DREAMS WIDE SHUT

I had the suspicion that Shut, one of the Dysdarks in Go Princess Pretty Cure, was a gay male --- though some fans thought this general was a she.

This week, the character of Shut debuted and his first appearance caused many shocked fangirls to Shut down their computers...

Shut up, my detractors!

Now who was right?

If a person looks like at least ambiguous when it comes to gender (long-haired, slender-waisted, narrow-shouldered, dressed with frills and flowers, decked with talons and lots of make-up),

acts like a lady or like a gay male (elegant, vain, conscious about appearance, and a little eccentric),

and sounds like a male (with a heroic tenor voice, on the borderline to baritone)...

what else can this person be?

Shut's catchphrase is "I simply must":

"You simply must allow me to take the spotlight."

Shut (to Close).

"I simply must shut that dream in a care of despair!"

"So you are the Princess Precure? You are indeed beautiful."
"I must thank you for the introduction. And in the name of my master, Dyspear, I must ask you Pretty Cure to disappear."
(Post-first defeat): "You are quite the interesting opponent. I simply must defeat you next time!"


This episode also pitted Shut against Class President and Princess Minami Kaido/Cure Mermaid, as elegant and graceful as he is, establishing my favourite Cure and my favourite Dysdark as counterparts to each other (evil counterpart/good counterpart). And archenemies.

SHUT YOUR DREAM (of heterosexist prejudice, of course)!!!

Shut reminds me of Loras Tyrell, if he were intoxicated on the dark side (perchance brokenhearted by Renly's death in a different continuity?) If Ser Loras had his heart Shut by despair...
(OK, I may consider Shutting up when it refers to Shut puns for now...)

Cobraja is merely second to Shut.

Leva (from Doki Doki Precure) can't hold a candle to Shut.

Madame Momere is the ugliest of the three drag queen generals so far.

All thee of them could as well Shut up in presence of this master of transvestism!

At least, Shut's predecessors, the other drag queen generals in the Pretty Cure 'verse, have been far more masculine, without that hint of femininity... Shut is my favourite drag queen in PreCanon, so Leva and Madame Momere can please Shut down their claims to being The Best... as well as Cobraja, who is perfectly calm and lips wide Shut about ranking second on my list (did I say "no more Shut puns?" Uh-uh!)

OK, here's a filk I have written on my view of Shut, from the start of my series-watching up to this point, as well as a tribute to this year that Austria has won the ESC...

Pretty Cure new season,
starting around my day,
boarding school and fairytales...
R'hllor! I'll come to stay!

Love class pres already,
generals are three,
a long-haired one with flowers...
what can this person be?

I'd like to know it at all,
tell me more... about that Dysdark called Shut!

That was no female!
"I simply must" appears to be his cool catchphrase!
So flamboyant, and so cool,
dashing and cruel,
calm, by the rules...
I know that Shut is no female
and I love him!