RJ Writing Ink

The following’s meant to be a special interlude chapter from my fanfiction, Comet vs. The Forces of Evil. As such, it will be written in the same, fourth-wall-breaking writing style that I use for the author’s notes for that story. Also, I’m writing it for my blog so I can include the video itself.

*In the area of space-time known as Jay’s Workspace, RJ Writing Ink is sitting at a desk, having finished watching Nostalgia Critic’s review of Star vs. The Forces of Evil. Satisfied, Jay smiles before getting out of his chair to stretch before turning to look at the reader*

Jay: Not bad at all, Critic. Hello, everyone; it’s me, RJ “Jay” Writing Ink. And this interlude chapter’s extra special as I’m posting it on Fanfiction.Net and my blog of the same name. 

Earlier today, famed online reviewer Doug Walker, AKA the Nostalgia Critic, posted the second review for his 2020 round of Disneycember. It’s this thing he does every December where he reviews Disney films and shows all month. What’s most important about today’s entry is that he chose to review Star vs. The Forces of Evil. And as a fan of the show, I decided to watch it and compare our thoughts on the show.

Firstly, I think that Walker did an excellent job at making his review as unbiased as possible. He looked at it professionally, even admitting that he watched the whole on Disney+. Given how passionate fans of the show are about certain things (especially how we reacted to the ending), this was the best thing he could do as a critic. It did detach him from the passion that fans had while the show still ran, which I think plays a big part in why some people still like it so much. But hey, beggars can’t be choosers.

As far as points made, Walker didn’t say anything I didn’t already know. He praised a lot of what I liked about the show (the world-building, drama, overarching story) while also criticizing many things. Like, how the show let the StarCo plot drag on longer than necessary. All the plot points that ended up not being used or got forgotten. And, of course, the reaction to Season Four and how it didn’t seem to be what the show had been building towards. In short, things that I figured after months of retrospect and reflection.

However, one thing that he praised, in particular, struck a chord in me and why I like this show so much that I keep coming back to it. It’s the world-building aspect. You have to admit, the show’s premise about magic, other dimensions, and things like historical revisionism were among its strongest selling points. And when done right, you can get very invested in what’s happening. After listening to Walker, though, I had to face the truth. As much as fans want to say that rivals Adventure Time and Steven Universe in terms of lore and world-building, Star vs. never reaches those heights. The potential was there, but it never fully realized it, in the end.

Ironically, this is why I keep coming back to the fanfics for this show. It’s because a lot of the best fanfic writers for Star vs. are the ones who don’t just build on the foundation the show leaves but even actively fix its shortcomings. When done correctly, we get works of writing that rival even the best novels and shows. 

In other words, Doug’s review reaffirmed why I like the show despite its flaws. And more importantly, why I push myself with my own fanfic, Comet vs. the Forces of Evil. To see how far we can take Star vs. as a concept. 

Click here to read my fanfiction.

Or, if you’re already on Fanfiction.Net, go check out my Blog on WordPress, RJ Writing Ink!

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ALL RIGHT, EVERYONE. LISTEN UP! If you’ve been on Twitter over the last few hours, then you might have heard the news about #DuckTales2017 and that it’s been cancelled. The story was broken on Twitter yesterday by Drew Taylor, an associate editor for Collider with this tweet.

Later posts by Drew on Collider itself, corroborated by official statements from Disney, have confirmed this. DuckTales! will be ending with its Third Season.

Am I upset by this? Yes. The 2017 reboot of DuckTales! is one of the best things Disney’s given us in years. It not only brings back the classic 80s cartoon for a new generation, it improved on it. Not to mention the stellar cast, animators, and others who worked on it. However, here’s the thing: I had a feeling going into Season Three that it was going to be the last one.

Think about it. Della Duck came back, they fought the Moonlanders, and now they’re fighting F.O.W.L., which will likely be their biggest adventure ever. The writing’s all there: #DuckTales2017 was gearing up for a big finale.

However, just because the show’s ending doesn’t mean it’s cancelled.

Cancelled vs. Ending

I’ve seen people use the words “ending” and “cancelled” interchangably when talking about TV shows. Regrettably, they’re doing the same thing with #DuckTales. So to get it off my chest, I want to remind everyone the difference.

When a show’s cancelled, that’s when the network pulls the plug on it before it can reach its proper conclusion. #InvaderZim was one such example. When a show’s ending, that means it’s reached the point where the network, creators, and cast all agree they want to conclude the story. Shows like Avatar: The Last Airbender, Gravity Falls, Adventure Time. #DuckTales is going to be one such show.

So, to clarify, #DuckTales isn’t cancelled. Disney will likely release the remaining episodes in 2021, followed by the series finale. THERE’S A FREAKING DIFFERENCE PEOPLE! GET IT RIGHT!!!

I’m sorry. I had to say that.

The Future

I’d also like to remind people of this obvious fact: DuckTales! has already opened to door for a revived Disney Afternoon-iverse. The show’s included multiple cameos, easter eggs, and references to the other shows of the Disney Afternoon block decades ago. Season Three has only seen the references intensify. Hell, I already said that the #DarkwingDuck special was a backdoor pilot for a spin-off. And I was right: it’s getting a reboot on Disney+. Most likely, it will pick up where the special left off, meaning it will be in the same universe as DuckTales! In other words, there’s a chance that we’ll still see the Duck Family in the future.

If this is where the show’s creators want to bow out, then I will respect their decision. However, I don’t want to see people panicking over the misconception that #DuckTales2017 is being cancelled. It’s ending. THERE’S A DIFFERENCE. LOOK IT UP PEOPLE!!

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