Neverafter Is a Horrific Good Time
Neverafter wasn’t one of my favorite campaigns as it was airing. First off, it was a horror season which isn’t a genre that I super love. I was also completely turned off by it when I watched episode 3. It took me right out of it and I didn’t complete the series at that time. I decided to give it a second chance after it aired completely. Skipping episode 3 and moving right on to 4. I ended up enjoying it. In particular Siobhan Thompson’s character Princess Rosamund du Prix.
Coming to Terms With Trauma
There is a lot of trauma in the Neverafter universe. Let’s not even get into what was happening with Pinocchio and the Stepmother. But, it is Rosamund’s pain that I identify with. In the last few years, I’ve awoken from a slumber. Fully realizing the trauma that I’ve experienced in my life. Not just the memories but the maladaptive behaviors that I have because of them.
The briars are a metaphor for the ways that we protect ourselves that ultimately cause us harm. There was a time when putting up these types of walls was important. They served a purpose but that purpose is over. Now, it is about going out in the world and learning how to engage with others.
There are still a lot of things that scare me about other people. I know what they are capable of. But, that is the danger that one risks to connect with others. My social anxiety has made me shy but I’m working on it. I want to have a conversation that inspires confidence rather than embarrassment. That is the sort of stuff that I’m up against.
Why I Chose Neverafter
I decided to cover Neverafter first for these reasons. Paying close attention to the plotline of the Princesses. Rosamund in particular. It is going to hit differently now that I’m going through the process of recovery. Rewatching the series might be key to figuring out a few things about myself.
If anything, it may bring some comfort! The thing about trauma is that it makes you feel like you are alone. When it is, unfortunately, quite common. I need the company right now even if it is through story. It is nice to see Rosamund so accepted by her adventuring party. A reminder, that there are people out there who will care for you.
What Is This Season About?
Neverafter is the 16th season of Dimension 20. The setting is a storybook in a universe populated by Fairy Tales. The cast is a return to the Intrepid Heroes that started the whole thing. The players are Brian Murphy, Lou Wilson, Emily Axford, Zac Oyama, Ally Beardsley, and the previously mentioned Siobhan Thompson. Our characters are the Frog Prince, Pinocchio, Little Red Riding Hood, Puss in Boots, Mother Goose, and Sleeping Beauty.
Brennan took the horror of the Grimm’s Fairy Tales quite seriously with this one. I can’t believe my parents let me read these stories as a kid. They are quite gruesome at times and that gets played into quite a bit. One thing that is good about Dimension 20 is their use of content warnings. If you check the description you will know what sorts of things get mentioned in the episode. So you can skip those portions if you like.
I have no set schedule for this. Making a commitment to regular posting isn’t something that I can do right now. But, I’m hoping to get through it all before the end of the year. There are 20 episodes in total.