A Stepmother's Märchen - Vol. 1 Ch. 62 - Epilogue 6 - The Ending of a Fairy Tale (7)

[rekii]

@no168_92 @PROGMRZ Put it simply, but here is the thing:

The church and imperial family plot would unravel differently in the current timeline vs the previous one because of new events that come into play. There is nothing wrong with exploring what if scenarios from the past life and knowing the different characters' thought processes when the whole point of the story is "this is the main character's 2nd shot life". Why is a 2nd shot important? Why should there be a 2nd shot in the first place? This is all justified in the weight of the circumstances happening BEFORE the reset.

Not knowing any of the relevant backstory makes it seem like there is less at stake. There is less desire to influence the current timeline if important events following Shuli's death are just bull rushed. It doesn't do justice to her character at all. Simply going through the motions and narrating events like in a book doesn't suit the medium because comics are VISUAL. As you said, novels and drawings "carry different weight and waiting time"–and that's precisely because storytelling in both mediums is different. It's not "wasting time" if there is relevant information being told.

New things we discovered besides the main plot:
1. The children genuinely care for Shuli in the first timeline
2. Ohara has a bad relationship with her father and she has a severe complex + her mother's backstory is told
3. Jeremy and Ohara's marriage is purely business
4. Nora has met Shuli in the first timeline
5. There is a secret police
6. Abingdon/Albert was given the death penalty

Most of this is new information that can come into play in the current timeline and will likely make more of an impact once they are explored or a TAKE 2 is in order, hence why they're important to lay out in the first place.

Lmao also, even then VNs are also a different medium. They force you to repeat entire scenarios with the important changes only taking place after a choice per branch is made. Shuli's story is an ENTIRE reset. Her 2nd life is essentially a hidden route where she meets Nora and she has a cheat code. Stop comparing apples to oranges.

The story is a slow burn and it seems to be written for people who enjoy that type of writing. If it doesn't suit your taste, maybe it's best to invest your time on something else.

 

[Jagerbombsaplenty]

Continuing the orginal plot line and tying off story threads, while simultaneously providing the full aspects of other characters as a concept and even answering some questions?

Wow cringe filler so lame wow sheesh

I’m joking but I can at least understand why people are mad that the story isn’t progressing linearly.

 

[rottenteddybear]

As much as this arc is interesting and all.....I’m really bored of it tbh, idk just something about knowing “oh this didn’t really happen, it’s an au of sorts” just keeps me from caring since it’s not in their current timeline now. Again really interesting, but I’m tired of it and just want to know what’s happening now currently.

 

[rekii]

@Legionary_Hunter It's the first timeline. 🙂 A hint: if you notice that the tone of the colors looks too warm or sepia, it's set in Shuli's past life. Hope this helps!

 

[sodashintaro]

Yeah man I simp for adult nora too
Also helena has the same discord pfp as me and I think that’s true taste

 

[no168_92]

@rekii

Answer me this then.

How much of the current arc (if any) would have impact to the characters in the current timeline? besides reader's perspective.

I said it before in epilogue 5, this is not even a flashback. it's a past that would never come to happen. it's all for reader's perspective/exposition.

to the characters themselves? no effect whatsoever. since they all are essentially different people in different situation.

think about it. what plot that is explored here that COULDN'T be explored in the actual timeline? and does the one explored here matter to the actual characters? again, reader's perspectives aside.

3rd Edit: novel readers would definitely appreciate the arc, but manhwa readers would be just as fine without the current arc as we would see Shuli actually face the church, imperials, the late duke's family, ohara's etc... witout having to wait 6+ chapters of alternate content that those interested could read for themselves in the novel.

Really think about it as a non-novel reader.

 

[Sem]

OG timeline...really sucks 😭

 

[Wolfpilot06]

So good. I love how unique this series is, revealing what happened in the original timeline after the main lead's original death, and everyone's reactions to it. How sad that Shuri in the original timeline never knew how important she was - not just to her beloved family, but to the empire. To Nora, whom she only met once, but whose life she changed without realizing it.

As ever, I remain in love with Nora and his clearsightedness regarding Shuri and the world. He is a sharp, considerate man, but it seems like his parents' flawed raising of him in the original timeline never allowed that consideration to reveal itself.

Jeremy's bitter regret and grief are so painful to see. It's a relief to know that in the new timeline, he may never have to be broken so badly by what's to come.

What I love about this reincarnation isekai in particular is how much is changed simply by Shuri realizing how it was her own immature (e.g. young) focus on her own troubles that kept her from realizing and seeing that the children's initial negative reaction to her was because they were all children struggling and grieving together. It's not her foresight and knowledge of what's to transpire that changes what will happen, unlike other isekai. Rather, it's her own compassion matured that allows her to affect change.

May she realize, as she has already begun to do, that she is not alone, and that she is surrounded by people who support and love her.

Also, VERY intrigued to know what Elias confronted Theobald about in the original timeline that necessitated Shuri begging for his life. Rachel's tearful demand that the children eliminate anyone who threatens to harm Shuri, and Jeremy's agreement, is heart-wrenching - because she still calls her "fake mom" (maybe a habitual insult that indicates the chasm between Shuri and the children, but also one that has become a one-sided term of endearment?) but also is clearly cognizant of how Shuri is bound by NOTHING to go as far for the children as she does, but how Shuri selflessly continues to give her all for them.

Ohh this series gives me so many feelings. I've really loved this season 1 ending allowing us to see how things transpired in the original timeline. It deepens my feelings towards the characters and my appreciation of just how different things are now. ❤️

And now we have to wait for season 2! 😭💔

 

[rekii]

@no168_92 There is no certain way to verify if it WILL have impact because the arc isn't finished, but it could go a variety of ways. We could even find out how Shuli got a second life or if the miracle was triggered by any of the other characters. Objectively speaking though, the flashback arc seems to be more of a narrative choice + bolstering reader investment.

It's also easier to explain most of the church's plans and motivations without having to go into too much exposition because the discussions take place after the wheels are already in motion. It's more effective to convince readers of the gravity of the situation when the events are about to unfold vs talking about hypothetic situations.

An edit because of your edit: I'm a firm advocate of letting both non-novel AND novel readers enjoy the story. That said, as a non-novel reader, I fully appreciate further context into the other character backgrounds and enjoy getting a peek at who Shuli was previously dealing with. It personally gives me immense satisfaction to know where she is coming from and why she is making such painstaking efforts to change her fate besides the usual "I regret so and so and want a redo".

I see what you mean by wanting the story to progress, but for me, the reincarnation plot works better because we get to see what is at stake and WHY things have to change.

 

[kooncity]

I can't believe people are complaining of too much lore. Y'all read too much generic manhwas that you can't appreciate when you're served a fucking feast with Märchen's in depth character storylines and well fleshed out plot points. There's so much to this story but y'all just want your next fix of pretty pictures, that's sad af 😂

Btw not surprised at all at how some people here have the memory of a goldfish, literally asking wtf is happening every chapter lmfao. And everyone casually forgetting that Nora's basically Shuli's CIA stalker bc he's apparently hot as fuck now and we can excuse the fact that he and shuli only had a SINGLE interaction in this timeline and is basically a fucking stranger so yeah, completely not delusional with his fantasies. ALSO TOTALLY justifiable on berating Jeremy when he himself stood in the "shadows" watching Shuli suffer and descent into depression and isolation and did NOTHING to help someone he "loves". Yep. Nora is faultless and IN THE RIGHT. YEPPPP. 😃😂

 

[no168_92]

@rekii

whatever happened in this arc would have no impact whatsoever to the actual characters. beside Shuli. and whatever happens after her death stopped impacting her also.

Again, this arc is NOT a flashback.

It is a 'what if' scenario that would never come to happen in the actual timeline.

like a side content or guilty pleasure simply for the readers.... fine in novel or VN form, but can be done without for manhwa just fine.

I just hate that it take so many chapters when we could actually have the actual characters further the plot more.

 

[rekii]

@no168_92 It's not just a "what if" scenario because it actually happened LOL. The entire plot REVOLVES around Shuli's REDO because SHE DIED. It's her previous life, in another timeline, so she wants to make it so it doesn't happen AGAIN. I really understand what you're saying but again, the whole point of this story is that her life reset and she's offered a second shot at it by some divine miracle. To not give proper context as to why everything in the previous life happened would mean that there's a missing piece of the puzzle.

This is what happened after Shuli got murdered and the reason why there are people who wanted it to happen.

 

[brownacorn]

@kooncity pfft, I hereby will defend/explain Nora somehow 😂What I like about him in the 1st timeline is that he saw Shuli for who she is. He saw her sacrifices, her efforts of protecting the lion family even when that meant she just self-sabotaged her reputation. And he loved her for those qualities (there's also Shuli being the only one who could recognize his pain, making them a bad reputation couple that didn't give shits which is cool af). Yes he's being delusional for only encountering her once, but who isn't in that state when thinking about your crush and your one-sided love lmao. Not to mention him "rolling in the mud" so much that just twisted his personality in a way (e.g. the way he casually and mockingly talked about her death to Jeremy). He isn't clean, not your knight in shining armor but he is an interesting character (I mean you can write an entire spin-off from his perspective in the 1st timeline).

 

[macroblitz]

@hakunoyuuki was hoping that nora could also time travel back to the current time. So there would be at least a purpose for this arc.

 

[rekii]

@kooncity Basically this version of him is what we get when no intervention from Shuli ever happens (re: his family situation). It's pretty twisted in retrospect. He's fully attached himself to someone who showed him the slightest hint of compassion because he's been starved of it his entire life.

I like to think that this is the "complete version" of him he talks about in the current timeline—the one that always runs from his problems. He's a coward that chooses to do nothing until after he regrets it. In a way, maybe he wasn't just scolding Jeremy? He's probably also scolding himself. From a writing perspective, it's pretty on the nose but an effective way to reflect his self-loathing (if I'm reading it right).

 

[no168_92]

@rekii

yeah, it did happen. but you are misunderstanding my point.

let me explain it simpler.

do you know/understand the multiverse theory? how every action splits the dimensions/timeline?

ok, let's say this 'flashbcak/wht if' as timeline(TL) 1 and the current/actual as TL2

whatever happens in TL1 won't have any effect whatsoever to the copy of individuals in TL2. since they are basically different individuals.

hence why I say it's a 'what if' alternate reality. that would not have any impact to the characters in TL2 whatsoever.

and frankly, I don't care at all whatever happens in this TL1 and would prefer it if we actually continue with TL2.

get it? like you play a video game and fail miserably. would you care about the save where you fail miserably or the save file where you win/succeed or whatev. like that.

The current arc is simply for the reader's benefit and have no actual relations to characters in TL2.

Frankly, we would return to TL2 eventually and whatever info in this arc/TL1 would have no importance/impact at all to the characters in TL2, besides we as readers knowing an alternate version of the characters from TL1 (which in all honesty are different individuals to the exact copy of themselves in TL2). So what's the point?

The story would still be as complex and interesting even if we only focus on TL2 for what it's worth.

 

[kursedkaiju]

What's the point in getting all this backstory for something that really doesn't matter.

 

[KajurN]

It does matter though, reread the first few chapters if you still think it doesn't. A lot of things just click after this epilogue.

 

[ShadowCT]

@kursedkaiju wdym it doesnt matter, its literally confirming the main antagonist and the circumstances around shuli's death. Based on how its going, its going to reveal some major plot soon too.

 

[kooncity]

@rekii @brownacorn
Hard agree to both of you. I was sarcastic and ngl kinda salty about people down in the earlier comments cheering Nora on without realizing that his character is also extremely flawed and he had no leg to stand on when he clapped at Jeremy. He's basically projecting his own inabilities/insecurities at the guy and a lot of people missed that which is such a shame. He's a great character, and human-like imo, but not perfect and faultless.

@no168_92
It's hitchcock's bomb theory in practice. The readers now have in depth knowledge of Shuli's first timeline. They know how she died and who the culprits are. It creates a sense of dread and suspense of watching things unfold in the second timeline especially when the church gets involved.

It's how the author decided to flesh the story out instead of just spoonfeeding the readers some exposition about the past in a quick generic flashback. They decided to show the readers the story through the eyes of different characters, each with their own flawed thinking. As a reader, you get to experience and see each character that lived in the 1st timeline and the domino of bad decisions that made up the events on how and why Shuli died. That is meaningful and good storytelling. I suggest you wait and binge Märchen when it's done to fully appreciate how good of a series this is.