Cardan & Jude As a Song

“Get down here before you’re recognized.”
“Playing hide-and-seek under the table? Crouching in the dirt? Typical of your kind, but far beneath my dignity.”
He laughs unsteadily, like he expects I am going to laugh, too. I don’t. I ball up my fist and punch him in the stomach, right where I know it will hurt. He staggers to his knees. The goblet drops to the dirt, making a hollow clanking sound. “Ow!” he shouts, and lets me tug him under the table.”

“Most of all, I hate you because I think of you. Often. It’s disgusting, and I can’t stop.”

The Cruel Prince, The Wicked King, The Queen of Nothing

There I was, playing music as per usual, whilst driving back home. When this song from my playlist came up. The moment he started singing the words, I knew that this song is the perfect representation of Jude and Cardan’s life. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect, especially since I had just.. JUST finished the last chapter of The Queen of Nothing.

Walk The Moon is already one of my favorite bands. The fact that they wrote something so unrelated to this series yet so fitting just makes them even more amazing. It was like getting a sign from the universe that I truly did make the right decision in loving their music!

Now before I breakdown the lyrics and show you how it perfectly sums up Cardan & Jude’s life. I’ll first tell you what the lyrics represent based on the band’s intentions. According to the vocalist Nick Petricca, “‘One Foot’ really sums up the theme of the whole record: Staring out into the unknown, being faced with uncertainty and what could be certain failure, but deciding to move forward and take that first step anyway,” he explained.

Now don’t tell me that “staring into the unknown” and facing uncertainty isn’t what Jude and Cardan have had to face in this whole trilogy. Not to mention, the music video for this song was shot during the eclipse of 2017. According to Mr. Google, an eclipse is used to represent exponential growth, a time of rapid change, internally and externally. I rest my case.

The Song + Breakdown:

– One Foot –

WALK THE MOON

Not a soul up ahead and nothing behind

Cardan is the only one of his brothers left standing

There’s a desert in my blood and a storm in your eyes

Perfectly describes Cardan then Jude

Am I the king of nothing at all?
Then you’re the queen of nothing at all

Cardan questioning the position he found himself in thanks to Jude and thus he drags her along with him.

“He rises from the throne. “Come, have a seat.” His voice is replete with danger, lush with menace. The flowering branches have sprouted thorns so thickly that petals are barely visible. “This is what you wanted, isn’t it?” he asks. “What you sacrificed everything for. Go on. It’s all yours.”

Well I remember the fight and I forget the pain

Both of them have been through so much and have still pushed on despite the hurdles.

“What they don’t realize is this: Yes, they frighten me, but I have always been scared, since the day I got here. I was raised by the man who murdered my parents, reared in a land of monsters. I live with that fear, let it settle into my bones, and ignore it. If I didn’t pretend not to be scared, I would hide under my owl-down coverlets in Madoc’s estate forever. I would lie there and scream until there was nothing left of me. I refuse to do that. I will not do that.”

I got my hand in your pocket and my key on your chain

Perfectly describes the time Cardan was under Jude’s control, and he still is even though the vow has expired

Oh, through the wilderness
You and I we’re walking through the emptiness

These two lines summarize their plot from the entire trilogy

Oh, my heart is a mess
Is it the only defense against the wilderness?

Jude and Cardan have fought hard against their feelings for one another. However, towards the end, they both realize that their love is the strength they need to fuel the path that they are now in to be able to find happiness.

Cross my heart and hope to die
Taking this one step at a time
Got your back if you got mine
One foot in front of the other
One foot in front of the other
One foot in front of the other

One foot in front of the other
All that we have is each other
One foot in front of the other

Jude has sworn success to herself from the moment she decided to enter this game for the throne. Every move she took was calculated and when it wasn’t, she made sure to take it “one step at a time” literally.
Cardan, sometime in his capture, decided that he wanted to be with Jude. Thus deciding that no matter what happened, he will be there for her. Just as how we saw when she was captured in the undersea and he saved her. Or when Madoc kidnapped her thinking she was Taryn, Cardan himself sneaked in to save her.

“I wasn’t kind, Jude. Not to many people. Not to you. I wasn’t sure if I wanted you or if I wanted you gone from my sight so that I would stop feeling as I did, which made me even more unkind. But when you were gone—truly gone beneath the waves—I hated myself as I never have before.”

Not a soul on the road, not a star in the sky

The stars can reference the prophecy that changed everything from the moment he was born. Baphen, the Royal Astrologer, saw misfortune in the stars that read:

“He will be the destruction of the crown and the ruination of the throne. Only out of his spilled blood can a great ruler rise, but not before what I have told you comes to pass.”

It’s a desert in my heart, and I know where to hide

Cardan has been neglected by his family for most of his life. In order to get their attention, he learned how to hide his true self through charm and cruel actions.

Well, out here in the dust if you don’t have trust
Ain’t nothing left of us, this is the exodus

In The Wicked King, Jude was betrayed by the Ghost, Taryn and Cardan, Her father has pronounced that he would kill her if they ever battled again. She had nothing left and was exiled into the mortal world, away from everything she fought so hard to get.

They’re just testing us, they can’t flex with us
They can’t mess with us, they can’t mess with us

This can be interpreted in many different ways:

1. When Jude became the sole authority over Alfheim, she was in a position where everyone watched her every move. The council was constantly reminding her of how mortal and unwanted she is. Lady Asha and some of the other fae folk defied her and tested her limits. Jude was aware of all of this and has risen up to the challenge.

2. Cardan was constantly being reminded of how incompetent and disliked he was by the majority of people. The court members around him didn’t like following his orders and felt it was okay for them to voice their disapproval.

3. The council and the folk largely ignored Jude and only looked to Cardan for proclamations. Towards the end, Cardan lost his temper and made sure that everyone knew how important and powerful his queen is. Jude also rose up to her role and showed everyone how smart and worthy she is of the crown.

In the so-called Land of the Free
One foot in front of the other
Don’t you know that all we have is each other
One foot in front of the other

These last few lines conclude the journey that Jude & Cardan took. Where they both finally learned that no matter the odds, as long as they have each other, all will be well.

“I raise a plastic glass. “To family.”
“And Faerieland,” says Taryn, raising hers.
“And pizza,” says Oak.
“And stories,” says Heather.
“And new beginnings,” says Vivi.
Cardan smiles, his gaze on me. “And scheming great schemes.”
To family and Faerieland and pizza and stories and new beginnings and scheming great schemes. I can toast to that.”

The Lyrics for you to read altogether:

Not a soul up ahead and nothing behind
There’s a desert in my blood and a storm in your eyes
Am I the king of nothing at all?
Then you’re the queen of nothing at all
Well I remember the fight and I forget the pain
I got my hand in your pocket and my key on your chain
Am I the king of nothing at all?
Then you’re the queen of nothing at all

Oh, through the wilderness
You and I we’re walking through the emptiness
Oh, my heart is a mess
Is it the only defense against the wilderness?

Cross my heart and hope to die
Taking this one step at a time
Got your back if you got mine
One foot in front of the other
One foot in front of the other
One foot in front of the other

One foot in front of the other
All that we have is each other
One foot in front of the other

Not a soul on the road, not a star in the sky
It’s a desert in my heart, and I know where to hide
I’m your king of nothing at all
And you’re my queen of nothing at all
Well, out here in the dust if you don’t have trust
Ain’t nothing left of us, this is the exodus
They’re just testing us, they can’t flex with us
They can’t mess with us, they can’t mess with us

Oh, through the wilderness
How come even together there can be loneliness?
Oh, our heart’s a mess
But it’s our only defense to brave the wilderness

Cross my heart and hope to die
Taking this one step at a time
I got your back if you got mine
One foot in front of the other
One foot in front of the other
One foot in front of the other

One foot in front of the other
All that we have is each other
One foot in front of the other

Oh, through the wilderness
How come even together there can be loneliness?
Oh, our heart’s a mess
But it’s our only defense to brave the wilderness

Cross my heart and hope to die
Taking this one step at a time
I got your back if you got mine
One foot in front of the other
One foot in front of the other
One foot in front of the other

One foot in front of the other
Oh, all that we have is each other
One foot in front of the other

In the so-called Land of the Free
One foot in front of the other
Don’t you know that all we have is each other
One foot in front of the other

So, have I convinced you? :p

What did you think of my choice?
Until Next Time,

Bookbye!

What did you think of this song choice, have you seen anything similar to it? Or do you have any recommendations for me to listen to? Lets chat, don’t worry, I don’t bite. ^^

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