I know in the past, when I've written a fic where I have many thoughts on it, I've done a video. Whilst that is still my first choice, I am still visiting my parents and sound carries, and.... I've made it nearly 8 years without them realising I post fanfiction online, I'm not going to blow it now by having to try and explain why I'm making a video and talking about Wicked characters.
But I had a few thoughts on this story I wanted to share that I didn't really get to express throughout the writing of the story, and a comment on the sequel.... which no one has asked for and I'm not going to write, but you get a comment anyway.
Finding Motivation:
As I've mentioned, this story has been in the works since 2012, when I saw this scene during a Gilmore Girls marathon.
I knew people would freak- because I was freaking.
As soon as I saw the scene, and I knew it would be a Fiyeraba, I had to essentially work backwards to figure out the plot. And there were elements I knew people wouldn't like, because I didn't want to write them.
Glinda pregnant with Fiyero's baby? Keeping Fiyeraba apart? Nope. All bad things.
But I had this idea so clearly, I took it as a sign I had to write it.
It just took me a long time. I struggled to get started and admittedly happily postponed the project when I had an idea I was more motivated to write, until finally I just had to write this to be able to say I had.
The Stress of Posting:
I was so nervous about posting. Because you can never predict how people will react- and this story had a lot to react to.
The revelation of Glinda's pregnancy was a big one- because it was a Flinda baby, not a Fiyeraba baby. And I know how protective people can be of their OTP's relationship and "happy ever after".
When I was writing House fanfiction, there were many people who would not read a story that had any baby that was not a Hameron (House/Cameron) baby, particularly that involved one half of Hameron having a baby with a third party.
The other bit I was nervous about was the outcome of the wedding, and the resulting Gloq marriage. I've read things (not necessarily fics, but just things) where things like this seem to happen and it seems terribly contrived and convenient just so your preferred couple can have a happy ending. I wanted to try and avoid that, even if that's what it was.
Fortunately, you guys didn't seem to care what I did, as long as you got Fiyeraba.
And this may seem strange, but I was also nervous about Julyan. As I've stated, he was Julia's creation and she was insistent. But I'd never written a gay character before, and I don't feel I am particuarly "sassy", which I was informed was a key element of Julyan's character. I didn't want to make Julyan two-dimensional or a stereotype or anything like that. But the feedback I got on his character was all very positive!
TRTTD non-sequel- Notes on Expanded Canon:
As I said, I have no plans for a sequel. Sorry... not that anyone has asked for a sequel. But because I've spent so much time thinking about this story, I do have some idea how everyone ended up... mostly.
I think the correct term for this is "Expanded canon", or maybe it's just my headcanon, I don't know. So this is like a "Where are they now?" segment at the end of a movie.
Julyan.
- I feel like Julyan would definishly have finished Smell the Sparkle, and I think it would have been a success. Not in a way like Phantom of the Opera, or something, it wouldn't be regarded as a classic of the epitome of what musical theatre is. But I feel like it would have been a popular show, maybe not with critics, but with audiences.
- I also feel he would have kept up his wedding and event planning business, either in the Vinkus or in the Emerald City.
- I had this thought he met his Mr Right through planning a wedding, a chef/baker (maybe Seeley from Don't Tell the Bride? I did love him). And I feel they would have eventually either adopted a little girl or had her through surrogacy. Either way, he definitely had a daughter.
Nessa and Frex
- Frex and Elphaba's relationship improved a lot, which made the whole family happier. Maybe not to the extent of Come What May, but to the point Frex genuinely appreciated his eldest daughter and respected her wishes and happiness.
- Nessa continued to work with her father, and eventually took over as Governor of Munchkinland.
- Nessa eventually married the Glikkus ambassador to Munchkinland, who I feel was older than her. Not like, her father's age, but still a good few years older than her. Not sure whether they ever had children though.
Glinda and Boq
- I really believe within a year or two, Glinda was as much in love with Boq as she ever had been with Fiyero, maybe more. When I knew they'd get married, I kept thinking of this one line from the end of Sense and Sensibility-
"Marianne could never love by halves; and her whole heart became, in time, as much devoted to her husband as it had once been to Willoughby.”I've always seen a lot of Marianne in Glinda, and if you have no clue who/what I'm talking about, please go read Jane Austen's S&S or at least watch the movie. It's an excellent adaptation with Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet, Hugh Grant and Alan Rickman.
- Boq and Glinda would have had at least one more child, and I have a feeling Glinda got the daughter she so wanted.
- And I think a few years after Mazhar was born (because I do feel they ended up living in the Vinkus longer than first planned- probaly until Maz was 4 or 5) they moved to Munchkinland, not Gilikin- perhaps because, like Fiyero, I find the image of Glinda as a farmer's wife amusing.
Glinda and Elphaba
- In the epilogue I wrote,
"And Glinda had been right, they found. It wasn’t like before, and maybe they’d never be as close as they had once been."In the context of the epilogue, that made sense. It had only been six months and they were only writing back and forth.
- I do feel that eventually, it wasn't the same, but it was better. Because there were no secrets, no lies; and they were family. They were essentially co-parenting a child together (with the boys, of course). I feel eventually, especially once she fell in love with Boq, she was as enthusiastic about the Fiyeraba as she is in every other fic I write.
Elphaba and Fiyero
- I think eventually, Elphaba and Fiyero did get married. And by eventually, I mean years.
- I feel it wasn't smooth sailing, I think Elphaba would have put a lot of pressure on herself about the relationship because of all the circumstances surrounding it, and it would have been a rocky road.
- I think she managed to keep herself out of the press until Mazhar was about two and then the press got wind of the fact that she and Fiyero weren't just very good friends; but I don't think the press ever connected her to Fiyero and Glinda's breakup- at least not yet.
- I think it was at least five years before they got engaged, probably a few years after that they had any children.
Mazhar
- Maz is a happy kid. He'll never be king, but by the time he's old enough to really understand that, he's spent enough time living in Munchkinland he doesn't care about that.
- And I think that while he understands Boq and (eventually) Elphaba are just his step-parents, he sees them as much his parents as Fiyero and Glinda. I'm always switching around what he calls them, but he has this huge family and doesn't know any different.
- I feel he'd spent the summer and alternate Lurlinemas's in the Vinkus, and there'd be many trips back and forth all through the year; and everyone would get together for his birthday.
I think that's everything... any questions or anything else you want to know? Any headcanons of your own you want to share?
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