My Patreon: / judgmental_critter My Merch: teespring.com/... My Twitter: / judgmentalthe Let's dive back into the World of Ever After High and take a look at the fan-favorite special: Thronecoming!
Imo that scene between Apple and Raven when they discuss who's being most selfish is the most iconic moment of Ever After High. It was so cleverly laid out and both were so right that it's nearly impossible to choose a side in the moment!
@MyDollObsession I'm team Apple because her arc (though it never got to be completed but I can fill in the dots) is amazing and relatable, also I'm a simple gay. I see a CompHet lesbian with a good heart, I stan.
@@LangkeeLongkee I agree which is why I'm on her side with her character arc despite not being completed because the series ended. Pretty much read my mind.
Briar's Story is my favorite. Her conflict on her destiny and how dark her actual story is. It's not as happily ever after as it sounds... Losing all her friends as she sleeps her life away...
But she gets a hot guy, who she never met before after he kisses her in her sleep (no red flags here), and, according to fairytale logical, that makes losing all your friends and family all worth it. *facepalm*
@@ScarlettDragon07 Not only does she get r@ped in the og story. She's going to be 100ish years older than her SO...so there is a possibility he could be one of her friends' grandkids.... God, i feel so bad for this family.
@@ScarlettDragon07 ahaha *hugs* indeed the fairytale logic~ if we go deeper into the actual story she gets twins during her enchanted sleep and the father was well.. how that happened... welll... yeah... ahaha
Cecilia L ooooooooo no no no. NO! You can't just "leave this here" hahaha. I need to know what your sources are, if you don't mind. I'll be a wreck with anticipation...and then a wreck with disappointment if this isn't true.
@@pepercat17 I don’t think that information is true, unfortunately! Only a new Monster High reboot has been confirmed and announced, but if that is successful I totally see EAH coming back.
I’m still not over the idea that the Evil Queen stole the book because Red Riding Hood (her roommate) really wanted to get with the big bad wolf. Also added evil vibes but she can have friends.
During one of the diary/letter of raven's doll, you can read it in the wiki, the evil Queen stole the book so her and raven won't be shamed. It was to protect Raven. Quite a sad letter tbh.
It's even more messed up when you realize in the books, Apple is the way she is because of her mother and the principal trying to DROWN her to cement the importance of following her destiny. Like...that just adds to her character
@@chishiy4 I don't remember the names but it was probably the white cover book (I might have to look up the name) that talks about the students before going to ever after high.
8:13 The special is more a sequel to the first book. In the book in fact before Raven and Apple a lot of people signed, Ashley too, also after Raven refused to sign the book the entire ceremony was blocked because noone knew what to do. The problem is that in the animated series this isn't in any episode, so for understand everything you need to read the book series
@@kendraroth1276 I didn't know there were timeliness... this makes sense but still is indeed confusing that in this episode the autors are referring to the book basically for the first time in 2 seasons lol, I totally agree with you
Kind of wished they explored more about Briar being in Raven's story, Briar looked so traumatised when she came out but it all got thrown away because Apple haven't come out
there's a theory that apple and raven were switched so raven had stayed in hers but briar went to apple's destiny. that's why briar said "i didn't know" to raven.
If it's truly based on what we saw in the Storybook, she would have been arrested, cast out, isolated and ended up in chains and probably in Mirror Prison
@@gracereads2917 and (according to the books) this happens because her mom's "take over the world" schtick had attached to their story! Which, given that she initially tried to be roommates with a Wonderland refugee, was even more of an obvious no! (Though I'll admit I spent a lot of those books wondering when she was gonna point that out because it would _definitely_ change matters)
I understand that both Raven and Apple are right, but Raven is more in the right than Apple is. Apple doesn't want her friends to disappear, yet didn't think ahead that a number of the royals/rebels like Ashlyn and Blaire would have crap happy endings, and Holly O'Hair (and many others, apart from Poppy) doesn't know that she's the younger twin, which makes her unsuitable to be the next Rapunzel. Raven is more concerned about her classmates who were given the short straw, while Apple is acting like an entitled person.
I agree. Her actions throughout made her come off as an entitled brat at worst or a naive child at best. She wants other people to throw away and willing ruin their lives because they don’t know what will happened. It’s easy for her to say since Apple has the best ending out of all of them, even while knowing someone else needs to have a horrible ending for that to happen (raven getting imprisoned). *Edited for grammar*
@@ScarlettDragon07 Yeah Apple did somewhat learn when she went into Blaire's story in the Thronecoming episode, yet she's still unaware of the other classmates horrible endings, IE Raven's. I think Blaire did learned about Raven's and knows why she wanted to have her own happy ever after than repeating her mother's ending. Also in the dragon race special, Apple didn't know or unaware that Darling Charming was her true love, not Daring.
I still feel like we can convince Goldie via her natural perfectionism Give her 2 slightly different strategies and she'll probably make 12 better ones
I didn’t finish the video yet and I’m actually only at the beginning so I’m assuming it’s about Ashelyn being at the book ball game. Maybe she was only there to support Hunter?
Yeah, I think the only girls who we see are more on the sporty side are: Cerise Hood (running and book ball), Darling Charming (sword fighting and in the books, she did a lot of physical activity), Lizzy Hearts-ish (croquet), Jillian Beanstalk (beanstalk climbing I guess duh), but really all the girls are pretty active, heck, they did a whole series of dragon-riding XD
I personally feel Blondie would be pretty good at exercise, she'd do it it to be like Apple. Plus, she has running shoes! She can use them to run super fast in the game!
In the books Raven actually RIPPED the story book of legends so not everyone got to sign. And then Ashlynn had went up before Raven. Yeah, I always thought the books were separate from the show until they added stuff like that and then it got so confusing! Loved this review! I love how you go through the various perspectives instead of sticking to one and digging on your heals like a lot of fans do. I really enjoy watching these.
@@luckybug479 I checked the book (initially for different reasons but why not for this too?) and it just says, after she rebelled, “With the pen she crossed out her page, two thick, inky strikes. And for good measure, she ripped the page free. The tearing of paper sounded like a new beginning.” people did freak out, it said, a bit later “‘We’re all dead! We’re doing to die!’ ‘She tore the book!’ ‘She tore our destines!’ So I don’t think she actually tore their pages out, but they thought if one person didn’t go through it would have the same effect so they just freaked out? Or maybe that did happen but later? I’m just checking the initial legacy day ceremony
In the books Ashlynn and some other characters sign the Book of Legends before Apple and Raven, when she does, it's a very dramatic scene, she takes a glance at Hunter in the crowd and starts crying as she signs it 'cause she knows they'll never have a Happily Ever After.
To be fair, you can solve the timeline issue easily with just saying that Ashlynn probably signed the storybook before briar and the Snow White characters. Then when Raven refused to sign the event was cancelled since all the students were probably a bit shaken. Meaning Ashlynn had signed but Briar didn’t.
That’s basically what happened in the books. (We even saw her look sorta hopeful for a moment, presumably hoping MAYBE hunter would be involved, before her expression immediately got much sadder.) I think she signed and we just didn’t see it in the webisodes.
12:54 or the girl that will die because her mother Odette from Swan Lake. Fun Fact: Dutchess was the first "Good Guy" Royal that didnt follow her parent's story since she knows she will be killed by the man that she loves. And the reason she plays antagonist role is that her Happily Ever After is death, she just wants another one that doesnt resolves around death. Which makes her not having much of friends. Sparrow Hood - While not exactly a good guy or bad guy, he will have to give up his music talent and career because he will become a well known thief. Lizzie Hearts - She will become The Queen of Hearts which her become also villain/antagonist role. Faybelle Thorn - She will be the next Dark Fairy in Sleeping Beauty which is another possible Raven Queen- Justine Dancer - She adores her dancing but her admiration probably gives Dutchess some bad memories about her fates. And probably she acts cold against Justine. Blondie Lockes - While a good royal, she has big ego and ambitions like Dutchess
1) Lizzie wants to be Queen. She just doesn't like the negativity surrounding the role though because of her mom's curse 2) There's theory that Duchess is actually meant to be the Black Swan of her story. It's shown in her diary and in a book. That's why she has black feathers and a mean streak 3) Out of all the Royals, Blondie is NOT a good one. She spreads rumors and lies. Yes she's nosy, that's apart of her story, but nosy people can mind their own business. Very rarely do i find her a likeable character
Apparently the EAH wiki says that Duchess has one of the bad endings of “Swan Lake”, and is mean to other students because she resents how they’re willing to go against their stories and potentially lose their happy endings. Raven is the only other royal with an ending that’s on par with hers. In the words of the wiki: “Duchess is a bitter person who'll go to great lengths to punish people who have a Happily Ever After in their destiny, and don’t commit themselves to it. “ That’s honestly really sad.
With Duchess, Swan lake (if they're using the ballet, which they probably are) actually has a couple different endings to it. But I'm guessing the one they are using here is either the ending where both Odette and the prince jump into the river and drown after realizing that the curse cannot be broken due to the prince professing his love for someone else by mistake. The second ending is where the man who cursed Odette kills the prince and Odette is forced to forever live under the curse. There is another ending where the prince kills the person who cursed Odette, therefore breaking the curse so they can live happily ever after. But considering how Duchess always talks about wanting a happily ever after I doubt the writers are using that last version of the ending.
Literally all of them are roybels XD I think the confusing thing, is that rebels are meant to be the people who don't want to follow their destiny, but I seriously thought they were just the villains. Then there're the royals are the people who do follow their destiny. But SO MANY ROYALS rebel too! It's just kind of confusing, because everyone ends but becoming a rebel one way or another
@@cecilial924 I'm kind of late, but I've also heard of royals v rebels being a metaphor for classicm where royals are the upper class and rebels are lower class. It's really interesting when you think about it that way.
@@saimahramen yeah bc most royal characters (as in actual royalty) would probs stick with their destiny since they get their happily after after while more non-royalty characters dont get as much out of their story, or get a negative outcome. ofc there are exceptions but it's pretty cool
The main cast of characters are second years at Ever After High, as the second year is called the Legacy Year. Ever After High is 4 years of school, so they already completed one year and have two more to go, that's why they know each other so well at the begining, plus the idea is that they sign their destiny at early second year so they have enough years to prepare for their roles as most stories start right after school finishes. The first book complements the Legacy Day special and I do think it's quite great, we see the full Legacy Day ceremony, Ashlynn was the first one to start signing, and then it goes by story and characters, Apple and Daring had signed before Raven and after Raven was Hunter who got confused on what to do. Then it happens a scene like in the special. The ceremony was canceled but the students who had signed have their destinies sealed like Ashlynn.
Yeah, I always just thought there were more than two ceremonies because HOW do they fit all those stories in one sitting? There aren't even any chairs, they all have to stand for hours with HEELS
*Fun Fun Factoid:* Technically, Cupid's story would be called "Cupid and Psyche" or "Eros and Psyche" based off the original Roman myth of a woman named Psyche (which means soul) falling in love with Cupid/Eros and Cupid's mother, Aphrodite/Venus trying to split them apart.
I like the idea that as it turns out nobody has signed the book in a very long time, thus putting in to question how necessary the book signing is at all. It’s a neat little detail and it’s kind of sad that it never actually gets addressed in the special.
I always thought it would’ve been a great set-up for a possible villain. Imagine a former alumni who had an awful destiny returning to Ever After High, enraged with Milton for making them think they’d signed the real book and forced them to follow their destiny, and now they want to take their anger out on the school. It could’ve been a really interesting concept for a sympathetic villain.
7:55 I figure it was set out like all of the Cinderella characters came first, then Snow White, then Sleeping Beauty, but after Raven crashed the ceremony it was sort-of canceled. At least thats what I always thought.
It's a shame that the dolls didn't live enough to have a Thronecoming second wave with other designs; they put so much effort into designing their dressed and they all looked so damn pretty but we never had more of them (Maddie, Cerise, Lizzie and Kitty? cHeFs KisS)
OK, about the Briar/Ashlynn/signing the book thing: They go per fairytale, so my guess is that Cinderella's story went first and Ashlynn, Farrah and (a) Charming all signed and then some stories after Raven, Apple and Hunter were up to sign their name for the Snow White story. After Raven's scene she closed the book herself, magically making it close until next Legacy Day...next year. My guess is that Sleeping Beauty's story wasn't up yet which is why Briar (and Faybelle) didn't sign (yet).
8:13 the books help to explain a lot of plotholes :) while there are inconsistences between the two, it can be reasonably assumed that many of the events that are not directly contradicted are the same. in the books, it's stated that all ever after high students sign the book during their second year at the school, which explains the confusion with ashlynn. after raven chose not to sign, headmaster grimm decided to completely halt legacy day and postpone it until everyone was certain to follow their destinies basically. that's why briar and a few other characters (like hunter and lizzie) didn't sign the book.
Man, I remember when I was just a kid and first watched this special. I absolutely loved it. It made me so excited to see more of EAH. Which is kinda ironic since I started to loose interest in the series and I only watch Dragon Games after this. Luckily watching that made look up the episodes and specials I missed.
For the B plot, I think they could have had some interaction between Cerise and Hunter. Hunter is supposedly destined to save Cerise and her grandmother from the wolf that breaks into the grandmother's house. Even if they are both rebels, Hunter could have felt a bit of obligation to side with Cerise and either get her on the team or help her train. Just because she's fast doesn't necessarily mean she'd have the upper body strength needed for a rough sport like football. So he helps her train and exercise for the team and perhaps lets the other girls join in as well. He could even mention an alternate motive: to keep her safe. He knows in both Apple White and Cerise Hood's stories they get put in mortal peril and he has to save them. While he knows the girls haven't signed and thus their destined dangers might not come true, he could fear they might run into a different danger outside their respective stories and he's not sure would be able to save them without signing the storybook. Or, he's not sure if Ramona Wolf signed the book and plans to be a villain. Regardless, due to these concerns, Hunter could be all on board with Cerise and the others getting into sports or getting stronger so that if they get in trouble they would be in better shape to get out of it. He might think Cerise's speed is due to jogging so she can outrun the wolf and is okay with the girls getting into sports to get stronger, etc.
okay, i actually read the EAH books when i was younger and they actually did stop legacy day after raven refused to sign the book, people were in a panic and they had to contain it, so they made everyone who didn’t sign go to their rooms. ashlyn signed before raven so that’s why some people didn’t sign during their legacy day
Ok, but can we just appreciate the outfits everyone wears in the show? Because they are...GORGEOUS! I love them, the thronecoming dresses were amazing and absolutely beautiful! I just love the outfits these characters wear, they each have a colour palette, and the outfits are always so detailed without looking overly busy all the time, and I think the dolls do not do them justice. I am just obsessed with how magical the outfits look, you can fight me on it because I will always love the way they dress! The dragon games outfits were so gorgeous too, they looked like armour, but also looked so glamorous. I never really thought of the outfits when I was younger, but I took it upon myself to watch the show again (because it was my childhood) and I was shocked I never noticed how good the characters looked, their hair was amazing, the SHOES TOO! I know it's just animation, but I will always remember how beautiful the aesthetic was. And the song were kinda good XD
This special solidified Briar as my personal favorite EAH character. I love her character growth from the beginning of the series to this special, where she went from being a girl who believed that she was stuck to following her mother's footsteps and trying to force others to share that point of view, to realizing that her own destiny is just as bad as Raven's, and ultimately deciding to choose her own path after realizing that she doesn't have to follow in her mother's footsteps. I also love her upbeat, energetic personality as well, and how she cares for her friends and realizes she cannot bear to live in a timeline without them.
I love ❤️ Briar, too. She is one of my favorite characters in the show next Raven, Madeline Hatter, Crystal Winter, Ashlynn Ella and the rest of the Ever After High characters. Unlike Apple 🍎, she is not selfish. Her story is so sad, I love ❤️ her.
Here's my version of the Grimm Brothers' backstory. I think it could've been better with a simple change. Giles was saved from the cave, but when he came back from the cave, he came back (for some mysterious reason) only speaking Riddlish. Now matter how many spells or potions the family tried, nothing could fix it and the Grimm family were slowly becoming outcasted because of it. So the father basically had a "nobody can see him like this" moment and had Giles sent to the basement of Ever After High, which was eventually inherited by Milton, along with the responsibility of keeping Giles down there and safe from the eyes of a judgmental public. It would've been a very interesting character moment for Milton; because he didn't "follow the stories", his brother was cursed and ostracized from his family. But because of his belief in order and perfection, because of his belief in following tradition, he follows in his father's footsteps and keeps him down there. He could liberate Giles at any moment, hell he could find a way to cure him, but he doesn't, because he's paralyzed by his fear from deviating from tradition and is ashamed of what he did. Milton would essentially be a victim of the same system he upholds; following in the footsteps of his parents to do something he doesn't really want to do.
I think that would be good and maybe when it’s at Giles, we get his side of what happened that day to make him come to the conclusion that they should be able to choose their own destinies. Like maybe he ends up having a pleasant conversation with the troll and ends up getting cursed by something that’s inside the cave which is why the troll was there, to keep people out of the cave so no one will get curse but it makes Giles feel bad for the troll because they’re stuck being seen as an evil troll because of a story said that they were.
The Grimm brothers backstory really disappoints me because I think I can see what they were trying to go for, and if I'm right about it then it's really interesting and has the potential to be good but the way that they executed it is not good. I don't know it's just a letdown all around
i get the moral was supposed to be "follow the stories or else it'll haunt you later" but they could've made it more long lasting. maybe the troll almost ate Giles and he has a scar because of it? And he resents Milton for leaving him
@@nemashan3701 yeah or like he could have tried to prove to him that the story won't come true and be so absorbed in being right that he ends up hurting Giles somehow, and he thinks his mistake was not following the story when the thing he actually did wrong was caring more about being right than his brother's happiness and well being.
True. It would have made more sense if the brothers had run into trouble together for disobeying the warnings and as a result Giles got severely hurt. Milton might have tried to do something with his magic but being young and inexperienced accidentally cursed his brother with the babble spell and couldn't reverse it. Only to be saved by their father who was VERY angry and disappointed that they disobeyed him, particularly angry with Milton for what happened. This would explain his "following the story" mentality as well as make his frustration with students messing with things they don't fully comprehend understandable. Giles, meanwhile, having been banished to the sidelines because of his curse, developed empathy and understanding with those whose fairy tales left them broken and/or outcasts in their society. He would realize that a lot of the villains were only villains because that's their role in their fairy tale story. This would then put him at odds with his brother's point of view and explain their tense relationship.
@@alyssaagnew4147 This would have been so great and also fix Giles immitadeteley forgiving his brother. Like, why doesn't the headmaster face any consequences for cursing his brother?
5:45 “Nothing bad happens to the people I love, including you.” Really? You do realize that in Raven’s story everyone hates her, and she’s tossed in prison because of something she doesn’t even want to do. How is that not something bad?! Is it only bad if it doesn’t happen according to some book? Is there a mermaid in this series because I’m pretty sure her fate is being turned into sea foam after her true love doesn’t return her affection. Sorry but Apple still fits firmly into the selfish category for me. She just wants to live her pampered prissy happy ever after, not caring at all about what happens to Raven.
My one issue with this special: when Giles said "I forgive you". FOR WHAT?? They spent all that time telling the story of how Headmaster Grimm got his mentality that stories should be taken seriously. Then Giles just says "we didn't see eye to eye and he gave me the babble curse and I've been down here all this time" blah blah blah. How did it happen? What made them fight? How did headmaster Grimm keep him down there??
Giles didn't think the kids needed to follow exactly in their parents' footsteps, but Milton did. So Milton put the babble curse on him and since Giles couldn't communicate with anyone anymore he hid under the school, researching how to break the babble spell. Giles "forgives" Milton for putting the babble spell on him.
5:47 So Apple wants Raven to sign the story book of legends so nothing bad happens to the people she loves including Raven,but we can see during legacy day,we all saw Ravens Destiny, being locked and bound with chains.Is this Apple's perspective of "so nothing bad happens to the people I love including you Raven" Because if it is then damn, Snow white and the principal really did a good job at manipulating Apple.
When I was younger watching the scene about Raven confronting Apple for being selfish, I thought that the story was going to do what most cartoons for children would do: make Raven the one who was obviously in the right while Apple was clearly in the wrong. But Ever after high didn't do that. As a child watching this scene, I was genuinely shocked by this. The script gave both characters valid points. Yes, Apple is kind of selfish and doesn't see Ravens side of the story. She wants her happily ever after even if it makes Raven miserable. But Raven also could have put a lot of people in danger, not just her and Apple, by not signing the book. She could have potentially had everyone die because she didn't want to be evil and so she was reckless. Raven and Apple both have valid points and you can clearly see that. Not many shows for kids do this so this is actually a pretty mature thing for them to do.
really enjoyed this review! loved your analysis on the characters, and how you spotted a few details like how the female narrator was the only present narrator in the fitting room scene. i didn't even catch that even having already watched the special a few times. also i 100% agree that cedar and maddie should've had a thronecoming line doll.
This story was when Ever After High peaked. No other special felt this real, it really felt like the writers were taking risks and pushing the boundaries of the story but they were doing so in very natural and organic ways. Like future specials tried to further the story by introducing new concepts, characters, and locations but Thronecoming didn't need to do anything new, it took concepts, characters, and locations that were already there. It simply looked at those familiar characters in different ways and delved deeper into already established concepts. It was fantastic writing because it didn't feel contrived or alien, it was totally organic yet daring.
I just keep thinking about the Apple plotline and kinda wish they included one of the reasons Apple wants to follow her story so bad in the book. So when she was 6 and fell into a well and almost died, the one thing that she felt kept her alive was her destiny and the fact that she had to become the next Snow White and it just adds so much to her character and adds a new perspective and I just think that it would have been really interesting to see that brought up in Thronecoming.
About that everyone else not signing the book, in the actual book version, Ravens decision caused so much chaos that Headmaster Grimm straight up canceled the event for the evening.
Y'know it's funny how you talk about the timeline,Critter. It's usually something I don't overthink cause I'm bad at timelines,but it made me start thinking about the 100 years of sleep thing,and outliving your friends on a long sleep,wouldn't that mean having The descendant of Sleeping Beauty is like... Really damn special,like,holy fuck she woke up and 16 years later we finally get to teach her kid! Like a comet passing or something. Or does time passes by differently once she's going for her destiny,wouldn't that mean she has nothing to worry her friends would be alive still? Tho she may still stay young while they turn into adults... I'm... I'm truly breaking my own brain here. Help-
They sign the book in their second year which is the weirdest possible choice I think. Regardless I and my friends have repeatedly attempted to figure out the order of how they sign the book despite literally nothing made sense given the few we know for a fact signed (Raven, Apple, Ashlynn) vs those that haven't (Briar). It doesn't work alphabetically going either way or by first or surname, and there was a concept of going alphabetically by name, but in groups by story which would let Apple and Raven sign right after each other. But that begs the question of are the stories signing that year also alphabetically? Or are they ordered by the amount of students in that story to get the biggest spectacle? Every which way we turn it we cannot find an order that works sdfghjk
someone said in a different comment that it was probably like by story? So Cinderella first but i figured Sleeping Beauty might've been first because i think the tale was originally called Briar Rose. I could be wrong though
@@nemashan3701 very valid theory! problem s regardless of the name, Briar should have signed before Apple and Raven with that order. asdfghj it just gets worse the longer i think about it
@@callmesam1805 maybe it's not in alphabetical order. But they also probably sign in second year for the same reason you choose your subjects in school a bit into school and a bit before it's over (I believe Americans choose as soon as they start highschool? We only have 2 years of highschool with our chosen subjects, before that point all classes are mandatory). That is to say, we choose so we would have experience with how the classes work and we can choose based on our careers when we're older and know what we want. I assume it's similar for the EAH student's where they still have time to learn things more specific to their stories but they can try other classes and also don't have to commit fully at like 15 if they were to sign as soon as they started high school.
Actually, in the books, a lot more things are explained about the storybook of Legends thing. People who went before Raven (Ashlynn, Apple, a few others to name) got to sign, but then Raven went, and it was very, very chaotic. A few chose to side w/ her and not sign, while a few tried to sign before Raven could fully destroy the book (ofc it wasn't destroyed). The other thing to bring up is that in this world, you sign the Storybook of Legends after your first year @ EAH, not in your last year, bcz you need a few years to be trained for your destiny (i think, dont come after me if this is wrong.)
Watching your channel got me into EAH. I ended binging all I could find. Anyway, it's pretty interesting how they handle fairytale lore. It reminds me of RWBY with that aspect. It's also pretty cool that characters have aspects based on their fairy tale. I genuinely don't think we'll get another show like this
Briar became the very first Royal to not wanting following her mother's footstep to become the next Sleeping Beauty as she realise that she will be missing out a lot of stuff as well as not be able to see all her friends again. I guess that Briar finally understand why Raven never wanted to follow her mother's footstep to become the next Evil Queen as she was never evil in the first place. As for Apple, I can't believe that she had accuse Raven of being selfish when in fact Apple is really is a selfish one in this Special length,because she's thinking about herself all the time as she's still following her destiny like her mother Snow White and gets her ever after that she never think that not everyone like Raven wanted follow her mother's footstep.
With the fact that you love this shows make me think you'd like the book series "The Land of Stories." However, books aren't really you're thing within your content. I still recommend reading it even if you dont make a video.
I was just in the ever after High mood and am writing docs and was just going through so many posts and then vids bout Ever After High that I am shook this video is in fact so recent!
This special is why I really sympathize with Briar as a character and that makes her one of the characters on my favorites list. You understand her pov and can agree with her views on signing. I also loved when she told Apple off in the changing room, iconic scene in EAH history!
I believe in the books all students of EAH sign the book their second year at EAH. The first year is their free year, where they can pick whatever classes they would like. Second year and onwards students are assigned classes that will prepare them for their story book roles. There is some choice in what classes you take but for example Raven was turned down when she asked to take singing classes becuase she is a Villain and Chorus is more of a "Princess" class.
I think the order they sign the book is alphebetically by name. Ashlynn would be one of the first to sign since her name begins with A, although that would mean Briar would be before Raven if this was the case. I think if this isn't the case maybe they went by oldest story first or at least stories that aren't too important first with more important stories last. But since we never see Ashlynn sign the book nor whoever did sign before Apple and Raven's turn we'll never know.
10:13 I like that during this scene, Maddie and apple were holding a student council meeting It’s just a callback to a previous episode and I’m glad they didn’t just forget about it
While my immediate reaction is to side with raven, I can understand apple’s reasoning for following their destiny. But I also remember when briar confronted apple about it saying how apple sleeps for a week and gets her happy ending but briar sleeps for a hundred years so it’s easy for apple to say, we must follow our stories, when she’s not the one going through what briar is. I can appreciate apple wanting to follow destiny so nothing happens to her friends, but does that mean it’s better for her friends to live out destinies they didn’t want just cuz it’s the safe choice compared to the unknown of rebelling? That’s one of the things that still has me side with raven. But I can appreciate that apple means well
While I sympathised with Apple and her view that if Raven didn’t sign, she was threatening every persons story that hadn’t already signed to ‘poof’ (thereby making them? no exist? therefore killing them??) But in my mind that was still heavily influenced by Disney, I thought that Raven would end up dead in her set role in Apple’s story anyway. In the Disney version of Snow White, the Evil queen is literally crushed by a rock after falling off a cliff. Now I know this universe doesn’t go into explicit detail (i.e they don’t say ‘you’re gonna die’ they say ‘you’ll go poof’) and by the looks of the flash forwards Raven seems to just be in chains but yeah as a kid I thought for Raven and the other villian kids it was either certain death or a risk of freedom
This special is so cool and I loved watching it and counting down the dates until it was released. I always thought they were freshman maybe sophomores. Not seniors lol. But I figured that Ashley went first before everyone else and then they went on later. . This movie is what made me love Briar, she had so much depth as a character and I appreciated how much they fleshed her out and made her to be such an interesting character.
I think the brother backstory could make a little more sense if it was actually tied to being a rebel or a royal. (I haven't watched the series in a long time so forgive me if this conflicts with anything) Maybe Gyrode could be the first rebel, maybe not wanting to sign the book for his own reason, maybe he related to the monsters, or pitied them. When he didn't sign the book of lengeds the other pricpal got mad and locked him down into the basement. That would lead him to go "missing" causing the rumor that if you didn't sign the book you would poof to spread. That would lead milo (I think that's the principals name) to become a hardcore royal. Maybe that scene at the end could be milo realizeing Gyrodes still alive and becoming aloe less strict on his rules. Maybe that would take away the theme of forigiveness, I don't know. Feel free to add your opinions (Also sorry my grammar and spelling is horrible)
I think this idea makes sense to the whole “sign or disappear” thing. Would be nice if it was a rumor that wasn’t actually true. I also like how you suggested the brothers would be the first royal and rebel
Can’t wait for you to touch upon the Wonderland spin-offs their all so good! Way Too Wonderland especially, the new characters didn’t seem randomly plopped into the story. And the outfits were *GORGEOUS* !!!
sorry for all the commet but- Since ashlyn is a princess (because her mother and father are cinderella and the prince) wouldnt that mean that maybe SHE is the royalty in that story? like she acts as the "princess charming" in that role? Prince charming (at least in disney) didnt want to get married to someone if he hadnt fallen in love yet (at least thats how it seemed) imagine hunter could be the commoner showing up at the ball in a total disguise, and ashlynn doesnt actually wanna be with anyone because she loves hunter, and then boom kablam turns out her true love is hunter bc she dances with him at the ball and everything
I think a fun fix the backstory is that gilles gets attacked as Milton runs away, turning up days later covered in dirt and unable to talk. Milton gives him the ability to speak again but messes up and giles can only speak ridlish. He feels guilty as if he'd protected him or followed the natural path none of it would have happened. Also instead of Milton trapping him maybe Giles voluntarily stays downstairs trying to fix his voice and researching....stuff? Idk but its such an easy fix that changes nothing scene wise except dialogue and a few extra details so the story's flow doesn't change. Not perfect but definitely better
Ashlynn signed before Apple signed the book. Legacy day was only stopped after Raven refused to sign, so everyone who went before her still signed the book (this includes Cedar and Ashlynn) Also, they sign the book on their "Legacy Year" which is their equivalent of sophomore year.
1. The students sign the Storybook of Legends in their “legacy year”, the second year they’re at the school, so sophomore year, not senior year. And it’s right at the beginning of the school year as well, I’m pretty sure 2. When Ashlynn says that she’s already signed: this is referencing/tying in to the Shannon Hale trilogy of EAH books where it’s explained that, as the students are lined up to sign the Storybook, Ashlynn is ahead of Apple and Raven so signs before them (with tears in her eyes because she knows she’s signing away a future with Hunter in it). This is never explained anywhere in the show, so people who haven’t read the books get very confused 3. Also yeah, after Raven refuses to sign the book, Headmaster Grimm cancels the rest of the ceremony, so only about 4 people from their class have signed 4. In terms of the dolls: when the special premiered, they only released the four girls you could vote for as Thronecoming queen (Apple, Blondie, Cupid and Raven, because we know how to do “marketing”) plus Briar (a key player in the end of the story) with a playset. It wasn’t until years later that Mattel came out with dolls for Ashlynn and Maddie, using simpler designs than in the movie, as well as a second Briar, for some reason. Yes, they never made Cedar, but they also excluded Duchess (who was in the fitting scene with Apple, Blondie, Briar, Cupid and Raven), Holly, Poppy and Melody 5. Blondie being in Heritage Hall to unlock the book so they girls could get in (and show Briar how to do it so she can find the real SoL later) is kind of important, but Cupid has literally no reason to be there 6. Correct, people have been signing the fake book instead of the real one for years, possibly decades by this point, and nobody’s noticed, it’s all just one big placebo effect 7. On a similar note, Headmaster Grimm is one of 4 people who knows the real Storybook of Legends is missing, potentially (obviously the Evil Queen stole it, and then Milton, Giles and Baba Yaga had to work together to trap her in the mirror prison (again, in the books) so they might also be in on the whole theft thing). Which means it makes no sense whatsoever that Milton is so hung up on people signing the book he knows is a fake, reinforcing the placebo effect where everyone believes the book’s magic will force them to tell their tale so they do it even if the book they’ve signed isn’t real 8. Part of why Raven doesn’t want to sign is that she doesn’t know how much the Storybook’s magic will affect her. Yes, she’ll play her part as the Evil Queen to Apple’s Snow White, but if her destiny is to “tell her mother’s tale” then will she start trying to take over other stories too? I’m 80% sure book Evil Queen booted the Dark Fairy from Sleeping Beauty, and we’ll come to learn in Way Too Wonderland (if we aren’t aware already) that she tried to take over Wonderland and the repercussions of her curse are why the borders to Wonderland were sealed. Raven’s best friend is a Wonderlandian who can’t go home because of something her mother did, and she dreads the possibility that the Storybook will force her to destroy lands like that and make more refugees of the people she cares about 9. The headmaster’s flashbacks, in my opinion, are to emphasise the trauma of potential. Yes, he’s traumatised by the events of his childhood and bases his “everyone must follows the stories to the letter” mentality on them, not because something bad actually happened to Giles but because it could have. His imagination has been replaying that day in his head over and over for years, coming up with wilder and more gruesome fates for his brother, and he can’t bare the thought of putting anyone else in either of their shoes - meeting a terrible fate/losing a loved one to one, or surviving the potential/being haunted by how close they came 10. Sure, Milton cursed Giles to only speak in Riddlish, but I don’t think he knows Giles is in the basement, I think he thinks Giles is pissed at him and left 11. Of course Cedar’s reveal-a-rays never come up again, Briar “borrowed” them to find the SoL and then never gave them back so Cedar couldn’t ever know she was lying if someone asked her anything about the real book that she didn’t want to tell them And now I can’t get the idea of VamBriar out of my head. Excuse me while I go write a crossover/AU fanfic
Great review 😊 I think your additions really made sense and, people might've liked something like that. Hadn't thought about the issues on first viewing, but also one of my fave things coming out of the special was Cyres and Daring hanging out so lol... The good points are good indeed, but rightly the story would've felt more *"complete"* with something like your ideas in it! The outside influence of kids voting is nice and cute too, like the mid 2000s!~ um.. considering how overwhelming Raven's votes were, maybe she "won"? hah So, intrigue in this (and Ever After High as a whole) is through to the roof; that cliffhanger was amazing! I didn't know the series was supposed to continue on netflix. Did they commit to the good quality or did it... get worse?
16:20 I always thought it was weird that cupid was in that mission and had a page in the story book of legends since she comes from the monster high world and therefore doesn't have a fairy tail like the others
This was my absolute favorite episode I’m so happy ur reviewing it, it’s like I’ve been hit with a wave of nostalgia each time u talk about this series
I got really into this show when it first came out, so seeing this well thought out review is a great trip through memory lane. I gotta watch your other reviews
If i record well, the book order is like A to Z, her name is Ashlyn, so i think she was one of the first ones at sign it, probably they didn't showed it because the focus was in Raven and Apple, so they needed to hurry up or something.
My favourite thing about this finale (and season?) was how the royals and rebels switch places in the signing of the book conflict! Starting with the rebels, Raven goes along with Apple, so Maddie goes along with Raven. Kinda refreshing for there to be an unquestioned, no tension friendship in the royal/rebel drama, since the royals have that idea covered already... Speaking of, there's how Briar and Ashlynn are having/have had second thoughts, reinforced very prominently in this finale. The scene where Apple/Raven/Maddie leave the game and those two immediately follow to stop them really made me pause and actually realize what happened there! It's also worth noting that Apple was the only one I mentioned who didn't 'switch.' This can serve to highlight how she expects others to 'come around' to her perspective but hasn't seen it from any of theirs', including her own royal friends. That element makes the scene in each others' stories, everyone doing just that, work better than it already did for me!
i think the line about briar not signing the book yet was in reference to the book, where after Raven doesn't sign Headmaster Grimm decides they aren't mature enough to sign it yet and takes it away
I would like to say, I replied to someone with this, but I don't think Apple has it easy. Her arc never got to be completed, Epic Winter showed it was laying the breadcrumbs so I think we were going to get it but alas. Snow White is supposed to be this perfect princess with lips as red as rose while Apple as pink lips and hair as dark as night while Apple is a blonde. Snow also comes across as the conditional love type of parent, neglectful and emotionally abusive if you screw up. Apple has not only her toxic mum but the entire world of Ever After on her shoulders and she's only like 17, but it's been that's way her whole life. That's terrifying. That's a looooot of pressure. Also I dunno if you've ever seen the show to completion before so I won't spoil but Apple also gives comp het lesbian energy which adds to why she would feel pressure. I mean imagine your whole life revolving around ruling the main kingdom in charge of every other, being the perfect woman, having the perfect appearance (that you already lack traits of) and finding your true love, your prince when you don't even like boys. Being raised to believe, to genuinely believe that if you don't match up and follow your destiny the world will literally shatter and all you know and love would be lost and it would be your fault? I feel for Apple. Like I said, that's terrifying.
To answer your question about signing the book, in the Novel The Storybook of Legends by Shannon Hale, Legacy Day was almost halfway through when Raven took the podium. It wasn't explained very well but the ones who have signed are Cedar, Ashlynn, Daring and Apple. Hunter was supposed to go after Raven but she cut it off because Milton took to the podium after Raven refused and took away the Storybook of Legends declaring the day was cancelled and that the class would lose their privilege to sign until they proved they can pledge their destinies. Also The school is set out in four years. The First Years are allowed to pick their own classes and studies in their Freedom Year. Second year is their Legacy Year where they are given classes based on their destinies to start their training for their fairytales. The third and fourth years are...I guess honing your craft until you graduate and move onto your fairytale story?
Maddie and Ashlynn didn't get thronecoming dolls, I wish they did, those dolls are from 2016 ish after the 'soft reboot' (when the dolls got smiley faces) All drsigns were amazing! A second (and maybe third) thronecoming line with the rest of the characters was needed
When I was a kid when I watched the part where the monster in Briar's story popped up, I was literally so scared I had trouble going to the bathroom...
i mean props to Raven for not falling into peer pressure and signing a binding contract that makes her do stuff she doesnt wanna do (and actually reading the terms and conditions)
The only thing that I do not like about the chapter is that we do not really get an insight into cupid's story which was supposed to be that of Eros and Psyche. For those who do not know the story, it goes like this: There was a princess (Psyche) who was so pretty but so pretty that no one wanted to marry her because of how perfect she was and would rather worship her which actually made her unhappy. and the goddess of beauty and love then got jealous of her and decides to send her son Eros to punish her, but he falls in love with the girl. When the parents of the princess ask the gods why her daughter has still no husband they are told that she will marry a horrible monster. They send their daughter to the mountains to marry the horrible monster after she herself volunteers to do so, and she is picked up by zephyr one of the winds, and taken to her husband's castle. The only rule that she is given is that under no circumstances can she look at her husband, who always visits her at night only. She is happily married but one night she looks at her husband by lighting a candle at night. Her husband is Eros, who then gets mad and leaves. He soon comes to regret his decision, but he was injured by the fire and his mom basically lock him up so he could not go back. Psyche determined to get her husband back decides to visit her mother in law and ask her what she has to do in order to get Eros back, and she is given three impossible tasks, which she completes with the help of the gods, however, she fails the fourth task and almost dies, Eros, however, rescues her and asks Zeus (the king of gods) to turn her into a goddess which he agrees. Then they have a little daughter, which I guess is cupid in this version of events. I would have wished to see her having a cape of invisibility or something and to see her version of events.
I'm gonna be honest when I first watched Ever After High, I ended up seeing Thronecoming first so that flashback with the brothers made me legit think Giles was dead and I was also insanely curious as to who was in the basement! 😅
I always thought riddleish(??) was a language that just not many people understand so i never took the curse seriously because i equaled it to “ooooo you shall only ever speak french spoooooky” though i assume the language is uncommon enough to be more similar to something like latin
