn't have survived.... at all! They are who they are, happy and living, and living happily, because they've crossed paths and greatly impacted each other's lives. They're indelible from each other's stories. There is no Red without Snow — not as we know her. And the same is true for Snow. That's it.
Red Beauty is... well, the beauty that could have been, suspended in time and pulse, just out of reach. It's a refreshing breath that was never exhaled. It's a fascinating picture to be build from individually precious pieces now abandoned separately, never to connect; a breathtaking sequence formed from a intricate maze of dominoes that would never tumble—It's the goddamn transcendentally brilliant, perfectly and poetically constructed masterpiece, trapped before its potential. They're so flowery and annoyingly romantic, Adele wrote a song about them.
Agh. You know who they are! They are the WLW Beauty and The Beast story that would have won OUAT awards today. They are the definite narrative that we should have gotten in the show. Rumple, meh, Rumple would have sufficed as A Beast That Slowly Downgraded Into a Gaston. And the two of them would have become immensely better characters for it. It would be the perfect fit for Ruby, in yet another brilliant twist for her tale; and a mature, respectful take on Belle's wisdom, elevating her masterful emotional intelligence, instead of her tragic commitment to lackluster romance...
Red Queen is my crappy, cranky child that has never done anything wrong in their life, and I know this and I love them. It's messy and dubious and possibly toxic and decidedly complicated. They follow no straight path, there is blood and bruises and broken bones in their wake, and they're headed nowhere particularly grand or gorgeous, but their love is brute, crude, cruel and powerful. That's their word. Power. They're powerful together. They're powerful apart. Their power is dangerous to themselves and to each other, and somehow they find a way to be tame and harmless to each other (after all the harm is done and healed from...)
Red Queen, as I dream it, would have never been allowed in a show like OUAT, and that's why we have fanfic. (Some 500k+ words of it~). From these grounds, Red Queen can be whatever I want. And, around the same witching hours, it can be whatever Kat wants to torture me with. I'm forever in their submission, at their mercy— and they have exchanged no more than five lines of dialogue in the entire series. That's how powerful they are.
Red Warrior was taken from us. It would have been a Red Beauty, a bit of spice, double the butch, don't hold on the cheese. They would have been unexpectedly cute, reforming each other's more troubling flaws and healing each other's straight-girl-related-gay-trauma. They would have been each other's second chances at love (much like the tragic poetry of Red Queen, but don't let me return to that). Ruby would have brought out Mulan's more sensitive side, and Mulan would have dealt with Ruby's unruly insecurities with some of her discipline. Ruby would have made Mulan laugh. And Mulan would have made Ruby blush. And they would have made each other happy. And I'm SO MAD THEY DIDN'T— No, okay. Technically, they did. As friends. Mulan became Ruby's new travel buddy, and Ruby became Mulan's first gay friend. That's huge. And their Spin-Off potential can't be negated, even if they're forced to be platonic about it. Sure. It's all in service of—
—Red Kansas, the clumsy child we had no choice over. It's the feral cat that chose us in the distribution system, followed us home and claimed the best side of the bed. It's adorable, it needs love, and it deserves a warm, caring home. We will feed it and nurture it and watch it grow into a full feral beast. Could it ever be domesticated? I don't know. Ask heartsways. The ship as it is (it happened so fast, what is it, concretely?) could use some work, but I can appreciate the kind of romantic interest that is Dorothy Gale. Brutish and rude and scared of intimacy. She's, accidentally, the perfect opposite to Ruby's personality; and not what I would have personally come up with, as her final True Love pick. But you know what? I dig it. Dorothy's cavewoman ways pair up nicely with Ruby's debilitating niceness, and they bring out interesting parts of each other, to be in conflict and in contrast. With Dorothy, Ruby becomes someone unafraid to stand her ground and use some force when needed. And, with Ruby, Dorothy allows herself some vulnerability and heart, knowing that she's in safe, gentle hands. They work, despite how hurriedly they were put together.
Those are the major five for me. Now for a lighting round:
Red Devil is Red Queen on steroids, crack, cocaine, gin and every sex drug known to mankind. It's best appreciated behind a curtain, with sound-proof walls. Don't worry about it.
Red Swan is Red Warrior with a pinch of Red Snow drama. I honestly can't entertain it too far, because I have trouble disowning my "Red As Emma's Godmother" headcanon to make room for the sexual tension. I can appreciate them within the confines of the First Dark Curse and maybe some fucked up Wish Realm or something... But canon compliant Red Swan doesn't spark something in me. Apologies.
Frozen Wolf would have been the most heart-achingly adorable pairing to fill me with enough cuteness aggression to end wars. It would be brief, though. They would be each other's summer fling. Winter fling? They would hook up, exchange Monster Complexes and say their goodbyes. Maybe they would keep in touch, if Anna and Belle decided to start seeing each other more often, and they needed bodyguards.
Brave Wolf is........... I can't say what it is currently, as it's been forever corrupted by a CERTAIN AU in a CERTAIN CORNER OF DISCORD. But it originally was a whimsy indulgence. A silly broship that could eventually blossom into a romance. It was nothing serious, until it became R-RATED SERIOUS.
I have never considered Ruby/Ariel for long enough to think of their ship name, but I can appreciate the amazing potential in their animal motifs. Wet Dog, anyone?
Frankenwolf irks me.
Red Dragon (Am I talking about Lily? Am I talking about Maleficent? Am I talking about a Red/Regina/Mal threesome? I couldn't find the gifs, clearly...) is badass and could be mined for glorious angst, but, curiously, I see them working better in their beastly forms, rather than their human personalities. Ruby could learn from Maleficent's temper and she could relate to Lily's struggles, but my imagination does not yet go this far... Sadly.
Red Wolf (Red Huntsman? boo, that's weak!) works in my head. Honestly, they do. Provided I GET TO DECIDE HOW AND WHEN AND WHY. But, more honestly? They're better as weird siblings joined by fate.
Red Charming.... ROMANTICALLY? Abomination. Somehow more incestuous than Red Swan. A bigger betrayal to Snow. They're the perfect BroShip, though. Now, Red Snowing? Now we're talking. They need Snow in the middle there. You get it.
And that's it for the ships and how they cause my brain fire around. Does it help in anyway with finding an answer? I don't think so.
Still, in the spirit of fairness, I shall try........... to pick............. a """""""best""""""" one.
oh my god so i’ve had a thought and as the ruby lucas blog™ i got to here your thoughts
so along with many other missed opportunities oust had with our wolf, how do you think the 3 little pigs and the big bad wolf could have been done
like who are the pigs? does the wolf really blow the house down?? what’s the classic ouat twist???
YES, ANON, YES!!
Back when I still had hope in my heart, I had hoped that OUAT would adapt the Three Little Pigs story. It was RIGHT THERE! Oh, the potential!! The connection was already made! It could be just the one centric episode, if only to give Ruby something to do, explore more of her character and her background, but... Nope.
Anyways, it's free real estate now! (As is much of Ruby Lucas' lore that canon didn't bother to cover).
I've attempted a version of that story before. But I'd like to take this opportunity to revisit it now. It could use some polishing... There are some things I would keep from that first idea, and some things I could leave in that draft...
Follow me
Things I would keep:
The Three Little Pigs as brothers.
The Brothers being indirectly, directly and personally victimized by the Wolf. (It's a gradual thing)
The Brothers seeking vengeance on the Wolf, who they've recently learned is Ruby Lucas.
Their individual attempts at punishing and/or capturing Ruby start off pathetic in effort, but escalate in complexity until they're successful.
Belle is somehow involved in the episode.
Things I would build on:
The brothers don't necessarily need to start off as hunters. It's better that they only consider that dangerous life after they've lived in fear of the Wolf for long enough.
The brothers raised pigs on the old land. And work at a butcher shop in town.
Adding a Past Storyline¹ portion of the episode, that actually expands on the events each brother describes to Ruby, in their separate attempts at capturing her.
So, let's start off with...
¹ The Past Storyline
Told in three parts, with three time-jumps, still in the past. Spliced between each brother's turn at confronting Ruby.
The Youngest Brother, who tries to capture Ruby in a simple rope net trap tells her (while she's playing weak): "We lived a good, happy, quiet life. We had everything. Then the Wolf took our peace."
First, the three brothers (but secretly four brothers, shhh, that's the twist) lived together happily in their pig farm. It was a humble life, but they loved it. Their small village was thriving, and they had big plans to grow their business, and their family. Then, the Big Bad Wolf attacks. In the middle of the night, catching everyone unprepared. A thorough slaughter. Not one single pig left. They lose their farm. It's the first big loss.
They struggle to survive financially after that. Their identities are shaken, their purpose is challenged. It's a hard hit, but, with their unity and hardwork, they pull through, and find another way to live. Life is never the same again, however.
The Middle Brother, who tries to burn down the diner and, a little more prepared than his last sibling, actually manages to scratch Ruby with a silver kitchen knife tells her: "We still had each other. We still had our dream. But the Wolf took our home"
When the Wolf attacks a second time, the entire village is torn apart. They lose their house, their community, their ground. A big fire consumed it all, when they hastily tried to fight back the Wolf. Now, with nowhere to call home, they become travelers. Still united, but struggling far more than before — with a growing hatred of this Wolf that has destroyed their lives.
Their anger turned to skill, they become hunters. Werewolf hunters (we need to establish it firmly in the world building, or I will go MAD—). They're fairly good at their job. They kill a few ordinary wolves, but never the one they hate the most.
The Oldest Brother, who masterfully targets Belle to destabilize Ruby, and knows to weaponize wolfsbane, goes on his long monologue: "We were left with our pain and our fear. The Wolf took us from each other. Now, we only have our anger."
The third time they meet, they're ready to face this monster. And it's when the fourth brother is revealed. He's been there all along! (cue the Agatha Harkness reveal) He's been the leader, guiding them through every hardship and every new start. He's been keeping them together. And he's the strongest of the four. They trust him to kill the Wolf, when it comes to it.
And so they face the beast, weapons in hands, protections in place. They're angry, and they're ready to have their vengeance.
But they have underestimated the monster's might. And they lose their leader. The fourth brother is killed by the beast. The loss is the greatest they've ever faced. And it tears them apart.
Past Storyline Ends Here.
The Present Storyline
The Brothers Attempts at capturing Ruby, followed by some quality Red Beauty bonding time to tend to the damage caused (and to also establish their friendship so that the later events in the season can more effectively break our hearts—)
The First Brother, woefully naive, with only an impulse and a grudge, trying to catch Ruby in a rope net (like Charming caught Bandit Snow) while she goes on her morning runs. It's a deplorable little trap that only briefly suspends Ruby while she's too stunned and confused to react. When she realizes what this grievance is about, she sincerely apologizes. (We feel sorry for her, as usual)
The Brother doesn't accept her apology. That, is of no surprise to her, she expected that already. Still, she rips through the trap. And, with an even heavier conscience, continues on her way.
END SCENE. >
Ruby relays that event to Belle — while she helps out at the library —, her words dripping with guilt. And Belle is her beautiful Belle self, comforting Ruby beyond Ruby thought was possible, telling her all the things Snow would have told her, if she had been there. (oh, yeah, it's set in S02, so Snow is over on FTL).
END SCENE. >
The Second Brother does a slightly better job. Lurking in a booth all afternoon, looking —and smelling— suspicious, he seems to have a resemblance of a plan. After the diner is closed and everyone has cleared it, Ruby leaves to take out the trash. He steps out of the bathroom stall he's been hiding in, and tries to set the empty diner on fire. But Ruby smells the danger and comes back before he can light a match. She tries to talk him out of it, trying not to use force. But he won't hear it. In fact, he has something to say. And he tells Ruby again, about the other ways she has hurt his family in the other land.
And while he says it, Ruby sees the opening to wrestle the match box away from him. It's when he takes out a silver knife. Ruby doesn't catch that in time, and only realizes he's been better equipped than his younger brother, after he's slashed her across the arm. In pure reflex, she pushes him out the door of the diner, and he flies a good distance away, falling on his back. He's underestimated her, too.
From the door, clutching her injured arm, Ruby apologizes to him and his family again. But it does nothing...
END SCENE. >
The Red Beauty moment to follow this includes Belle tending to Ruby's wound, — in the back, staff-only room of the library — reassuring her that she's not the monster that these brothers are seeking revenge on. And they should understand that. Ruby should understand that. "Do not give yourself over to them again, do you hear me?" Belle is firm, like Snow often was. Ruby obeys.
CUT TO:
The Third and Final Brother has learned from watching his brothers fail. He knows how to defeat the Beast — through the heart.
END SCENE. ACT BREAK >
He goes after Belle the next night. The librarian is much easier to subdue, and the rope is finally useful. He then uses her as bait to lure Ruby to their place, The Butcher Shop, where he's rigged some vaporized wolfsbane trap (go along with it, it's OUAT) to completely overpower her. It works. Ruby is severely weakened and, at last, knocked out.
CUT TO LATER. >
INT. CREEPY BUTCHER SHOP BASEMENT - NIGHT
Ruby wakes up to find herself kidnapped alongside Belle, — face to face across the small, eerily lit basement, preferably —, chained up in actual thick chains (note to props: the same ones from CotM). And she's forced to hear the final part of the tale of the Pig Brothers.
It's revealed she's not only destroyed their livelihood, their home and their village, but she has killed the eldest brother. She's heartbroken (but not shocked) at that. Belle watches her sorrow carefully (while secretly untying the knots behind her back, shh).
A long monologue about the Big Bad Wolf, delivered in rehearsed fashion by the combined anger of the three brothers. Ruby says sorry again.
Belle is finally there to elaborate on that apology, on her behalf: she's there to argue that Ruby didn't have control over the Wolf, and they should see that, clearly, provably, she has a good heart, and they should know this is a devastating tragedy of which she is a victim, as well.
The Brothers counter that expertly, discrediting anything Belle has to say in Ruby's defense by telling her "The girlfriend of the Dark One can't be trusted as a character witness". Belle is FURIOUS at this.
Some more tension. Some more harsh words thrown Ruby's way. And some threats to take Belle's life in front of Ruby, so that she'll know what it's like to lose what matter most in life. Ruby panics. (Belle doesn't)
One of the brothers bends down to hurt Belle, but Belle has by now untied her bonds. She headbutts the brother, breaking his nose, and gets up to her feet to stand in front of Ruby, shielding her from them. The two brothers still standing (the other is struggling to sit up) laugh at the silly display of power. They're not afraid of her.
Belle, the cocky little shit she is, was counting on that. She looks out the small window. The faint light of a waning moon. Not full, but full enough. She looks back at Ruby, giving her a signal. Ruby dreads doing it, but it's the only way...
Belle turns back to them, brave and bold, and tells them, "You've been afraid of her all this time". Right on cue, Ruby transforms, breaking the chains in tiny pieces (yup, wouldn't have held, good to know).
The Big Not-So-Bad Wolf stands tall, huge and menacing where Ruby once sat. The brothers step back clumsily, tripping over their feet, while the brother on the floor crawls away whimpering and whining. They've only barely been able to defeat the woman. They can't possibly defeat the wolf.
But the Wolf doesn't bare her teeth, doesn't growl, doesn't attack. It's just a big dog, now that Ruby is in control. There's nothing to defeat.
Ruby does that thing where she sits down and bows her head, to show that she means no harm. The brothers are still trembling, but they don't know what to do, their preparation escapes them.
As a mindful display of trust, Belle approaches the Wolf, and lays a hand on her big head.
"She's in control now. And she's sorry for what the Wolf has done, while it was feral. But that wasn't her." And then she gestures around the basement, dark and depressing, "And this anger isn't you."
It takes a beat, but it dawns on them, what Belle means. Slowly, they stand down. (look, we need to get this emotional arc done for these characters in the stretch of an episode, okay? they need to speed this process up, at least for now) And they allow them the space to walk out of the basement. A fragile truce is implied.
Belle leads the way out of the house, while Ruby, still in Wolf form, follows behind her. Before they leave, she looks back at the brothers one more time, and lowers hear head in one last, sincere apology.
END SCENE. >
We cut ahead. Late at night, the town is asleep, and Ruby sits at Belle's tiny kitchen table, in the apartment above the library, nursing a headache with her palm.
Belle comes in quietly, with a warm cup of tea in hands. She offers it to Ruby, who takes it with a grateful, careful smile. Belle informs her she's explained the situation to David already, and the brothers should be warned about their reckless revenge quest. Ruby nods, and voices her shame at taking up more of David's time and the town's resources on her problems. Belle tells her not to be silly.
Ruby thanks Belle's assistance, and compliments her handy skills with the rope. Belle offers that a shrug, "I've picked up a few tricks, from all the times before." Ruby chuckles, but winces when the headaches returns. Belle is gentle when she asks, "Is that the wolfsbane, or the forceful transformation?"
Ruby tells her she's not sure, maybe both. And then, "How did you know I would be able to change without a full moon?"
To which Belle offers a humble shrug again, "I just knew you wouldn't let them hurt me." And she looks at Ruby, fully. She holds her gaze, until it's too heavy for Ruby to stand. Ruby looks down, but Belle continues, "Because that's who you really are."
Ruby blushes, and she can't find the words to say anything. Belle smiles at her friends shyness. And she lightens the mood with a final comment, "Also, I read it on a book."
Ruby outwardly laughs. "Of course you did."
And Belle joins her, "Of course I did."
Back with another question about rewrite of the show, how would you write redbeauty into the plot
Oh my! I have the vaguest memories of my favourite fics of Back Then attempting to re-write (or wishful think into—) canon and make Red Beauty flourish instead of whatever we got over the course of S3 onward... You'll find some on this list.
I think maaaany of the general elements and feelings behind the creativity of the Red Beauty fandom of the time would make it into my headcanon. They had a great grasp of their dynamics, of the promises of the Beauty And The Beast tale, of their wonderful potential... I'd be borrowing from the collective passion to write something today.
To be brief, I'll give you a short list to summarize my Red Beauty dreams for a canon gone by.
Friends to Lovers — We watch their friendship steadily develop into a gentle, yet solid, romance. Their feelings grow from a stubborn crush and suppressed passions, and blossom into love; doing so despite Ruby's crippling insecurities, Belle's selfless reservations and the looming, threatening presence of Rumple.
Medium Burn — not too fast (Ruby has fears), not too slow (Belle has needs).
Ruby x Rumple — This, standing only as a contrast for Belle to reflect upon (to resent or admire). There is no cheating, there is no affair, there is no major jealousy storyline. There is, simply, a pair of Beasts in Belle's life, wrestling with their beastly side in different ways. One significantly more inviting than the other.
Rumbelle naturally faces their challenges, independent from Ruby's influence — the same bumpy course we observed in canon, only, this time, reaching a definitive, rupturing end. They collect failure after failure, disappointment after disappointment, telling themselves they should keep on struggling and hope there's something on the other side.
But it wears Belle down, and she recovers from each loss and defeat in Ruby's presence, learning that there are better, less destructive and selfish ways to cope with one's inner darkness. Having this refreshing point of reference for a "Beast In Rehabilitation", Belle is encouraged to give up on her fruitless, costly efforts to find the tiniest goodness left in Rumple. She leaves him. Not for Ruby. But she will find her eventually.
The Ghost of Peter — Non-negotiable for any and all Ruby's ships (except maybe Red Queen.... fight me). Ruby's greatest fear and the biggest, strongest hindrance in her (accidental) quest for love. Once the spark with Belle is fed, their flame begins to scare Ruby to a certain distance. It's not that she's been burnt before. It's that she's set fire to someone before; it's that she's stood in their ashes. She doesn't want Belle to me the same fate as Peter. And she repeats it to herself, at the same rate Belle tells her "it won't happen again".
Belle Meets The Wolf — A must. So that Ruby's fear will take a considerable hit, and she'll know that even tiny Belle can hold her own against the Big Shy Wolf. Also, a wolf ride, maybe.
Maurice's Disapproval (Not That Belle Needs It) — much like with Rumple before, Belle's father is strongly opposed to Belle's dangerous taste in partners. This time, it's made worse by the fact that Ruby is a werewolf. And a woman. Belle insists that she doesn't need his permission to be happy, and that she knows what's best for her own self in her own life. She tries telling Ruby the same, but it takes longer to stick. For a while, Ruby indeed tries to prove to Maurice that she's worthy of Belle's love (despite not fully believing that herself). She promises him she'll keep Belle safe, and she'll try her best to make her happy. Maurice can't be convinced (or can he?)
On the other end of that, we have...
Snow's Blessing (Not That Belle Was Super Eager To Have It...) — Once Snow learns of their relationship, she makes sure to tell Ruby she's happy and hopeful for their future; that she sees their immense potential, and that she knows Belle is the one for Ruby. Belle pretends not to be excited to have Snow's approval.
Rumple Is Watching — Is he the jealous type? Is he a danger to Ruby? Will he respect Belle's wishes for space and independence? Will Hook provoke and humiliate him until Rumple's wounded ego consumes his best attempt at Good, and he takes action to punish the "dog that stole Belle from him"? Unsure. Only time will tell. But he sure is menacing, standing in the shadowy corner there, watching them go on cute dates. Yikes....
Three Little Pigs — Another Ruby Centric Episode we were owed by law. Belle is there for that. Also by law.
The Lacey Problem — Hook comes to royally (pirately~) mess things up. Rumple tries to keep Belle from the ugliness of their feud, but it goes wrong, she gets pushed over the Town Line — and Lacey emerges. Now, Lacey is trusted to Ruby's care, but, oh... Ruby worries about the Ordinary World learning about supernatural creatures, her relationship with Snow is becoming unfamiliarly tense, and she's unsure how to reconcile those fears with Lacey's existence — and Belle's buried conscience. It's an awful time for their relationship and it suffers greatly. Mostly at Lacey's careless hands.
Maybe the time for some Rumple Relapse. Inversely to Belle's kindness, Lacey is drawn to Rumple's darkness, and they "re"connect over their common deviancy. Now Ruby watches powerlessly, deciding whether or not to intervene in their old/renewed toxic relationship. "What Would Belle Want?" is a question she relies on the most, but without Belle there to be sure, Ruby is trapped in her lonely conflict.
When she does tries to gently convince Lacey away from Rumple, she's met with a harsh, unforgiving bluntness that cuts to her core. Lacey weaponizes Belle's masterful interpersonal, emotional insight, with none of the tact or kindness, as she dresses Ruby down (maybe literally? 👀) to her most pathetic essentials. From then on, Ruby is too weak and scared to fight.
Shattered Sight — The Lacey "curse" is broken somehow (let's leave that open for now), and Ruby and Belle are picking up the pieces of their relationship. Belle is apologizing for Lacey's cruel words (and acts? 👀) and Ruby is apologizing for her cowardice.
They're still finding their footing as a couple once again, when The Ice Queen comes in (if we absolutely MUST have that Frozen Arc....). She brings along her Shattered Sight Spell, that forces the darkness out to the surface of everyone in town. For Snow and David, it means being a little bit bitchy and snarky. For Belle, it means some Lacey-like impulses. For Ruby, it means the Feral Beast she once was. This is then the time for Belle to fight for Ruby, and rescue from her a truly helpless darkness — and solidify her apology in the meantime.
They revisit their very first "argument", for a chance to prove their stances for good.
No Rest For The Werewolf — They're enjoying what feels like a Relationship Renaissance, in the height of their blissful reunion after so many prolonged periods of melancholy. But nothing lasts forever, and a new villain is coming to fuck shit up worse than Hook. Oh, look, it's Cruella, her gin, her hair, and her terribly inconvenient powers of animal persuasion — that happen to influence werewolves. As her special kind of magic is revealed, Ruby is forced to go in hiding for her own good.
We briefly enjoy a somewhat apprehensive, but stubbornly brave Red Beauty retreat in the woods, as they shelter in place and wait for the Cruella Circus to be over. Ruby once again apologizes for the horrors that come attached to her nature, and Belle insists there is nothing to apologize for.
Something goes wrong (again, leave that open; maybe blame Emma and Snow), and Ruby falls into Cruella's trap. She's made into her pet, and Belle has to, once again, fight to save her.
To Be Continued...
Honestly, it's what I've got so far! Where do we go after this alternate S5? I have yet to untangle the many storylines in my head. I'd love to see them in The Underworld, so that The Ghost of Peter can be addressed, and Belle can have the blessing of a Werewolf Supremacist (that is mildly annoyed that a princess wants to "rehabilitate" her daughter). There are many ways I want Belle's and Ruby's individual character arcs to develop and intertwine and aid and challenge each other, but that is a task for later.
To play with the wolf’s hunger a bit, we could imagine a world where Ruby can’t help it and must eat something every full moon or every time she transforms (to sustain the transformation / as an intrinsic part of her curse, idk), just to add a tiny bit more drama to her relationships.
Yes, anon! Yessssss!!! 🔥🔥🔥💥💥💥 Oh, hell yeah!! I love the way you're thinking!!! I love it so much, in fact, I went OFF THE RAILS. Again...
I apologize in advance, anon. This is probably not what you wanted. But your ask sparked something in me, and opportunity met energy and I had to take advantage of it. So.
Here, you'll find:
• The Bias — where I'm coming from
• The Math — what I'm taking from canon
• The Headcanon — how I'm taking it from canon (up the—)
First things first!
• THE BIAS
I personally believe that should be a non-negotiable part of the werewolf myth. Every werewolf story would be largely, greatly elevated if it leaned into the Hunger Element more.
I'm not saying to replace the primal rage component of the internal struggle completely, but... isn't hunger the most animalistic thing instead? Rage is still so human in its complexity, in its purpose — but hunger, true hunger? It's devoid of deeper intent, carries no prejudice, is moved by no judgement. Purely nature, purely instinct. It's survival, coded into the brain, the bones, the body. An aching, constant need that can't be ignored indefinitely, at the risk of full system collapse — death.
Anger can be reasoned into a different feeling, eased into a harmless state; It can be soothed and talked down, until any destructive impulse is quenched without violence. Hunger? The only way to quiet its presence is to satisfy it. There is no safe way to avoid it. Sooner or later, it will demand its pound of flesh. Or, well, a pound of flesh.
My personal take on the general werewolf lore is that hunger is the driving force of the monster within, and the greatest obstacle for the human mind that wrestles with the wolf's urges. It's the first and most powerful manifestation of the wolf and its raw impulses; it's the "reason" the beast demands control — but there is no "reason" to hunger, and that's the point: it simply is.
Most transformations — in my world at least — are preceded by an all-consuming, and all consuming, hunger. The growling, rumbling prelude of the primal shift, from deep within. A growing, trembling warning. The kind of hunger that claws at the lining of one's entrails. And screams and cries and thrashes. The hunger that takes over one's mind, negating their best judgement, and overriding their usual reservations. So strong, it's no longer looking to satisfy a mere appetite, no longer a meek desire to eat, but a craving for anything that will fill the torturous emptiness and muffle the pain. It's a desperation to devour — anything.
All that said... What is the case with Ruby Lucas?
TL;DR: Calculating Red's approximate food intake in wolf form; the Peter Percentage; caloric needs; and... the implications.
First, let's take a generous look at CANON. And then, after CANON rudely lets go of our hand in the dark, let's be guided by our frenemy, MATH. After even MATH abandons us, we run for the hills.
Here, you can find some excerpts from the book. I've collected the passages where the narrative touches on the Wolf's ravenous appetite — or the lasting evidences of it. (Again, the book is only as canon as you'd like it to be. And I'd like it to be canon when it comes to that.)
You can note that the Wolf eats far more than a normal animal. Night after night, killing after killing. It eats and it eats, when it could have spent a night in hiding, slumbering, or simply running to spend the vast energy it's accumulated. But, no. The Wolf keeps on eating, despite the hunter activity that stalks it, despite the risk of drawing attention to itself, despite having eaten enough for a week.
Wolves can survive on 2.5 to 3.7 pounds of meat daily, but they require 5 to 7 pounds per day for successful reproduction. Yet wolves typically do not eat every day. Instead, they live a feast-or-famine lifestyle. They can go days or even weeks without eating—and after successfully hunting a large ungulate, a wolf can consume up to 20 pounds of food in a single meal.
[source]
Store that information in your heard for a bit, please. I promise, we'll see an end to it.
The book (and math*!) repeatedly states that this supernatural wolf, a Werewolf, is at least three times bigger than a normal wolf.
*SUMMARY: You could reasonably argue for three different sizes of the same wolf. One with an 8" wide paw (the largest size), one with a 8" long paw (the medium size), and one with a 8" paw in diameter (the smallest size), all calculated from expanding on the "eight inches across" description in three different ways. I'm personally content with the medium sized wolf — that stands at 142cm to the shoulder, and weighs 115kg — as that seems to be the one that most closely resembles my favourite CGI shots of the wolf.
Note that: even the biggest possible formal estimation ("Eight inches across") of the wolf's size was surpassed by loose empirical observation ("How big is this thing?"), as a wolf with an 8" wide paw would only be 228% bigger than an ordinary gray wolf (with a 3,5" wide paw), not near the experienced "three times bigger" proportion. Just one more example of inconsistency on OUAT's part, and why I'm relying on bitching numbers!! 📢 But, anyway, we'd be here all day—
Let's make some more-than-generous food intake predictions. This way, if canon fails to guide us anywhere, we can still rely on this plausible range.
Quite simply, let's triple those numbers, and expect them to apply to Red's beast: 5 to 7 pounds (2,26kg to 3,17kg) per day for a normal wolf is 15 to 21 pounds (6,8kg to 9,52kg) per day for a werewolf. And if a normal wolf can consume up to 20 pounds in a single meal, a werewolf can go up to 60 pounds (27kg) in a single meal.
That sounds fair, no? A wolf three times bigger than normal, eating three times more than normal. Fair!
And consider that carefully. "Up to 60 pounds", okay? "Up to". For a wolf we are assuming is securely 300% the size of a normal one. Up to 60lbs is for the Bigger Than The Biggest wolf — eating on a feast-or-famine system. Okay? Got it? We're good so far? Good.
Hold that close for a moment. Okay.
Stay with me here. Now it's time for some atrocious math...
• THE MATH
(Yeah, no.... Sorry, we hadn't even started yet...)
SKIP TO "THE HEADCANON" IF NUMBERS ARE NOT YOUR FRIENDS.
The average weight of a sheep is 100 to 350 pounds (45 to 160 kg)—
Oof, starting off strong, I know. But trust me! We finally have some answers!
I'm not assuming the Wolf ate twelve whole sheep in one night, don't worry! Roughly 30% to 35% of a sheep's live weight is actually viable as meat, or proper food — a bit more if you consider a wolf's less... polished tastes, sure. Retail boneless cuts make up about 25% of that whole weight. A Wolf that big could turn those bones to bits and make good use of that calcium without waste, but let's assume the beast didn't spend much time chewing and sucking on a skeleton, and was content with mostly muscles, some fat and some guts... Let's settle on a chill 20%.
A fifth of a sheep's weight, consumed with each killing, for an average of 20 to 70lbs (9 to 32kg) of flesh devoured per sheep. Times twelve, it's 240 to 840lbs (108 to 381kg) for that entire meal...
Nope! That's insane.
Even if you take into account the financial state of Red's village, and assume their livestock would most likely be on the thinner end of the scale, that's still 240lbs (108kg) of meat in one single night, in one single meal. That's almost as much as the entire body weight of the largest size estimation of the Wolf (330lbs/150kg).
No. 20% of each sheep is too much. It's not hunger, it's gluttony. It's a human's greedy, spiteful appetite, eating far past fullness signals. We're dealing with an animal (albeit a huge one) that eats with the simplest intent to satisfy a physical need, nothing more.
And, more practically: it's way too long laying around, hanging about, leisurely picking meat off of every body. Even for a creature that big, eating all the meat from a sheep, twelve times in a row, would take too long. Recklessly long! The hunters wouldn't have let the beast take its sweet time savoring every carcass, licking their bones clean. No. For the sake of some remaining internal logic in the story, let's say the Wolf moved faster than that. It had no time to eat a full fifth of a dozen sheep—
Occam's Razor to that! shhhh 🔪
Let's say the Wolf simply tore their throats, swallowed that large bite, and moved on to the next one and the next one, stopped either by growing heavy and tired, or being chased off by the villagers. (However unlikely that last one is...)
Ummm. So! ☝🤓
Neck meat makes up 10% of the carcass weight of a sheep. 48%~ of a whole sheep carcass is boneless meat, so that 10% neck becomes 4%~ of that edible neck meat from a carcass. 52% of a sheep's live weight is carcass, so that 4% of dead weight becomes ~2% of a live sheep's weight: 2% of a sheep's weight to account for the boneless, edible meat around the neck.
For example: A neck fillet, boneless, clean and nicely cut is just 1.44% of that carcass, or 0,7% of the live weight. (Other neck cuts, bones included, represent up to 8%~ of the dead weight, but we're trying to be reasonable here~). Meaning: if you were to eat exclusively the necks fillets of a dozen (mostly small, mostly thin) sheep in one sitting, as a human, you would be eating about 8,4lbs (3,8kg), or 8.740 calories of meat for one meal. (Not to spoil anything, but... It's actually... a real possibility for Ruby's diet, considering her caloric needs, but that's for later... 📌 )
A werewolf ripping out more rudimentary cuts with a large bite is likely to consume 2lbs (0,9kg) of meat per sheep. From a dozen sheep, it's a total of 24lbs (10,8kg) in a single meal.
Surprisingly (or not?), it almost lines up with the initial estimation of 15 to 21 pounds (6,8kg to 9,52kg) of food per day for a werewolf. Sure, it's a bit above the predicted range, but maybe she was specially hungry that day...
Again: that's assuming a werewolf — that could range from 203lbs (92,3kg) to 330lbs (150kg) in weight — is limiting herself to only consuming boneless, 2lbs bites per kill. Once more, that's the conservative estimation.
On the other end of it, still justifiable within canon's bounds, is the other extreme we've landed on at first — the excessive feeding: multiple consecutive full feasts.
Both would hold up in a court of law, yes.
In fairness, here is another scale, similar to the one used to argue for the Wolf's Size. These, like the one before it, are based off the same line of dialogue, extrapolated in different ways: "The wolf took out a dozen last night"
MONSTROUS HUNGER — A FIFTH OF A DOZEN SHEEP
20% of each sheep's body weight, devoured meticulously. For a total of 240lbs (108kg) for a single meal.
RESTRAINED HUNGER — TORN THROATS AND A DOZEN BITES
2% of each sheep's body weight, killed swiftly in a single bite. For a total of 24lbs (10,8kg) for a single meal.
That's a good range for you, both supported by canon! From 108kg to 10,8kg of food in a single meal. Pick a number between them, build your headcanon, and have fun!
Nothing else to see here!
...........................
But, see...... That's sheep.
And that's assuming they're small sheep. If we're talking big, grown, healthy sheep, that scale changes to 840lbs (381kg) — 84lbs (38kg). Yikes.
And that was Day One of the one Wolfstime we saw the Wolf roam and eat freely.
That was one meal, for one night.
The night that followed it, the beast had something else to eat.
But, see, no, that one is different. You see that too, don't you?
This killing, as brutal as it is, was purely reactionary. Their weapons tossed to the sides, their bits still within reach; ripped off lower limbs and relatively minor blood loss... their bodies left mostly whole. Likely killed as swiftly as the sheep, if marginally more angrily...
The Wolf, of course, was defending herself. They were hunters. They were hunting her. They were looking for a fight! It was either them, or the Wolf. This was self-defense, not a proper feeding!
This was, at last, primal rage and retaliation, killing the men that tried to kill her. This, undoubtedly, counts towards Red's tragic body count, yes, but shouldn't be taken as evidence of the Wolf's hunger.
This was an animal, forced into violence by fear — a survival instinct.
What should be considered in regards to Red's hunger, however...
The Killing of Peter.
Even more tragic, I know. Isn't it wonderful? To know that Peter wasn't killed because he posed a threat to the Wolf's safety — he was chained to a tree, he was helpless and vulnerable. He wouldn't have been a threat to an ordinary human standing before him, lost and scared, he wasn't a threat to the creature that, just the night before, had killed at least four hunters. Peter couldn't have touched that beast.
He was one man, trapped and unarmed. He wasn't a hunter, he wasn't a predator. He was a human, thrashing and screaming, seemingly pulsing with life, of warm blood and healthy limbs... He was a meal. Served up in chains. Unable to escape, unable to fight back. Ready for the taking.
The Wolf wasn't angry. It had nothing to retaliate, no violence to match, no struggle to survive. It was simply... hungry.
From what you can see in this shot and the next,
The Wolf ate everything but a couple limbs.
And, if I may risk a dangerous internet search for this calculation...
Peter had a weight of approximately 169lbs (77kg). From a human's live weight, one brave redditor estimated 60% of that is carcass — or """"viable meat"""". Idk, ask Shauna Shipman if that sounds right.
I'd argue, for a werewolf, more could be the case.
If you account for the removal of the skeleton, which makes up from 12%—15% of the body weight, that's still up to 85% of """"edible bits"""". That's about 143lbs (64kg) of blood, guts, skin, fat and muscles to be consumed per 169lbs man. Sure, if you want to discard the blood and the organs and stick only to meat (um, I mean, skeletal muscle), that's about 40%—50% of the human body weight — and let's say Peter had built some muscle from his blacksmithing job, leaving him at the higher percentage. Even that reduction still leaves us with 84,5lbs (38kg) of pure muscle eaten in a single meal. ← That's our Restrained Estimation
HOWEVER! In the shots above, you can't really locate the bones. Or the organs. Or most of the blood. You can reasonably assume, then, the ~115kg animal has devoured most of the boy with no prejudice. In which case, we're back to working with the entire 169lbs of human. Removing the feet, which make up 1.43% of the body weight each for a male. That's 2,86% (4.83lbs/2,1kg) to be deducted from the final weight... and considering there's a part of a leg unattended there — let's say half a leg, so 2,37% of the body weight — one could estimate.... 94% of Peter was devoured. That's 158lbs (71kg) of meat. ← That's our Blunt Estimation
And, sure, let's say we do locate, at the very least, the bones, and we make the (much less terrifying) argument that the Wolf hasn't gotten to the hard bits yet... No bones devoured. Only soft flesh. (We discount the brain too while we're at it, as it's stored in a skull tupperware, and the wolf doesn't have thumbs, so that's -2%), That's still ~77% of his body, eaten. That's 130lbs (59kg). ← That's our Diplomatic Estimation.
The final range: 50%—94%; 84,5lbs (38kg) —158lbs (71kg) of human.
EATEN.
BY ONE WOLF.
IN A SINGLE NIGHT.
IN A SINGLE KILL.
Holy fuckin—
Remember that "up to 60lbs in a single meal" prediction at the start? How small and adorable was that... So, so wrong...
Yeah, that's horrifying.
Oh, not bad enough? Get this, the icing on the top:
THE WOLF HAD EATEN THE TWO NIGHTS BEFORE.
It wasn't starving. It wasn't weak and malnourished and famished and desperate to consume like a merciless force of nature.
It was... ordinarily.... hungry.
And it still could stomach up to 71kg of flesh.
Okay.... Deep breath out. That's it for the numbers now. We can relax. You're safe now, they can't hurt you anymore. Shhhhh.
Now, for the real thing. Now, aided by MATH!!
• THE HEADCANON
So, I pulled a muscle doing all these gorey exercises, and now what? We put it to practice, damn it!
Let's start with some foundational headcanons: The transformation takes a toll on her body.
Evidenced by the change in her breathing every time she returns to her human form.
Some exertion takes places. Whether the transformation is purely magic, partially physical, or a convenient combination of both, it requires energy, takes up energy, is a surge of energy.
Hinted at here in her preparation for the change, in her purposeful inhale.
She's changing from the body of an "ordinary" human woman, into the form of a gigantic, 253lbs wolf. (The medium estimation I'm okay with, actually). That's a change from a body size of 138lbs (63kg) to 253lbs (115kg). That's 114lbs (52kg) difference, out of seemingly nothing. Is that allowed? What accounts for that discrepancy? Must it even be?
That could be: 1) a very dense human form (not unlikely; she can be quite the idiot sometimes...), 2) a surprisingly light huge wolf that, despite its size, continued to weigh 63kgs, or 3) an insanely high amount of potential energy in storage. Kinetic, thermal, idk. (also plausible; she sure is hot!)
2) is honestly depressing, if not deeply concerning; 3) would technically turn Ruby into a fucking billion atomic bombs, and 1) is the most badass.
Rule of Cool it is! 😎✨
Let's say she's dense — and also heavy. Let's say she only looks like an ordinary 172cm, 63kg woman on the outside, but in reality she's walking around with the potential body weight of a 115kg wolf, all compressed into her frame, stored in her muscles, her bones, her fibers. Literally, inside her.
Naturally, she has to eat accordingly. Yes, even in human form!
I'm sorry I tricked you. There are still some numbers left. Look the other way...
First, we need a rough BMR for her.
Using normal human math to determine the requirements to merely maintain an ordinary 172cm/115kg/female body, we can start off with some useful numbers.
Assuming her metabolism is extremely high* to keep up with the demands of her supernatural attributes (i.e. strength, speed, senses, healing, pun storage...), we can reach for the furthest end and estimate a caloric daily need of 3.684kcal/day just to exist. More than that, if she's exercising in any way. And she is.
*For example, "at rest" for her is a normal human's "very, very, very intense exercise".
To butcher some more numbers, let's take that 3.684kcal/day need and set it as her BMR (the minimum she needs for her body to function) — And, with some crude proportion calculations, arrive at what her metabolic needs would be for a "daily exercise" lifestyle.
So. Yup. That's 5.709kcal/day to maintain her body weight with moderate daily exercise.
It's impressively close to the caloric needs of a 115kg wolf (using dog math), whose system requires 5.632 kcal/day to simply maintain its body weight.
Between those two numbers, it's an average daily need of 5.670 calories to function normally and maintain her weight.
What does that look like in diet terms, for the human? I'll leave that meal plan up to you. Just know that she's a terrible cook, and the syrup goes on top of the pancakes—
(the sheer amount of sugar she must consume a day just as a shortcut to meet her caloric needs, my god....)
She might snack a loooot throughout the day, she might prefer bigger meals in steady (or erratic!) intervals. However she organizes (or is organized by!) her eating habits, you just know that appetite is notable. A 5.000+ calorie diet is the kind of stuff elite, competitive powerlifters and bodybuilders can justify during their preparation phases and heavy bulking. It's for extreme cases of ultra-high performance by the human body. It's that out of the ordinary.
And, again, that's assuming she walks around in human form as a deceivingly, dangerously compact 115kg lean mass monster with the dormant power of a murder machine.
If you decide to ease off the pedal on Option Number 1) Dense Dork, we can always have some fun exploring the limits of our suspension of disbelief, and combine it with Option Number 3) The Walking Nuclear Reactor. ← This one explains away those ~52kg of mass difference as stored, potential energy currently in the form of "harmless" thermal activity. Or, if that's too complicated, we join the two and say she's partially dense, partially a power plant, idk. A 89kg beast in a 63kg-looking frame, carrying around the remaining 26kg in pure potential energy....
See, that's when we start to lose grasp of Mother Math's hand.
But, better late than fucking never: let's accept that the limitations of our scientific reality can't account for the more magical, fantastical elements that make up OUAT's lore, and werewolf lore in general; and let's agree that not all her physical capabilities (her raw strength, for example) can be soundly explained by cold, cynical math.
We can only go so far following the humble number trail canon left behind. After that, we have to employ some whimsy~ and some imagination~
That's the case now.
At last, for our main point: how much she needs to eat 1) to transform, and 2) to maintain that transformation.
2) To maintain the transformation, under a full moon*, she doesn't require an exceeding amount of energy, outside of the Wolf body's usual needs. Enough energy to properly function at rest (5.632kcal/day), and some more energy to move about, hunt, run, fight or exercise. (using the human equivalent as rough reference, it'd be a 54% increase on that base number, so: 8.721kcal/day) 📌100g of lamb neck fillet are 230 calories. See? That 3,8kgs feast was scarily correct!
In fact, the struggle is the opposite — it's to resist the change, hence the cloak's magical aid. Under a full moon, the transformation is compulsive and, mostly, unavoidable. We could make a case that greatly experienced werewolves with masterful control over their power can change at will despite the strength of the moon's pull — but that doesn't seem to be the case with Ruby just yet.
During Wolfstime, changing into the wolf form is just the natural way of her condition, the current she can't swim against for too long. During a New Moon, however, the case is reversed again. Then, you could argue, maintaining herself in wolf form is vastly more exhausting, costing much more of her energy — as it goes against the wolf's natural impulse. (Yes, there are loopholes. Yes, don't worry, I won't go there here).
Oh, and by the way: 100g of human is 130 calories. 38kg of Peter is 49.400 calories. Clearly, the Wolf was bulking up.
Finally.
1) How much she needs to eat to transform.
That is the thing we have no real solid ground to build upon. No real reference to be found in canon, beyond her general exhaustion following her return to the human form. We can assume it's tiring and energy-expensive, but how much and why.....? Now it's up to our bullshittin' abilities.
She already eats enough to power up a werewolf's body normally. Her signs of fatigue after a transformation hint that the process itself is specially consuming. Seemingly, more arduous than maintaining the wolf form.
More energy is spent changing forms, than remaining in those forms.
I mean, it makes sense. Inertia, right? And her cousin, Irene. Just think of the energy required to move a stationary object, or to stop a moving body, or to burn something, melt something, ignite something, convert something — gestate something.
It takes 50.000* extra calories over the course of 9 months to create a tiny, squishy baby. To nearly instantly produce a fully grown 115kg creature, human or wolf—Fuck! How much would that be?! If I had any passable grasp of thermodynamics, and if I hadn't spent my 50k daily words on this post, I would attempt that calculation, but.... alas!
*But, now that we've paused on it... 50.000 calories, huh? Suddenly, that 49.400 calorie Peter meal doesn't sound so absurd. She wasn't bulking up, she was filling back up. The transformation must leave her famished.
In the end, what do we have?
A notably exhausted, freshly transformed woman.
And a horrifyingly hungry wolf.
And what do I make of this?
• CONCLUSION
The act of transformation consumes so much energy, the body needs to exceed its normal food intake to replenish the base calories.
If an ordinary werewolf, in wolf form, could survive on 6,8kg to 9.5kg of food per day, and up to 27kg in a single meal, and Red's feral wolf, at the peak of Wolfstime, was gorging on a minimal of 10,8kg a day, and 38kg in a single meal, that deviation illustrates the colossal force of this hunger.
Her uncontrolled feasting, that merely instinctively sought to regain the energy lost to her transformation, could have been avoided, had the human prepared in advance.
Meaning: for the wolf to not surface in destructive, chaotic famine, the human must either control it appropriately, or eat accordingly in preparation, shouldering the burden of preemptively feeding the incoming hunger.
For Red, that would mean eating beyond the 5.600+ daily calories required for her human body. It would mean stocking up on enough food to satisfy an active, healthy 115kg wolf (~8.721 calories — or a dozen lamb neck fillets......), so that the animal wouldn't feel the slightest urge to eat — to kill.
Effectively, she would have to eat like a beast, to prevent reverting to one.
Hi, been awhile and I just thought od this question l. What was your reaction to Red turning out to be the wolf
Hi there! Oh, I missed you!
Ah, you know me. The TL:DR is:
One of the rare times it has happened, in my experience...
The TL is:
To be completely honest, I had been spoiled on that particular twist (which is undoubtedly the BEST twist in the entirety of OUAT's run, fight me) by my dashboard; I knew Red was a werewolf before properly getting into the series. No hard feelings, dashboard! Actually, I'm thankful. Knowing Red was a werewolf was the reason I decided to dive into OUAT in the first place. (Why, yes, I knew who my precious blorbo was going to be from day one 😌lucky me)
But that's all I knew about her character, really: a werewolf, kind of goofy, decidedly a good guy, looks great in red... I had learned the basics of the show's premise, and I knew she was more or less a regular character (at least in S01, RIP). So I figured, even if her story turned out to be kind of... meh, the investment was worth it.
AND HOLY FUCKING SHIT, IT WAS.
To recycle an old drawing....
See. I didn't know how she came to be a werewolf.
Before I watched Red Handed for the first time (a one-in-a-lifetime thing, my god), I was under the impression that Peter was indeed the OG Big Bad Wolf — it was 2012... female werewolves were still revolutionary back then —, and he had bitten and turned her, when she tried to contain him. Yes, I was ready to tolerate an origin story with an annoying, arguably controversial hetero relationship where the guy had all the power and the girl became his victim, forever changed by his conflicted violence. (I still got Belle for that, I guess....)
What we got was A BILLION TIMES BETTER!!!!
Not turned, born. Not a victim, but the monster itself. Not pure and innocent and helpless, but dangerously powerful, infinitely complicated, burdened by the unwilling, unconscious slaughter of countless lives and the ruin of many more families.
The.... the complexity ✨that simple change brought to her character!! Not having her life and journey irreversibly changed and determined by a man's actions — however unintended —, but coming to the world with that violence, that power, that danger, that conflict, that struggle, that duality built in!!!!! Not thrust upon her by an outside force!!!! Anger, disgust and horror directed only at herself, not at the one who corrupted her — she was never sacred. AAAAAA—
The drama of the secrecy, the drama of the discovery, the drama of that family curse, the drama of her identity versus her nature. The monster within, the blood on her hands, the guilt, the responsibility, the control, the determination, the trauma, the kindness, the violence—
I'm not saying we couldn't have gotten there if Red had been turned by Peter instead, but........ could we? ....... come on........ just.......... Imagine how much it would alter her story and her character!
No paralyzing fear of repeating what happened to the first person she loved; no defining mistake, no shaping tragedy, no soul-crushing, habit-forming, attachment-dictating guilt.
No conflict with Granny's character; no ambivalent feelings towards her upbringing and the affection and sincerity (or lack thereof) she was given.
No Anita tension; no temptation to give up her humanity so she can be loved for her other side; no haunting sense that she's an abomination that could only be loved by its mother.
No killing prior to Peter; no weight of the three or so years of uninterrupted terror and gruesome deaths she brought to her humble village, unknowingly, while trying so hard to be its hero, brave and beloved.
No crushing betrayal shattering her reality and challenging what she thought was real — about the world, about her family, about herself.
No guilt!!!!! WHO IS RED, IF SHE'S NOT FEELING GUILTY???? (Questions for her therapist, 1 to 250)
Sure, sure. I am currently yelling at a cloud of a storyline that never happened, never will happen, and never would have happened. It was a wrong assumption I made, from the little information I had... that I'm now comparing to the much better reality, to point out all the ways it would have fallen short of the perfection of the character and story we got.
sigh
It was such a good thing. I'm so glad we didn't get anything else, anything less than that perfect, perfect episode. Oh, wow.
Even when I knew the twist, I was overjoyed to see it for myself, and positively shocked by the wonderful character that was about to rule my creative impulse for the next decade and more. Wow. So good.
Ngl I think one of the biggest disservice to Ruby's character the show did to her is not metining Peter once it Rubyslippers. Like I get they wanna focus on the (rushed) Romance With Ruby and Dorthy but cmon. Reds biggest angst is what she did to Peter. Her first love and he not one mwtion in the Underworld. Imo I think they should've included him mote to let Red start to move on and let him move on
Oh, Anon........ Anon, anon, anon, ANON!!!!
ANON!!!!!!! (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻
Why must you get me started on— Look, 🚬
In an ideal word, the fast-food story they blended, watered down and squirted full speed into our feeding tube in the cramped space of a third of an episode would have been calmly and meticulously served over the course of three (up to five! — but I'll get there) beautifully crafted episodes. The Red and Peter reunion would be included in this, among many others!!
Let me explain my point.
The Red Kansas origin story is a cute one! I don't hate it. (What I do resent is how rushed it was!) It's got all the parts that could make up a love story as beautiful as Snowing's: the adorably antagonistic first meeting, the grumpy banter, the sarcastic nickname turned sincere, the awakening of the feelings, the panic, the search, the heroism, the sacrifice, the kiss... The problem? The pace. The scope.
(It felt like they were simply checking the boxes to deliver on a marginally satisfying romance to quiet the restless queer audience, without testing the patience of the homo-averted folks. Maybe it was exactly that, I can't say. You would have to take that up with Disney...)
We could have had all of that, spread over three episodes (five, bear with me later...). Each episode an expansion, a deeper exploration of the arcs we were given in the single one. Within each episode, three more self-contained, smaller arcs, driving us forward onto the next three. The episodes wouldn't be sequenced continuously. We could allow for two, three, even four buffer episodes on different characters/themes/subjects between them, to space them out and give the story a sense of lived-in time.
In this essay— not but really, it's the length of one—, I'll attempt to prove that the individual parts, beats, components of the Red Kansas story are enough, and what was needed to do it proper justice was a little bit of patience, some breathing room, and the time grow.
For that, I won't disturb the parts that we do have. I won't discard what we were given, and I won't add anything I can't reasonably prepare with the same original ingredients. My goal is not to re-write them, but to serve them in a more efficient way.
It will look like:
■ These are the pieces we have
► And this is how I would expand on them.
These are scene suggestions to color the proposed idea.
(kindly don't come at me with "the network wouldn't allow this" or "they didn't have the time for all that shit". this is the Ideal World I'm working on, I don't recognize the Real World's barbaric limitations 😤)
Enough rambling—
First Episode: The Meeting
(TL;DR: Red Warrior's friendship, initial friction, shared loneliness, and breaking the ice)
■ Mulan and Red (her friends call her Red, damn it!) are searching for werewolves in Oz.
► I need at least half of the first arc dedicated to Mulan and Red's developing friendship. I want this moment:
To be carefully built to, and pay-off an emotional journey. (I'll get there). I need to see how far they've come since The Bear King. And how the roles have shifted since then, with Mulan now standing as the calm, collected force to ground an anxious and lost Red.
I want Mulan to realize (conveyed with a quick reaction to a throwaway line by Red¹) that her friend struggles with fears and insecurities regarding her werewolf nature. What Mulan had thought was a woman owning her power and masterfully wielding it to aid others is in fact a kind, well-meaning girl stumbling through life, despite her power, and despite her fear.
■ Mulan is trying her best to keep up with Red, but she's only human. A fit and trained human, but a human nonetheless.
► Red notices Mulan's exertion, though Mulan's stubborn bit of pride tries to hide it. Red sees Mulan, gasping for breath, leaning on her knees, and she feels guilt at pushing her friend this far. Red spent so long running alone, she's not used to someone trying to keep up. She's unused to having to slow down for someone else.
► They've exhausted their search (and themselves) in Oz. And now they have to return to the Enchanted Forest. But first, they have to rest. Mulan needs to. Red will make sure of it.
And now we get to see how their many nights of camping have looked like, up until now.
Mulan has managed to build a fire and a decent tent for them to sleep in by the time Red is back with some water and some rabbits for them to eat; Mulan is resourceful, and Red's wolf power helps them save time and energy. On top of it all, they don't even have to coordinate any of it. They know how to be helpful and considerate, without talking about it. They've been the silent soldier of service for most of their life. They're similar in that regard.
¹ While watching the fire, Red makes a comment about werewolves being famously, and aggressively, unwanted in many lands, hinting at what she thinks might have happened to the few Children of the Moon left. Her tone is sober, but a defeated laugh and a bad joke about "Maybe they have a point there" at the end of her sentence clues Mulan in to Red's feelings about her own kind — or maybe her own self.
■ Mulan reassures Red that they will find her pack. Red is resistant, and her resolve is clearly waning... She's losing any hope she had, when she started this. She's upset, and she snaps at Mulan.
► We allow Red a beat, as she realizes her temper got the best of her. She's embarrassed, and she apologizes to Mulan. Mulan waves it off, as she understands Red's irritation. Red is appreciative of Mulan's kindness.
Red tries to explain herself, regardless. She comments that it's been a while since she's interacted with anyone for this long (yet again recognizing her terrible loneliness up to this point), she's a bit unused to being a human again.
We NEED the time Red spent under the Witch's control as her Slave and Guard Dog to be addressed and treated as the trauma it was, even if it's a passing mention, like Red's many other traumas. Even in a sad attempt at a joke; something else for Mulan to frown comically at. Red has a habit of making light of her own pain. And we need to reinforce that this is how their dynamic has best settled as:
Don't worry, we'll reference the "dating advice" bit again.
It's later in the night, and Red is curling up in her cloak to sleep. She notices Mulan is still sitting impressively upright, rigid and alert. Red chuckles at that.
"You know, you don't have to stand guard for me." Red teases Mulan. And Mulan blushes a bit, but hides it well. Red insists that, as a wolf, she can take care of herself, and her senses can pick up on danger long before Mulan can.
Feeling only slightly offended at having her hard-earned skills easily bested by Red's natural talents, Mulan's posture changes, as she makes herself more comfortable to sleep. Still, she doesn't lie down completely, resting against a tree instead.
Red moves closer, so she'll rest her head on Mulan's lap. Red moves without hesitation, while we see a bit of tension in Mulan, in reaction to this. This tension, however, is very different than before.
They fall asleep together. Both of them standing guard in their own way, both protecting each other.
It's the next day. Fuck yeah, it's daylight. How dare them not give us a daylight meeting. Anyway. It's fucken sumny out. And they're now strolling down the road in Oz. Same banter, same lame comment about movie singing and dancing. Mulan has learned what a movie is by then. "Ruby, Red, this isn't a book or a movie."
■ They hear the growling. They prepare for battle. They have each other's backs. Oh look, it's Toto. Red recognizes who this might be.
She reaches out to pet him. Bad idea. Now there's a hostile woman pointing a crossbow at them. (Not Red's first time, though...)
■ Dorothy warns them that she knows about their deceit, and gives them the chance to come forward with their true nature, as there is no hiding from Toto's senses. Red is reluctant to disclose herself to such an aggressive stranger, but Mulan shows her support.
► Mulan's encouragement would from a nurturing place, and an honest, protective desire to help Red become more comfortable with herself. It would both reinforce their conversation from before, and strengthen Mulan's belief later on, when she will be the one giving Red "dating advice."
■ Red reveals herself, and Dorothy has a reflexive reaction.
► Instead of moving past this so quickly, we stay in this reactive fear for a moment, to give Red reasons to (wrongly) believe Dorothy would run from her in horror and disgust later.
Just as Dorothy raises her crossbow, Mulan raises her sword. They're both ready to attack. It's Red who has to reach her arm between them and ask for peace.
"Part wolf?" Dorothy repeats, "What does that even mean? Which part? Like one of Zelena's monkeys?"
"No!" Red says, "No, I'm... Oh, you guys don't have that here, do you? Hm... Lions, maybe?—"
"Red," Mulan warns Red to tread carefully, as Dorothy is clearly still on edge.
"What are you?" Dorothy insists, still not having lowered her weapon. Neither has Mulan.
"I'm Ruby. My friends call me Red." Red thinks this will do. But Dorothy remains defensive and confused. Red sighs, realizing she can't avoid that word. "I'm... a werewolf."
"Fully in control", Mulan adds, in case Red forgets. Red nods a thanks at that. But Dorothy hasn't moved. She looks frozen.
"There's nothing to be scared of," Red says.
■ To try to prove it, she attempts to befriend Toto. That also doesn't end well. Toto runs away. Red volunteers her senses to find him. Dorothy is not to eager to accept help. Red gives Dorothy a practical example of her abilities. Dorothy begrudgingly allows them to come along.
► We actually walk with them, for this. We need to see how these three initially work together — or rather: don't.
We cut forward in time a bit, to see how this search of theirs looks like. It's excruciatingly awkward all around. Mulan hasn't introduced herself yet (normal), and neither has Dorothy. They're both small talk haters, while Red thrives on it. But Red can sense Dorothy is still resistant to a werewolf (or is it... people in general?) in her proximity. Regardless, Red tries to make a new friend.
She introduces Mulan to Dorothy, since she won't. And since Dorothy won't do the same, Red also introduces her to Mulan.
Dorothy is confused, and asks Red how she knows her name. We see Mulan smile at that, relating to that surprised reaction. Red explains that, where she comes from, there are tales of other heroes, in many different story books (and movies). Dorothy reacts poorly to the word "hero", and Red picks up on that. She doesn't push it.
Decided on getting more than one sentence out of Dorothy at a time, Red asks questions. But Dorothy is so damn difficult.
"So, are you a witch hunter? Or a hunter in general?"
Dorothy rolls her eyes at Red's insistence. "I keep this land safe. Try to. Usually, it's from witches." At this, Dorothy looks at Red weird.
Red feels the sting. She smiles, trying not to. And she keeps going, "Yeah, I'm not too fond of witches, either. I'm sure there are good ones, but..."
After a few disastrous attempts, Red dares to address it:
■ "Either you're still mad at me or... you don't like to talk." — "Do you really want to me answer that?"
► We stop the torture here for now. The conversation dies a slow, horrible death, as Mulan watches Red's struggles go unrewarded, walking behind the two.
She cringes at the uncomfortable air, but appreciates Red's good heart and warm nature. We often see Mulan watching the two, with sharp eyes.
We cut forward. They walk some more. Red is leading them with her nose, walking in front. She decided to focus on following Toto's trail, instead of trying to make conversation with Dorothy; something that's clearly bothering her.
Behind Red, Dorothy walks with her crossbow still loaded and ready, and behind Dorothy, Mulan walks with her sword drawn. It seems like those two have their weapons ready to be aimed in the direction of the one in front, one more suspicious than the other.
They find some trouble along the way. Bandits, thugs... some human-looking kind of trouble. Oz has been kind of dangerous lately. A gang of bad guys taking advantage of smaller, good guys. Dorothy groans in exhausted recognition when she spots this, letting us know that this is a frequent, unfortunate occurrence around these parts.
She tells the two to stay put, as she handles this. First, she commands them with clear authority to get lost. Red notices that, frowning curiously. They refuse to listen, and Dorothy points her crossbow and gives them one last chance. A fight breaks out. Dorothy is clearly outnumbered. Red and Mulan step in to help.
Mulan shields Dorothy's back from a sword attack, while Red throws two other thugs some many feet away. They keep fighting who is left,
all the while, through grunts, punches and bolts, Dorothy insists that she can handle that alone, as she's been handling everything around here. Red and Mulan don't back down, and they defeat the thugs. Dorothy is pissed that they got in her way, and she voices that with no reservation.
■ Dorothy barks at Red's outstretched, helping hand; that she can "handle herself!"
Red is not intimidated by it, and insists that they'll keep Dorothy from being killed, whether Dorothy likes it or not.
Mulan, without losing her composure, clarifies that Dorothy would have taken a blade to the back if they hadn't stepped in. Dorothy rejects Mulan's implication that she's helpless or weak, but Red can see the pain and loneliness in that defensive stance.
Earnestly trying to help her anguish, Red tells Dorothy that it's no judgement on her abilities, to want to protect her, "it's what friends do". This is another word that Dorothy reacts to very poorly.
■ "Really, Wolfie?"
► "Really, Wolfie? You're my friend now?"
Mulan once again steps up in Red's defense. To keep Mulan and Dorothy's discussion from spiraling into physical aggression (though she doubts Mulan would initiate it — only end it), Red urges them to keep walking, to look for Toto.
The air is worse than before. Dorothy walks in front, only occasionally barking at Red to ask for directions. Red and Mulan now walk side by side, behind her.
This branch is aimed specifically at Red.
We keep this, this is a must. (And we will expand on this, too)
Mulan has sheathed her sword, but her hand still rests on it, in case she needs it. Mulan looks at Red, and sees her friend's disappointment. She suggests to Red that they don't have to help her, not like this. Red reminds Mulan that it was her fault the dog ran. Mulan counters it by mentioning Toto's apparent good training, and how he will find a way back to Dorothy eventually. (A mean dog comparison for later, as a treat) Red insists on this, referencing the dangerous thugs from before as a reason not to let Dorothy wander all alone. And Mulan starts to wonder if this is about the dog at all.
Dorothy turns around sharply and snaps at the other two, telling them she doesn't need fancy wolf hearing to listen to their annoying babbling. Annoyed, angry and a bit ashamed, she yells at them once more that she doesn't need their help, and if they want so badly to go, they can go; that, in fact, they'd be doing her a favor in leaving her alone; that she's apparently always better alone; that she doesn't need anyone. Mulan and Red see it for the lashing out that it is, more of an emotional overreaction than something logical and balanced.
Red is so caught up in her compassion for Dorothy's pain, she can't think of what to say. It's only when she hears an arrow cutting through the air, that she reacts.
She pushes Dorothy to the ground just in time to dodge the areal attack that would have pierced Dorothy's skull. Red falls on top of Dorothy, shields her, and asks her if she's okay. Dorothy is too shocked to react properly. She doesn't have the time. She pushes Red off of herself (accidentally hitting Red's nose with the top of her head in the process) and gets back up, to see Mulan striking down even more arrows coming in their direction. Dorothy states the obvious: the thugs have brought back-up.
Dorothy gets her crossbow ready and uses lethal force to put them down for good. Mulan is not pulling her sword slashes either. We occasionally hear the growling, snarling and screaming coming from behind them, off-screen, as Red deals with the bigger thugs.
Mulan gets knocked to the ground by a low blow from one guy with an axe, but before he can swing it down on her, a bolt pierces his neck and he's dead, falling backwards with a loud thud. Dorothy walks up to Mulan, and reaches out her hand to help her up. This seems to be the last of them. Or does it?
We hear the gruesome sounds of a broken neck, and then the last one is down, by Red's hands. Dorothy turns around to see her. It's when we see her again at last: Red has her face covered in blood. Dorothy jumps at the sight, but she can't take her eyes off of her. Mulan cleans her sword before putting it away. "Is that...?" Mulan asks, but doesn't say it. Red shakes her head. "No, it's mine. I think my nose is broken." Red says, with a nasally voice. Mulan winces. And Dorothy looks guilty.
We cut to them sitting in a safer place, as Mulan hands Red a wet cloth to clean herself with. Dorothy still can't take her eyes off of Red, but this time, she looks pained. "I..." Dorothy begins to say, but she can't utter the word. Red notices it. And she softens her features with a smile. "I'll heal. Don't worry."
All cleaned up, Red tries inhaling deeply. It hurts a bit. And she's sad to report: she can't smell anything. Mulan and Dorothy look equally concerned. Red tilts her head up. "Give me a few hours..."
"In a few hours, Toto will be long gone!" Dorothy says. Impressed by Dorothy's poor show of empathy, Mulan sighs, and shakes her head. "Red helped me track down a two-year old scent. Time is not a problem." Having said that, Mulan gets up and gives them some space. (Or gives herself a break from Dorothy). Dorothy is left to stare at Red, again. The silence is excruciating. And it's further aggravated by the fact that, this time, Red won't seem to break it.
Defending herself against an accusation that would never be raised, Dorothy starts with, "You tackled me. You didn't have to tackle me."
"You're welcome." Red says, occasionally pressing the cloth to her nose.
They bicker some more. Dorothy is worried that Red's ability to track Toto being compromised will mean he will be lost forever, this is adding to her anxiety (Amongst other things) Maybe Dorothy is feeling a lot of things all at once. She definitely can't handle that.
■ Red correctly senses that Dorothy's worry is for more than a pet. They talk about the real meaning behind Toto. Red listens carefully, and gives Dorothy the space to open up and be more vulnerable.
► Picking up on Dorothy's debilitating loneliness, Red shares her own struggles with fitting in. That helps humanize Red in Dorothy's eyes. It seems this girl, as annoyingly friendly and helpful as she is, is just as lonely as Dorothy.
Red gets caught up in her own story, and as she pulls the bloodied cloth away from her face and stares down at it, she tells Dorothy about boy she killed. Dorothy's reaction is no longer one of fear.
(We will hold off on that "What are you looking for" moment of gay panic from Red. That will come in the second episode.)
Seeing this girl's honest vulnerability and heart, Dorothy finally feels bad for how she's been treating her all this time. At last, she will apologize.
She's sorry for breaking Red's nose. Even if it will heal and it won't leave a mark. She's sorry for snapping at her so many times. She's sorry she's such a brute.
She explains why; She's been alone for so long, — it's just been her and Toto for so long, — she's not too used to being a human.
Red relates to that. Painfully and perfectly so.
Red stutters a bit. But she reassures Dorothy she's not alone anymore. They're there to help.
At this, Dorothy has to apologize for one more thing.
■ Dorothy is sorry for calling Red "Wolfie". Red admits she likes it. And she gives Dorothy a nickname too. Kansas. Dorothy chuckles. What a bad nickname. They bond some more, as they talk into the night, waiting for Red's nose to heal.
► We pan over to see Mulan, coming back to the camp. She notices Dorothy and Ruby are having a moment. Something special, not to be disturbed. And she sits down where she stands, leaning against a tree. She watches over them, from a distance.
Id love to know.... if RedSnow did happen in the show when would you make it canon and would they he endgame
Oh good lord... Why must you stomp on my heart like this...
First of all, I love that you already assumed I would make them canon. Hah! It's not an "If", it's a "When". Bullseye. That saves me some work, thank you, lol.
Second, well... A Red Snow Endgame vs. Not-Endgame would result in two different stories.
The former would sacrifice David's character and the rare beauty of Snowing in favor of their unbreakable, irresistible romantic bond; while that latter would see that bond dissolve back into friendship, and explore the relationships each of them have afterwards, and how their past romance influences their hearts.
Clearly, the latter would write itself.
We wouldn't even have to do any heavy lifting. All the pieces we would need for it to work can be found in canon already, our only job would be to make some things more obvious to the larger audience. (Because a specific part of the audience has already decoded the "vague", and our headcanons are set, thank you very much)
We place their canon relationship in the past, before David comes into the picture.
That gives us plenty of room, a lot of ripe material and the liberty to have fun with their story without disrupting the rest of the narrative in any meaningful way — Because, be honest with yourself: Would Red act any differently than she already does, if the Red Snow relationship had been openly romantic?
Does she not already treat Snow as the gentle love that saved her life? Is that not already the most precious bond she has? The one place she can go to for safety and affection, whenever she most needs it? Is Snow not the one person she loves the most deeply?
The story would remain the same. David would show up, Snow would fall for him, Red would miss their wedding, Emma would be born, the show goes on.
Of course, to carve into canon's stone, we could take some time out of the most pointless side stories and disposable arcs (Frozen), to explore Snow's side of that break-up, and see how she responds to Red's current relationships (if any).
We would longingly gaze into the true depths of that bond. How it's both palpable and immeasurable. How their story together is indelible from their characters, even now, even passed. How, in subtle ways, it permeates their current relationship. How they never stopped loving each other. And how they never once forgot how it felt, to love each other romantically. How they have a piece of each other's heart, and how nothing can even touch it.
We would find some screen time for some long looks and shared silences, some sad smiles and kind nods, some inside jokes and some ex-partner tension (of any variety; they're not above the occasional bickering).
At last, some flashbacks — to bring the implied fully into undeniable territory.
Their first time uncovering that romantic feeling. Their reaction to it. Their doubt of the other's reciprocity. The way they're nervous to act on any of it. And how fate lends a hand.
Their first touch under a different light. Their first kiss. Their promises. Their dreams. Their cabin. The many trials of their relationship and how it proves itself stronger than ever, again and again.
They meet the same, fall in love the same (the same, i said what i said, yes, it happened, ask Red), and drift apart the same...
Why did they break up? Some combination of complicated reasons, some bunch of them...
Red continuously getting hurt, trying to protect Snow from Regina; that guilt and fear building up inside Snow, too strong to ignore.
Speaking of guilt and fear, the ghost of Peter haunting Red, and making her afraid that Snow will meet the same end. Snow's sincerest comfort not being able to make a dent in that anxiety.
Red knowing in her heart that Snow's true place is not by the side of a peasant, miserable werewolf, but leading her people, giving them hope. Red feeling that her presence will keep Snow from her destiny.
Snow worrying about Red's devotion, fearing the power imbalance is too great in this relationship, and feeling uncomfortable with Red's refusal to stand up to her.
Ultimately, they pull away from each other, in the most caring way one can pull away from their loved one.
Red keeps her promise to protect Snow, even if she can't be by her side. Snow hopes that Red will find peace within her heart and let go of the fear that holds her back. They love each other, still. They'll always love each other. They'll always be friends. But they can't be lovers.
To make it hurt a bit, let's say that Red works on herself and her fear, so she can be with Snow again. But by the time she works up the courage to reconnect, Snow has already found someone else. A Shepard, of all things. And the message from the universe is too obvious to ignore. A Wolf is no one's True Love.
