Okay! Love this idea! I totally see itâhowever I was thinkingâand someone did suggest to have Calypso be Joaquin! Which makes a lot of sense but also doesn't. I don't know. However, I present the idea of: Piper as Joaquin, Jason as Maria, and Leo as Manolo. Warning: This is a bit of a long post! Sorry if it was a bit of a ramble and long-winded. I hope it makes sense though!
Let me explain: LOOK I understand Jason as Manolo, the struggle to live up to expectations, especially those placed upon him from his father? *Chefs kiss* But you can say the same for Maria, right? The expectation from her father to behave like a proper educated lady, to represent him well as the town army's leader and general. Well, you can say that's still similar to Jason, who struggles with his identity as the son of Jupiter, the King of the Gods, as a child soldier and praetor of New Rome. He feels like everyone expects him to be perfect, that he has to represent his dad well, but he his heart isn't completely in it and Leo knows and in a way encourages Jason to be more himself, to define for himself what those titles mean to him, to be who he wants to be.
The same could be said for Leo and Piper in a way...when you think of it, the Book of Life main characters all struggle with the expectations that are placed upon them, whether external or internal and what they truly desire or want for themselves. The lives they truly wish to live for themselves...
Anyway, back to the original topic. Why Piper as Joaquin? Besides the fact that she did date Jason? And to a certain extent did have real feelings for him, albeit they were more a result of comphet/false memories but they were still genuine! Just not as romantic as she initially thought. In this Book of Life AU, maybe instead of her dad being a general/military person like Joaquin's, it's her mother. She was a esteemed flamenco/folklorico dancer or the most beautiful debutante (Hmm, the diamond of the season from Bridgerton pops in mind). Piper feels like she has to keep up with those appearances/expectations. That she too must be the most beautiful girl in town, the most sought after debutante. So she plays the partâshe wears dresses, makeup, the works. Acts the part of the blushing damsel, when every part of her wishes not to be, to wear what she wishes, do as she wishes, to fight against that because it just isn't her. Jason's father, Jupiter/Zeus, keeps trying to push them together and she goes along with it, because it's what's expected of her. Why wouldn't she want to marry the most eligible bachelor in town? Someone from a good background that has a lot of prestige? A childhood friend whom she cares about greatly, especially when there were worser matches. It isn't until towards the end when she sees the lengths Leo is willing to go for Jason, sees Jason allow himself to be who he truly wishes/to fully rebel against his father because he knows that Leo truly loves him for all aspects of himself, that she too decides to embrace her fullself, ridding herself of the medallion and of the façade of being a beautiful damsel. When she realizes that that her feelings for Jason where more platonic and she found one of the other debutantes attractive or something along those lines. In the end they would all support and care for each other and their true passions/most authentic selves just as they did when they were children and not yet weighed down by life and the expectations of society.
Then Leo, who's father is the town's blacksmith, who is expected to build what has always been built, swords and armor for the army. But nothing big. Nothing inventive or extraordinary but he can't help itâhe dreams of building and creating transcendent things. Things that will help his community. His father, having been scorned in love by his first marriage and having lost Leo's mother let's himself grow bitter and his own critiques become Leo's internal thoughts. If his father doesn't believe himself to be worthy of love, then why would his son be worthy of it? It doesn't help that his siblings never wish to discuss love or seem to put more significance on continuing the family legacy which makes him feel like even more of an outsider. So he shoves down the notions of love and of large, innovative inventions but every time he stood next to Jason, his heart raced, his palms sweat, he feels warm with the fire that is stoked whenever a spark alights when their arms accidentally brush. His inventions haunt his dreams. Like Manolo he rebels, he cannot hide his affection for Jason, not that he's very aware of it or consciously attempting to shower Jason with it. He builds things in secret.
Most importantly he builds a large metallic dragon, named Festus, whom both Jason and Piper know of, with the toolbelt Jason gave him (essentially Leo's toolbelt would serve as Manolo's guitar which was gifted to him by Maria.) The purpose of creating Festus was to have something to help guard the town. They would sneak into this old abandoned barn, that they would call Bunker 9 to help build it, mostly supplying the scraps. Basically, Festus would serve the same purpose as the Bull. Festus would be revealed to his Dad, once he joined the after life, like Manolo's dad. Then he would be goaded by Xibalba to destroy it, encouraged by his dad. Instead of destroying Festus (killing the Bull) he refuses. Idk what happens after this, maybe he embraces Festus or taps out morse code and that's when Festus comes to life.
I haven't completely thought it all out but this is what I've come up with so far. I would have to consider how Xibalba's medallion would work. Perhaps it grants eternal beauty to the wearer? To go along with my idea for Piper? Hmm, like I said, lot's to still think of! Anyway, if you got to this point, thanks so much for taking the time to read đ
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