MERIDA'S VILLAIN SONG - Touch the Sky | ANIMATIC | Brave cover by Lydia the Bard

Hello! Welcome to this weeks instalment of Disney characters as Villains! This will be the last one for a little while so I really hope you enjoy Merida's Villain Song!

BIGGEST THANK YOU to the wonderfully talented individuals that have helped bring this project to life @nealillustrator for the INCREDIBLE and CHILLING animatic, Merida honestly scares me a little bit now, and to @JuneWestfield For your BEAUTIFUL and HAUNTING composition, you're amazing. You guys should definitely go check them out!

Now, for a little context, heres the story for this alternate universe and villainous Merida.

STORY

We begin at the end of Merida’s story. But with a small change… what would have happened if Merida reached her mother a few seconds later? After all that work and all the suffering they’d endured, they couldn’t save eachother. In turn sealing both their fates…

As Merida reaches her mother the sun rises and Queen Elinor is turned into a bear permanently. But without any of her previous memories she is scared and doesn't recognise Merida, and so does what any bear would do, she attacks the perceived threat. Merida tries to defend herself but in the confusion is caught by her mothers claws across her face. The fight continues and it becomes clear very quickly that this is not one Merida will win. The clans scramble unsure of what to do but Merida’s life is in danger and so her father does what any caring parent would do and neutralises the threat. Merida is left weeping and lost as she holds her mothers dying body. her father tries to explain that he had no other choice but to kill the bear and imprison its cubs, but Merida is inconsolable.

Following this the clans call for a return to tradition, saying that to separate ourselves from decades of law is dangerous, as Merida herself has demonstrated. It was what the queen wanted. Merida’s father agrees to the law, keen to return to tradition in the hope that it would keep them safe as it always has and as a way of honouring his wife's memory. Merida must marry.

Merida is furious, to have gone to the lengths that she had and to have sacrificed so much only to end up back where she started. Whilst also grieving the loss of her mother, there’s only so far she could be pushed before the laws and traditions sent her past the brink. She had tried to empathise, tried to lead her people down a better path and they’d given her nothing but false promises back. Then they killed her mother. Her Father had killed her Mother.

Merida feels suffocated, her mind running round in circles, replaying the events of the last few days. Her mind is screaming at her to do something, to bring her mother back? Not possible. To go to the witch for another spell? Because that worked so well last time. But there was one thing, one thing she could do that would mean lasting change and would bring justice for her mothers death. Justice for all the people that had been oppressed under this patriarchal regime. If she did nothing, who was to say that this wouldn't just continue happening to those that came after her? Forced into a life they didn't want, but with no power to make change? And so Merida leaves to destroy the old ways for good.

Byeeeeeeee

PS: Really super duper fun links below!! The FUNNEST of links! I’m talking discord server, social media, patreon, music streaming, the list goes on… go have a gander!

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✨STREAM THIS SONG✨

You can find my music on other platforms too, just type in my name :)

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✨CREDITS✨

Vocals/lyrics - Meee

Instrumental - @JuneWestfield

Animatic - @nealillustrator

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✨PATREON✨

Karaoke tracks, early access, mentions in videos, sneak peaks of work in progress and more!

Check it out here -

Help support the channel by joining as a Patron! All funds raised will be spent on the channel so you will be directly supporting the content that comes out here!

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✨SOCIALS✨

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✨END SCREEN CREDITS✨

If you’d like to use this song in an animatic or art project go for it please do just credit and tag me! Please do not simply repost this video on YouTube, TikTok or any other social media.

THANKS TO MY PATRONS!
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[LydiatheBard]

Merida really said down with the patriarchy

[shadowldrago]

You’ll note, she had *exactly* as many arrows as she ended up needing. She was *that* confident in her aim. She was right.

[SorceressRose]

The fact that Merida is wearing a pelt of her dead bear mother is honestly... wow... But the fact that Merida's father is wearing his three sons turned into bear cubs as a part of his pelt as well, means he killed them and that's honestly really dark.

This is just really good, like a really good animation.

[Venus_Mourningstarr]

"From the moment her sword struck her father's heart she was no longer know as Merida the Brave but as Merida the Vengeful Queen"

[cjtheprop-maker]

The details... The heartbreaking details... The bear pelts... The exact right amount of arrows... The tear at the end showing she got her justice, but she isn't happy and maybe never will be again.

[Oliveisafishstudios]

Nobody is talking about the last thing her father does, he tries to comfort his daughter when he sees her crying, but he dies before he can comfort his daughter, honestly that was what made me cry the most, her father still loving his daughter even after her bloodlust

[xrosemary]

Ahhh! I absolutely love this! Her wearing her mother's coat, and then her father appears and he's wearing the three bear cubs, his children, whether or not he knows that, is just so heartbreaking. I absolutely loved the song, Merida is one of my favorite Disney princesses!

[FireBowProductions]

The fact that the wisps are helping her actually terrifies me more than the fact that she's wearing her mother's pelt. Very well done.

[andrewjodon]

We went from a Disney movie to becoming Assassin's Creed the musical. And I'm for it honestly.

[misfits]

I think the detail of her wearing her mother's pelt is insanely fitting, because in Celtic lore, it is said that wearing the pelts of an animal will give you their strength and abilities! So not only is she carrying her mother's legacy and vengeance with her, but that might also further explain how she was able to take down THAT many enemies. Like, the girl is good, but damn that is a LOT of people. With the help of the wisps and her mother's spirit, plus her own skill, she was able to take down an entire kingdom.
edit: BRO THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE EVER GOTTEN 1K LIKES?? Thanks guys!

[iamanunus]

It would be cool if Disney did a “What If” thing for classic Disney protagonists and explored the idea of what would happen if they ended up being the bad guys, or an original movie about an archetypal Disney princess being the villain at the beginning of it

[Puko_Sweet]

I love how the wisps are LEADING her, even going as far as floating against the Father's sword, telling her what to do despite the fact we can clearly see she was already grabbing for it. And that also a scary thing, gaining the TRUST of a wisp, while they like to guide lost travelers they are also known to lead them to their deaths. But we can clearly see that was NOT the case here, the only death they led her toward was all done by her own hand, chilling.

[monschmoo]

Growing up, Merida was always my favorite princess. Even if she wasn't the most popular choice. I loved her sense of freedom and no desire to settle down like the others with someone she just met. To see this animatic - it brings me so much joy to see her getting more recognition, especially in the form of an animatic!

[Rixec]

Man, what a dark flex from Merida to wear the bear skin of her deceased, transformed mother. In a way, it's also her way of keeping her close still, having her guidance, as seen when the bear magic pops up to guide her arrows. The fact that the song is so quiet work perfectly, showing how focused and stealthy Merida is as she slays her enemies, only rising in volume during the most intense moments for her.

And dang, seeing the three bear cub heads on her father's armor definitely shows why he had to be taken down. They wouldn't have been a threat yet at such a young age and they could have easily placed them somewhere safe to grow up even if they couldn't transform back.

Merida has finally claimed the freedom and independence she wanted but it's independence gained through the path of walking alone, with all she loved and cared for gone.

Fantastic video and song, the visuals accompanying capturing the mood and setting gloriously.

[kennysp]

"No man escapes when progress is made" is honestly a killer line that could be applied to todays world easily. Very well done, amazing song.

[dr.virus]

The story here is masterfully well done: rather than the kingdom falling apart, Merida takes her father's throne & presumably rules her father's lands as a warrior queen, likely fighting what remains of the three clans, uniting them all into a great kingdom - the opposite of what happened in Mor'du's story where his kingdom fell apart.

[DragonMoonFNAF]

This was beautifully dark. The fact that Merida is wearing her mother's coat, and her father is wearing his children's coats, is truly a dark fate. I loved this storyline so much, and can't wait for more!

[skit-zo-funny-a]

Okay but Lydia’s accent for Merida while singing this song is actually executed so well!

[axelpettersson]

Wow three villain disney songs in july 🎉🥳

[TheGmingHub]

love the fact that her father still tried to wipe her tears despite her homicide I'm gonna cry!
Edit: This is the most replies i have ever gotten omg