Queens of Remnant - Commentary - Ch. 45-46 (Patreon)

Welcome back from our extended break, which felt like a lifetime yet passed in the blink of an eye.  The best parts about taking a week off are that I don’t have to think about posting anything, of course, but also that I get an extra week before writing another commentary.  Between proofreading, setting up the chapters in Patreon, AO3, and FF.net, and writing commentaries, I must save like 4-5 hours in a week - a big deal when it’s also the holidays and work is devolving into chaos!

Tldr; the extra week was heavenly.  I’ve realized that I was a bit too optimistic when I started posting QoR in that I would just charge all the way through, week after week after week, for nearly a year.  I initially thought to break it into four segments like it sits in my Google Docs, providing some room for a break and pursuing other things, but then didn’t.  I know better for next time though!  Everyone will probably hate a mid-story break, but I need to do a better job of protecting my mental health and my desire to keep writing!  Burning out accomplishes nothing (literally nothing since I wouldn't be working at all).

With that said, I can’t believe there are only two chapters left.  Two!  And then we’re just…moving on?  This story has been a part of my life for literally years now, and it’s going to end in just a couple of weeks.  That’s pretty unbelievable to me, yet life marches forward.

My life has settled down slightly, which has been an immense relief to my general stress levels.  Work is less of a mess, and we have a new assistant on the way (who will probably cause more issues before she’s able to help, but that’s how it is with training new people!).  The one lingering thing is Violet’s ongoing medical problems, which flared back up again over the last two weeks.  She doesn’t feel well, and my mood just tanks whenever she doesn’t feel good.  [Update on her after I wrote this…she’s in the hospital now for some issues that seem pretty serious.  Send good vibes her way…)

In other news, I finished Click, Click, Boom.  Talk about a relief…I’m so happy to finally have that off of my back.  I’ll need to go through it again, of course, but for now…it can sit in silence for a while.  I’m a little concerned about the end product because I wrote most of the back half while dealing with a lot of life stuff.  When that happens, it’s easy to lose the thread of the story.  I’m sure the emotions are all over the place, but I should be able to fix it up with another read-through.  That will come later though because I’m wiping that story from my mind for now.

I picked up Flashing Lights, our next story, and I’ve been having a blast reading it so far.  Some people might not enjoy this more extreme version of Weiss, but I adore her.  She’s a lot of fun.  I hope most people feel the same!

I love all versions of Weiss though.  The Queens of Remnant Weiss is also one of my favorites since she’s had so much growth from chapter 1 to now.  She definitely got the most character growth in this story, which I feel slightly bad about but also don’t.  One of these days, I should throw in the towel and only write Weiss fics.  Because who wouldn't want more Weiss-centric stories?

I love her, and I love how sweet and capable and confident she is now.  These two chapters serve somewhat as her epilogue, and her and Ruby’s epilogue, while also being part of the whole story’s epilogue.  This is what happens when you write a four-part epilogue that encapsulates a single event, I guess.

Imagine if I’d done four epilogues but at four different lengths of time after the final battle?  Like Weiss’ could be a year later, then Ruby’s at two years, Blake’s at three, and Yang’s at four.

Why didn’t I think of that until right now…

Having just one big event is fine too!  This was my excuse to bring all four of them together since they’re living in separate places now.  I guess if I went with four separate time periods, I’d have to come up with four separate occasions for them to be in the same place at once unless I only did the couples together in their chapters.  I wouldn't want to do that though.  This story was about all four of them - I want to see all four of them together in the end!

Also, we get to check in with some of our favorite side characters, such as James.  He’s now Ruby and Weiss’ personal protector.  We saw a glimpse of it, but Ruby and Weiss tease him all the time.  Which I think is adorable, especially considering how James wasn’t Weiss’ biggest fan when they first met.  Oh how things have changed…

Another big change?  Weiss so easily and willingly accepting Ruby’s public displays of affection.  They aren’t on Blake and Yang’s level (yet), but Weiss has come a long way since her ultra-shy, ‘Did you just kiss me?’ days.  Her spark, however, still leaps from her grasp whenever Ruby’s around - I didn’t let her outgrow that little source of embarrassment!  Mostly because I think it’s so dang cute that she’s letting out wisps of frost whenever they kiss.  It literally makes her the ice queen.

Which makes me wonder…does Winter suffer the same thing when she kisses someone?

I’m going to say that she does.  Those Schnee sisters…both so composed until they get their lips on a pretty lady.

I was thrilled to give Winter a happy ending where she gets to help people.  That’s healing for her soul, I think, and I love that for her.  For all the bad things she might have done, she now gets to save lives.  She probably won’t return to Atlas until she feels like she’s canceled out all the harm she once caused.  Weiss is patient though.  Robyn is, too.

My thought for Winter and Robyn is that they weren’t dating, but they were…amicable, as Winter says.  They were probably in the stage of flirting, but Winter wasn’t yet sure if she could completely trust Robyn.  That’s why, when she leaves Atlas, she’s very adamant that Weiss not trust anyone.  Imagine if Winter said, “Don’t trust anyone, but Robyn might be ok.  I’m not sure yet, but I know she’s pretty and makes my heart flutter.”

Now that Jacques is gone and Robyn has cemented herself as one of the good guys - or, at least, not one of the bad guys - she’s determined to win Winter’s love.  Weiss and Ruby, meanwhile, will giddily watch from the sidelines.  And probably play a bit of matchmaker.

So Winter has that to look forward to!  Romance, meddling little sisters, leading a kingdom by Weiss’ side…these are all good things in her future.

I guess I can talk about the whole “Atlas has the cure” thing now!  I settled on the idea that someone from Atlas would save Yang pretty early on - marking a main character for death requires a solution, after all.  Then I thought…what if everyone ‘knew’ all along that they needed Atlas’ cooperation?  Of course, I don’t think any particular person knew what the actual cure was, but that’s what makes it even cooler on the tail end of things.

We (and all of Vale) thought that Atlas had developed some pill or medicine to cure the Phage.  I guess one could argue that any medication curing the Phage for someone with an ice spark might not even work for someone with a different element, so it might not be worth anything outside of Atlas.  That wouldn't stop you from hoping though, right?  Thus, the sentiment became a widely circulated but never proven rumor.

Imagine if the people of Atlas heard that rumor though.  They’d be like, “Uh…what?”  That would destroy the whole mystique, wouldn't it?  Well, good thing Atlas walled themselves off and refused to speak to any outsiders about anything!  Now, Weiss and Winter get to chuckle about how ironic the whole situation was.

We also got to reminisce about some of the earlier parts of the story - like their first dinner together with the fire-topped drink, and how Blake and Weiss met.  It feels so long ago that Blake set out to kill Weiss, doesn’t it?  I can hardly even remember it!  I agree with Yang though - it would’ve been hilarious if Blake had hidden in the trees again, waiting for Weiss’ caravan to pass and then surprising her.

Ok, maybe that also would’ve been a bit dangerous.  I’m sure Weiss still had guards with her, after all, and who knows how they would have reacted.

Just realized that we also didn’t get to see how the Valley’s doing…I really should’ve done separate epilogues in each of these locations!  Ah, well…live and learn.  I’m still happy with our brief update through Weiss’ eyes.  Continuing the theme, everything’s going well in the Valley, too.  Rebuilding is underway, and people aren’t hiding in their houses all day.

The biggest event for White Rose in these chapters is the proposal.  Which I made Weiss chicken out on because I wanted it to happen in Ruby’s chapter instead.  So much happened in Weiss’ chapter already - I didn’t want to load it down with a proposal too.  Weiss just drops the massive hint of “hey, I just made it legal for us to get married” instead.  Ruby, bless her soul, is like, “that’s so great for other people.”  They get on the same page the next morning though, so all’s well that ends well.

I wonder how Weiss approached James about asking Ruby to marry her.  Was it like how most people ask the parents these days, like asking for their daughter’s hand in marriage?  Or was it more of a conversation like, “I’m kind of thinking that I’d maybe like to spend the rest of my life with Ruby.  Would you agree with that?”

Yeah, the second option sounds more like Weiss.  Especially when you see how she asked - it was a very polite request to spend their lives together.

This version of Weiss is so anti-Flashing Lights Weiss, it’s funny.  That’s one of the things I love about her though - she can easily fit many different character types, in my mind.  Her background helps in that regard because you can give her the rich, spoiled upbringing, but her dad’s also not very kind so you can twist her personality from having a horrible childhood.

Anyway, Weiss is great.  I’m happy for her, and for Ruby!

Ruby is pretty thrilled about everything in her chapter.  Weiss is there.  They’re engaged now.  Yang’s healthy and getting married.  James is being his typical self.  Winter is happy, which makes Weiss happy, which makes Ruby happy.

What makes me happy is seeing Ruby and Yang interacting without that pesky death sentence hanging over their heads.  This is one of the few conversations they share where they’re both healthy and don’t have any secrets between them - especially not a recent engagement because Ruby was dumb enough to wear the ring.  Did she honestly think that Yang wouldn't notice??  It’s a sparkling band on her finger, and she probably doesn’t wear a lot of jewelry anyway, so of course Yang noticed.

Is there anything better than seeing these two happy?  (Besides seeing all four of them happy.)

I feel like we didn’t see Ruby flex her queen muscles very often in this story, but she saved the best for last: setting up a multi-kingdom celebration for Weiss’ birthday.  I mean, not for Weiss’ birthday, of course, but it will just so happen to be on the same day.  Weiss told Ruby that she always wished that her birthdays were special, and that wish has been granted in spades.

Of course, Ruby doesn’t only need Yang’s permission anymore - she’s also kind enough to consider Blake’s opinion.  Blake has been pretty nonexistent in these two chapters, but obviously she’s going to play a starring role in her own chapter and in Yang’s.  (Dealing with four characters is hard sometimes!)

The Atlas and Vale political establishment is about to get pretty muddied.  You have Ruby and Yang in charge of Vale, but Ruby lives with Weiss in Atlas now and they’re going to get married.  Blake is the unofficial leader of the Valley, but she lives in Vale with Yang and they’re about to get married.  Weiss is also keeping a seat at the table open for Winter, who currently lives in Vale but will eventually return to Atlas to take on some of those responsibilities.

Basically…each kingdom has at least 3 people sharing power.  A triumvirate!  The debates over ‘Hottest Queen’ are about to get more heated… (boy do I wish real life politics were solely concerned about which party was the hottest…)

I can’t believe there are only two weeks left…and I also can’t believe that this whole thing spawned out of one little chapter in Boundless.  It’s crazy how those things work sometimes - or maybe it’s just crazy how my brain works sometimes.

I’m excited but also sad for this story to wrap up, but we have to reach an ending sometime.  While we wait for those last two chapters, I just wanted to say thank you again for all of your support.  It’s been a long journey.  I think I’ve actually been writing fanfiction for 10 years now, and posting pretty much every week for…4 years?  5?  Whatever it is, it’s been a long time, and I have you to thank for that!  You help keep me motivated and excited for what comes next.

Until next time,

Miko