Prince Caspian
Jun. 7th, 2008 06:03 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bedlamsbard1. Peter was working off an assumption of "I'm here to retake my throne." Edmund was backing him up. Susan and Lucy may or may not have been. Caspian was confused as all get out. It's not that any of them were thinking it consciously, but it was dictating everything they did, up until the point where Peter realized that it really wasn't about securing Narnia for him, but for Caspian, and I'm pretty sure that happened after Caspian almost brought back the White Witch.
2. That's also the same moment that Caspian realizes he's dealing with High King Peter. What's interesting is that throughout most of the movie, Caspian is unconsciously treating Peter the same way Peter's been treated in England -- like a kid. Or not necessarily like a kid, but not like the High King of Narnia, because Peter's very obviously younger than Caspian. What makes it even more interesting is that at the same time Peter's treating Caspian like a kid -- which he is. Caspian comes across as very, very young and naive during the entire movie, while Peter comes across as older and very much a king. It's a fascinating dichotomy. Going back to the first part of this, however, I don't think Caspian consciously realizes he's dealing with the High King Peter until Peter confronts the White Witch, because that's a moment when Peter's not focused on him, but on something else. And the White Witch recognizes him. Up until then, Caspian hasn't really been confronted with the fact the Pevensies really are the kings and queens of old, but now someone other than the Narnians have acknowledged him for what he is. And this is, I think, the same moment Caspian realizes he's screwed up pretty badly.
3. Peter's plan is the best one, and I'm not saying this just because I'm a Peter fan. The best defense is a good offense, and attacking the Telmarine castle is a brilliant offense and would have worked out just as Peter planned -- if Caspian hadn't screwed it up by going after Miraz. If they had managed to take the castle, they would have won the war. My only problem with the plan itself is that they didn't land more people, because we see later in the big battle that they have more griffins, and it's not like they couldn't have made two trips. That would have helped immensely, I think. And used all the mice, instead of just three. We know that there are at least a dozen, and seriously, what better sneak troops? Staying in Aslan's How puts them in a defensive position, and Edmund and Peter are right: they can be starved out, and Miraz has siege machines. If they want to take over the country, staying besieged is not the best way to do it.
4. I will never stop being amused at Caspian's shock at seeing the trees move and Peter's expression of, "Well, it's about damn time. What took you guys so long?"
5. Did anyone else notice the centaur's suddenly dubious expression when Reepicheep said Peter's army? Difference of opinion very early on, and I wonder if it's not because of another prophecy. The centaurs are also the first ones to float the option of Caspian becoming king. If Peter hadn't made his decision to fight for Caspian's throne instead of his own, I think they would have won the war against Miraz just to get embroiled in another civil war, this one between Caspian and Peter. And Peter would have Edmund and probably Lucy and a fairly large portion of Caspian's army -- the movie takes place in, judging by Edmund's comment to Miraz at the parlay, roughly a week -- but I'm not sure if he would have had Susan. I don't think Susan would have fought for Caspian against her brother, but I can't see her fighting Caspian with her brother either. I don't think Peter would have had a problem having Caspian's head off in a heartbeat.
6. I have a theory that Peter is really good at tactics and fighting and really bad at diplomacy. As in, should probably not be allowed to speak to foreign dignitaries bad.
7. This one's fairly obvious, but Peter at the end? Making a conscious answer of "I am ready to be relieved" Caspian's "I am ready to relieve you, sir," followed by Caspian's "I relieve you, sir," and Peter's "I stand relieved." It's made more formal by Peter handing over his sword, because it's that very same sword that Caspian recognized Peter by. And in one sense I'm glad they did that, but in another -- it would be so very cool for no one but Peter to ever have the sword. (It's named in the books as Rhindon, but is never named in the movies.) But I think Peter had to make that public, because it was a very public action, and if he hadn't done it, Caspian's legitimacy would have been in doubt from the Narnian side, if not the Telmarines. It's curious that he made the "Susan and I are never returning" public too, because that strengthens Caspian's claim to the throne. The legend thereafter is never going to be, "Call back the High King out of the distant past," but instead, "Call those who come from the High King's world." And it's very curious that of the three events that follow and have "helpers", none of them actually need outside help, at least not at the level of severity that Caspian did here. What did Edmund, Lucy, and Eustace do in Voyage of the Dawn Treader that changed Narnia? Finding Rilian in The Silver Chair was a nice action, but it didn't change Narnia completely. Maybe helped Narnia from falling into a civil war, but I think Caspian had set up a system for who would inherit Narnia after his death. And obviously no one helped in The Last Battle. (Hi, if there was ever another situation for the High King to show up, look at everyone with disgust, say "You're all idiots", and proceed to calmly and completely take control of the situation...well, that was it.) Anyway, I think Peter knew he had to make a public event of handing Narnia over to Caspian -- not only for Narnia, but for himself. He had to know Narnia was in safe hands before he could leave in good conscience; I don't think he ever got over leaving the way he did.
8. I am intrigued by the use of British soldiers in the very last scene of the movie. I think the filmmakers are trying to make a point, but I'm not entirely positive about what it is. They're used in the beginning, as well. I think there's meant to be a parallel that I'm not seeing, and it bothers me, because it's too obvious to just be a coincidence, but I can't figure it out.
9. The vocal music on the soundtrack also intrigues me, because I'm not positive who it's addressing or coming from. The filmmakers choose the music very carefully, and I keep thinking most of it is Peter's (except for the song titled "Lucy"; I think that one's self-explanatory). Even in "This is Home" -- I keep thinking they're trying to talk about England as "home", and it's very obviously either Peter or Susan's song, but I think for Peter, at least, Narnia will always be home for him. I keep thinking "The Call" and "A Dance 'Round the Memory Tree" are Peter and Susan songs too, but "The Call" is probably supposed to be Edmund and Lucy's. I don't think you can fit each song to a Pevensie, though. *checks lyrics* "The Call" for me will always be Aslan and Peter, though. "Off to the war..." WWII is still going on. Peter's roughly of age. And "back to the beginning." England, obviously, and England before Peter knew he'd once been a king. "The Call" is definitely a Peter song. I'm not sure about "A Dance 'Round the Memory Tree", though. Edmund's by default? It doesn't seem to fit his character, although...you know, we don't know how Edmund feels about Narnia. Obviously he's attached, but Susan's already let it go, Lucy has the whole faith thing going for her, and Peter is the High King. Maybe that song is supposed to fit all of them?
10. I'm rather surprised Trumpkin never called Peter on the fact that Peter was the one rowing the boat -- the High King doing common labor that could easily have been done by Edmund. It tells us huge things about Peter's personality, but I would have loved for Trumpkin to make some crack about it.
11. Glozelle hesitates about spitting Caspian. Damn, I wish the tree hadn't beaten him to a pulp; I'm so curious to see what he would have done or said.
12. Man, Peter is a savage bastard. He's fantastic with a sword, but I get the sense he really likes using his fists, because he makes a pretty good try at beating Miraz to a pulp before Miraz calls it off, and he's ready to go after Caspian barehanded when they first meet. And I'm absolutely positive he would have kicked Caspian's ass. I'm also pretty sure that he was trying to stretch out the fight with Miraz for as long as he could to give Lucy more time, and that got him injured. See him take -- was it Sepaspian? -- Sepaspian's head off in approximately half a second. I'm just surprised he didn't accidentally kill the two guys that were trying to beat him up in the train station, but I suppose Peter getting sent to prison wouldn't do much for the book, although it'd be hella funny. And they're trying to make a point about how "the real world" weakens them. The comment about "act your age", though...I think that gets at Peter, because he constantly caught between his "biological" age and his "real" age.
13. Man, the look on Peter's face when he realizes they're in Narnia. The rest of them look delighted; Peter looks like he's been given the Holy Grail.
14. Watching the kids stand in the place of their thrones, in the wreckage of their castle, is breathtaking.
15. I am intrigued by Edmund's comment about Cair Paravel being destroyed by catapult. I want to know more! Why destroy Cair Parevel unless someone was there? Obviously the Telmarines did it, but why? Perfectly good castle unless someone was there. Who was it? Trufflehunter says Narnia was never right except when a son of Adam was king, so obviously they've had experience with other rulers. Now, he could just be talking about the White Witch, but there has to be something else, I think.
16. God, I love this movie.
2. That's also the same moment that Caspian realizes he's dealing with High King Peter. What's interesting is that throughout most of the movie, Caspian is unconsciously treating Peter the same way Peter's been treated in England -- like a kid. Or not necessarily like a kid, but not like the High King of Narnia, because Peter's very obviously younger than Caspian. What makes it even more interesting is that at the same time Peter's treating Caspian like a kid -- which he is. Caspian comes across as very, very young and naive during the entire movie, while Peter comes across as older and very much a king. It's a fascinating dichotomy. Going back to the first part of this, however, I don't think Caspian consciously realizes he's dealing with the High King Peter until Peter confronts the White Witch, because that's a moment when Peter's not focused on him, but on something else. And the White Witch recognizes him. Up until then, Caspian hasn't really been confronted with the fact the Pevensies really are the kings and queens of old, but now someone other than the Narnians have acknowledged him for what he is. And this is, I think, the same moment Caspian realizes he's screwed up pretty badly.
3. Peter's plan is the best one, and I'm not saying this just because I'm a Peter fan. The best defense is a good offense, and attacking the Telmarine castle is a brilliant offense and would have worked out just as Peter planned -- if Caspian hadn't screwed it up by going after Miraz. If they had managed to take the castle, they would have won the war. My only problem with the plan itself is that they didn't land more people, because we see later in the big battle that they have more griffins, and it's not like they couldn't have made two trips. That would have helped immensely, I think. And used all the mice, instead of just three. We know that there are at least a dozen, and seriously, what better sneak troops? Staying in Aslan's How puts them in a defensive position, and Edmund and Peter are right: they can be starved out, and Miraz has siege machines. If they want to take over the country, staying besieged is not the best way to do it.
4. I will never stop being amused at Caspian's shock at seeing the trees move and Peter's expression of, "Well, it's about damn time. What took you guys so long?"
5. Did anyone else notice the centaur's suddenly dubious expression when Reepicheep said Peter's army? Difference of opinion very early on, and I wonder if it's not because of another prophecy. The centaurs are also the first ones to float the option of Caspian becoming king. If Peter hadn't made his decision to fight for Caspian's throne instead of his own, I think they would have won the war against Miraz just to get embroiled in another civil war, this one between Caspian and Peter. And Peter would have Edmund and probably Lucy and a fairly large portion of Caspian's army -- the movie takes place in, judging by Edmund's comment to Miraz at the parlay, roughly a week -- but I'm not sure if he would have had Susan. I don't think Susan would have fought for Caspian against her brother, but I can't see her fighting Caspian with her brother either. I don't think Peter would have had a problem having Caspian's head off in a heartbeat.
6. I have a theory that Peter is really good at tactics and fighting and really bad at diplomacy. As in, should probably not be allowed to speak to foreign dignitaries bad.
7. This one's fairly obvious, but Peter at the end? Making a conscious answer of "I am ready to be relieved" Caspian's "I am ready to relieve you, sir," followed by Caspian's "I relieve you, sir," and Peter's "I stand relieved." It's made more formal by Peter handing over his sword, because it's that very same sword that Caspian recognized Peter by. And in one sense I'm glad they did that, but in another -- it would be so very cool for no one but Peter to ever have the sword. (It's named in the books as Rhindon, but is never named in the movies.) But I think Peter had to make that public, because it was a very public action, and if he hadn't done it, Caspian's legitimacy would have been in doubt from the Narnian side, if not the Telmarines. It's curious that he made the "Susan and I are never returning" public too, because that strengthens Caspian's claim to the throne. The legend thereafter is never going to be, "Call back the High King out of the distant past," but instead, "Call those who come from the High King's world." And it's very curious that of the three events that follow and have "helpers", none of them actually need outside help, at least not at the level of severity that Caspian did here. What did Edmund, Lucy, and Eustace do in Voyage of the Dawn Treader that changed Narnia? Finding Rilian in The Silver Chair was a nice action, but it didn't change Narnia completely. Maybe helped Narnia from falling into a civil war, but I think Caspian had set up a system for who would inherit Narnia after his death. And obviously no one helped in The Last Battle. (Hi, if there was ever another situation for the High King to show up, look at everyone with disgust, say "You're all idiots", and proceed to calmly and completely take control of the situation...well, that was it.) Anyway, I think Peter knew he had to make a public event of handing Narnia over to Caspian -- not only for Narnia, but for himself. He had to know Narnia was in safe hands before he could leave in good conscience; I don't think he ever got over leaving the way he did.
8. I am intrigued by the use of British soldiers in the very last scene of the movie. I think the filmmakers are trying to make a point, but I'm not entirely positive about what it is. They're used in the beginning, as well. I think there's meant to be a parallel that I'm not seeing, and it bothers me, because it's too obvious to just be a coincidence, but I can't figure it out.
9. The vocal music on the soundtrack also intrigues me, because I'm not positive who it's addressing or coming from. The filmmakers choose the music very carefully, and I keep thinking most of it is Peter's (except for the song titled "Lucy"; I think that one's self-explanatory). Even in "This is Home" -- I keep thinking they're trying to talk about England as "home", and it's very obviously either Peter or Susan's song, but I think for Peter, at least, Narnia will always be home for him. I keep thinking "The Call" and "A Dance 'Round the Memory Tree" are Peter and Susan songs too, but "The Call" is probably supposed to be Edmund and Lucy's. I don't think you can fit each song to a Pevensie, though. *checks lyrics* "The Call" for me will always be Aslan and Peter, though. "Off to the war..." WWII is still going on. Peter's roughly of age. And "back to the beginning." England, obviously, and England before Peter knew he'd once been a king. "The Call" is definitely a Peter song. I'm not sure about "A Dance 'Round the Memory Tree", though. Edmund's by default? It doesn't seem to fit his character, although...you know, we don't know how Edmund feels about Narnia. Obviously he's attached, but Susan's already let it go, Lucy has the whole faith thing going for her, and Peter is the High King. Maybe that song is supposed to fit all of them?
10. I'm rather surprised Trumpkin never called Peter on the fact that Peter was the one rowing the boat -- the High King doing common labor that could easily have been done by Edmund. It tells us huge things about Peter's personality, but I would have loved for Trumpkin to make some crack about it.
11. Glozelle hesitates about spitting Caspian. Damn, I wish the tree hadn't beaten him to a pulp; I'm so curious to see what he would have done or said.
12. Man, Peter is a savage bastard. He's fantastic with a sword, but I get the sense he really likes using his fists, because he makes a pretty good try at beating Miraz to a pulp before Miraz calls it off, and he's ready to go after Caspian barehanded when they first meet. And I'm absolutely positive he would have kicked Caspian's ass. I'm also pretty sure that he was trying to stretch out the fight with Miraz for as long as he could to give Lucy more time, and that got him injured. See him take -- was it Sepaspian? -- Sepaspian's head off in approximately half a second. I'm just surprised he didn't accidentally kill the two guys that were trying to beat him up in the train station, but I suppose Peter getting sent to prison wouldn't do much for the book, although it'd be hella funny. And they're trying to make a point about how "the real world" weakens them. The comment about "act your age", though...I think that gets at Peter, because he constantly caught between his "biological" age and his "real" age.
13. Man, the look on Peter's face when he realizes they're in Narnia. The rest of them look delighted; Peter looks like he's been given the Holy Grail.
14. Watching the kids stand in the place of their thrones, in the wreckage of their castle, is breathtaking.
15. I am intrigued by Edmund's comment about Cair Paravel being destroyed by catapult. I want to know more! Why destroy Cair Parevel unless someone was there? Obviously the Telmarines did it, but why? Perfectly good castle unless someone was there. Who was it? Trufflehunter says Narnia was never right except when a son of Adam was king, so obviously they've had experience with other rulers. Now, he could just be talking about the White Witch, but there has to be something else, I think.
16. God, I love this movie.
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(no subject)
Date: 2008-06-08 01:14 pm (UTC)I am intrigued by Edmund's comment about Cair Paravel being destroyed by catapult.
The Male leaned over and said, "CSI: Narnia?" and I almost got us kicked out by laughing so hard.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-06-11 01:41 am (UTC)*wide eyes* CSI:Narnia. Alas, I have not actually seen a lot of high fantasy-based mystery. I've read the one story, but no others. /random thought
(no subject)
Date: 2008-06-12 12:28 am (UTC)Post-Narnia trauma for the WIN. I am so with you there - it must have been so hard for them (especially Lucy, because it's such a change, but yes, also Peter, because he's so close to adulthood) to go from being grown, responsible, authoritative adults to being kids again. There must have been some sort of mental veil drawn, otherwise they'd just go loopy, but it makes sense that Peter, as oldest, would remember most.
But basically, to be shallow, the ways in which I love Peter's (and Edmund's) opening scuffle are many and varied. MUCH HEART.
I can't get as fully behind the "Peter is High King again from the first moment" thing, though. I feel in the early part, and most especially shown when he wilfully "gets lost" (leads them a way that doesn't exist any more) that he's... trying too hard? overcompensating? I feel that if he were fully comfortable in his role he would recognise/accept that the world has changed and ask for directions from the "local". But perhaps he's been gripping so tight to what was (during the long intervening year) that when he's returned to familiar surrounds he has trouble coming to terms with the alterations - to himself (he's still the boy-he-is, not the man-he-was) as well as his surrounds. Ramble ramble. Anyway. *G*
I love your point here about Caspian and Peter treating each other like children. YES. Because Peter's all used to being in command. Caspian isn't - he's entirely new to this (which I think also shows in his preference for defense) - but he's so frantic because of it. Because this is his everything but also because so many people are now relying on him and that pressure for the first time is incredible. And then these figures they've been relying on are just children, and he'd feel like he has to shoulder that too, to fill that gap. BUT, the point is, yes, that really is how they interact with each other, and I'd been trying to put my finger on it and you've already done it! Marvellous.
I said a couple other things in an entry on my LJ about the movie, but mostly of a shallow "hee, pretty boys, slash them!" nature. I will add here that I really do love Susan, and I am so happy she got to stick around and kick some arse this time instead of being sent off to frolic with the giant pussycat again. (There's no helping Lucy, I suppose. Shame she didn't get eaten by a bear.)
Also, I love Edmund. His little diplomat scene was one of my favourites. (Though the White Witch OMG AWESOMENESS was my absolute favourite. SO GOOD.) Being Peter's younger brother must be so hard. He pulls it off with style and only a little bit of occasional bitterness.
I think I've run out of things.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-06-12 01:41 am (UTC)I am madly in love with the White Witch scene. Seriously -- I know people have been sort of complaining about it, but man, it just fits. The fear on Peter's face and the White Witch recognizing him...and it makes so much sense that Peter would be the one to hesitate, and Edmund would be the one going, "Screw you, die!" because he got over her a long time ago; he had to have done so. Peter never did.
I have a theory about Peter and Edmund. My theory is that Peter is very, very good at one thing, which is fortunately exactly what Narnia needed at the time, and his brother and sisters took up all the slack of actually ruling the country while Peter killed things on the border. Which is how Edmund copes with being the High King's younger brother.
Hopefully Lucy will have a stronger role in Voyage of the Dawn Treader. I can see why they didn't use her as much here; she's still a kid and it makes more sense to use the older Pevensies for the fighting. And Susan! Oh, Susan. Father Christmas gave her that bow for a reason, and man, is she good.
I keep being surprised by how subtle this movie was. So much more so than the books, and, I think, more so than any other movie or TV show or hell, most books, I've ever seen. (Now my standards are really high, and the director is not staying for Voyage. ALAS.) Just -- the filmmakers realized this, and they used it, and the actors pulled it off! It is so very interesting that Caspian reads as so much younger than his age -- just look at the way he draws himself up in Trufflehunter's house and says, "I am Prince Caspian! ...and I'm running away." -- and Peter reads as older, and they both treat each other the same way, which doesn't work. And then there's the shift that follows the White Witch, and Caspian finally realizing, "Oh, huh, I guess he is the High King and I'm lucky I'm still alive" at the same time Peter realizes, "Well, shit, this isn't my war."
Hmm, yeah, I realized that on the second viewing. He's -- he is the High King, but he's not quite -- he's remembering that he is the High King, but he hasn't quite remembered how to act like it yet. My feeling with the Pevensies is that the older they are, the more details they remember, and the younger, the more feelings or impressions. So Lucy remembered what Narnia felt like, but Peter remembered being High King -- but not what it felt like. And he's a teenager, so there's that too.
I'm so excited about there actually being post-Narnia trauma, you have no idea. Consequences! I did not dare hope that the filmmakers would put in consequences, because Lewis didn't, but they did. (Vague sidenote: my original novel was vaguely imagined when LWW came out, but I'm working on it now to take a break from my sci-fi novel, and it's a Narnia type, kids come back from land where they have been rulers thing. Anyway, the first third-to-half of it is told from the POV of a Marine who just returned from Iraq trying to deal with his younger brother, who is suddenly seventeen and a kid again after being High King and warlord for fifteen years.)
Seriously. So much love for this movie. There's so much here -- I think the filmmakers were finding stuff that Lewis never put into the novel.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-06-12 02:14 am (UTC)YES! I was fumbling around the edges of this myself, thinking adult=rational and childer=emotive, but getting it tangled up with a discussion I was having with the Male about the point of Lucy being that only a child can have faith that pure.
Edmund would be the one going, "Screw you, die!" because he got over her a long time ago
YES again. He has faced her, and chosen, and overcome, whereas the others have just fought. His rejection of her is so much more solid and multi-faceted and intrinsic.
Also, I think it's delightful and telling that Peter faces her, but Edmund sneaks around behind and goes for the backstab bonus. *G*
Meanwhile, what on earth did people have to complain about in that scene? I thought it was pretty much ROCKSOLIDGOLD AWESOME. Then again, I haven't read the book and I do understand from the Male that it was not As Was Written. (But even he admits it was much more awesome as it was done.)
But yes, one of the things that I really adore about this movie franchise is that they are taking the opportunity to expand out from the - purposefully - childish and simplistic scope of the books. It's just plain splendid.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-06-12 07:44 am (UTC)I think it's telling that Peter hesitated. Oh, man, which one of his siblings was it who said, "Remember who really defeated the White Witch" and Peter looked like he'd been slapped. Was that Susan?
I have no idea. It is a big change from the book -- in the book, that scene is where Peter and Edmund first meet Caspian (attack in the dark!), and the White Witch isn't raised, just talked about. It is so much more awesome in the movie. It's also worth noting that in the book, Peter says, "We're here to win you your throne" or something along those lines.
And it keeps tripping me up, because -- oh god, this is the way my brain works after six years in fandom, which I started on when I was eleven -- this is not what movies should do, this is what fics should do, but the movie is doing it legitimately and making it awesome, and then I get very confused.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-06-16 09:24 am (UTC)PS - May I ask if you've read any interesting Narnia meta and can point me towards it? I've been trying to find some meta but I mostly find icons.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-06-18 06:48 am (UTC)*shakes head* Smart, Bedlam. Very smart.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-06-18 04:35 am (UTC)(Hi, if there was ever another situation for the High King to show up, look at everyone with disgust, say "You're all idiots", and proceed to calmly and completely take control of the situation...well, that was it.)
Oh GOD! I WISH! Is there ever the possiblity of seeing a very AU of Last Battle from you? XD 'Cause, you'd do Peter justice just as he deserves!
3. Agree, and that's all I need to say!
4. LOL! Yes, Peter rocks my socks there! XD
5. ...Maybe I should stay away from your posts for awhile. Lol, thoughts of Peter chopping Caspian's head off, walking calmy to the throne, and sitting down with a content sigh, are running rampant through my mind XD.
6. ...Yea, Peter is totally that guy lol.
11. ME TOO! That cpuld have been such a great moment! And THEN, he could have been beaten up by the tree lol.
I didn't think it possible, but you've made me fall more and more in love with Peter lol.
Last, but not least, I LOVED the White Witch scene! I think it was perfect and brought a lot of things about Peter and Edmund home.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-06-18 07:02 am (UTC)*cough* I mean. Yes. Anyway. Sorry, Tirian gets my blood up because he's SO INCOMPETENT. No wonder the first thing Peter did after seeing him was go, "Okay, must send help to Narnia because it's being ruled by an imbecile!" and come up with a way to take care of it (hi, only all kids are not as good as taking care of civil wars as you and your family are, Pete. I'm just saying here: Eustace and Jill? Not the best choice ever; they're much better for, say, finding lost princes). I'm just surprised he didn't yell his head off at Tirian after he got to through-the-
looking-glass-stable-door Narnia. But he did not. Because he has learned. And he didn't know exactly how screwed Narnia was yet.5. I don't think he would have had a problem with it, at least early on. Later, after he got to know Caspian, maybe, but if he thought Caspian would mistreat Narnia? Chop. I'm just sayin', is all.
6. Edmund and Susan are afraid to let Peter speak to foreigners because he starts wars. By accident. His idea of diplomacy is, "I will challenge you to single combat and you will lose! And then your country will be subsumed into the vast, growing Narnian empire!"
(no subject)
Date: 2008-06-18 04:25 pm (UTC)This one's fairly obvious, but Peter at the end? Making a conscious answer of "I am ready to be relieved" Caspian's "I am ready to relieve you, sir," followed by Caspian's "I relieve you, sir," and Peter's "I stand relieved." BWAH. Wasn't obvious to me though; I had thought it was a spontaneous gesture arising out of Peter's Gryffindorishness (Ravenclaw!Susan, Hufflepuff!Lucy, Slytherin!Edmund), but considering that it's a helpful bit of publicity, I can't help wonder now if it was more planned.
I second the thing about Glozelle. Would love to magically find Glozelle fic lying around the interwebs somewhere.
I don't think Cair Paravel would have been completely abandoned when the Pevensies disappeared. There's gotta be a bunch of creatures living as servants, heralds, courtesans, grand viziers and speech-writers I dunno whatever et cetera et cetera, and at most I can see their numbers being cut down. I think some sort of regency would have occurred, probably prone to the sort of intrigue and infighting the Telmarine lords (in the movie) were, which would have weakened Narnia, setting it ripe for conquest, whether by Telmar or someone else. How soon after Whitestag-gate did the Telmarines take over anyway?
I think I shall friend you.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-06-20 12:22 am (UTC)Ahem. I don't think Aslan wanted Peter and the rest of the Pevensies back in Narnia in the first place (hell, I go back and forth on whether or not he wanted them THERE in the first place...I don't have a lot of respect for Aslan), so that would have been one interesting civil war.
Heh. Whitestag-gate. Um, according to Lewis' timeline (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narnian_timeline), the Telmarines invaded some 983 years after the Pevensies left, giving them about 300 years in Narnia. However, according to the movie, where Trumpkin says, "Where have you been for the past thousand years?", it's a much longer span of time, although the dates don't add up if you use Caspian I as the conqueror and continue down a straight line of Caspians to Caspian X. Of course, we can always assume there were other names somewhere in there.
I think that, after the Pevensies left, the country would have held on for a few years afterwards before it really started disintegrating. At which point, anyone on the borders would have taken away bits and pieces of Narnia -- the Narnia Caspian rules is much smaller than the one Peter did, at least in my head. Much smaller. But the Narnia Peter rules is also larger than the one the White Witch did, because Peter ran off and conquered anything that had once been territorially "Narnian" and a lot of stuff that wasn't. (For example: I think that there would have been some kind of unclaimed "border state" between Archenland and Narnia that existed in a kind of perpetual late autumn-early spring, because hi, if I was Archenland? I would not want the White Witch to be right next door, and Peter conquered that, as well as extending Narnian borders far into the North and the West.) There's also the fact that Peter, as far as we know, had no heirs besides his brother and sisters; I rather doubt they'd set up a system of "what to do in case we all die, go missing, or an act of god occurs."
Friend away! And thank you.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-08-13 09:27 am (UTC)Right, because Narnia isn't another world, it's really the uber!past. And the Pevensies come back again post Treader, and somehow start a school, and some people remember traitor!Edmund, but time twists the legends and they get mixed up as to how he was a traitor in the beginning and a friend in the end, and the evil!Slytherin legend is born!
XP
(no subject)
Date: 2008-07-19 04:22 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-07-20 12:34 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-12-12 02:27 am (UTC)but now i am like feeling the first rush of the tragedy of narnia ALL OVER AGAIN, how bitter the loss, how fucked up the pevensies, how unsure caspian, how desperate peter, the both of them SO PROUD OF THEIR DUTY in different ways, edmund being secretly badass and susan OH YOU KNOW ABOUT SUSAN I WON'T EVEN GO INTO IT. stuck in LIMBO, unsure of how to go forward and UNABLE TO GO BACK, and i am rereading the missing-scenes movieverse PC fics and i just kind of want to watch Prince Caspian again with ALL YA'LL AWESOME ONLINE NARNIA PPL and weep and squee and flail all over again ALL OVER AGAIN omggggggggggggggg MY BROKEN HEART
BED, REMEMBER WHEN YOU DIDN'T SHIP PETER/SUSAN!??!?! LOLOLOLOLOLZ
OMG AND THIS WAS WHEN I FRIENDED YOU. LOOK I STILL MOSTLY HAD PROPER COMMENT CAPITALIZATION AND SHIT
PEE ESS VOYEUR!EDMUND FOR THE WIN
I AM SO OBVIOUSLY NOT COMPARING MARX TO GARFINKEL RIGHT NOW
(no subject)
Date: 2008-12-12 02:45 am (UTC)when i wrote this i was still in high school!
OH PEVENSIES. oh my babies! that is my reaction to pc. i am mainlining lww and pc this weekend for, you know, added trauma.
LASS I SHIPPED PETER/SUSAN WHEN LWW FIRST CAME OUT. but i was trying for gen in my own writing until fairly recently.
*rereads comments*
Oh, man, I'd rather not get into a novel-length, although of course I have a very nice catalyst for Peter (and Edmund, probably) getting into Narnia.
AHAHAHAHAHAHA my peter is about to get roofied in cair paravel. well, he has been roofied, they just have to kick in! seriously, i remember the days when i was all, "I SHALL NEVER WRITE ANOTHER NOVEL-LENGTH AGAIN."