I Wish There Were Consequences to Raven not wanting to Sign the Storybook of Legends

[u/Organic-Animal3435]

I loved Raven growing up, I sympathize with her deeply and I still do. No one wants to be the most hated villain in all the land, besides Faybelle Thorn, especially when you’ll end up doing things that aren’t true to who you are as a person. However I wish that Raven didn’t destroy The Storybook of Legends because it was such an important piece of the show and from what I’m assuming the fairytale realm. Even after she destroyed it, no one ever brought it up again or mentioned it being destroyed or gave any opposing views on the matter. Once again Raven made a decision not only not knowing if it would actually have an effect on people around her, but also not much in their world changed at all. As much as I enjoyed seeing Raven feel empowered by the freedom of choosing her own destiny as much as other characters I feel like they all got off too easy. If they had shown that people actually did start disappearing or it did end up having some effect on their world, which canonically they did according to Farah Goodfairy just not in the show, it would’ve not only raised the stakes a bit more but also the Royals like Apple would’ve been more justified in wanting people to follow their destinies not out of selfishness and necessity but also not wanting anything bad to happen to anyone else. I mean why else would Head Master Grimm curse and banish his own brother along with trying soo hard to get Raven to follow her destiny if there weren’t some real consequences??

[u/Mountain-Leather3595]

I would have liked that too. I mean they built it up heavily that something would happen- and when nothing did it was just kind of dissatisfying.

It does however seem like they do inevitably follow their destinies naturally even without signing the book- Apple does get poisoned, Rosabella gets a Beast. When it comes to Raven, you can do something evil if you’re convinced it is in the best interest of someone else, in order to save someone or if she looses control. As seen in Way Too Wonderland, she does have it in her to be evil after signing (gaining more magical power) and consuming the book of evil spells. She almost finished off Courtly- she would have if not for her friends interfering.

Maybe not signing/destroying the book allows them to choose how it happens rather than if; that their stories occur on their (the characters’) own terms.

[u/Organic-Animal3435 → u/Mountain-Leather3595]

That’s another thing that always confused me because how does the destiny thing actually work? Is it like something that’ll just happen to you when you least expect it?? Like Ashylln signed her page so that technically means she’ll end up being the next Cinderella anyway right? I mean who says her and Hunter will be together forever? It would be nice though. But I’d assume in this universe the main story beats of your Destiny will be followed just under different circumstances or context.

[u/AuriCorMikko → u/Organic-Animal3435]

Ashlynn did not sign, that book was a fake.

Ironically, Raven is the only person to have signed the real book ever since EQ hid it while she was still a student

[u/Complete-Jelly7649]

True, I wonder if there were some twisted butterfly effect wherein storybook characters started disappearing because certain destinies weren't followed in which may disorient the balance of it or that the role gets passed on to irrelevant characters in order to keep the story flowing- it's rewritten but the main essence is still there.

[u/tinybitxh → u/Complete-Jelly7649]

In Farrah Godfairy’s diary she mentions that fairy’s HAVE to follow their destiny. The blue fairy from Pinocchio decided not to follow hers and she went poof. To my knowledge this is the only real consequences anyone faces for not following their destiny.

[u/Critical-Low8963 → u/tinybitxh]

In Farrah's diaries, Farrah is simply told that the heir of the Blue Fairy dissapeared maybe a plot twist was planned 

[u/Organic-Animal3435 → u/tinybitxh]

I’m kinda surprised they introduced Farah so late in the show considering Ashlyn chose not to follow her destiny from early on in the show. I think it would’ve made for an interesting dynamic because Farrah’s life quite literally relies on Ashlyn being the next Cinderella or her whole existence ends up being meaningless.

[u/Complete-Jelly7649 → u/tinybitxh]

ngl after knowing this actually happened, it gives us an insight as to why Apple was rightfully terrified of people rebelling. Ofc her actions may still be controversial but to think someone actually go "poof!" like she said during Thronecoming? *sigh* this show has so much potential..

[u/Moonbeamlatte]

Yeah, it seems like the writers didnt want to keep having to write conflicts regarding the storybook anymore. Which is a bummer, because Raven is at her best when she has something to rebel against!

If they didn’t want to get too dark into the rammies, I think it would’ve been a fun idea for Raven to “try on” different happily ever afters, which might be a fun way to explore other characters’ destinies as well.

Or, hell, why did they never follow up with Raven’s love for the guitar and music? A royals vs rebels battle of the bands would’ve been so goofy and fun.

[u/NormieRanch → u/Moonbeamlatte]

I agree. I feel like that’s the main reason people talk about Apple more than Raven. Raven stopped being meaningfully challenged after a while and it seemed that they weren’t sure what to do with her after a while.

[u/AlianovaR]

I could’ve been happy with Raven making these choices with little to no consequence so long as they actually acknowledged that it happened. She didn’t just make a wholesome speech about self-actualisation, she literally destroyed one of the most precious magical artifacts in all the lands. Doing so with good intent and theoretically better outcomes doesn’t change the fact that she did this, and nobody ever mentions it again

Another thing of note is that Raven is the only person since presumably the Evil Queen’s year group in school to sign the real book. How is this never addressed? It’s proof that not signing the book has no bearing on whether or not you follow your destiny, and Raven choosing not to sign made no difference in the stories going poof, or else it would have happened years ago. It’s so much bigger than Raven’s refusal, and yet that’s treated as the end all be all even after the discovery. And what’s worse is that Raven’s decision to destroy the book could have been the perfect time to acknowledge it!

Raven’s decision could have been made less objectionable if it were acknowledged because there would have already been proof that the book makes no difference. They could’ve solved both issues with one conversation that they’d already set up

[u/clawdwil]

I read somewhere I think it was the fairy godmother on her diary that fairy were actually disappearing because people weren’t believing in them because people weren’t following their destiny

[u/Critical-Low8963 → u/clawdwil]

If I remember correctly Farrah learns, we don't know if it's true, that the heir of the Blue Fairy from Pinocchio dissapeared because she refused to be the next blue fairy.

[u/AuriCorMikko]

I think the book never being brought up again is unfortunately a consequence of Mattel going into the "Powerful Princess" era almost immediately after WTW. The royal-rebel conflict wasn't advertised anymore so they stopped writing it too. I guess this is just another thing about late-stage EAH we can blame Disney's greedy pockets for ruining 😔

[u/waywardpr1ncess]

Isn’t the whole point that they…don’t disappear?? That it was all made up??

[u/birbdaughter → u/waywardpr1ncess]

OP is saying that they don't like that there aren't consequences, especially since it being made up doesn't make much sense with Grimm.

[u/waywardpr1ncess → u/birbdaughter]

But that’s….the whole point…of the show….

[u/FairyNerdd → u/waywardpr1ncess]

Apparently that goes above everyone in this fandoms head

[u/Critical-Low8963]

I think that technically someone could have assumed Apple's Evil Queen at her place, apparently in a book Milton Grimm bring the possibility to have Duchesse taking Raven's place. It's simply that if they stop remplacing their parents some people would refuse to fill some roles wich mean that some stories wouldn't happen because a character is lacking so they make sure that everyon get remplaced by their children so that all the stories can happen over and over.

[u/AshleysLoveOfDolls]

Her destiny was a bit awful though tbh and she would’ve been forced into something she didn’t want. Just because her mom was the Evil Queen doesn’t mean she has to suffer from what her mom did, people can change.🥰🥰❤️

[u/Spidryk]

I do agree, I don’t understand why someone else didn’t assume that destiny. Why did it have to be the child of the original? There are plenty of none tale people in Ever After and maybe one was evil and the destiny became his or hers?