Okay, Let's Talk Beauty and the Beast Chapter 1
Confession time: I have some *thoughts* about the opening of *Beauty and the Beast*. Unpopular opinion alert! Get ready.
It all starts with the prince, right? The super attractive, but apparently also super rude, prince. Talk about a first impression!
The Prince: A Case Study in Bad Manners
Seriously, dude. An old woman asks for shelter? You turn her away because she's ugly? That's… harsh. No wonder she cursed you into a beast!
Don't get me wrong, I'm not excusing the witch's extreme reaction. A bit overkill, maybe? But still, learn some manners!
And then, poof! Beast mode activated. Suddenly, everyone in the castle's furniture. What a party foul.
This is the bit where I always think: "Could they have at least offered her a cup of tea?"
Belle Enters Stage Left (Eventually)
Fast forward a bit, and we meet our Beauty, *Belle*. She's reading. Already, I like her more than the prince.
She lives in a "provincial town" which, let's be honest, looks pretty darn charming. I'd take that over a beastly castle any day.
But, plot! *Belle's* gotta have a reason to end up in that drafty old castle.
Maurice: The Lovable Clumsy Dad
Enter Maurice, *Belle's* inventor dad. Bless his heart, he gets lost in the woods. Every single time.
He stumbles upon the castle. Naturally. What are the odds? I’m beginning to think this forest has GPS issues.
He seeks shelter. The furniture welcomes him. Uh oh. He done goofed.
The Beast shows up, does his whole roaring, intimidating thing. And Maurice is now a prisoner. That escalated quickly!
Honestly, *Maurice* is kind of a liability. But a lovable liability. A real Disney dad archetype.
Is The Beast Just Misunderstood?
The film wants us to feel sorry for the Beast. He’s cursed, misunderstood, trapped in his own castle. Okay, fine. I get it.
But his initial attitude is just…off-putting. It’s hard to sympathize with a guy who judges people based on their appearance.
Maybe that's the point? Perhaps Disney wants us to look beyond the surface? Who knows?
Still, Chapter 1 paints him as a Grade-A jerk. It's a long road to redemption, my furry friend.
The set up is complete. We have our *Beauty*. We have our *Beast*. Now, for the Stockholm Syndrome romance to commence!
Let the adventures begin! Or, at least, let the rose petals start falling. Time to place your bets on when the Beast manages a genuine smile.
Because, let’s be real, that's the moment we all start to root for him. Maybe. Probably. Fine, I’m a sucker for a good redemption arc.
Until then, I'm side-eyeing that initial rudeness. Seriously, just offer the lady some tea!
