On February 1st the new season of Embers to Inferno will be posted, so I wanted to take a moment to reflect on how far this webcomic has come and what I've learned over the past couple of years. How do I feel about my choices so far? And what are some regrets I have?
Needless to say, I do have some regrets as I started this story without any expectations. So were I to start from zero again, I would do things a bit differently.
I hope this long post is interesting and refreshes your memory if you haven't read the first ETI episodes in a while π₯°
Episode 1
We started this story right after Layla gained her Enchantix in Andros, right after Bloom met Valtor officially for the first time. Thinking back on this first episode, I always wonder if it was the right starting point, or if I would do things differently today, now that I know this story would be quite successful. Art-wise, I would change a lot of things, haha. You can clearly see I was a bit uncomfortable and didn't have much experience yet. But I still look back fondly on this episode! I don't think I would change how this story started, but I would perhaps rewrite it a little. I like how we can see Bloom's emotions after not being able to save a friend. I like that it's Flora comforting her, and I still love how she shows actual fear for Valtor. I always thought the Winx were a bit too confident in the show, haha. Considering that we're jumping in the middle of an already established story, I think this was absolutely the correct start to ETI. While I love the first episodes of season 3, I still stand by the choice to keep these episodes focussed on Stella and starting Bloom and Valtor's afterwards.
My favourite panel is for sure this one, and it might seem like an odd choice π I just really like how creepy I was able to make this mermaid, hahaha. I don't remember if I told you before, but I was very inspired by the mermaids from the manga/anime "Mermaid Forest"!
Episode 2
I do think I'd probably change episode 2, as it's just a bit short. Perhaps I'd add some more inner dialogue for Valtor here. I do notice it was a lot harder to make longer episodes back when I was still following canon, while now I struggle not going overboard, haha. Perhpas this episodes could have had an additional scene with Bloom at Alfea preparing for the ball? Of course, the art is quite outdated, but I still like it! I really tried to stick closer to the original designs back then, now I just draw and hope they still look like the characters. π Some of my favourite scenes are for sure from the Trix here!
Episode 3
Aaah, episode 3, my love π₯Ή I do have some regrets about this episode though. I think I should have made this arc a bit longer so it would flow better. For example, I noticed that the transition from Bloom to Valtor and the Trix feels a bit abrupt. So I'd probably try to pad out the scene in the airship a bit more before changing the POV.
I truly love my vision for this episode, but I think the execution could be better! I notice in my writing how short I tried to keep it, and that bothers me now. I think such an amazing scene as the first dance between Valtor and Bloom deserves to be drawn out a bit more. π So if I'd rewrite this today, I think the Eraklyon arc would have taken up more episodes!
Although I hate how Valtor looks in this panel I still quite like itπ I need to redraw this one day!
Episode 4
I think this one is still so adorable. π The only thing I may have done differently is the conversation about Sky, maybe it should have gone on for a bit longer than it did with more input from Stella. I still remember panicking when an episode got too long so I always limited myself a lot.
(Need this scene tattooed on my brain or the back of my eyelids so I can always see it)
Episode 5
I still think back so fondly on this episode; it was the first episode I was truly so proud of! Like I saw my enemies-to-lovers vision come to life π₯Ή
I feel like this episode marked the real beginning of the rollercoaster of emotions between Bloom and Valtor. The first real fight, the first time Bloom saw a glimpse of just how strong Valtor truly is, etc. I always wanted more solo confrontations between them, and I'm glad I was able to add those in ETI! The art could use an upgrade, especially Valtor, but aside fr
om that and some extra panels here and there, I think this episode still holds up well, and I wouldn't change a thing about the plot!
(Choke me daddy- wait what? Who said that??? Crazy...)
Episode 6
Bloom is left with a souvenir from Valtor here. π I'd like to pretend I had this planned, but I really didn't lol. I was like, "You know what'd be hot? A magic hickey of sorts." and boom, there you have it hahahaha. I guess I wish I had thought about this a bit more. I don't know if I would have added it if I were to write this again now, but it all worked out in the end and the mark will even be mentioned again in season 2! So sometimes you really have to indulge your little fantasies and just let it work itself out π It ended up working in the plot's favour, but perhaps I would have added another fight and some more time before something like this happened? Maybe getting such a strong reaction out of Valtor so soon is my only real issue with it. I guess the slowburn would be even slower were I to start over, haha. For example, a good moment for another big fight between them would be when Faragonda was trapped in the tree, and the Winx went to Cloud Tower. I think I'd probably add in some more episodes about that event and the emotional distress it caused the girls. But time was limited, and so were my skills, haha.
Me when bloody Valtor:
Episode 7
I'm so on the fence about this episode! I love and hate it at the same time. I love how I rewrote the canon events, but I dislike some of my writing and art here a lot. Maybe it's just in my head, though. Because I wouldn't change that much about episode 7, I still like my choice to make Bloom angry about her friends being trapped rather than about the parents she ever knew. I like my first couple of panels, where Tecna was supposedly dead, and the girls were grieving. I think if I were to restart that an extra episode about Tecna closing the Omega wouldn't hurt, espeically since Valtor was watching at the time. Perhaps it's the long time skip that I shouldn't have done. Like I said for episode 6, maybe another battle should have taken place, maybe some more episodes were needed here. It's sometimes difficult to put my finger on the issue I have with a specific episode. Back then, I also never planned anything and just wrote the episodes as I went. I still do that in a sense, but now I have a concrete timeline of events to keep me on track. A really important lesson I learned is to have a plan, even if it's just some bullet points! I think this story could have been even better if I had just planned ahead some more. But I can't blame myself too much, I didn't know back then this story would even last longer than a couple of episodes.π₯Ή
The art could also use some work, but I was still working in Procreate at this time, which limited me a lot. I think back on the Procreate days with horror and pain, haha. No 3D models, no fancy brushes, no big canvases, limited layers... the list of pain is endless.
Episode 8
Except for upgrading the art and maybe polishing some writing, I wouldn't change anything about the plot of this episode! I remember many of you liked this episode a lot as well. I think the Trix telling this story to Valtor gave it new life, so to speak. Instead of lore dumping (which I hate), it told the events of season 2 from a different perspective. A perspective we never got to hear, the Trix's. I still love to include them in ETI, I think they appear more than the Winx themselves π
Episode 9
I like this one still π₯Ή Valtor seeing Bloom's enchantix for the first time, the first actual conversation between them without bloodshed, and Bloom having absolutely none of it π I sometimes miss them so blatantly hating each other, I have to admit π
This is another example of an episode where I sometimes wonder if I started it at the right moment. Should I have included some of Bloom on Pyros? Or should I have had Valtor go to Pyros instead of the Trix? I honestly don't know. But after rereading, I think I did make the right decision. Since nothing different would have happened on Pyros from the actual show, it was best not to waste my time on it. Plus, one day I might want to create a full Winx reboot, and if that ever happens, I can still make other decisions.
Episode 10
Haaaa... :') I genuinely don't know if this episode was a mistake or not. On one hand, it was necessary to trigger the first Dark Bloom moment; on the other, I feel like I made Sky act out of character, and I don't know how to fix it. Being very real with you all here for a moment, this might be my least favourite episode out of all of them. I acted impulsively while writing this and wish I could turn back time. This is not an option, though, so I will have to make this work, and I will! I don't like Sky, don't get me wrong, but I didn't want him to be the villain in this story. Luckily, I may have an idea! :) An idea that won't clear Sky completely, but will clear him from assaulting Bloom at least. I think the main reason I regret this is because of everything that happened with Avalon, I don't want Bloom to be the character who is assaulted by all the men in her life. That is simply not good writing, but creating sensation via shock value. I am giving myself some grace here though, as this was also from a time when I didn't know where this story was headed and it was just a hobby and passion project.
As I've already said a hundred times before, another episode here wouldn't hurt either. some more time for Bloom to think about her decision to join Valtor before the incident with Sky which ultimately caused her to run in his direction.
Episode 11
I compare this one to episode 7 a bit, I'm very on the fence about it. I both like and dislike it. I suppose the biggest change I'd make is to the art. I did make this while I was on vacation and wasn't as focussed as I needed to be, so a lot of the backgrounds and characters are not to my liking. That could also be my inner critic though π
Episode 12
Surprisingly I wouldn't change a lot here! Still a good episode where men are holding their friend accountable, something which should happen more in real life too. The art is still pretty nice too, I did redraw a lot before posting it though, so maybe that's cheating? Hahaha π
Episode 13
Still an episode I look back to fondly! I remember being really proud of the vibes and aesthetic of the first couple of panels and I still love them to this day! Except for some awkward pacing and dialogue I wouldn't change a lot here either. Perhaps Valtor getting the Agador box for Bloom was a bit early here? But in the end he would have use for it anyways even if it wasn't for Bloom, so I don't really think about this too much. I still love my change in canon to have Valtor steal it for Bloom π
Episode 14
Ate, slay, left no crumbs etc. The drama of this episode still gets me, haha. I suppose my only regret is to not have this taken place over multiple episodes to create a bit more suspense and a better flow. But Winx itself also resolves most issues within one episode and I was going by that principle back then. Still absolutely adore this episode beside some small art details!
Episode 15
Another episode that I don't think I'd change much about. Bloom having some time to herself after episode 14 seemed like a good idea. I'm pretty sure the guilt would make the poor girl feel sick, haha. To have her finally tell her friends what happened was also needed for some emotional relief. It also has some really pretty panels that I'm still proud of!
Episode 16
Another one of those episodes where I doubt myself... Sometimes I think it was way too soon to have something happen already, but I still remember my thought process as well. It wasn't just decided because it's fun, I wrote this episode to show how strong their connection is and how it can make them act "irrationally". I also wanted to establish that they are at least a little bit attracted to one another, even if it's just on a physical aspect. Perhaps I'd add some more training episodes, but I also don't want to bore anyone with just magical history and theory lol. So my plan was to have at least one exciting thing happen between them in each episode. I suppose this webcomic is also supposed to be read slowly, an episode each month, so when you read it all back to back it feels a bit too quick? π€ How I hate myself sometimes hahaha, can't I just be happy with something? π
Episode 17 and further
Okay so, despite my doubts about episode 16 I do think 17 is the PERFECT follow up! I have no regrets for this episode for once. It was funny, dramatic, and had some tension. I still chuckle when I see my handsome squidward Valtor π
Valtor in episode 17:
It is at this point that I became more comfortable with this webcomic. With illustrating especially, but also with my writing. Despite some concerns and doubts I still have, there is nothing in the recent episodes that makes me genuinely doubt my work. Perhaps the only thing is, again, the pacing. I sometimes feel like it is all moving too fast, but then I remind myself that episodes release very slowly and I can't expect people to stick around for episodes where nothing happens. I also need to remind myself that I am a sucker for the insane slow burn and that not everyone enjoys that. I once read a book where the main couple didn't get together until the third book in the series and I ate that shit up, they didn't even kiss or nothing π
All I can say is that I've learned a lot about story writing this year, but I'm still learning as I go. One of my goals for 2026 is to find a course on writing and really try to level up my theoretical knowledge. Right now I simply write what I think is good, but I know that's not how it's supposed to be done. I hate not being the best at something that I do, a very toxic trait of me I know, but I also just think all of you deserve the best I can possibly give you!
So hopefully I can find a good course to help me on my way, if there are any professional writers here with tips please feel free to reach out to me! π₯Ή
Thank you all so much for trusting me, and believing in this story despite its many flaws! I look forward to make this story better than ever before in season 2! π€