The 100

Season 2, Episode 16

(season finale, returns this fall)

8|9c on the CW

 



This is going to be the most difficult recap I've ever written. The season 2 finale was intense, and not your average, every-day popcorn-flick intense (not that The 100 ever is). It was the kind of intense that reaches inside your chest, grips your heart in iron fingers and squeezes the breath out of your lungs, and you let it. Most of you already know that The 100 is my favorite show, and that I am more emotionally in love with and invested in Bellamy Blake (+ Clarke Griffin) than any other fictional characters, ever, period. So bear with me, because I'm probably going to wax poetic and lengthy here.

 

My favorite thing about this show (aside from/including Bellamy) is that none of the characters are static. They're actual people. They grow. They change, not always for the better. They adapt and evolve and they're so beautifully real, and the show really highlights their character development/devolvement.

 

At the end of the last episode, we left Clarke, Bellamy and Octavia facing Mount Weather, each separate, each alone. Lexa had made a deal with Cage to release the Grounders, and she walks away, leaving Clarke. Octavia disobeys Indra's orders and stays when they retreat, realizing that Bellamy is her home. Bellamy knows he has to protect everyone, somehow, but he's not sure how to do it.

 

In this episode, Cage has gathered the remaining kids as well as the newly-captured Kane, Abby and Monroe, and has them all chained to walls while, one by one, their bone marrow is mortally extracted. Cage has moved everyone (except Dante, who refuses to budge from his cell) into level 5, and seems fairly confident that nobody can get at them after the deal he made with Lexa.

 

However, Bellamy opens the door to the reaper tunnels and he, Monty, Jasper and Maya are re-united with Clarke and Octavia. It's a happy few seconds but after that, things quickly take a turn downhill. They get Dante and bring him to the control room, where they watch their loved ones being tortured on camera. Clarke attempts to bargain with Cage, saying she'll spare Dante's life if he lets her people go, but Cage refuses. Clarke shoots Dante and tells Monty to reverse the turbines that keep the mountain radiation-free, which would enable them to flood Level 5 with radiation, killing everyone inside. Monty gets it ready while Jasper and Octavia attempt to find more oxygen tanks for Maya's suit.

 

In the woods, Lincoln is tied up at the Grounder camp, and this conversation happens.

 

Indra: You have to choose; Octavia or us.

Lincoln: I will literally always choose Octavia you should know this by now.

Indra: I was just messin' with ya, give O my love *leaves a knife so he can escape*

 

Back at Mount Weather, there's nothing for it, and Clarke knows that if she wants to save her people she has to destroy everyone inside the mountain - even the innocents she and Bellamy have tried so hard to protect. Before she pulls the lever, she hesitates, but they're running out of time. Gently, Bellamy says, "Together," places his hand on top of hers, and they flip the switch, pulling irradiated air into Mount Weather and killing the inhabitants, including Maya, who, before dying in Jasper's arms, whispers, "None of us are innocent."

 

“When Bellamy put his hand on hers on the switch, that was the ultimate moment of self-sacrifice for him. He knew she was going to have to shoulder this decision and he decides to share it with her.”

—	Jason Rothenberg

 

When Clarke and the others run down to free their people, Clarke fights back tears and tells Abby, "I tried to be the good guy. I really tried."

 

Meanwhile, Murphy and Jaha have reached 'the city of light,' which turns out to be a lighthouse on a small island. Jaha proved that he's officially crazypants when they're attacked by a shrieking eel and he shoves a man out of the boat to give them time to reach the shore. Murphy, shocked and horrified, leaves Jaha once they reach the island and discovers a hatch (Dharma Initiative, amirite? We even have Desmond!) and goes inside to find a bachelor pad and a cryptic suicide/video message by a man who apologizes for the bombs, says it was 'all her fault,' and shoots himself.

 

Jaha follows a drone to a spotless mansion and is greeted by an attractive hologram named A.L.I.E., who thanks him for the missile she found from the Ark's wreckage and tells him she has big plans.

 

Back across the water, everyone makes it back to Camp Jaha (which should really be re-named Camp Maya since Jaha's alive and insane and Maya's dead and martyred). Kane and Abby are holding hands, Wick is carrying Raven, Monty looks sad in an adorable cardigan, and Jasper is in a state of emotional trauma after the loss of Maya, and blaming Monty, Clarke, and Bellamy for what happened.

 

Bellamy walks over to Clarke and says, "We could use a drink." After a moment, Clark says, "Have one for me." She then tells Bellamy that she can't stay; she can't stand to see everyone's faces and be reminded of what she did to protect them. "What we did," says Bellamy, with the most tragic, heartfelt, pleading expression on his face. Hailing back to 1x08, he says, "Look - if you need forgiveness, I'll give that to you. You're forgiven. Please come inside."

 

And then came the moment when everyone's heart broke. Mine broke loudly and into a million irreparable pieces. Clarke presses a kiss against Bellamy's cheek, wraps her arms around him, and tells him to take care of their people. "May we meet again," she says, and walks away. He takes a deep breath, a tear rolling down his face, steels himself, and nods. "May we meet again," he repeats, and they walk separate ways - him into Camp Jaha, and her away, into the unknown.

 

 

 

|TAKES A DEEP BREATH AND REBOOTS|

[ I'll be 21 in a little over a month and then I can drink wine while I write these. Yes indeedie.)

 

THE PARALLELS IN THIS SHOW. The /RELATIONSHIPS/ and the /EVENTS/ and the /DIALOGUE THAT HEARKENS BACK TO TWENTY EPISODES AGO THAT YOU REMEMBER CLEARLY BECAUSE IT WAS JUST THAT GOOD/.

 

Jason Rothenburg told us we would be getting a Bellarke scene, and he was right. They said we'd love and hate them for it, and they were right. We started from the ground up - Bellamy and Clarke couldn't stand one another. They fought, they butted heads. Now, two seasons later, we've reached the point where, as Jason Rothenburg said, they need one another, and they trust one another. It might be more, but they haven't processed that yet. They're not screaming and blaming the other person - they're hugging one another, they're understanding, they're loving and they're letting go.

 

Did Clarke and Bellamy do the right thing? That's an interesting question that this episode addresses, but ultimately leaves us to decide. Would Bellamy have pulled the lever if Octavia would have died? Would Clarke have pulled it if it meant the death of someone she loved? I don't know. When Abby and Clarke are reunited, Abby hugs Clark tightly and says, "Maybe there are no good guys." While I don't believe this to be a true concept - good and evil are most definitely real - situations do arise in which gut-wrenchingly difficult decisions have to be made. If Clarke and Bellamy hadn't pulled the lever, their people would have died torturous deaths - however, they sacrificed 300 'innocent' people in order to save their own.

 

Jason Rothenburg released some hints about season three. Bellamy is going to be in charge of Camp Jaha (!!!!). A.L.IE. is going to be a huge problem. Richard Harmon (Murphy) is going to be a regular rather than a guest-star (WOOOOOHOOOO). But there are more questions that we don't have answers to, such as...

 

WHAT ON EARTH HAPPENED TO THIS CHARACTER AND WHY HAS NOTHING BEEN DONE ABOUT IT AND I MEAN IT HASN'T EVEN BEEN/ ADDRESSED/ WHY ON EARTH NOT???

 

Is Clarke going to Polis? Please say no.

 

Is Echo going to be Bellamy's season 3 love interest? Please say no.

 

Is Jaha actually going to become a villain? Because I can totally see that happening.

 

Are we ever going to see Emori again?

 

How is A.L.I.E.'s mansion so clean? Holograms can't clean things.

 

Also, I would like to announce that I spent six freaking hours creating a Bellarke fanvid to /their/ song (aka Superheroes by The Script) and it turned out beautifully. And it won't save. So you can't see it. I apologize.

What did you guys think of the finale? Any season 3 predictions? Any emotional support? If you need me I'll be over here re-watching season one and sobbing over character development.



Some of the best romantic pairings have come from literature. As fangirls, the written word has often been a refuge for us, and reading about our favorite characters finding love can be a beautiful experience. In our third collab of the month, we share a few of our favorites.

(If you see a blank space, it's probably a spoiler. Highlight it to read.)

Izzy Stevenson

Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks

From the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

Lupin (left) and Tonks (right). Illustration by Mary GrandPre.

I’ve always been a fan of characters who you would never expect to be a couple, but at the same time feel perfectly matched. When I first started shipping Lupin and Tonks at the start of Order of the Phoenix, I expected my OTP to be considered a crack ship. He was older, calm, and shy; she was youthful, outgoing, and rebellious. But I couldn’t help it. Something about it just felt right. You can imagine my surprise when the author revealed she also apparently felt they belonged together. Tonks and Lupin may have had some rocky patches in their relationship, to say the least; but to me, they’ll always be my miracle ship that became canon against all odds.

Marianne Dashwood and Colonel Brandon 

From Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

Illustration of Col. Brandon visiting Marianne by C.E. Brock.

At the start of Sense and Sensibility, you would never think of pairing Marianne and Colonel Brandon. They young woman is frivolous and highly emotional, with her head in the clouds, and doesn’t think too highly of the calm and somber older man. Colonel Brandon on the other hand has fallen deeply in love with Marianne, though his dream of earning her heart seems hopeless. But as time goes on, and Brandon reveals more of his inner character, we see a depth of emotion inside of him that only Marianne can match. 

Sophie and Howl

From Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

The cover of the audio book for Howl’s Moving Castle

Sophie and Howl are, at the same time, the most lovable and most incorrigible people. Howl is independent, chaotic; and despite secretly being brave and kind, he has set himself up as a coward and a dangerous villain. Sophie is structured, bossy, clumsy, and refuses to stop interfering in Howl’s life even when her help consistently results in disaster. Needless to say, the two can’t stand each other or get enough of each other. Normally I’m not a huge fan of love/hate relationships, but it just works so well with them. Oh, and Sophie is also cursed to look like an old woman and needs Howl’s help to turn back into her normal self. As you can imagine, the resulting tale is both hilarious and endearing.

Jaime Heller

Ah, so many choices. Narrowing down all the possibilities to two or three is a lot harder than it looks!

Here are my recent favorites that just won’t leave my heart alone:

Luca and Lia from the River of Time Series (Lisa T. Bergren): These two. Oh my heart. I might be completely biased because Luca swept me off his feet as he swept Lia off her feet. What a heartthrob. But I feel that these two crazy kids balance each other and complement each other. Luca can make her laugh; and she stuns him with every action she makes. Talk about swoon-worthy.

art by lostie815

Cress and Throne from the Lunar Chronicles (Marissa Meyer): As much as I adore the other couples in the Lunar Chronicles (Scarlet and Wolf are a close second), my heart skips with joy when I think about Cress and Captain Carswell Throne. Cress is adorable with her hugecrush and fangirling over him; and Thorne is just the type of sly, charming man to make anybody happy. While I’m not sure how they’ll romance story will end up, my fingers are crossed that they do end up together. Because deep down—past his snarky scoundrel-ness—I think Thorne cares about Cress (or maybe that’s me hoping he cares for her).

Special BROTP mentions: Legolas and Gimli (obviously from Lord of the Rings), Liesel and Max (from The Book Thief), Lucy Pevensie and Mr. Tumnus (obviously from The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe).

Mirriam Neal

For some reasons, it’s harder for me to have a book OTP than it is to have an OTP from a TV show or  even a book-to-movie series. When I DO have a book OTP, it tends to be pretty unpopular (and sometimes blatantly illogical but WHO CARES, they have CHEMISTRY). So I hunkered down and came up with a proper list of the OTPs that wrecked my life.

art by Loki-Ellahell

Katniss Everdeen and Finnick Odair (The Hunger Games)

I know. I know. Everyone adores Finnick/Annie and Katniss/Peeta or Katniss/Gale. And I’ll admit, Finnick/Annie are beautiful and I love that pairing – but honestly, this is one of those ‘yeah, I know it doesn’t happen and yean, I know there’s no reason for me to ship this except I DO, DAGNABBIT’ OTPs. They’re both tributes and both emotionally damaged, suffering from PTSD and the loss of loved ones. They’re both emotionally needy even though they try to act as if they aren’t. They’re both selfless and have courage and skill in spades. They have beautiful chemistry (especially in the movies)…and so Katniss and Finnick (Kinnick? Finniss?) remain a sad, doomed, beautiful OTP close to my heart.

Gwindor and Finduilas (The Silmarillion)

He loves her. She doesn’t love him. He dies. I still can’t talk about it.

Rica Wiersema

(Spoilers present in white text: highlight to read.)

1. Ella of Frell and Prince Charmont of Kyrria

Book: Ella Enchanted

     Despite the horrendous mess of a movie that Miramax tried to create in 2004, this book was still one of my favorite fantasy reads growing up because it thoroughly fleshed out the originally-shallow legend of Cinderella (which I normally dislike, I might add. I would love to go into detail about why the movie Ever After is the best film adaptation of the Cinderella myth, but this is about book OTPs, so that's a tale for another time).

     Not only did Ella Enchanted allow the romance between Ella and Charming to start early and grow naturally, but it also included a phenomenal plot twist by placing Ella under an spell/curse of obedience to any and all commands. The breaking of the curse is one of the most romantic and beautiful moments of fairytale magic I’ve ever read… so of course, the movie horrifically changed it.

     In the book, Charmont eventually gets down on one knee and, unaware of the curse, says simply, “Marry me, Ella.” Though he didn’t mean it to be, it was an order… and one that Ella did want to follow. But she knew that if any of his enemies were ever to find out about the curse, they could force her to put him and the kingdom in danger — perhaps even murder Charmont. Because of this, she knew that she couldn't marry her true love and childhood friend at any cost, so she stood rooted to the spot and was put through horrific pain for trying to resist the spell… but at last she was able to put her foot down and shout, “NO! I WILL NOT MARRY YOU!”

With the spell broken, she’s at last able to run around the house, cheering and yelling over and over, “I won’t marry you!” to the confusion of many, many people… but of course, now that the curse is no longer a threat to Charmon’t safety, she’s free to marry him and live happily forever afterwards.

     The breaking of the curse in the book is such a phenomenal portrayal of a selfless love that so many people overlook in romance… and it’s so much better than the film adaptation. But it’s hard to understand unless you read for yourself.

2. Podo Helmer and Gwendolyn Igiby

Book[s]: The Monster In the Hollows, Book III of The Wingfeather Saga

     Frankly, where do I begin with these two? Half of their story wouldn’t even make sense without having read the entire series, and the other half of their story is practically wrought with major spoilers. Their entire romance is told as a flashback, in the third book of a four-book saga. But I’ll do my best:

     Podo Helmer was a largely self-made man who ran away from home to grow up as a thief in the East Bend of Skree. He spent much of his adult life as a peg-legged pirate of Symia, doing many things that he would eventually come to regret in his later years.

     One day when he came to the port city of Ban Rona, he saw a most beautiful woman and left the sea forever… but their story isn’t near as simple as that.

As it turns out, that beautiful woman had a pretty ugly personality, and during their courtship he fell in love with her gentle, homely housemaid Gwendolyn instead. However, to prove his love for Gwendolyn, he had to take a historic beating from the very closed-off, rough-and-tumble inhabitants of the Green Hollows.

     But in the end, Podo earned Gwendolyn’s hand. The wild pirate was slowly tamed by the plain young lady from Ban Rona, and she introduced him to a world of honor and selfless love for family that he hadn’t known growing up. Also, their daughter went on to marry the High King of Anneria.

     But then Gwendolyn was lost to battle when the great nameless evil, Gnag the Nameless, invaded from the east and attempted to destroy every kingdom in his path. Podo then became the central protector of his three grandchildren… particularly his pint-sized granddaughter Leeli, who sang like a songbird and had a lame leg just like him. She and her mother were the only pieces of Gwendolyn that he had left.

     Podo went on to guide his family through battles and betrayals as a wild-but-wizened old man, fighting to his last breath to keep his family safe… all because of the love that one woman taught him about all those years ago.

Sarah Munson

My truest OTP is me with a book. Yup. That right there is true love. Within the pages of countless novels, though, I’ve found so many couples to fall in love with. I could probably write my own book filled with my favorite fictional pairs, and all the reasons I ship them.

When I got Agent Sky’s email saying we were doing a collaborative post on book OTP’s, I was giddy, and also a little overwhelmed. There are so many good books, with so many stellar couples! How could I choose? I have at last narrowed my choices down to a couple of couples. (Which is my ridiculous way of saying I’ve selected two couples to talk about.)

The first is one from my favorite book series, the River of Time by Lisa T. Bergren. If you read my Valentine’s Day link-up post, you know where this is going. Yes, I am once again talking about Lia and Luca. I really tried to stop myself from picking them again, but what can I say? Luca and Lia are right at the top of my OTP scale. They instantly have a spark, but they know how to be friends first. They’re at ease with one another, and spend many scenes teasing and bantering. When Lia and Luca are together, laughter is often present. Yet they know how and when to be serious, and their mutual understanding is perhaps more attractive than their shared sense of humor. Each deeply trusts and respects the other; even when they disagree or fight, they don’t attack the other person’s weaknesses. I love that no matter what they face, these two are more than romantic partners; they are an enduring team. Also, when I was struggling to come up with a “celebrity” couple name for Lia and Luca for the link-up, Jaime came to my rescue and christened the pair Evangeluca. I think it’s perfect, just as Luca and Lia are for one another.

My second couple is more famous, being from one of the best-selling series of all time. I fully ship Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley. I was cheering for Ginny from the moment she arrived at Hogwarts, though I was glad she and Harry don’t become romantically involved until the latter part of the series. Both have very strong, somewhat stubborn personalities. They’re fighters, brave even when they don’t want to be, and deeply devoted. Their connection to one another is far stronger than simple romance. They’re united in their values, experiences, and even some struggles. Harry and Ginny first get to know one another without the pressure of a relationship, so when they do eventually start going together, each already understands the other’s strengths and weaknesses. They look out for one another, making sacrifices and hard choices, even giving up their budding love for a time. Ginny and Harry do not have a smooth road, but overcoming every obstacle ultimately brings them closer together. And despite all the dark times, they still have fun together and know how to cheer one another up. Theirs is a love that grows gradually, continues steadfastly, and lasts eternally.

Sky Destrian

While I tend to ship people more in movies or TV shows, there are a couple book couples that have stolen my heart. 

1. Augustus Waters & Hazel Grace Lancaster

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Move over, Romeo and Juliet. This is the heartbreaking OTPs to end all OTPs. It really hit me how much I shipped them when I watched the movie. The way they connect and become deeper friends, then fall in love, is so beautiful. 

I related a lot to Hazel Grace--her quietness, her hesitancy to fall in love. Augustus is one of the sweetest boys. The way he cares for Hazel, even though she resists at first, is so beautiful. He reads Hazel Grace's favorite book and falls just as in love with it as she is, then takes her to Amsterdam so that they can find out the true ending.

If you are somehow unspoiled by the ending of this book and haven't read it yet, I highly recommend it. Then go watch the movie. There will be tears.

2. Sam & Grace

The Shiver Trilogy by Maggie Stiefvater

(Heads up, I haven't read Linger and Forever yet.)

I read Shiver last month and fell head over heels in love. With the prose, yes, but also the main couple, Sam and Grace.

These two complete each other. Sam is an a sensitive, artistic boy, and Grace is pragmatic, good with numbers and figures. It shouldn't work, but it really does. Their slow descent into love is one of the most beautiful things I've read in a long time, and when they finally admitted to each other that they loved each other, my shipper's heart was completely happy. I look forward to reading the sequels. You'll be hearing more from me about it, I'm sure.

What are your book OTPs? Tell us below in the comments!

Fandom is full of couples to love. From Beauty and the Beast to Thor and Jane, we've got so much to love about... well, love. One True Pairings (OTPs) have wrecked our hearts, and will continue to do so for years to come. There's nothing quite like rooting for your favorite people to get together, and rejoicing when they do (or continuing to angst about how they're not together for 5 seasons). Whatever the scenario, we fangirls know this feeling well.

So what better way to celebrate than a blog link-up?

Your OTP Dream Team--aka Jaime Heller, Sarah Munson, and myself--put our heads together to create a link-up where you can headcanon about your favorite fictional couple.

Wait, what? How do I do this?

You answer our 14 questions on your blog about your fictional couple of choice. Then, sign the linky below. We want this to be a huge event, so be sure to check out the links of the fellow participants!

Step by step guide:

1. Pick a fictional couple. Whether it's from a book, a movie, a TV show, a manga, a video game... anything goes. (They must be characters not of your own creation, however.)
2. Check out our questions and come up with your answers. No answer is the wrong one! This is where you get to dream all about your favorite fictional OTP.
3. Post the answers on your blog. Don't forget to link back to this blog! Also, please use our button below, or link back to this blog.


<center><a href="http://www.fangirlinitiative.blogspot.com"><img src="http://i1137.photobucket.com/albums/n506/MountainFireflower/IShipItGraphic2_zps2998e198.png" width="500"></a></center>4. Come back here and sign the linky!
5. Enjoy! (Side effects include headcanons, lots of feelings, and potential tears.)

So what are you waiting for?

Here are the questions you'll need to answer.

1. ​​What is their current relationship status, and how did they meet? 
2. Why do you want them to be together? What makes them better together? 
3. What song(s) remind you of them? 
4. How would they divide household chores (cooking, cleaning, etc.)? 
5. What would this couple argue most about, and who is most likely to compromise? 
6.  What interests do they share? 
7. Are they introverts, extroverts, one of each? 
8. What would their first date be like? (If they've already had their first date, describe their ideal date.) 
9. Do they get along with each other's families? 
10. In what ways do they drive each other crazy? In what ways do they drive other people crazy together? 
11. Where would they go for their honeymoon/a romantic getaway? 
12. Do they share any similarities to classic romantic couples? (I.E., Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy, Beauty and the Beast) 
13. What would their "celebrity couple" name be? (I.E., Brangelina) ​​
14. Where do you see this couple in 10 years?​

An InLinkz Link-up

We can't wait to read your answers!

P.S. - Tonight we'll be having a Twitter chat to celebrate Valentine's Day. Join us at 8:30 PM EST at @tfi_blog and via the hashtag #thefgi.

Love isn't just limited to the screen--there are lots of songs about it, too. We gathered up several members of the Initiative to talk about our favorite love songs.

Amanda Horn

1. One of my favorite love songs is "The Scientist" by Coldplay. It's not a happy song by any means, but it's a lovely and tragic song. It also reminds me of Daniel Faraday and Charlotte Lewis from Lost. Daniel loves her so much and I think this song accurately conveys his thoughts.


2. I'm a big fan of musical theatre and one of my favorite songs from a little-known musical named Side Show is called "I Will Never Leave You." Side Show is the story of a pair of conjoined twins in the 1920's. They sing this song near the end of show, when they realize that though other people may leave them, they will always be there for each other.

Izzy Stevenson

When I think about Valentine’s Day, my memory takes me back to the very first day I became interested in boys. That, of course, was the day the holiday first made sense to me on any kind of level, and I still remember it well. It was right near Valentine’s Day, in fact. 15 years ago, and I was around nine or ten. The same song kept playing over and over on the television as part of a special Valentine’s Day commercial. Today I still associate that song with the excitement of young love.


As much as we love our OTPs, I think we can all admit that the best kind of romances are the ones that take place in the real world. My favorite thing about the song “My Idea of Heaven” is the music video, in which the singer, Leigh Nash, has some of her personal married friends write on cards about what their idea of heaven is.

Jaime Heller

There are many songs I like to listen to that invoke a sense of “love” or romance. From Disney songs (yes, cheesy but adorable) to mainstream music (if I can find any that are good enough) to even old classics, there are plenty for me to enjoy and daydream while listening to.

Here are a few I’d like to share with you:

“The Bird and the Worm” by Owl City: This song—and many of his others—are just cute and whimsical. Owl City is the perfect artist to listen to if you’re in a daydreamy mood and want an adorable playlist to listen to. Specifically, “The Bird and the Worm” is beyond cute with the play on words and the energetic melody.


“Laughter Lines” by Bastille: I happened upon this song by accident via my tumblr shenanigans. I was immediately smitten and poured over the lyrics trying to figure out what it meant. I decided it had to be about love in some matter. Overall, I think the song is beautiful and has a story to tell.


“Let Me Call You Sweetheart”: This one is an oldie—like 1910 old. But I cannot help but love it. The lyrics are so… romantic and there’s just something about old music that cannot be matched with new tunes of today. In addition, it was used as the song Anne and Gilbert Blythe danced to at their wedding in the Anne of Green Gables movie. :)

Mirriam Neal

Superheroes – The Script

This is one of my favorite songs. (I don’t think any of these are exactly ‘love songs,’ but to me they’re highly romantic. Bonus points since I can apply them to my OTPs.) This song is about two people struggling to become better people and working together. Every day, every hour, turn the pain into power – if lyrics are going to turn me on, this is the way for them to do it.


King and the Lionheart – Of Monsters and Men

This song is beautiful, and is also one I’m planning on playing at my wedding. I adore songs about two people taking on the world together, and this is a particularly gorgeous example.


Can’t Hurry Love – Dixie Chicks

This is a song about love, but it’s a song about waiting for the right person. Whenever I’m feeling lonely or missing that certain someone, I turn on this song, kick back, and realize that you can’t hurry love, no; you’ll just have to wait.

Rica Wiersema

     There are sappy hopeless romantics who listen to Celine Dion while stuffing their mouths full of chocolate.

     There are bitter people who reject cliché love stories with every fibre of their being.

     And then there are the select few people like me who fall under both categories at the same time.

     I had the blessing of being raised by two parents who were (and still are) very much in love. They just celebrated their twenty-fifth anniversary, and my mother’s parents before them reached over sixty anniversaries. Watching those relationships function and blossom has taught me for years about what real love is — not just romantic love, but parental love and family love and sibling love and beyond. I’ve learned that you need more than just roses and chocolates to support your relationships… but I also know that a little happily-ever-after isn’t so impossible as modern skeptics might think.

     That said, allow me to present my top three favorite love songs. I of course have a whole iTunes playlist of Footloose and Howard Shore… but these are at the top.

     1. “Love is a Good Thing”

Artist: Andrew Peterson

Album: Resurrection Letters: Volume II

     Peterson is not only one of my favorite authors, but seeing as I have every album he’s ever made, he’s also my favorite musical artist. This song is his gentle, acoustic reminder that half of love is the passion that makes the promises, and the other half is the resolve to see those commitments through no matter how feelings change.


     2. “What Are Words”

Artist: Chris Medina

Album: What Are Words

     If you haven’t heard the story behind this hit single yet, you need to get onboard already; this song was written by American Idol contestant Chris Medina, after his fiancée received permanent brain damage in a car accident, just two months before their wedding: instead, she was in a two-month coma. Now she needs 24/7 assistance, and he became her caretaker.


     3. “Gone, Gone, Gone”

Artist: Phillip Phillips

Album: The World From the Side of the Moon

     This song just makes me want to dance, and I’m hoping to use it in a friend’s wedding video very soon. Even though, when you reeeally listen to the lyrics, the relationship is conditional (“Give me reasons to believe that you would do the same for me, and I would do it for you,”) it’s still a nice modern version of the sappy romance that we all know and love… and makes me start reaching for the chocolates.

Sarah Munson

So Close by Jon McLaughlin: I fell in love with this song the first time I heard it in the movie "Enchanted" and it feels magical to me every time I listen to it. I think it's beautiful how it blends both love and loss in the lyrics. Not every relationship works out, and the words, "So close, so close, yet still so far," really capture that for me. Sometimes we love but experience loss, but it's an essential part of life. this song also reminds me of an almost-couple in the novel I'm writing, so I've listened to this song several times writing their scenes.


A Thousand Years by Christina Perri: No, I do NOT like Twilight. I've never read or watched it, and have no plans to. However, this song came on my Pandora station one day and captured my heart. I think the melody is captivating, and the lyrics are so sincere and heartfelt. It's the sort of song that would be perfect for a wedding, if only people didn't think of Twilight first. Ignoring that last fact, it's also a song that fits with several of my favorite OTP's. It fits a couple from my own novel, two pairs from the River of Time series, Captain America and Peggy... I could go on and on. :)


All About Us by He is We with Owl City: I'll admit, I tend to gravitate towards soft, melodic, somewhat melancholy songs of the heart. This is not one of those. All About Us is such a fun, upbeat, yet heartfelt song. It makes me want to dance and laugh, and reminds me of bright smiles and summer days. If I actually knew how to dance, I would seriously consider this for a wedding song. Since I can't dance, and I'm not planning on getting married any time in the near future, I'll just keep blasting it while I clean my room. As for OTP's, it reminds me a bit of Flynn & Rapunzel and also of Adam & Belle.

Sky Destrian

1. Tenerife Sea by Ed Sheeran.

This is one song that never fails to make me blush, but in the best kind of way. The pure innocence of it is so beautiful and it tells a story in my mind every time. (However, Ed Sheeran is the king of love songs in my opinion. Runners-up include "Thinking Out Loud," "Shirtsleeves," "Give Me Love," and "Kiss Me.")


2. Be Okay by Oh Honey
This isn't explicitly a love song, but it's got such an upbeat tune and makes me feel so happy. And, I might argue, it is a love song, because it's a song about being in love with life.


3. I See the Light by Mandy Moore & Zachary LeviThis hearkens back to our Disney OTP collab, but I couldn't leave this one out because it's made me tear up on many occasion. As we've discussed here, Flynn and Rapunzel's love is real and innocent and true. And it's very, very strong. This song reminds me of their bond with each other and the potential bond I'd like with someone else. It's so gorgeous. 
4. Shut Up and Dance with Me by Walk the Moon
I'm cheating by adding a fourth, but this is honestly one of my favorite love songs of all time. There is no way to listen to it and not smile. Also, I believe this one tells a story as well, and songs like that are just beautiful. But don't take my word for it:


Honorable mentions: On My Way Home by Pentatonix, Wake Me Up by Avicii, and Stay with Me by Sam Smith.

What are your favorite love songs?

For Barry Allen, romance is a slow aspect of his life. He sees his life as "romance-less" and a losing battle every where he turns. He may be fast, but he doesn't seem to be able to catch-up on his love life. Or so it appears.

But when fangirls take a deeper look into Barry Allen's "romance-less" life, we discover... it maybe not be as slow as we thought. 

Since Barry Allen was first introduced into the CW world via Arrow, he was stealing hearts with a quick glance of his cute grin and dashing looks. Immediately, he snatched the attention of one Felicity Smoak, and I think it had to do with more than just his science-y side. 

Since then, Barry Allen not only has the opportunity to star in his own show, The Flash, but in addition, he's had plenty of romance opportunities, some that just might still work out. I'm going to highlight four opportunities Barry has to speed up his love life. 

Felicity Smoak

Felicity was Barry's first opportunity for romance and while I think the time has passed for anything more to blossom between them, let's take a look at what made Felicity and Barry click at the start.

Strengths: They're both smart, so they can understand each other's language. Felicity already knows how to deal with superheroes and knows Barry's secret from the start. He doesn't have anything to hide and she can help him as he saves Central City. Plus they look so darn cute together.

Weaknesses: Oliver Queen. Felicity's maybe, sort of, kind of in love with Oliver. Hung up on him. As is Barry for Iris West (more on her later). Felicity lives in a different city (and show), which would make things tricky for their relationship. And last, they've already come to agreement to just be friends and nothing more (despite sharing a kiss and all those lingering glances).

While I adore Felicity and think she would make Barry happy, I don't think the show writers will move in that direction. But if anything (else) happens to Oliver Queen with Romance beyond Felicity, I would want nothing more than for Barry and Felicity to find a way to work. But until then, let their friendship live. 

Caitlin Snow

Caitlin is Barry's scientist friend at S.T.A.R. Labs. While there haven't been too many indications of a romance blossoming between them, I--along with many other fangirls--can't help but notice there's hints of a possibility. Here's a few things that might make their relationship work, or not.

Strengths: Both are smart and involved in the field of sciences. Like Felicity, Caitlin speaks Barry's language. Again, Caitlin knows his secret and knows how to deal with a meta-human, especially in the act of cleaning up his wounds. She's currently single (ouch). And Caitlin can see beyond Barry's abilities. She sees him as a person of worth with or without his super-speed. 

Weaknesses: Ronnie. Caitlin's (ex?) fiance may not be so-dead as it seems (sort of spoilers?). His re-appearance remains to be unseen. A relationship within the work place might not be such a good idea and only provide more opportunities for tension. 

Caitlin and Barry would probably be cute together. They both had lost someone important to them and were heavily influenced by the accident at S.T.A.R. Labs. They can certainly relate to each other, and they already care for each other. Whether their relationship stays platonic or becomes something more is still up in the air. But anything could happen. This is only season one after all.

Linda Park

We haven't had a lot of Linda Park yet, and definitely not enough to clearly know whether this relationship will pan out. However, we have to admit that this is the first relationship Barry's had in a while and it actually might be working... for now. 

Linda Park is a journalist Barry met and has gone on one and half-ish dates with? She also gave him a second chance when deserted her because duties of being The Flash. 

Strengths: She makes Barry smile and also eat really hot peppers, which ends up being kind of funny. He won't give up on her even though it didn't seem it would work right away.

Weaknesses: She's moving Barry along waaayyy too fast. Plus there's something about her that strikes my fangirl heart as: not good. Whether she'll have other motives for dating Barry or not, I'm not confident this relationship works. It's too early for a superhero to meet his "happily ever after" and "first" girlfriends don't usually end up panning out. 

An interesting fact though, in the comics Linda Park was a journalist and actually married Wally West, another version of the Flash and Barry Allen's nephew. Since the writers have clearly already switched around a few things, it isn't certain how close to the comics they will keep the story line. So in reality: anything could happen. 

Iris West

Iris is Barry's long-time best friend and foster sister (ish?). They've known each other forever and Barry has been in love with her for just as long. She's smart, she's pretty, and she definitely loves Barry. But the question comes down to: in what way?

Strengths: They already know each other well. There's not a whole lot to hide (well, except that he's the red and yellow streak running around saving Central City). Iris probably knows Barry better than he knows himself. In addition, he makes her happy and she makes him happy. And, she's a fan of the Flash. 

Weaknesses: Eddie. Iris is currently dating someone else (and now Barry is dating someone else). From what we know of (aka see the mid-season finale), Iris doesn't share the same feelings as Barry. However, the latest episode kind of makes one wonder whether that's accurate or not. She seems to be moving back and forth between her feelings, which isn't a good sign either. 

In the comics, Barry and Iris do get married. They have a few kids and grandkids (the Flash family is big). However, it's highly unlikely we'll see all of that pan out. At least not in "real" time, but with the introduction of time-travel in the show: anything could happen (aren't you tired of hearing that?)

If the writers stay true to the Barry/Iris arc, it probably won't be for some time that we see them get together. Just think how long it took for Clark and Lois to get together on Smallville: six seasons worth!! Six! Come on, CW, we can't wait that long!

The Flash show is early on. It's season one, and I'm sure there will be plenty more opportunities for Barry to find his one true love. His life is far from "romance-less." 

Who do you think Barry  should end up with? Do you think the writers will stick to the comic book path? 

One of the things Disney is known for is true love. In the world of Disney, love is magical--and Disney taught us that magic is something worth believing in. So, then, love is worth believing in as well.

While true love manifests itself differently in the real world, these movies filled our childhood and adult years with tales that reflected it. And these stories are not easy to forget. So during our Month of OTPs, we've decided to feature some of our favorite Disney couples--the ones that, however cheesy, showed us what love could look like. Whether from new or old Disney movies, they're the couples we still believe in today.

Reminder: OTPs stands for One True Pairing. An OTP is a romantic couple in a fandom that you like. "Shipping" an OTP means you: 1.) very much like this couple together, 2.) have "feels" (feelings) about them, and 3.) want them to succeed.

Jaime Heller

It’s so hard to choose. So. Many. Options.

But obviously, I’m going with Rapunzel and Eugene Fitzherbert. :) These two make me smile and cover my face with my hands because they’re adorable. Also how they fall in love: it’s not a “love at first sight” kind of deal, though they do seem pretty infatuated with each other after about a day (but hey, what’s a little adventure and being hunted down by multiple people to make you fall in love?) But they learn about each other and open up little by little and slowly fall in love (or at least slower than a lot of other Disney couples). They balance each other: she boosts his dreaming and he grounds her back to earth.

 

But my biggest reason they are my OTP is that Eugene dies for her. Dies. Yes, she was going to sacrifice her living life so he could be healed, but he won’t accept that. He would rather die than know she can’t be free. It’s rare you see that happen, especially with people who don’t know each other that well. Plus I can’t keep a straight face when they whisper “You were my new dream.” “And you were mine.” My shipper's heart beats loudly for them. 

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Memorable mentions: Belle and Adam (the Beast) because that is probably the greatest love story in Disney existence and Carl and Ellie from Up because dang their story creates my own Paradise Falls on my face and it’s told without any words, just music. (Plus these two remind me of my grandparents in almost every way.)

Mirriam Neal

As I write this, I’m listening to the Strange Magic soundtrack and preparing to go to see the movie for the second time tonight. My partner-in-crime Courtney and myself are taking my sister Riah to see it because a) she hasn’t yet and b) we really, really need to see it again. I was shocked with how much I adored the movie – and how hard I shipped two certain characters; namely, the Bog King and Marianne. Their ship name? Butterfly Bog, of course. Because Mog and Barianne sound just a little too funky, I guess. 

I have never, ever shipped an animated couple this hard. Not even Hiccup and Astrid in HTTYD 2, even though they were completely adorable. I mean, I ship Butterfly Bog almost as hard as I ship Bellarke, and anyone who knows how hard I ship Bellarke has an inkling of what this means. I shipped Bog and Marianne before they were even in a scene together, okay. They were written like real, flesh-and-blood characters and not two-dimensional cartoons. And it was beautiful.

In fact, Strange Magic is legitimately the most romantic movie I’ve ever seen – and I’m a cinemaphile who has seen a lot of romantic movies. Strange Magic is from the mind of George Lucas, and so we get a romance that’s reminiscent of Madmartigan/Sorscha or Han Solo/Leia – except it’s more like the distilled essences of these characters, with a twist.

The Bog King tries very hard to be ‘the bad guy,’ when in reality he’s an awkward sweetheart who got severely burned from his last ‘love’ attempt.

Marianne is a thick-skinned, tough fairy princess who has sworn off men after her former Romeo spurned her.

When these two meet, they find they have a lot in common – namely, people-hate and bad attitudes toward love. Sparks fly (literally – as the saying goes, it’s not a real OTP unless they’ve tried to kill each other at least once) but there’s quite a lot of awkwardness since the Bog King’s mother is trying to set him up with every female that breathes, and Princess Marianne’s younger sister Dawn is head-over-heels for Bog thanks to an errant love potion.

The Bog King is ugly. He’s prickly. He’s ‘a scaly-backed cockroach’ who happens to have a heart of gold that he tries very hard to bury. Marianne is beautiful and lively and has a soft heart that she’s attempted to harden through sheer determination and ‘realism.’ Their chemistry is something I rarely see even in live-action movies or – well, even television shows.

This movie. Guys, this couple – let me tell you right now, when I’m in a relationship, I’m not making my man watch The Notebook. I’m making him watch Strange Magic. If you think I’m kidding, just wait. This relationship is everything I aspire to write, everything I love. It’s perfect. I don’t even care that it’s insta-love – it’s an animated movie and they’re allowed that. It’s beautiful. I – guys. I can’t stress this enough – the movie has great animation, great music, great dialogue – but this relationship is my jam. I can’t tell you enough. And you haven’t lived until you’ve heard Alan Cumming belt out Mistreated.

Sky Destrian

It's honestly hard for me to zero in on just one Disney couple. However, when gathering images for this post, I realized that, um, I shipped Lady and the Tramp so hard as a kid. I had a lot of feelings about them I had totally forgotten about.

While it may seem odd to ship a pair of dogs, the love story perfectly crafted in The Lady and the Tramp stuck with me. Who could forget the infamous spaghetti scene?

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Quick warning: I'm about to go into some character analysis about animated dogs.

I think I love them so much because the Tramp is the perfect contrast to Lady's prim and proper demeanor. He gets her into trouble, and she reigns him in. They complete each other.

One thing that strikes me is Tramp's loyalty to Lady. He'll do anything to take care of her. From the moment he meets her, he keeps an eye on her. For a mutt off the streets, I think that's a big deal. I don't think Tramp cared for anyone quite as much as he cared for Lady.

The Lady and the Tramp is actually an intense movie--not everything is okay, not at first. Lots of things stand in the way of their perfect love story. They lose each other throughout the movie and then find each other again. "Pidge? Where are ya, Pidge?" The two of them have to overcome many obstacles to end up together, but when they do, they have the cutest puppies ever. Truly, a love story to behold.

Another favorite is Carl and Ellie from Up. Their movie felt so real in the space of about ten minutes. As a writer myself, I realize that making the audience care in such a short time span is an amazing feat. Some couples have two hours devoted to them and don't have as much chemistry as Carl and Ellie did. Carl's loyalty to Ellie was especially touching, as was their thrill for adventure. I especially related to Carl's difficulty of letting go. But in the end, it was the memories that mattered, and Ellie knew that.

If I can find a love story like that, I'll be a lucky person indeed.

However, my all-time favorite, like so many of us from The Fangirl Initiative, has to be Flynn and Rapunzel. Ever since I watched Tangled three years ago, I've wanted a Flynn Rider. They are perfect together. If there's one animated couple I can get behind 100%, it's them. And I definitely want a relationship like that. As Flynn Rider said about his frying pan, "Oh, mama, I have got to get me one of these!"

Honorable mentions: Tarzan and Jane from Tarzan & Wall-E and Eve from WALL-E

Sarah Munson

The older I get, the more I love Disney movies. I credit Disney with making me first fall in love with, well, love. A few couples stand out above the rest to me. These are my Disney OTP’s. (Or at least, this is a sample of them. I could probably find reasons for loving most Disney couples!)

1. Beauty & the Beast, a.k.a. Belle & Adam. They were my first ever OTP, long before I knew what it meant to have one. Simply put, I was four years old and in love with them being in love. Now that I am old enough to see beyond the charming songs and how handsome the Beast turns out to be, I have more solid reasons why I adore this couple. Firstly, their love isn’t instant. They have tension and fights initially, but working through those difficulties eventually brings them closer. Both of them understand what it’s like to be an outcast. Belle, because everyone considers her “odd,” and Adam, because he’s shunned for being cursed. Because they’re both so often misunderstood and outcast, I love that they find friendship and later love in each other. Their characters are both tested and strengthened throughout the story. Belle sticks with the Beast even when he doesn’t deserve it. For his part, he treats her as well as he can, keeping her in the palace as a guest rather than a prisoner. Later, he releases her to return to her sick father, but when Belle accidentally places the Beast in danger, she is quick to rush back to his side. They both make sacrifices for one another, and make each other better. It may be a tale as old as time, but I’ll always love their love story.

2. Mulan & Li Shang. I feel like this is one couple that’s often overlooked, but because I’m a fan of Mulan, these two deserve a mention. They have perhaps more tension than any other Disney pair I can think of. They’re both strong characters, and stubborn at times. But their dedication and passion to their beliefs ultimately pulls them together. I’m not always a fan of sequels, but I really like the further development of their relationship in Mulan II. They’re like yin and yang together. (Also, shout out to Mushu the dragon, for being the best and worst third wheel in Disney romance history!)

3. Flynn & Rapunzel. They’re a popular OTP, but they remain my absolute fondest! I could write an entire essay on the reasons I love them as individuals and especially a couple, but I’ll try to contain myself. They have the perfect blend of similarities and differences. Both are adventurous, dreamers (Flynn is a little more reserved about it, but he does have a dream. No, really! It’s just much less touchy-feely!) Neither one had a perfect life or enough love, nor is either particularly eager to discuss backstory. At least, not at first. Once they open up to each other, though, they begin to connect in a quiet, understanding, accepting way. Flynn’s bolder, shrewder and snarkier side is balanced out by Rapunzel’s gentleness, innocence and kindness. He’s typically calm and collected; she’s excited and a bit scattered. His traits enhance her life, and vice versa. They don’t instantly fall into romance, first taking the time to be a team, looking out for one another and having fun together. My favorite scene involving them is the kingdom dance, because it’s full of little details that show how much they care for each other. Then comes the lantern scene, which makes my heart flutter and soar. Their duet is the most perfect ever. And then the end of the movie. There are no words. Rapunzel and Flynn (or rather, Eugene) are possibly the most perfect pairing I could imagine. Now if you’ll pardon me, I need to go watch Tangled again!

Now it's your turn: who's your Disney OTP?

Note: Several images in this post are from this article of Disney valentines. 

They're adorable, so check them out!

Special thanks to:

Jaime, for coming up with the idea for this post and finding the Disney valentines

Sarah, for sending in a few of the images used in this post

Mirriam, for overflowing with her effervescent opinion of Strange Magic.