Song: "Devastation and Reform" by Relient K
Lyrics: azlyrics
Theme: Fakir & his struggles
Spoilers: Yes
Review: This is an excellent choice of song for Fakir, not only for its lyrics but for its energy. It's bursting at the seams, but yet still stays within rhythm, even when it shifts tone. It's a beautiful fit.
I'm also really impressed with the introduction. While the opening music to the song is immediately high energy, and maintains it fairly readily, it's difficult to get video to do the same. It's possible to not do so and still have it fit well, but this creator managed to get consistent cuts in a timely manner for nearly the entire intro, which is a crazy accomplishment! Not only because of the timing involved, but the fact that pretty much all the clips are different yet all very pertinent. The one drawback is that with such speed involved, it's kind-of hard to be able to recognize all of the clips, even after numerous watchings, but that doesn't really diminish the effect of it.
As it gets to the first chorus, I realize that yeah, Fakir does create a lot of problems. He's not the only one that's causing problems, and he does have plenty of other problems besetting him, but his anger and 'protection' do more damage than help as Mytho's getting his heart back. So yeah, destroying everything I love is a pretty apt description for Fakir in the first season. And then he gives himself that label/mantra in the second season, so again, it fits really well~ (Ok so he gives himself that label from the very beginning [aka his parents/Mytho] but it's less subverted in the second season.)
From 1:04-1:14 ish though, I'm a bit confused. It looks good, but I'm not seeing the correlation between lyrics and video that the rest of the video maintains. I can make a slight connection at how he's trying to restart/'reconstruct' his thoughts about Tutu, but... that's all I can gather. :/
The following epicness with the Ghost Knight is great, though. It really captures the essence of the song and Fakir's fears all together very nicely!
The following bit regards Fakir realizing that it's probably not the safest plan for him to go after this 'story,' but he will anyway, with zeal. Which he entirely does. And the usage of Fakir and Kraehe's first fight with the sword is a pretty good choice. It's arranged well, and is a good story reference point because this is where Fakir decides that the story's moving and he's going to do something about it. I personally think that it would have been good to use the ice lake swordfight bits here too, as that's when Fakir decides to go suicidal with his intensity, even against the story. But the clips chosen also go well with the next bit with windows and Kraehe.
Speaking of which, that was very well chosen! Kraehe and Duck are both problems for Fakir, annoyances that he can't be bothered to deal with but he has to. Even though both of them are kind-of essential to everything happening.
Also, I love the phrase "I feel like I was born/ for devastaion and reform/" paired with Fakir's fight with evil!Mytho. That has got to eat at Fakir afterwards. He's been spending his whole life doing what exactly? Protecting the Prince. And what's happened now? The Prince is evil. Crap. Can't protect him from himself.
And then... Duck... no comment needed. ;w;
*sigh* I love the interlude bit. Paired with Fakir's journey with the tree is perfect. Gives me chills and a slightly constricted throat every time~ (especially at the "failure is a blessing in disguise" part, as he falls to his possible death. And so many other failures, like being unable to protect the Prince, or defeat the Crow, or simply survive, or.... Gaaahhh.) And then, finally, the 'reconstruction' of his heart is fulfilled as he comes back to Tutu's voice, to Duck. He's finally been able to recognize that yes, he's had problems, but that doesn't mean he can't go through more and succeed.
The following build-up with being forced to write by Drosselmeyer is great. It's appropriately tense, because both the audience and Fakir are all "NOOOOOOOO" but there's nothing to be done, and then BAM! With the musical halt, comes a stop to the tragedy. (or at least realization thereof and then implementation)
The following craziness about near the end is beautifully put. Fakir's realized his complex about himself, and that he needs to move past it, but that doesn't make it any easier to deal with. He still has problems protecting, implementing, ensuring safety. But he keeps trying.
And the rewind is a great way to end it. Reminding him that he has so much more than "what I had when I first started."
The very end, though, with the flashes between their dances (with both Duck and Tutu), I'm left a little confused. It looks great, and the timing is wonderful. But... what's the connection? If it's still the flashback, then when he was talking to her as Tutu it was still a strong emotion, and it wasn't the same as the acceptance when they were dancing in the Lake of Despair. But I don't think that it's a big enough disparity to make the appropriate sentiment that the rest of the flashbacks have been. It would have been better to use the Sleeping Beauty scene, I think, or something else showing how much things have changed.
Overall Rating: 9/10
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