#thronecoming

[dapplecharming]

Kitty Cheshire (Thronecoming) References

[a-big-bad-bitch]

briar & thronecoming

you know, torturing briar in my head DID NOT make that shift go by ANY FASTER. (it did, but it didn't feel like it at all.)

anyways i was thinking about briar & thronecoming, and all the angst i could add to the story.

the thronecoming special made me characterize briar as a girl who acts first and thinks later—though she has my support. she has a fear of losing those she loves, but her tunnel vision is focused on her destiny’s role in it. she hasn’t considered how others’ destinies might bring that reality (maybe apple & ashlynn’s destinies cycle back resulting in their death. in my rewrite, this is true and its a factor in briar throwing the book into the well so no one can sign the real one.) or how it’s that, reality (only one of her friends is immortal, she will lose the rest of them and they will lose her.)

upon the times i’ve revisited her character, i say to myself:

it would kill her to lose someone.

i feel her, and i can feel the weight she’s put on mourning those she’s loved after she wakes up and they’re no longer there. i feel she’s never entertained the idea of losing someone “prematurely.” i’m thinking about among the abundance of reasons, she keeps duchess at arms length. her friends are people who, if the cycle calls for it, are fated to die after siring children when they’re adults and briar is a hundred years from being with the world again.

watching the book go down the well, death ceases to exist in briar’s mind. going back to her friends’ destinies resulting in her losing them, that’s gone too! because ashlynn didn’t get to sign to real book, and her and apple never will.

how long will it be until time catches her? could she stomach saying goodbye? could she live on when she doesn’t get the chance to?

someone made a post a couple of days ago, on who is having a sucicide off at eah & someone said briar. i didn’t understand until now, but i can see her regretting throwing that book into the well. i’ve always questioned if briar preferred to actively mourn those she loved or to wake up & hit her in one realization. i wonder if she’s ever thought about it. if she ever did, i question if she sees that fairy’s saving grace on her death sentence as the true curse.

back on my read of briar:

she doesn’t let herself think too much about it. her destiny and what’s going on, she feels something inside her at the prospect, but she keeps it there. there’s no point in engaging with it, sometime—far, far, far away from now, everything will be fixed and she’ll sign the book. her stomach turns when news breaks of raven planning to sign the book at thronecoming.

to briar, raven is her hero. just as her mother was saved by the evil queen’s rebellion, briar was saved by raven’s. they are both expected to do what their mothers simply couldn’t. (i’m starting to understand briar x raven.) what it did to her when raven said she’d sign. what it did to her when raven started treating briar just like her royal friends—speaking of.

the way briar behaves and her friends treat her is interesting. (i feel apple’s friends, aside from blondie, are useless to the cause as they desire to rebel themselves but not lose their privilege in doing so.) briar doesn’t say she wants to rebel, but the way she moves about her destiny would cause concern if her friends cared. but it they know recognize, and briar pretends not to either. briar & duchess feel so loud in their disdain for their destinies and yet no one clocks them as the rebels they are/want to b.

so when apple is successful and raven agrees to sign the book, the clock has struck midnight on briar. she suddenly feels so angry at apple, angry at herself but it stays within her until that scene.

i wanted to share my characterization of briar, taken from my plotting document for my beauty cousins fic. it’s a response to the question of why briar’s a royal and why she wants to hid any rebellion her family might have been involved in:

briar wants to keep the truth a secret to avoid any more shame falling upon her family. ever since the last evil queen’s reign of terror, her family has been used as propaganda pieces, prime examples of how life goes awry when off script. she can barely stomach her own friends, apple and blondie, paint her life as some cautionary tale to keep others loyal to the destiny system. the only cushion she has from the criticism is that this reality was forced upon them, that they are helpless victims to the evil queen’s ill will. she believes exposing this for the lie it is won’t harm her family the most but rose’s, who’ll be used as the scapegoats as they’re already disliked by the public. she does not see the reward in exposing any of their secrets, and thinks rose is naive for even considering outing herself—among everything else—to better her reputation. she thinks she’s even more naive for exerting herself to this extent for people she doesn’t see as worthy.

i hope this gave further context on briar’s relationship to her friends, the outside world, and the destiny system itself.

anyways, i revisited the episode & i’m so glad i did.

scene a

briar breaks down to ashlynn after missing an event, realizing her destiny means she’ll miss many more. while ashlynn points out briar always knew this was her fate, with the current events, briar remarks that now it feels “real.”

i’ve found better language through this on how i feel about briar’s character in the destiny conflict, she feels so disconnected in an intentional way. she’s consumed herself in this lifestyle that permits her to ignore it. i think an added factor is how most of these events she’s missing concern destiny, and where the party is missed, what it’s truly about lingers.

ashlynn suggests she can rebel which scares briar but she seems to consider it.

scene b

briar seems disappointed that her mother’s gift to her was that neck pillow.

they don’t show it, but i would figure this moment would be quite social for the students. showing each other what they got and how much it means to them and their destinies. the consideration their parents might have had for them and what they plan to do for their future heir/heiress. i could imagine briar feeling so upset and her story—her life—reduced to that.

scene c

in the interview, briar doesn’t entertain ashlynn’s suggestion she rebel. she sees raven signing the book means everyone sign the book.

this goes back into what i wrote about briar idolizing raven. i feel briar believes she cannot save herself from her destiny, as it would force her to actually engage with it. it’s not until now where she’s lost her escape and must battle with reality.

scene d (here it is!)

apple does not directly provoke briar to “lash out.” and briar doesn’t lash out, she breaks down. it pains her to hear apple speak of something she can only remark as tragic as the best day of her life. they are best friends forever after, but they don’t be together for it.

despite not remembering this episode, i understood it quite well. i held this idea, along with how briar perceives raven, she wishes now for apple to be her hero. for any of her friends to show they have seen how she’s acted about her destiny and understand that she’s scared, she doesn’t want this. she wants them to intervene for her. in short, she wants apple to save her. (thought that came to me at the start of my next shift, briar is displacing the responsibilities she should have for her parents onto her friends. while i adore this as a character choice, i do feel like eah missed some opportunities regarding exploring most–especially her–family dynamic.)

another level i wanted to address regarding this scene. i felt briar put the responsibility of her escaping her destiny on her friends. while she’s in the right completely to speak out on how her friends pecking at her destiny, she’s allied herself with the royals. it is not raven’s responsibility to rebel on behalf of briar, briar needs to exercise her own agency for the life she wants to have.

i feel this read is validated by what briar goes on to do: she saves apple.

there is no reason for briar to believe she can do so, the politics of her world and knowing her story. but i think briar finds a way. and honestly... she should have kissed apple.

[angmarenthusiast]

GUYS GUYS OMG LOOK WHAT I GOT FROM THE GOODWILL

IM SO HAPPY OMG! Ive always wanted something from ever after high because I never had the dolls when I was younger and I got so happy when I found this! And for only 5 dollars! There are a few items missing from this but idc

Now I just need to get a doll. Doesnt have to be Briar I just want EAH dolls in general.

[whateverafteriguess]

i would have really liked thronecoming in book form to get some expansion on some of the plot, especially the aftermath of grimm tricking raven into signing. because raven seems so frantic and upset by learning the false knowledge that her friends will suffer if she doesn’t follow her destiny. we already saw how raven grappled with her decision not to sign before and after legacy day (1st and 2nd books), until she finds her way of accepting her decision. all of that and how it majorly affects her character, but this one event brought about by grimm changed all of that. i just would have liked hearing raven’s inner voice during all this.

i also would have liked if raven had gone to maddie or cerise or cedar after the scene at the well just because that would have made more sense. i know she her relationship with apple is important, but those 3 are the people she’s closest to. realistically, they would be the ones she goes to first for anything, especially maddie. they’re always supportive of raven and raven values their insights. if raven had gone to them first before apple and grimm, they would have supported her decision but reminded her of why she rebelled in the first place

[thecheshireninja]

Have any of the NRC students watch the live Legacy Day especially when Raven refused to sign the Storybook of Legends? Same with during Thronecoming when it is revealed to be a faked.

yes, most of the students were watching Legacy Day!

Thronecoming hasn't occurred in this AU tho :) i changed the school schedule a bit so that Legacy Day is closer toward the end of the year, rather than the beginning. so Vil OB'ed before Raven rebelled and they have a great conversation about it afterward

[thecheshireninja]

Duchess scholars, in Thronecoming after Raven agrees to sign, when Blondie’s interviewing the students for their opinions on her mirrorcast, she (Duchess) is super happy and goes “this changes everything!” (followed by Cerise’s nonchalant “eh, this changes nothing” of course lol)

i’m confused. what does that change for her exactly?? girl you’re still getting your non-HEA. was this just a mistake or am i missing something?

[whateverafteriguess]

omg that’s the cutest thing ever

[luc-elementix]

EVER AFTER HIGH - THRONECOMING [Credits]

Presented by Mattel Playground Productions

Executive Producers David Voss Audu Paden

Produced By Margaret M. Dean

Music By Asher Lenz & Stephen Skratt

Production Design Emily Kelly

Supervising Director Dan Fraga

Written By George Doty IV

Directed By Brandon James Scott

VOICE DIRECTOR Audu Paden

STARRING THE VOICES OF: Apple White - Jonquil Goode Ashlynn Ella - Laura Bailey Blondie Lockes - Julie Maddalena Kliewer Briar Beauty - Kate Higgins C.A. Cupid - Erin Fitzgerald Cedar Wood - Jonquil Goode Cerise Hood - Rena S. Mandel Coach Gingerbreadman - Audu Paden Daring Charming - Evan Smith Female Narrator - Valerie Arem Giles Grimm - Cam Clarke Madeline Hatter - Cindy Robinson Male Narrator - Joe Sanfelipo Milton Grimm - Jamieson Price Raven Queen - Erin Fitzgerald Young Giles Grimm - Keith Gontry Young Milton Grimm - Kule Arem

Alarm Clock - Audu Paden Baba Yaga - Audu Paden Billy Goat Gruff - Kate Higgins Coach Gingerbread - Man Audu Paden Dexter Charming - Evan Smith Duchess Swan - Stephanie Sheh Evil Queen - Wendee Lee Father Grimm - Audu Paden Hopper Croakington II - Cam Clarke Humphrey Dumpty - Cindy Robinson Hunter Huntsman - Grant George Lance Charming - Lex Lang Lizzie Hearts - Wendee Lee Magic Mirror - Audu Paden Melody Piper - Laura Bailey Ms. Trollsworth - Cam Clarke Sparrow Hood - Todd Haberkorn Sports Announcer - Audu Paden Tiny - Malcom Danare

LINE PRODUCER Vera Hourani

PRODUCTION COORDINATORS John Diaz Rima Yazbeck

DEVELOPMENT AND OPERATIONS SUPERVISION Christine Chang

PROJECT SUPERVISOR Lauren Rose

POST PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR Kimberly Williams

POST PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Chrystel Alard

LEAD MATTEL CREATIVE & DESIGN CONSULTANTS Gary Leynes Christine Kim

MATTEL CREATIVE & DESIGN CONSULTANTS Carina Bilz Patty Groves Ling Ly Sasha Mayer Robert Rudman Ariana Sariana Ira Singerman

MATTEL BRAND CONSULTANTS Heather Lazarus Lara Dalian Talia Rodgers

ANIMATION PRODUCTION BY GURU STUDIO

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS Mary Bredin Frank Falcone

VP OF PRODUCTION Amy Robson

PRODUCED BY Nora Keely

PRODUCTION MANAGER Damian Temporale

PRODUCTION COORDINATORS Alina Kli Julie Nguyen

SUPERVISING DIRECTOR Harold Harris

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR Mike Csunyoscka

STORYBOARD ARTISTS Marko Bajic Perin McLean Matt Kalinauskas

ART DIRECTOR W. Scott Forbes

LEAD CHARACTER DESIGNER Alina Urusov

CHARACTER & PROP SUPERSIVOR Salma Hussain

CHARACTER & PROP DESIGNERS Katarina Antonic Eduardo Avenir Jr. Emily Choi Lee Ann Dufour Dilraj Gahunia Brad Hughes Bora Nah

LAYOUT SUPERVISOR Mike Skanes

LAYOUT ARTIST Andrew Manzanares Peter Ventura

LOCATION DESIGNERS SUPERVISOR Tim Deacon

LOCATION DESIGNERS Gyimah Gariba Peter Song

LEAD COLOURIST Sanatan Suryavanshi

BACKGROUND SUPERVISOR Elton Lo

BACKGROUND PAINTERS Nicolas Gardeazabal Howard Lonn Robyn Moir Vesna Mostovac Kay Pluto Martin Sokol Olga Stern Debbie Yu

RIGGING SUPERVISOR Rae Dickey

RIGGER Angeline Bouvier Isaac Yakabuskie

SCENE PLANNER Remy Larochelle

ANIMATION DIRECTOR Simon Paquerette

ANIMATION SUPERVISOR Andrew Stro

LEAD ANIMATOR Sean Bartlett

ANIMATORS Jason Camacho Hyunjoo Kim Nanju Lee Rebecca Liu Olivier May John Morgan Everett Newell Pablo Nilo Mel Olm Shawn Pascuttini Mark Renaud Spence Robinson Philip Rodrigues Mark Sinclair Max Swiecki Valerie Villeneuve Tom Whitford

TECHNICAL DIRECTOR Chris Fourney

OPENING TITLES DIRECTOR Larissa Ulisko

FX ARTIST Tracy Strong

COMPOSITING SUPERVISOR Jason Reeves

COMPOSITORS Anna Bron Laura Diaz Paul Parvulescu Marvin Thomas

RENDER WRANGLER SUPERVISOR Adam Klassen

RENDER WRANGLER Dan Broome

SENIOR EDITOR Tom Berger

EDITOR Kelly Carlson Rajo Zakic

IT OPERATIONS MANAGER Jason Burnard

SYSTEMS ADMINISTRATORS Valentine Stubbs Luke Fountain

DESKTOP SUPPORT SPECIALIST Katie Foster

DIRECTOR OF FINANCE Louise Jones

MANAGER, BUSINESS & LEGAL AFFAIRS Jamie Goodman

PRODUCTION ACCOUNTANT Martha Mason

"EVER AFTER HIGH" THEME SONG

WRITTEN BY Gabriel Mann (ASCAP) and Allison Bloom (ASCAP)

PUBLISHED BY Mattel Rhapsody (ASCAP)

PERFORMED BY Keeley Bumford

RECORDING STUDIO Salami Studios North Hollywood, CA

RECORDING MIXER Mark Mercado

ASSISTANT RECORDING MIXERS John Abelardo Nico Garofolo Michael Henderson Giuls Pizzulo

AUDIO POST PRODUCTION FACILITY SuperSonics

SUPERVISING SOUND EDITOR & MIXER Christopher Harris

SFX & DIALOGUE EDITOR Kerri Silva

FOLEY Eric Mattar-Hurlbut

VIDEO POST PRODUCTION FACILITY Wanted! Sound + Pictures

ONLINE EDITOR Terry Aquino

SPECIAL THANKS Bryan Stockton Tim Kilpin Evelyn Mazzocco Stephanie Cota Kiyomi Haverly Nick Karamanos Lori Pantel Helena Mills

Ever After High™ Mattel, Inc. is the author of this motion picture for purposes of the Berne Convention and all national laws giving effect thereto. All stories, names, characters and incidents portrayed in this production are fictitious. No identification with any actual persons, whether living or deceased, places or products is intended or should be inferred. This motion picture is protected under the Laws of the United States of America and other countries. Any unauthorized exhibition, distribution or copying of this film or any part thereof may result in civil liability and criminal prosecution.

©2014 Mattel

With the participation of the Ontario Producer Services Tax Credit