Ever After High Rants

Briar Beauty Bullied

Briar does not get enough love, not from the fans and not even from the other characters in the show.

Now this might sound strange because she's one of the main characters, she's Apple White's BFFA, she's friends with Ashlynn and Raven, but if you watch closely it doesn't seem like she gets treated all that well.

Even in the second episode of the show, Apple's Tale: The Story of A Royal, when Apple and Briar are introduced as characters, it's plain to see that the two of them are meant to be BFFAs. Yet even in this same episode we see Apple completely dismiss Briar when Raven arrives outside their dorm room, right after Briar just finished helping her decorate Raven's half of the room.

Apple says, "Quick, hide. I don't want Raven to know you helped me."

Why? Why didn't she want Raven to know that Briar helped her? Who does that to their best friend? To the point where Briar felt she had to jump out the window, admittedly she apparently enjoyed that, but still. Rude!

What's more is that after explaining to Raven that they're going to be rooming together, she even goes out of her way to say "I even decorated your half of the room!"  Again, no reference to the fact that she got help, nope, apparently she did it all by herself.

A few episodes later there's the episode Briar's Study Party, where they all successfully pass the "insanely hard test" with A's thanks to Briar tutoring the group, we never hear even one of them say thank you to her.  Seriously, they want to give the viewers positive messages, why didn't they start with simply saying thank you to someone after they help you! 

Then there's the scene in the Fitting Forum in Throne Coming, where Apple is running her mouth about how Raven signing the Story Book of Legends is like "one beautiful present" for her. Again always making everything about her.  The best part about this scene is undoubtedly when Briar finally snaps at her, "Ugh, we get it!" and then proceeds to call her out for her behaviour, along with the burn "You get poisoned for what, like a week?"

Go Briar!

Now here's what really bugs me about Apple's response: she takes no accountability for hurting her supposed best friend's feelings.  All she says is "I'm sorry you're upset". No I'm sorry for upsetting you, no I'm sorry I didn't realise I was being hurtful, no I'm sorry I was being neglectful of your feelings!

"I'm sorry you're upset", you know who uses phrases like that? Gaslighters, that's who! She took no responsibility for being the bully in this situation.

Even after all of that, Briar still puts Apple's safety above her own when they realise Apple's in her story in the the Story Book of Legends. Raven tries to stop her, telling her it's too dangerous, but she insists she has to because "she's my best friend!"  Of course she proceeds to save by retrieving the page of her story and the two of them get out of the story.  Once Apple wakes up she's amazed to see that Briar rescued her and she points that out, "you saved me", but there's something she apparently forgets to add.  What is that?

A THANK YOU!

You'd think that you'd want to thank your best friend after they saved your life, yet somehow she forgets that little detail. Even when they again, confirm that they're "best friends forever after".

Following this, it's clear that Briar is still feeling conflicted about her destiny and finding the book, yet the rest of the girls go on totally oblivious. The only one who notices that something is wrong is Ashlynn, her roommate.

Now, if you ask me, Ashlynn makes a better BFFA to Briar than Apple, Ashlynn actually talks to her about her destiny problems in a caring way. She doesn't try to convince her of what she should do, she simply reminds her that she has choices.  That to me sounds more like what a real friend would do.

Aside from a few rare instances, Briar receives almost no appreciation from her fellow students, which is pretty appalling really, in fact I'd go so far as to say it's disgusting, especially on Apple's part. The supposed "fairest of them all" can't even be bothered to be kind to her "best friend". Seriously? If they were going to have Apple be so rude then they could have turned it into a side plot and have her actually realise that she was in the wrong for once, but no, apparently they'd rather just let Briar be treated like dirt.  Disappointing.

Until my next rant, have a hexellent day!

- Lexa