Soap Opera Disease - the Mystery of Emery Elizabeth

 

since Christmas is rapidly approaching I thought it would be fun to do a blog entry that will be posted on the morning of Christmas Eve. I've been waiting to do a post on this for a while mainly because it's one of my favorite Christmas movies that does not get a lot of love and considered the underdog of Holiday Movies. this movie I will be doing is called the Magic Gift of the snowman based on the plush toy Snowden. I remember watching the movie countless times at my Grandma's house during sleepovers but the reason I suddenly stopped watching it is because it got lost and I don't know where it went so I'm trying to get it back by putting it on this years Christmas wish list. No one knows which actors are voicing which characters like most films from Goodtime Entertainment.  

before we jump into the evidence that I have on my Windows document I'm going to tell you why I've been waiting to do this post for a while it's because I couldn't figure out what illness the main character had on the internet they called it Soap Opera disease so I thought it would be Awesome to solve the mystery of the character of Emery Elizabeth and exactly what is making her so fatally ill and how did Snowden's magic gift cure her.

                                          

the Origin of Snowden started way back in 1997 till 1999 as a plush toy sold at Target during the Christmas seasons. The snowman made appearances in his own holiday special series. The movie the magic gift of the snowman starred Snowden as the main character since the movie was released in 1995 it could mean that Snowden's holiday Specials sparked the creative team to develop a stand alone movie based on the toy that may or may not be Canon in his Holiday universe. 

                                               

Jumping right into the movie another Main character aside from Snowden is a little girl named Emery Elizabeth in the Beginning the doctor and her parents imply that Emery was very ill for a long while a sickness that makes her unable to walk so she uses her own wheelchair. her brother Landon plans to help her overcome this by telling her a story of Snowden with them in it hoping that she would recover in time for Christmas. it was implied by the doctor if she could make it to Christmas it would mean a full recovery. in Emery's case she has what we call a soap opera disease which means that it's hard to understand her diagnosis which she exhibits vague symptoms that could be fatal which she can linger for a very long time and sometimes can cause a lengthy coma upon recovery or a radical change in appearance. a theory that I had on her illness stems from the story of Snowden and how she was cured from the magic gift that Snowden had for her.  

the illness of Emery Elizabeth was hard to crack so here is the evidence that I gathered that could explain her symptoms. 

                                       

we start with the Guillain-Barre Syndrome it is an autoimmune disorder in which Emery's own immune system was Damaging her Nerves causing weakness in muscle or the beginning of her paralysis. the cause of the Syndrome is a Respiratory or a Digestive infection that appears days or weeks before the Syndrome starts which implies that Emery has been sick for a major part prior to the beginning of the movie 

                                               

the internet had stated that one of Emery's symptoms was Paraplegia a Paralysis that affects her ability to move the lower half of her body this only occurs with a Illness or injury that impacts the nervous system of the lower body. Emery was sick with an infection in her Respiratory or digestive system that may have caused her Paraplegia in which she struggles with Moving her legs feet and Stomach muscles.   

                                    

a possibility is the Spastic Paraplegia which are problems with the Autonomic Nerve Cells that controls the body's functions such as heart rate digestion and breathing. whether it's a possibility that Emery had problems with her cells its very unlikely her case was Spastic.   

                                       

now I get to explain on which infection Emery was sick with that would cause her Paraplegia I'm going to start with the Pharynx which is a word for the wall at the back of the throat and Tounge. it is a part of the digestive system as well as the Respiratory system which carries both food and air. since the Respiratory and the digestive systems are similar they carry a different transport which the  Respiratory is used for air and the digestive is for food and fluids. in Emery's case she had a respiratory infection which a digestive infection would not make sense since she had no problems or pain while eating or drinking and only exhibited 1 possible digestive symptom difficult bowel movement. an abnormal electrolyte transport system causes Emery's cells and lungs absorbing to much sodium and water which causes a thin secretion in the lung becoming thick and hard to move which increases more risks of other respiratory infections.

 

Emery's Respiratory symptoms are mainly coughing accompanied by Mucus Wheezing repeated lung infections and trouble breathing during physical activity my theory this is exactly why she was scared when she was asked by Electra if she wanted to play she didn't want herself  to become a burden for someone just so she can breathe on her own with no trouble.

 

another unlikely cause for Emery is Cystic Fibrosis which can affect both the respiratory and digestive system which the cause is mostly Mucus which the cells produce thick and sticky. cystic fibrosis is caused when the Mucus clogs the lungs which makes it difficult to breathe and interferes with other Bodily functions    

with a spinal cord injury due to the Paraplegia damage can occur to the nerves that allows bowel movement if an injury is at the T-12 level the ability to feel anything is lost however the bowel movements will occur on a reflex basis. most likely with Paralysis the bowels tend to have a slow process when the bowel slows it's movement the body is still removing fluids while the far end of the bowel is controlled by a specific nerve called the Thoracic that a T9-L2 can reduce peristalsis while contracting rectal Sphincters.

Snowden takes Emery and Landon to see the beautiful 16 year old princess Electra she is the main character in the story of Snowden which it's up to them to save her when something as simple as a smile is taken away from her. this mission is what causes Emery to believe that she will do whatever it takes to help her 

the Main Villain in the Snowden story is the wicked Charlatan he rules every land except Electra's magical kingdom.  knowing of Charlatan Landon and Emery make it there mission to save Electra this is what causes Emery to be scared and that Charlatan would possibly harm her. 

throughout the movie no one knows what Charlatan's plans are for Electra I'm guessing Charlatan is the cause of Emery's fears and the reason that she gave up all faith in her recovery.  I think this stems from the fact that Charlatan is only a nightmare from Emery's dreams and that he would make her feel she's not worth saving by stealing her own smile. 

 

when Emery opens the black box and gives Electra her smile back she shines it in Charlatans face blinding him before he can do anything to her she finally overcomes her fears and defeats her nightmare I think it was this scene is what cured Emery from her illness from releasing the power of a smile and feeling that she can finally Believe in herself more means that she finally let go of her fears. what I'm getting at is that Electra was the Magic gift and that her smile can only be freed by someone with lost faith.

 

the black box sealed Electra's smile no one knows what Charlatan was planning to do with it but I'm guessing it would have been turned to Yuck in his yuck factories. yuck is mainly bubbling black goo and that the smile would be lost for good and Electra becomes his slave.

when Emery guest stuck in a patch of yuck on the mountain on the way to Charlatan's lair is the scene where she possibly gave up hope in her recovery. Landon being the most amazing brother encourages her not to give up on the help that he's willing to give her and thanks to Landon's help her belief turns her wheelchair into a plane which means that every time that Emery has been believing in herself which Snowden knew was always there inside of her.

I hope you enjoyed my Entry it will be posted in time for Christmas Day I chose this topic because not only is it my favorite holiday movie but also very educational on self Belief. Merry Christmas everybody and have a happy and safe new year.