Tales of the Disneyverse - Tale #7 (w/ Commentary Notes)

A New Familiar Face

(The Realm of Fantasia)

            As she sat at Yen Sid’s worktable, Joan cannot remember the last time she was so exhausted. In her old age, that could have been ages ago; but at that moment she had to be weaker than she had ever been her whole life. It was not just her most recent usage of magic that put her in such a frail state, but the shock of discovering who the young woman standing in front of her really was. “Jacqueline,” as she called herself, in actuality her son - Sean Thomas. Joan could not get over the dramatic change in his new body: the raven hair cut in a bob style with bangs hanging from the sides of the face; the tanned skin that was nearly as dark as his used to be; and the sparkling blue eyes (bluer than Joan’s almost). Fitted to a toned, slender 5’5” physique was a pair of blue jeans, black knee-high boots, and a navy blue top – all worn beneath a black robe. To complete the ensemble was a pointed blue sorcerer hat with a white crescent moon and stars - similar to the one Joan wore at that time.

(Narrative Note: Despite the concept being introduced in The Marvelous World: World of Disney 2, the Guardian ability to reincarnate is addressed for the first time in the perspective of Joanie for Tales. However, throughout the miniseries it is further emphasized how the process works and how long it continues, providing the reincarnations of Sean Thomas as examples.)

            The first question Joan asked her son’s new “avatar” was: “How can you be here? You’re back in my...our world in California.”

(Narrative Note: This is the first story to establish the Thomas family and the Muppets switching home locations between the present-day events of World of Disney and World of Disney 3 in the Muppetverse. In the very first story, they lived in Florida, whereas in WOD3 they have settled in California.)

            Jacqueline nodded, understanding her confusion. “I’m not the Sean from your current timeline. I’m him from the far future,” She then added in a somber tone, “after he died of old age.”

            Joan was overwhelmed and a bit discouraged by this news. “H-How old were you when you died?”

            “Eighty-six.”

            Joan gave a weak chuckle. “Later than me.”

            Jacqueline tried to pay no mind to that last remark Joan made and continued with the details on her being there: “The day I was born, you’d passed something down to me. I found out in my first reincarnation that it was the ‘Power of the Guardian.’”

(Narrative Note: Sean Thomas is the only known child of Joanie to have inherited her mystically-enhanced genes that enables him to become a Guardian after death. It was never revealed as to whether or not he possessed any Guardian abilities while in his original form, since the Guardian code states that "only a female can hold the Guardian title," yet this has been put to rest with the introduction of Michael - one of Sean's reincarnations - later in this miniseries. Considering this, it's possible that Sean did possess some Guardian magic as himself.)

            “First reincarnation?” Joan repeated the words from her explanation that fascinated her the most. “You mean...this isn’t...?”

            Jacqueline knew what she was going to say before she finished and answered ahead. “This body is only the second one I’ve inherited from my new ‘job.’ After I died, I became an entirely different woman – I named her ‘Sheryl.’”

(Spoiler Note: As it will be revealed later in this miniseries, Sheryl is in fact NOT Sean's first reincarnation.)

            Even more surprised, Joan asked, “How are you being reincarnated as two different women after each death?”

            “Your policy.” Jacqueline told her. “Or the one you unintentionally set up when you first became Guardian.”

            “And what’s that?”

            “That only a female can carry the job.” She sighed a bit and added, “Gotta say, it sucks big time having to be two completely different women – two separate lives, two separate clothes, two separate bodies. Sheryl’s was the toughest to get used to. She was almost as tall as I once was, but she was much...stronger...physically stronger. I’m not sure if it was the power or the fact that I was reborn as such an incredibly tall and athletic woman as her, but I spent half a century discovering all what I can do as her – with the help of Yen Sid and Mickey, of course.”

(Narrative Note: As it was revealed in the first tale from the Tales of the Guardians miniseries, Sheryl's reincarnation occurs within the Fantasia realm under the supervision of Yen Sid and Mickey Mouse. It is the only noted supervised reincarnation in the series, as other reincarnations - from both Sean and Joanie - presumably occur without an audience present.)

            Joan blinked rapidly, trying to comprehend another surprising detail in Jacqueline’s explanation. “Half a century? That’s...”

            “Way much more than 86 years I’ve spent being me.” The frustration was evident in her voice over this. “Don’t get me wrong – I absolutely love being Guardian. But I’d much appreciate it if I had the title as me and not...this stranger.” She gestured to her face in her distressed way of describing herself. “I just want what you got when you first became Guardian – to be yourself.”

            Joan gave a laugh that roughly transitioned into deep coughing. When the coughing settled, she told Jacqueline, “I won’t be myself much longer, sweetie.”

            “You’re dying,” a despondent Jacqueline signified.

            Joan nodded, confirming this. “And the entire Disneyverse along with me.” She looked to the workshop window, seeing the dark, vicious skies above them. “We’re linked. This whole time...since I first inherited my powers...we’ve been linked. Thanks to the Sphere. Without me, the Disneyverse ceases to exist.” She then focused on Jacqueline, a hopeful smile emerging on her face. “But I guess it isn’t all bleak.”

            “How so?” Jacqueline inquired, curious by her optimism.

            “Well…you are here.” Joan indicated. “That must only mean the Disneyverse survives with you as Guardian.”

            Jacqueline lightly bit her lower lip, her trepidation evident. “It was your death that got me the job, Mama…but not your death.”

(Narrative Note: Jacqueline refers to the death of "Gigi," Joanie's first reincarnation, in this scene. Gigi's death leaves Sheryl the only living Guardian to protect the Disneyverse at the end of The Marvelous World. But, as the story's epilogue revealed, Gigi only reincarnated, meaning there are in fact two currently living Guardians.)

            The cryptic nature of her words left Joan totally baffled. As she tried to figure them out, she was caught off guard by yet another shooting pain in her chest; she doubled over at the windowsill where she got a good view of the chaos that reverberated from her declining health. A few buildings within the kingdom had sunk to the ground, driving hundreds of citizens away from it. The pain in her chest was bad, but there was no pain worse than that she felt for the people of the Fantasia kingdom suffering because of her.

            “Please do something about this.” She desperately beseeched of Jacqueline. “Do whatever you can to stop the Disneyverse from dying along with me.”

            Jacqueline pessimistically shrugged. “You’re the only one who can stop this, Mama. I can’t do anything.”

            “I’m too weak to do anything, Sean.” She appealed to the identity past the one standing in front of her, hoping that her son had not completely changed in his morale. “If I use magic again, I will die.”

            Jacqueline sighed, taking off her hat and rubbing her fingers through her black hair while pacing back and forth. Removing her fingers from her hair, it became a disheveled mess – her bangs moved in closer around her face than before. She turned back to Joan, barely able to see her through all the hair over her eyes. “There is a way,” she told her. “But it will cost you the only life you have now.”

            Joan was again confused by her enigmatic solution. “What’re you talking about?”

            Jacqueline moved her hair away from her face, revealing the tears that had begun to flow from her eyes. With great reluctance, she said, “You…You have to submit your soul to the Disneyverse…and let your body retire.”

(Narrative Note: By definition, for the original form of the Guardian to submit their soul to the Disneyverse and leave their original body behind is the process of reincarnation. Although, in Tales of the Guardians, both the body and soul - in the case of Sean Thomas - submit to the Disneyverse altogether for a total rebirth. Whether or not the same occurred with Joanie's body and soul remains unclear, even after the events of this miniseries.)

            Joan’s eyes grew wide. “That’s still death!” Her shocked reaction only generated more tears from the clearly heartbroken Jacqueline. After a while, the notion started to settle with Joan. She gave a long, discouraged sigh. “Whatever it takes to save this universe…I’ll do it.”

            “What?” Jacqueline almost could not believe her willingness.

            “I said that I’ll do it. Now, just show me what I have to do.”

            “No, no, NO! Stop!”

            “What? Why?”

            “Because this is exactly how I lost you the first time – when I was still me! And I’m not going to lose you again!”

            Her strong declaration surprised Joan and also made her suspicious of the young woman. “Why are you really here, Sean?”

            Jacqueline clenched her fists and bit her tongue, remaining firmly silent.

            “Answer me, child!” Joan furiously ordered with glowing eyes.

            Unable to resist any further, Jacqueline finally conceded: “I’m not here to save the Disneyverse – I’m here to save you. And if that means the Disneyverse gets lost…then tough.”

            The glow in Joan’s eyes extinguished, making way for the heart-shattering disappointment shown in them.

(UP NEXT: Nemo meets King Triton!)