Am I the only one who, after watching Encanto, uses “Clear skies” as a way to calm down? Like I know a lot of people see this as Pepa suppressing her emotions and not allowing herself to feel or forcing herself to be happy, but as someone who spirals a lot, like Pepa, I find that repetitive phrases or actions -like stroking a braid- to be incredibly self soothing.
To me, I think it’s less about not feeling these emotions and more of a way to step back and analyze these feelings with a clear (sky) head. Pepa has anxiety, and I think she would need these self soothing practices even without her powers. It is not fun or helpful or healthyto allow yourself to fall into a hurricaneof emotion when there is a safe way to calm down without a meltdown or a panic attack. No thinks it’s bad or unhealthy when she leans on Felix to cope, “Clear skies” is just has valid.
One thing I love about Encanto is how random all the gifts are? Casita went “okay you get emotion-based weather affect and you get absolutely deliberate and carefully prepared visions of the future -fuck what that implies- and you *drops hand on shoulder* are gonna get so many child labor laws violated”
Chapter 9 is slow going…. There is so much dialog and heavy topics and different conversations… I barely made headway today, hopefully tomorrow I can at least finish the first draft.
Have a little sneak peak to tide you over. It is unpolished! So please don’t pay too much attention to grammar and spelling.
I saw this post about 5 minutes after I saw this tweet, so I have to share:
chief requirement to become a madrigal husband: chug a gallon of LOVE MY WIFE juice with every square meal
[ID: a series of drawings of various characters from encanto recreating the meme of will smith presenting his wife. each one is done in vibrant colours against a rectangular backdrop of solid colour, white hearts swarming enthusiastically over the characters’ heads. one: agustin, smiling widely, presents julieta, who swats at him as she leans away, one hand cupping her cheek and the edge of a bashful grin. the background is warm, bright yellow. two:felix, grinning, presents pepa, who throws her head back in laughter, one hand on her hip and the other over her heart, a rainbow arcing behind her. the background is vivid red. three: mariano, sappily smiling, presents dolores, who returns his adoring gaze, leaning closer to him with both hands clasped to her chest. the background is an intense blue. end ID.]
bonus: chief requirement to be a madrigal grandkid: want to be included in everything
[ID: grayscale drawings of the remaining madrigal grandchildren and an additional bruno recreating the meme themselves. one: isabela and mirabel enthusiastically present a flustered but appreciative luisa, who reaches up to touch the flower crown isabela has grown on her head.two: camilo (in the form of nightmare bruno) and antonio present a bewildered and alarmed bruno, who glances between the two of them, hands raised in surrender. antonio actually holds up a rat who strikes the will smith pose for him. three: camilo stands before the portrait of abuelo pedro, pointing at it with his thumb and saying: “do you think i should—” only to be cut off by another speech bubble which says, in all caps: “no, camilo.” end ID.]
