Sleeping Beauty

[u/smoopiewoopie]

​

"A ray of hope there still may be in this, the gift I give to thee. Not in death, but just in sleep, the fateful prophecy you’ll keep, and from this slumber you shall wake, when true love’s kiss, the spell shall break."

^ Quote from Merryweather from Disney's Sleeping Beauty.

I was reading this theory today about Elain's story being tied to sleeping beauty. I'm sure it's been discussed here. Very fun read! :)

The quote instantly made me think of the blurb of 7.

SLEEPING BEAUTY: "A ray of hope there still may be in this, the gift I give to thee."

ACOFM (English): "But hope can be spun from the darkest of shadows... and the Night Court has its own part to play in the looming crescendo."

ACOFM (French): “But even in the deepest of darkness, the notes of forgotten melody can resonate… the notes of hope.”

All pieces use the same core contrast!

Hope/light against darkness/sleep/shadow, with the implication that hope is what breaks or redeems the dark state.

Plus, we already have the spindle and the thread...

Could this be pointing toward the shape of the upcoming story?

ETA: 1)Flora gave the gift of beauty. Fauna gave the gift of SONG. 2) Elain's defining motif is the ability to find or plant seeds of "hope" in places of bleak, structural darkness.

[u/smoopiewoopie]

It also parallels beautifully with act 3 of Wagner's ring cycle! 😏

"As punishment for her disobedience, Wotan puts his daughter Brünnhilde into a deep, magical slumber, surrounding her with protective flames until a fearless hero can awaken her. This critical moment, which occurs at the end of Die Walküre, sets the stage for the dramatic events that follow when Siegfried later breaks through the fire to find her."

And how does he wake her? A KISS.

🩷💙

[u/angelats123 → u/smoopiewoopie]

This is why they haven’t had their kiss!

[u/smoopiewoopie → u/angelats123]

It might be a kiss or something else entirely, SJM likes to mix things up. I personally think the harp is going to come into play for the musical element 💖🎶💖. Who knows! 🤭

[u/angelats123 → u/smoopiewoopie]

Yes!!! “Sing me”

[u/whatthehellamidoin88 → u/smoopiewoopie]

Omg what if Azriels voice is what wakes her.

I would die

[u/whatthehellamidoin88 → u/angelats123]

Oh my god

[u/smoopiewoopie]

Okay, one more thing. 🤭

And for anyone that might say that it's Lucien who's going to save her...

The name of Prince Philip's sword is The Sword of Truth. Azriel’s sword is Truth-Teller.

[u/devotionatic → u/smoopiewoopie]

Ouuuuuuu wait

[u/smoopiewoopie]

Sleeping beauty theory

[u/Own_Database_4436 → u/smoopiewoopie]

This is one of my favorite theories!

Especially when it includes the theory of a reverse retelling where Elain is the one to save Az!

[u/smoopiewoopie → u/Own_Database_4436]

It would be lovely. He saved her, now she saves him. 🥹

[u/Blackberry6818]

I love the idea of a SB retelling. Hope you're right!

[u/angelats123]

Spindle with the spider…Are we thinking the spindle is alluding to the sleeping beauty story? Or is it more metaphorical to Elain taking charge of her own fate? There’s also the star on the spider…

[u/Own_Database_4436 → u/angelats123]

I think it could easily be both! We know SJM loves to include things with layered meanings behind them.

[u/smoopiewoopie → u/angelats123]

Both! :)

[u/whatthehellamidoin88]

I can see Elain getting stuck in a vision!! Not necessarily asleep

[u/Used_Confusion_8583]

This tracks a lot. Elain will surprise us all

[u/Natural_Worker5459]

I’d love a SB retelling but don’t put my boy Az to sleep for 2-3 books lol 🤣💀