Media Analysis - Blog Posts

I am obsessed and thus I am going to analyse the names of all of these eeveetwotions!! Props to the artist for being super cool and clever and genuinely setting my brain on fire :/

OKAY SO-

BOLTEON: Jolteon (Electric) + Steel: - The concept of STEEL BOLTS + BOLTS OF LIGHTNING MAKES BOLTEON JUST THE PERFECT NAME - Also steel is electrically conductive so it would WORK as a combo

Plus, the colour scheme combo of gold (ik it's yellow but close enough) and silver looks really good together.

SULFUREON: Flareon (Fire) + Poison: - SULPHUR GAS IS FUCKING POISONOUS!! AND sulphur is commonly associated with fire which just makes it such a cool link - The combo of purple and fire is also really giving volcanic vibes, which... also produce tons of sulphur AHHHH

- Also the black rock texture looks amazing!!

- Also, also I think using the "F" spelling of sulphur works so cutely here since it brings the design name closer to Flareon :) but I am a PH sulphur apologist until I die.

My only lil note here would be that sulphur burns blue, so that could have been incorporated #bluehellforthegays

AGUANEON: Vaporean (Water) + Dragon: - The shape of vaporeon with the tail structure blends extremely well with a dragon design (this works for the gills too)

- ALSO!! In spanish Agua = Water

BUT WAIT

- "Aguaneon" is also similar to "Iguana", which is a genus of reptiles AKA WHAT DRAGONS WOULD ALSO BE CONSIDERED TO BE

WHICH IS SO FUCKING CLEVER

Again, colours of the types work well together, plus I love the juxtaposition of the idea that maybe instead of breathing fire this dragon type would breathe water lol (which gills would help with ig hehe)

EPHEREON: Espeon (Psychic) + Ghost: - The new name is very similar to the original name, and we love consistency and theming in this town

- EPHEMERAL = FLEETING (yanno, like a ghost would be)(using my miraculous knowledge here

- The name also is vaguely close to Ethereal (pronunciation and structure wise) which is also linked to supernatural stuff!!

- Not the mention the fact that Psychic and Ghost are already both supernatural types, and thus work really well together naturally. - ALSO AGAIN look at that colour schemeee, Ephereon be looking like a dark high priestess I would totally sell my soul to

OBSIDEON: Umbreon (Dark) + Fighting: - Red and black go excellently together as fighting colours, especially the way the artist has designed the pokemon to look like a ninja

- The bandages (associated with exercise and boxing/exertion etc.) really bring the colour palette together

- Obsidian is a black, dark mineral, that is also very tough (obviously, since you need a diamond pickaxe to get through it) so OF COURSE Obsideon is the perfect name for a tough, dark pokemon.

SYLPHEON: Sylveon (Fairy) + Flying: - Not very different from the original spelling however the subtlety of this one is what I think makes it for me. - So Sylveon + Seraph = Sylpheon A SERAPH IS A CELESTIAL BEING NOTICE HOW SHE HAS A HALO AROUND HER HEAD AND LOWKEY LOOKS LIKE A PEGASUS (FLYING HORSE) - LIKE MAGICAL UNICORN ANGEL ESSENTIALLY, which works so perfectly for a flying fairy type!!!

LEPIDEON: Leafeon (Grass) + Bug: - Conceptually, this is such a good blend of types because, um HELLO, leaf insects exist!! - Upon looking it up, Lepidodendrons are apparently an extinct genus of plants, which I think adds to the eerie vibes that the design has

- And works well enough because it's a similar word to leafeon

OMG WAIT MORE RESEARCH I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT LEPIDOPTERA IS AN ORDER THAT REFERS TO WINGED INSECTS LIKE BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS. THAT IS SUCH A PERFECT NAME FOR BUG AND GRASS TYPES COMBINED?? AS WELL AS BEING EXTREMELY SIMILAR TO LEAFEON?? HOOLY SHIT

- tHE MOth face is so cute omg, and the forest creature colour scheme vibes are epic

REGALACEON: Glaceon (Ice) + Rock: - Obviously we still have the root word Glaceon still in there, which is cool, and could have just worked by itself as a funny sort of "well, glaciers are just big ice rocks aren't they?" but I'm glad they didn't do that cos I get to ANALYSE 🤓 - However, upon research I found nothing, but what I interpret to be the artist's intention (and I think this is really cool) is that "ice" and "rock" are both like diamonds

(I mean, just look at the design, it is incredibly bejewelled)

So I believe it is Regal + Glaceon, which obviously fit very well together, to form... Regalaceon!!

A beautiful, Rarity from mlp-esque design (always a win for style)

- I like how the ears and tufts look like royal banners, and how the tail kind of reminds me of a red carpet vibe

EVEN THE SCRUFF OF THE NECK IS LIKE THOSE POSH NECK THINGS

It is very beautiful and regal, and I love it and think it's very clever.

AS I DO WITH ALL OF THEM

Also props to them for not including ground type (and obviously normal) as the most boring ones (no offence ground type lovers)

Eeveelutions 2.0!

The Intrusive thoughts of a Cannibal: A break down

The Intrusive thoughts of a Cannibal (TITOAC/ I'm too lazy to write that again and again) is another artwork based of my short story; The Warmth of his flesh. I'd advise you read the story first to have some context first.

Time to break it down!

As you already might be able to tell, TITOAC is definitely more simplistic compared to The glutton regrets. There's no shading, no proper colouring, rough writing etc. Simply put, it's raw.

The raw, unfiltered thoughts of Hyacinth after eating someone. It could be her lover in The Warmth of his flesh, but it could be the four before him. She could be having such thoughts with any of her past lovers/victims. The point is, she never changes.

Short description:

Her eyes are wide open, sweat dripping from her head and her arms, her mouth erased, as if it's a part of her she wishes to forget, that reminds of her worst moments. She's in a state of panic, alone with her thoughts after consuming one. The afterparty by herself.

Colors

The colors are bright and unnerving, using shades that clash with each other, which pushes the feeling of uneasiness. Yellow is a color that can be associated with sickness and disease. Hyacinth feels as if she's disgusting, as she's tainted and a sinner. As if something was always wrong with her, something that she could never change.

Text:

The text that surrounds Hyacinth are her intrusive thoughts, her most vulnerable state. There are no pauses and words repeat like thoughts that are constantly in the back of your mind. The writing shows the duality of her psyche; the guilt and the greed.

Conclusion:

Her thoughts can evoke sympathy, expressing her guilt and sorrow. But she won't ever stop, she'll do whatever it takes to get what she wants, no matter how much it hurts other people, the people she loves. No matter how many times she feels guilt, no matter how many times she comes to terms with the unspeakable things she's done, she'll keep going.

She is the embodiment of greed and gluttony.

That's it for today! I'll probably upload this to my master list by tonight (I really need to stop procrastinating...)

Read The warmth of his flesh!

https://www.tumblr.com/acrylic-ducks/775107031485087744/the-warmth-of-his-flesh-re-worked?source=share

The Glutton regrets: A break down

The glutton regrets is an artwork I created based off my own short story, The warmth of his flesh. I highly suggest you read that before reading this as it will provide much more context!

So! Lets set the scene! What's going on?

The glutton regrets is an aftermath to The warmth of his flesh, and as the title suggests, is when Hyacinth comes to terms with what she just did, which was cannibalising her lover.

...

Like I said, you should probably read the story before.

I decided to use a more sketchy and a sort of semi-realistic art style compared to my other posts as this truly is a horrific scene with context.

Basic description:

She's sitting alone at the dinner table, all the lamps extinguished, Hyacinth illuminated by a singular light. She dead pans into the camera, her face full of regret and disgust. A plate of meat is set upon the table, barely visible, as if she herself is trying to hide and forget what she has done. Blood is seen from across the table, hinting at the sinister meaning behind all of this. Finally, behind her is a bright red shadow resembling a man, the only defined part being his hands, which are resting on her shoulders. They are calloused and grimy.

I specifically only used a monotone for most of the drawing so it makes the painting more moody and gothic. The red added high contrast, making it so it's the first thing you see. I made the shadow of her lover red to make sure viewers would associate the blood with the man. His hands are only defined to really nail down her regret.

If you've read the story, you are aware of her reasons for wanting to kill and eat her lover, which is the fact that he provides her with comfort. It's as simple as that. She wants to forever be with that comfort, and how else do you that than by eating your lover? The hard and calloused hands are a representation of the harsh reality crashing down on her. Sure she's being comforted, but it's not the way he would. It's almost artificial, fake even. It's there, but it will never come close to the real thing.

It's almost like it's uncomfortable.

Huh.

Fun facts:

The flower around her neck is supposed the represent a hyacinth itself (I know, it's very poorly drawn)! If you aren't aware, hyacinth represent sorrow. It draped around her neck, constant, never leaving.

I can't draw cutlery! :)) -> :((

That's it for today! (Not really I have a lot more to post today for school)

Read The warmth of his flesh!

https://www.tumblr.com/acrylic-ducks/775107031485087744/the-warmth-of-his-flesh-re-worked?source=share

Something I have noticed is that so often in media and in real life, is that we push around this narrative that having a “dark side” or being someone who “you don’t wanna see mad” is a good thing.

If you have a “dark side” you’re dangerous, someone who could hurt others and be cruel, and that makes you strong. That being good in a fight, having the ability to be scary when your angry, those are things that push authority.

I don’t get it.

Why must being benign be seen as a weakness?

Being harmless does not make you fragile.

Violence and strength have been so interwoven to the point people mistake one for the other.

Being violent does not make you strong, and being strong does not mean you have to be violent.

One of the greatest ways to show strength not in a character but in life in general is to choose forgiveness (seriously, like watch ATLA and see how Aang shows great strength by forgiving others instead of lashing out).

Anger is a valid and real emotion that you are allowed to express, but it is not one that should be wielded as a weapon. Anger is a secondary emotion, morphed from pain and sorrow.

Anger is like fire. It’s okay to light a fire, as long as it is safe and contained. You can keep a fire in a fire pit going for as long as you want, just don’t burn a forest.

Do not fear your anger and do not use it to strike fear in others. Being kind does not make you weak, being forgiving does not make you soft.

Generosity, honesty, fragility with your emotions—these can bring you strength. To be open with who you are and how you feel is a tremendous feat.

It takes courage to cry, to ask for help, to forgive.

Know that being loving is not a weakness, understand that forgiveness takes strength.

It’s easy to kill a fly, but it takes effort to capture it and bring it home.

Just finished I Saw the TV Glow, and I must say it has quickly become my favorite movie I've ever had the honor to watch.

There's so much beauty in it in so many different ways. It is a compassionate and raw perspective on transness and mental illness and feeling empty and nostalgia and isolation. Not only was the writing excellent my god the acting and the cinematography had me in tears. Some things I loved about the movie.

1. The writing (obviously)

The way this movie is a metaphor for so many different things that seem separate but are all intertwined is breathtaking. Something I found fascinating is at the end I didn't even really sit there trying to decide if it was all a psychotic break or it they really were from a tv show because it didn't matter. Because at the end of the day, it was still about being too afraid to be yourself. About holding it all in until you break. About life moving too fast but being too slow and monotonous. It was about fearing who you are and never taking the dive because it sounds crazy and you can't. It's about regret. It's about soulmates, about that on person who you never have to lie to. In the end, it would still be about those things whether or not there really was a tv show or not.

2. Cinematic Decisions

The filming decisions in this film made it what it was. One of the things I found fascinating was the lack of a true soundtrack. There wasnt particularly a lot of background noise excpet for chatter on the TV. All of the conversations and days are smothered in this thick heavy silence. The silence is so prominent it feels like its own character. The graininess and static making it feel like an actual tv show. The colors, the sickening neon glow from everywhere all the time. The unsteady camera and wide shots.

3. The relationships

While Maddy and Owen are amazing on their own, their relationship is the most compelling part of the story. Both feel alone and broken and like theres something wrong with themselves but not as much around each other. We see Owen isn't really talkative or open with his mom, that he barely says anything at all to her, but with Maddy almost immediately, he feels a connection to her. He seeks her out again and again. Owen doesn't have anything resembling a relationship with anyone else. He barely has dialogue with other characters. In the scene where his dad is holding him under the shower, he doesn't say a word, doesn't even look at him honestly. He says near the end he has a family, but we don't even see them. But with Maddy, he is close to her. They're intertwined, and around each other, they admit truths and secrets it doesnt feel like they've ever said outloud before. Even when Owen is freaked out by Maddy, even when he pushes her away and runs, there's till love there. It's not rejection as much as fear, and maddy doesn't blame him.

4. Parallels and Callbacks

One of the main cinematic choices I found myself noticing over and over again was the colors surrounding Maddy and Owen. in the first scene they sit across from each other as Owen leans against a oink vending machine and maddy a black. Owen has a pink sleeping bag and a pink shirt and a pink dress. Maddy is more often seen in black and white. Some great callbacks are the scene where we find out Owen doesn't have a heart, and Maddy reminds him of the bleavhers where he said he was afraid someone would dig up his insides and find there is nothing there. Seeing the chalk on the road clearly for the first time and it being the ghosts and "there's still time".

My personal favorite scene is the scene where Owen watches the finale, and then his dad comes in to find him with his head on the TV, screaming and crying. To me, this scene is very reminiscent of an attempt. He's finally been pushed to the edge and flung off of it. he's been holding everything in for so long and he can't take it anymore. Its heartbreaking in every way.

All in all this is a fantastic movie I highly recommend. All my love to the writers producers and directors.

Thoughts on Disney Pixar's Soul

Anyone like me who missed the movie soul cause it went straight to streaming during the pandemic, please take a moment to watch it because it's a master piece.

The art style is a beautiful mix of hyper realistic rendering and cartoon caricature and the intentionality of when it leans more into either style says a story of its own. The first things I noticed were the musical instruments rendered in way more detail than necessary, the pictures in his class of real people and not caricatures.

Then it was the perspective shots of 22 experiencing life, where the art was again, all hyper realism. The overwhelming nature of nyc to the beautiful moment of them feeling the spark of life. And in those moments despite the realism, it was not new york I saw. I blinked and I was transported to all the moments in my own life that paralleled that moment and I remembered the cold breeze on my skin, the smell of rain on cement, the context of my memories that made me feel that spark of life.

And when Joe laid out the trinkets they had gathered as proof of living that day and started playing the piano, as he went through his own memories, his proof of living his whole life, I sobbed. Once again, with every blink I saw my own life and every memory and emotion proof that I have lived. The score he played truly felt like it represented the feeling of being alive. Being alive through all the pain and joy and excitement and despair, a feeling so human.

What's insane about this is that I'm not from NYC, I don't take the subway to work, I have nothing to do with music or jazz. None of those moments or memories are directly relatable to my life. And yet I feel it represented my life.

The movie itself was a piece of art of course but watching it, the emotions it invoked in me felt like a separate multimodal artistic experience. One so deeply personal, I cannot express it to you in words.

Please go watch it for yourselves. If you watched it when you were younger and are now a full adult, please watch it again.

(I could go on about how perfect jazz is as a metaphor for life but I'm not the most qualified for that. If anyone is, please do talk about it)

For whatever reason, I found myself thinking about the theme of heritage/inheritance in Harry Potter and how it's, like, catastrophically broken in the text.

The villains in Harry Potter are almost unanimously racist and classist - they believe they are entitled to behave however they wish and live at the top of the social hierarchy because they were born to rich, pureblooded families, and anyone who wasn't is filth to be exploited and/or purged. That's the philosophy of evil in the book - "I deserve everything because I was born in the right family with the right genes and the right social standing. My heritage makes me better than you."

All the injustice and evil in the books is rooted in this belief in entitlement by way of heritage. People are abused and die because of it. Inherited wealth and status, and more specifically the unfair priveleges it affords, is the root of evil in Harry Potter.

So you'd think the protagonist would present some sort of strong contrast to it, right? That they'd be born poor, or mixed race, etc. But no, Harry is from a rich pureblood family, with the vast wealth and social status that affords.

Well, that's OK, we can still make a contrast. Maybe Harry differs in how he acts with wealth - perhaps, realizing his inheritance is an unfair privilege, he gives it away? Maybe he works to give the underprivileged their due? Again, no, not really. He sometimes buys stuff for his poor friend Ron, and defends his "mudblood" friend Hermione from racist criticism, but he sees no reason to change the system that dehumanizes them in the first place, and by the end of the tale is pleased to exploit his privilege for his own gain.

The whole house elf subplot illustrates this failing well - we have a race of slaves who are frequently shown to suffer from abuse. One of them, the property of a rich racist, risks his life to save Harry, and Harry frees him in return. Oh, nice, finally fighting the system, eh? Except no, not really - while Harry frees that specific slave, he's content to leave the others in bondage, especially when he inherits a slave of his own.

The contrast Harry Potter puts up against its rich, racist, privileged villains is "Hey, being rich and higher in the hierarchy is awesome and just, but you can't be a dick about it." That slaves belong in the dirt, but masters should be polite while putting them in their place.

Voldemort posits himself as the heir of Slytherin - claiming his inheritance is vital to his rise to power and villainy. And Harry opposes him by... also claiming inheritance from a rich old dead guy. Hell, the final battle comes down to who rightfully inherits a specific rare Wand!

The fact that Harry and Voldemort have shit in common is not a flaw on its own - villains and heroes are often foils for each other. But in this specific tale, the relationship the villain has with inherited power is so central to the conflict that the hero having the exact same relationship is a major failing. The story is just shy of saying "Voldemort was basically right, but he shouldn't have been rude about it." It's bad from both a moral and a writing skill perspective.

(The only inheritance Harry fully rejects is parseltongue, i.e. the ability to talk to snakes, which was accidentally given to him by Voldemort, and could be argued to be a symbol of trauma rather than inherited wealth. Also I'm still salty about how that series turned on snakes so cruelly, but that's a whole other rant.)

On the topic of Power-Ups, let's talk Fire Flower (personal headcanons under cut)!

The Fire Flower is one of, if not, the most known Power-Up from what I've seen. Even though I'm quite a fan of it myself I'll admit I never thought too much about it. So after giving it a good thought here's what I got:

General headcanons;

Fire Flowers are very adaptable plants, however they naturally originate from the Darklands, which so happen to be where they grow the most. The heat eminating from the magma is perfect for their growth. Since wielding fire isn't too rare of an ability for Koopas they're mostly perceived as weeds, so it's not much of an issue if someone plucks them. Unless you're an outsider. Something might be considered useless but it's a problem if the enemy wants to exploit it. Because of this some of the main fields will have patrols just in case a mustachioed human, or two, happen to be sent to collect a supply. They usually consist of Fire Bros who protect and even tend to the flowers. Rumours say that with some luck it's possible for a normal Koopa to inherit fire abilities after being exposed to a Fire Flower for extended periods of time but it hasn't been scientifically confirmed.

The Fire Flower is a multiple use Power-Up. Once activated it lends it's energy to a single user, then proceeds to hibernate and slowly regain heat overtime. The process can be sped up exponentially by placing the flower near a heat source like lava or a fireplace.

Mario and Luigi specific headcanons;

It took some time for the brothers to initially get hang of releasing energy without overdoing it. It's easier to ignite something, rather than put it out. Eventually with some guidance from friendly koopas they managed to become respectable fire users. That is until the events of Superstar Saga happened.

For Mario, getting the Firebrand only enhanced his abilities. Focusing energy became very easy, a second nature even. Shaping fire, directing it, managing it's temperature. Easy peasy for a guy like him! It wasn't a suprise that the Fire Flower quickly became his favourite to use soon after. When used with the technique he can truly show off his mastery over the element!

Luigi however... got it rough. The Thunderhand, notable for giving it's user affinity for manipulating electricy, drastically reverted his progress. These two elements just unfortunately don't mix. The fire he started to produce was unpredictable and unstable. There was no guarantee if it'll fly in the right direction nor how much power it'll pack. He's been practicing ever since to not accidentally go overboard.

Mario's fire tips and tricks aren't helping too much but at least he's trying.

In conclusion the Fire Flower is one of the more reliable, common and useful Power-Ups. Getting a good amount of them can be a hassle but in the long run it's worth it especially if they're used to make your own farm. It's uses can range from warming up the house to battling evil. Mario is the "fire master" of the group and Luigi, with the peculiar way magic reacts to him, is a walking proof of the statement: "elements don't mix".

Some of the stuff I said here could change with me adding details in the future but right now this is the general idea. It might not be completely original but the thought of making this seemed fun. Thank you to whoever read this, I hope the blocks of text were understandable!

Comfort Food

Something I love about these two scenes is that it shows just how much influence his mother has on Luigi. If he takes after anyone when it came to his parents, then his mother is whom he takes after the most. He grew up around her kindness and learning by example, grew up around their mother’s amazing cooking and knows how comforting it can be.

To Luigi, when their mom brings them food, food means comfort, food means love and warmth. Food is their mothers way of showing them her love and her affection. So when Mario leaves the table, obviously very upset and frustrated. Luigi brings him food, he takes that positive influence from his mother and extends that to Mario.

He’s not only bringing Mario food to make sure Mario eats (that’s part of it cuz Luigi is a nurturer at heart) but also because he’s trying to comfort his big brother and make him feel better, and show him that he cares him and that he’s there for him. Which further shows how much Luigi loves Mario and how he does his best to comfort his brother anyway he can.

@pianokantzart and @multicolour-ink @jell-o101 @the-brucest-fan @roscolate since i know we all love our green bean

One of the tiny things from The Mario Movie that hurts my heart whenever I think about it is Luigi’s need to pause and take in surroundings, and how The Shy Guys used it as an excuse to abuse him.

You remember when Mario and Luigi were in that penthouse apartment? how he stopped halfway up the stairs so he could look at everything for a moment?

He probably didn’t even realize what he was doing until he noticed he was being left behind, and had to book it to catch up with his brother and clients.

After Luigi gets captured in The Dark Lands, in the thirty seconds we see of The Shy Guys dragging him along he gets aggressively yanked forward 6 times, with more and more violence and frequency as they go on, like the Sniffit handling the rope is losing patience with him. 

I don’t know, something about that just hurts. Hit me a lot harder than the Bowser interrogation to be honest. 

Are you a Mario kind of person or a Luigi kind of Person

The End/The Beginning

I don’t think you’ve done this one yet, but what do ya think of the first scene with the mario bros commercial?

We're going to get into some headcanon territory, so be prepared!

This commercial definitely has the vibe of two guys who said “let’s make a commercial!” but had no experience in film.

I'm calling it now: Mario wrote the script and Luigi wrote the jingle.

It starts out pretty professional looking during the song, with the moving shots and camera zooms. In the middle it gets a little messy with the overuse of green screens and the powerpoint-style scene transitions. By the end of the commercial it's all hard cuts and static shots that linger a little too long. You can see the already-limited budget run out before your very eyes.

Speaking of, it feels like they filmed the final few scenes in one take, especially that actress who flubbed the cue-card reading. 

"It seems like the only thing that you haven't drained... is my bank account. ???" Oh, c'mon lady, that is a fantastic line.

The fake accents? The little yellow superhero capes? The terrible puns? I get the commercial is intentionally silly... but boy does it feel like something that was written at 2 a.m by the power of black coffee and foolhardy ambition.

Mario is quite the showman! Especially if he did these scenes in one take! He’s got great energy, good body language, and an enthusiasm in his line delivery that shines through the goofy accent. He doesn’t look uncomfortable, he’s chewing the scenery like a champ!

When Luigi has a script to follow, or when he’s doing something in tandem with his brother, he looks good! But whenever he’s directed to stand in the background without anything specific to do he’s so awkward.

He slips and nearly falls over when leaning against the van, and whenever he doesn’t know what to do with his body his go-to move is to just nod in agreement. He nods in agreement like... 3 times in one 35 second commercial. 

I don’t think the hug at the end was part of the script given the way Luigi glances over at his brother, but he looks pleasantly surprised. His face immediately lights up as Mario finishes out the commercial by holding him in a side hug. 10/10, I'd hire them to destroy my house.

And as the camera zooms out, Mario and Luigi are seen embracing each other proudly while watching the TV.  They're so darned happy with themselves. Absolute dorks.

Something I love about the Mario movie is how is basically squashed any kind of ideas of Luigi being jealous of Mario from the get go that fans have come up/theorized throughout the years.

The whole “Luigi is jealous and tired of living in Mario’s shadow” has no leg to stand on when it comes to this movie.

In fact, Luigi is actively the one singing praises towards Mario, he knows that his brother dreams big and has a big heart, he knows his brother is amazing and he loves him for that.

Does he have low self esteem? Absolutely. But there is absolutely not a single bit of jealousy/envy towards Mario, Luigi loves and adores him far too much to ever be jealous and angry at Mario, someone who means the absolute world to him.

Oh don't you get me started.

Too late, I’ve gotten started. YOU ARE SO RIGHT. The movie did to theories that Luigi's “bitter and jealous” what it did to theories that Mario’s an antisocial asshat.

There are two things I can point to that are to blame for the theories that Luigi is bitter and jealous:

The description of his Negative Zone final smash from Super Smash Bros. Brawl:

"Luigi's final smash. As exotic music plays, he performs a dance befitting a sorcerous incantation. A barrier envelopes him, negatively impacting all in his area. Random effects include getting launched, sleeping, moving in slow motion, tripping, fainting, and losing attack power. This technique is a reflection of the dark side he embraced in his brother's shadow."

2. His characterization in Paper Mario

But there’s like… almost 40 years of games to glean from. You can literally pick and choose whatever you want to form any sort of theory (like a certain internet man did when arguing that Mario is an animal abusing sociopath). But 99% of the games show about as much evidence that Luigi is bitter as they do that Mario is a bad person– none at all. Quite the opposite, in fact.

As for Paper Mario, it's the only time Luigi is directly characterized as envious... NOT jealous. He still loves his brother and sees him as worthy of the praise he gets, but he feels bad being stuck at home, and desperately wants to be brought along for the adventure– to have his opportunity in the limelight. But Paper Mario is kind of its own thing, established to be a separate universe from the mainline Mario games. In the Super Mario Brothers RPGs– which delve deeper into the bros character while remaining more aligned with the classic "canon"– the dynamic is quite the opposite! Mario dives headfirst into danger while Luigi desperately avoids it unless there is no other choice. In Super Mario Brothers Superstar Saga he tries his darndest to not be taken along for the adventure, confident that his brother can handle the task.

But one consistent across the Mario games is Luigi being the underdog of all underdogs; unlucky and clumsy, the butt of the joke, and constantly undermined. Naturally this causes people to get defensive of him– get angry for him, and project their feelings onto the character himself.

But tHEN WE HAVE THE MOVIE!!!!

Nintendo is given a chance to craft Mario and Luigi into fully fleshed-out characters with motivations and backstories, not just plucky videogame personalities for people to project themselves into, and boy oh BOY did they knock it out of the park.

While Mario is still a headstrong hero with a never-say-die attitude and a heart of gold, everything he does is for his brother. Mario has insecurities about feeling small and wants to prove himself to his father, but in the end his love for Luigi is his main motivator. Mario can handle being threatened, made fun of, and told he’s crazy, but if you want to truly hurt him, tell him his actions are hurting his brother. Try hurting Luigi directly, and Mario will tear you a new one.

In return, everything Luigi does is for Mario! Lu’s not the willful ball of determination and gusto that his brother is– he has always been nervous, softhearted, and sensitive, which is why he lets his brother lead the way. Luigi’s not living in Mario’s shadow, he’s thriving off of his confidence! He recognizes Mario as his best friend and greatest source of strength, and will follow him absolutely anywhere.

There is no sense of Mario being treated like the beloved star of the show while Luigi gets the short end of the stick. They are both downtrodden, both learning, and both dependent on each other. It's not just Super Mario, it's the Super Mario Brothers, who equally inspire each other to be the best version of themselves.

at the risk of sounding like a raving lunatic, i think one of my favorite trekkie memes/posts is that one where someone comments on a screenshot of tos and asks if sulu is texting, because it PERFECTLY encapsulates star trek's strange little place at the intersection of pop culture and the tech world:

like listen... 55+ years ago a bunch of actors had to use a mix of existing habits and wild imagination to come up with what they felt would be believable movements and muscle-memory for someone using completely unbelievable tech a few hundred years in the future. like tv had less than ten channels and the screen was a foot across, and they had to go "ok how would someone who's used to a tiny wireless gadget with a screen hold it and use it? how would they talk to a computer? how would the computer sound when she talked back?"

and over half a century later our own tech has surpassed the clunky retrofuture gizmos in so many ways, no doubt inspired by it, that now someone two decades into the 21st century sees an actor in the 60s holding some tiny rectangular plastic prop in both hands and immediately recognizes it as "oh, sulu's texting!" now THAT is a called shot. hell, that's putting your money on a roulette wheel in a casino that hasn't been built yet. i LOVE it. it's so star trek. sulu is absolutely texting.

SAY IT LOUDER FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE BACK 🗣🗣🗣🗣🗣

Some of y'all SERIOUSLY need better awareness and critical thinking, especially when it comes to POC characters; particularly this issue is more prevalent with black characters and women of color, and how you perceive and react to them.

It's shockingly and VERY concerningly common to see this issue occur and to see the lack of self-awareness or flat out willful ignorance to their own internal biases coming out into fandom spaces and their interactions with media. All too often, there is hypercriticality or malice lunged at POC characters, but their white counterparts or even white characters who are absolutely abominable with their views and/or actions get a pass or even end up with sympathizers trying to excuse their actions and views.

Not to mention, it's getting frighteningly more prevalent/common with the rise of right-wing talking points and ideology; at least here in the States.

We need to be aware and alert about this, and always view media and the analysis or reaction to media, INCLUDING OUR -OWN- VIEWS AND ACTIONS, with a critical and analytical eye. We need to question the "why" behind all of it instead of jumping onto and believing in first instinct.

i know of course that fandoms are not immune from cultural and societal biases but it still disappoints me that people in fandom will be blatantly sexist and racist and not even critically think about where exactly those takes are coming from

"The best thing we can do with power is give it away" - On the leftist critique of superhero narratives as authoritarian power fantasies:

The ongoing "Jason Todd is a cop" debate has reminded me of a brilliant brief image essay by Joey deVilla. [EDIT: I SCREWED UP! This was created in 2019 by the guy who runs the Midnighter-Core page on Facebook, and Joey just reposted it!]

So here it is, images first and the full essay text below:

"A common leftist critique of superhero comics is that they are inherently anti-collectivist, being about small groups of individuals who hold all the power, and the wisdom to wield that power. I don’t disagree with this reading. I don’t think it’s inaccurate. Superheroes are their own ruling class, the concept of the übermensch writ large. But it’s a sterile reading. It examines superhero comics as a cold text, and ignores something that I believe is fundamental, especially to superhero storytelling: the way people engage with text. Not what it says, but how it is read. The average comic reader doesn’t fantasize about being a civilian in a world of superheroes, they fantasize about being a superhero. One could charitably chalk this up to a lust for power, except for one fact… The fantasy is almost always the act of helping people. Helping the vulnerable, with no reward promised in return. Being a century into the genre, we’ve seen countless subversions and deconstructions of the story. But at its core, the superhero myth is about using the gifts you’ve been given to enrich the people around you, never asking for payment, never advancing an ulterior motive. We should (and do) spend time nitpicking these fantasies, examining their unintended consequences, their hypocrisies. But it’s worth acknowledging that the most eduring childhood fantasy of the last hundred years hasn’t been to become rich. Superheroes come from every class (don’t let the MCU fool you). The most enduring fantasy is to become powerful enough to take the weak under your own wing. To give, without needing to take. So yes, the superhero myth, as a text, isn’t collectivist. But that’s not why we keep coming back to it. That’s not why children read it. We keep coming back to it to learn one simple lesson… The best thing we can do with power IS GIVE IT AWAY." - Joey deVilla, 2021 https://www.joeydevilla.com/2021/07/04/happy-independence-day-superhero-style/

- Midnighter-Core, 2019

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid0bU6TrKdX6QgMLnUFk64jResHMVwiSyENASvJk7efasgZ94G4c81XJCVgGcLFPgPsl&id=594855544368212&mibextid=Nif5oz

a pet peeve I have in media is when the writer(s) try to write a strong female character and instead the just write a masculine woman. Of course woman can be masculine and strong (together and separately), but often I don’t feel like they write women who are masculine, they try to write a strong women and they can only conceive masculinity as strength. Also, I’m not sure if I’m phrasing this poorly, but it doesn’t always strike me that they write masculinity in the way a woman (or maybe a genderqueer person, though I haven’t had the pleasure of reading many original media featuring these characters prominently) might experience/express it.

one thing I appreciate about Xena as I’m rewatching it as an adult is that it feels like they’re women who have masculine traits/are masculine. Like, even beyond the fighting aspect, Xena often sits in stereotypically masculine way and takes charge/fulfills roles that are shown to be taken by men within the world they occupy. Additionally, I know that later, Gabrielle is joked to be “father” to Xena’s daughter, but I’m not that far yet, so I don’t know how far that’s taken.

idk, it just feels different to me. If anyone else has input/polite pushback I’d appreciate it/conversation! Or any other pieces of media that do this/explore women’s masculinity/gender expression/afab exploration of masculinity.

(spoilers for TSH)

A certain aspect of the secret history I think about to this day is how accurate it is when it comes to public outrage, especially for it's time. When I am with others and they turn on the TV to watch television (personally, I avoid the news.) I am horrified by the tragedies that are portrayed.

But only for a few seconds.

The horrible events displayed on the screen are cocaine - their impact is strong, yet short lived. Swiftly the journalist moves on to the next topic, feeding me media until I puke.

When I watch the news, I think about the Hampden college students. I think about how much they cared, and how it wasn't enough.

Stay yourself, stay curious

hello!!

just going to post silly little rants I have involving my favorite media or songs that I send my friends :P and probably a bit of art if I feel like it

Hot take: Actual literary analysis requires at least as much skill as writing itself, with less obvious measures of whether or not you’re shit at it, and nobody is allowed to do any more god damn litcrit until they learn what the terms “show, don’t tell” and “pacing” mean.

A.I. photos are flooding social media and contributing to an Internet where we can't believe what we see. Spotting A.I. 📷s is an important media literacy skill.

None of us have time to research every image we see. We just need people to notice BEFORE THEY LIKE OR SHARE that an image might be fake. If unsure, check it or don't share.

I've started drawing some comics explaining the basic of AI spot-checking and media literacy in the age of disinformation. Follow along here or on my Twitter.

Every time I get told I’m under-qualified for something and respond with the reasons I am in fact qualified, I feel like this

I think the Hunger Games series sits in a similar literary position to The Lord of the Rings, as a piece of literature (by a Catholic author) that sparked a whole new subgenre and then gets blamed for flaws that exist in the copycat books and aren’t actually part of the original.

Like, despite what parodies might say, Katniss is nowhere near the stereotypical “unqualified teenager chosen to lead a rebellion for no good reason”.  The entire point is that she’s not leading the rebellion. She’s a traumatized teenager who has emotional reactions to the horrors in her society, and is constantly being reined in by more experienced adults who have to tell her, “No, this is not how you fight the government, you are going to get people killed.” She’s not the upstart teenager showing the brainless adults what to do–she’s a teenager being manipulated by smarter and more experienced adults. She has no power in the rebellion except as a useful piece of propaganda, and the entire trilogy is her straining against that role. It’s much more realistic and far more nuanced than anyone who dismisses it as “stereotypical YA dystopian” gives it credit for.

And the misconceptions don’t end there. The Hunger Games has no “stereotypical YA love triangle”–yes, there are two potential love interests, but the romance is so not the point. There’s a war going on! Katniss has more important things to worry about than boys! The romance was never about her choosing between two hot boys–it’s about choosing between two diametrically opposed worldviews. Will she choose anger and war, or compassion and peace? Of course a trilogy filled with the horrors of war ends with her marriage to the peace-loving Peeta. Unlike some of the YA dystopian copycats, the romance here is part of the message, not just something to pacify readers who expect “hot love triangles” in their YA. 

The worldbuilding in the Hunger Games trilogy is simplistic and not realistic, but unlike some of her imitators, Collins does this because she has something to say, not because she’s cobbling together a grim and gritty dystopia that’s “similar to the Hunger Games”. The worldbuilding has an allegorical function, kept simple so we can see beyond it to what Collins is really saying–and it’s nothing so comforting as “we need to fight the evil people who are ruining society”. The Capitol’s not just the powerful, greedy bad guys–the Capitol is us, First World America, living in luxury while we ignore the problems of the rest of the world, and thinking of other nations largely in terms of what resources we can get from them. This simplistic world is a sparsely set stage that lets us explore the larger themes about exploitation and war and the horrors people will commit for the sake of their bread and circuses, meant to make us think deeper about what separates a hero from a villain.

There’s a reason these books became a literary phenomenon. There’s a reason that dozens upon dozens of authors attempted to imitate them. But these imitators can’t capture that same genius, largely because they’re trying to imitate the trappings of another book, and failing to capture the larger and more meaningful message underneath. Make a copy of a copy of a copy, and you’ll wind up with something far removed from the original masterpiece. But we shouldn’t make the mistake of blaming those flaws on the original work.

The only way to stop misinformation and avoid inadvertently spreading radical rhetoric is to stop sharing things you haven't personally looked into.

It sucks, especially with the state of the world right now, but before you reblog something:

Is there a linked source in the post? Click through and read the article, don't reblog it on faith.

Are there verifiable claims in the post but no source? Look them up, see if you can verify what's being said.

Is someone claiming something can't be verified? Try anyway. It's possible that the truth just isn't convenient to the point the person is trying to make.

Does something sound right but you haven't learned much about the topic? You need to learn about the topic first, not from social media but from reputable sources.

Don't have the spoons to fact check? Then I'm really sorry, but don't share it. Don't reblog.

i know it sucks, I know you want to be engaged. But there is rampant misinformation on this site, and it is better to not share anything than to spread lies.

You are going to put that back, and I will turn you over to whatever authorities deal with you, and then Lois and I are going on a perfect normal date.

My Adventures with Superman — "Kiss Kiss Fall In Portal"

This is gonna sound so fake, so for the past few days I had tyla water in my head for his like album concept.

possible spoiler alert ig idk

So like I think it's not made yet they must be creating the concept and finishing the details rn, cause otherwise they wouldn't be doing all this obvious stuff. So since we still got time left here's some themes I want to be in the album

Siren vibes, but they can also add in beach vibes as well like tropical

there can be a reverse little mermaid story for the shortfilm

orr more aqua marine upbeat vibes

or like a fusion and make it sci fi

Honestly idk I have a bunch of theories cause it can also be more like beyonce's photoshoot

I just think they should go more indie and artsy and leave out the huge dance numbers that don't fit

What if the album cover is like 2005 blue crush vibes

I think the mv can be filmed more scenic

I have this huge marine spirit theory I made but it's like..eh nobody even knows what that is. Apparently people think it's all based off of some freaking manga. When that's total b.s mermaid legends exist globally I highly doubt over a literal decade of water symbology since his DEBUT, is based off a manga, please. Specifically in africa, I would like to just post all my theories but I don't really want to. But I would love to tie in the south american catholic symbolism in rover, cause there's so much, and it honestly goes perfectly with this beach theme, but I really don't have anything to prove so.

There is also pirates of the caribbean influence in peaches and years ago he said that was his favorite movie and they had mermaids in one film.

At the same times there's also a lot of atlantis references in peaches so I'm curious if it will be a red herring or it will actually tie into the mythos. Because in rover and mhmm he was in a dry desert but there were hints of him being locked in some type of water tank? in mhmm. But that could be a reference to them using him as a power source because water is a conductor. Idc what the internet says oceanic water has lots of salt and can respond to electricity. Also lightning in the sky is possible due to clouds. It's science somewhere in there, the ions and water and air creates energy.

Again it's still dealing with the four elements and creation energy so they are almost treating him like the creator deities in ancient egypt.

Though I am interested in how they are going to pull off the siren theme because mermen aren't usually seen in the media.

Although he's had the symbolism for years.

But I would love to at least get a legit analysis out before the album. I was supposed to do one years ago but it's like idk how people would react to it.

his teasers were more or less based off the four elements well five including the ether and /or electricity.

But water and sea life was the most prominent symbol for him and it's seen in almost every project that he has

in reality he's mostly portraying a creation god which is why he's in so many teasers and the others are usually in the teasers with him. His time stopping powers begin from debut also.

So it's clear he's a primordial diety not a simple one. Which is why in rover he kept switching identities because they recreate themselves over and over again.

Honestly I think their was so much attention on him having so many teasers no one actually considered that there was an actual purpose behind them or the exo mythos. Due to the fact that a majority of the concepts became intertwined with so many pop cultural moments at the time. Particularly when they began reenacting twilight and it was seen as cringe, I think the mythos became a running gag rather than something people actually paid attention to. Also there's so many cross references with other pop cultural works in kji's albums and things they were trying to recreate it got all muddled up so now people don't tie things together.

Like after peaches era they took a break and let him perform and tour. They still were continuing the mythos. There was tons of little easter eggs. I don't think I was psychic when I kept predicting what his next album was going to be it's just common sense. They always made sure his projects lined up with one another. They just also cover it up with so much drama and mess most people forget about it cause it "doesn't matter" the gossip matters even though it disappears after like few months.

Andante 2017 he had a love interest named Bom

Bom in Korean means spring

He volunteers at a hospice and frequently gets involved in their lives. He becomes emotionally attached to them and fixes varies issues for other people. In the show he acts like a guardian angel of sorts.

In the end of the show Bom "dies" of a brain disease but he still imagines her as being there.

2017

Kokobop

In the music video he has a tattoo of an angel on his neck

 January 13, 2018 

He was in a drama called spring has come

The female main character was called Naoko which in japanese means

In the show Naoko was innocent and easily tricked by Jiwon and was deceived by his charming and innocent appearance, frequently helping him out and loaning him money in hopes of him creating a life with her. She did all of it in hopes that he would marry her, but emotionally he was traumatized by his mother trying to murder him.

The show is a metaphor for death and birth shown by the visualizations of marriage and intimacy. Spring representing rebirth and creation.

Jiwon acted as the director of the family and was able to "fix them" and make them perfect just like he does his subject in the first episode.

Due to his interference the family goes from disgruntled to happy. Although his motives remain unknown.

April 2, 2018

he played an angel in miracle that we met that accidentally takes the wrong life and must try to fix the situation. It's a mix of guardian angel/ greek gods messing with the affairs of humans. He tries to reunite the original husband and wife but can't. Throughout the show he tries to make it up to her and they develop and emotional bond.

It reminds me of the concept of the film the preacher's wife where dudly is supposed to be helping the married couple but ends up falling for the wife himself. To be fair he only began getting entangled with the wife after the husband abandoned her but still

I do find it interesting that most gifs are of him and the female character that he dances with at the end of the show, but that "female character" is actually his male shapeshifting boss Mao and there was no romance there. I believe they are actually spiritual brothers.

The only "romance" or emotional subplot he had on the show is with the wife character

But I think cause of the age gap it went over people's head, even though his character is most likely older than her but whatever.

I think people don't understand subtlety in romance drama's like he picked out her clothes it's kinda obvious.

This angel who doesn't follow instructions character also coincidentally would align with his rover symbolism where he "played" a fallen angel.

It's especially interesting because Mao was known as the one with 10,000 faces or identities

the writing on the portal is also not korean, I couldn't find out exactly but it looks thai or arabic or based off that type of script? Enochian? Idk

It's almost like they like maybe pushed to get him roles that tied into the exo mythos. They apparently have a binder all the way from the 80s or 90s from lsm.

In the show the kids who encountered Ato and saw his powers in person join a forum called miracle that we met, which is where the title of the show comes from. The forum is a place where people trade stories about seeing supernatural beings like angels and aliens.

One of the kids in the show theorized that Ato was just a model that nasa had created--- some type of a.r model characters to roam around the earth and mess with people. Which is really interesting cause at the time nobody really knew about that. This came out after the space force began to publicize more information about their projects.

NASA Science

Spacecraft AR - NASA Science

Spacecraft AR is an augmented reality (AR) application that lets you learn about and interact with a variety of spacecraft that explore our

But this show was in 2018...interesting.

Even more interesting is that Kai had an Augmented reality type concert film.

Like they're getting a little too sloppy. So I'm pretty sure I can figure out the theme or at least I can try.

end of pt 1

love and eros may have actually been the best jdrama ever

my lovelorn for lost underapreciated japanese media may stick with me til the end of time I'm afraid. It's how unknown it is that really makes me love it even more. I actually don't know how I feel about the best art getting so little attention and being lost to time. On one hand I like it but then again I wish the people involved would have been able to get recognition. But the again it's possible the Japanese purposely didn't want their precious gems to be given to the west because it would have been changed and altered to fit a wider audience and then it would no longer be art. It would just be a product for mass consumption. I kind of want to write a whole series of my favorite J ent pieces. It's so interesting that Japan actually went out of their way many times to make sure their works wouldn't be spread to those who don't appreciate it. Anime was...as hayao miyazaki would say A MISTAKE. It's the only piece of Japanese media that became heavily focused on reaching a global audience and making a ton of money from it. It's their K-pop. Though with Anime it's just cartoon pictures being objectified and commodified but with K-pop it's people. Still both had a great effect on the economy and a terrible influence on the culture as a whole. The otaku's in Japan and the fan culture in Korea both swirled out of control and ended up having a hand in lowering the birth rate. So art truly is a powerful thing.

This work was one I actually stumbled on when I was on a j ent binge, this and a few other japanese 90s dramas really fascinated me. This one was intriguing and memorable because it was the first time I was aware that whatever Korea had continued with using idols in drama's to boost the rating Japan had most defintely started.

Nagase Tomoya was a hearthrob no doubt and it is also hard to even find someone comparable to him in the current era. In japan being an idol is just a stepping stone and everyone knows this. There aren't really leaders like in kpop. In fact it's usually the visuals that are just in charge or speak for the group. They are the front men or women and it's normal for them to be the face and do interviews alone in the group's stead. No one is ever super emotional when these visuals become actors nor is there an uproar that they are betraying the group. It's natural and they usually are asked to get into different projects because this will eventually get the group more attention in the end. Japanese groups in some cases have EXTREME longevity. Some groups lasting decades. It isn't always the case but the most popular groups it's moreso a question of dang when are they going to disband. This is because the attitude towards idols in japan is different. There are some cases where idols from fanservice heavy groups do get in trouble from dating but its' important to know in Japan it's more of a hierarchy of groups because idol culture has been around for so long. There are some groups that are more dependent on heavy fanservice to survive and there theme is catering to there fans whereas some groups are more..free. It's clear to see these differences when you see some groups that are very free and others that are very not. In korea although I see that all groups are treated like how fanservice heavy groups are in japan. No matter what age it is weird and not acceptable for them to act in romantic drama's or date. The companies and contracts pretty much all around reflect the mindset of the public towards idols. Where in recent years traditional idol culture in japan is kind of slowly dying and because of that celebs dating is seen moreso how american celebs dating. In korea strangely enough it's like things are regressing. The fanservice is becoming even more intense even though kpop is gaining global fame. More money is being made but it's being made by going super jhorror virtual boyfriend/girlfriend parasocial paralysis demon. It's quite concerning. It could be that in Japan they stopped focusing on real people who eventually would date or get married and leave idol life behind to focus on more vulnerable animated or fictional characters who really couldn't speak or fight back.

I still find it interesting to look at the cultural remains of Japan's idol industry.

I don't even want to get into the tradgedy of Johhnny's boys and what happens when young children are commodified off their looks and sex appeal from a super young age because..it speaks for itself. It was terrible what happened and I do feel that overall it's definitely what is happening in kpop but because of the current hype and popularity honestly nobody cares. Similar to how nobody cared about what was happening in america with the many disney stars who would years later open up about how the trauma they experienced being a childstar would later cause them to become drug addicts or commit self harm. People may feel sorry for them now but the truth is at the time when it was happening nobody cared and that is what made them feel so alone. It doesn't help to pity them after the fact when they have healed and gone to therapy.

Although I think it was rather unfortunate what many of child stars go through I do think the art they leave behind should be treasured even more so because of it. Tomoya was a fabulous actor and I see in him many of the current idols of today that are treasured.

I believe he was extremely lucky given that he was able to stay in a band that spanned decades and have a very successful acting career. When I watched this show not only was I interested in the plot but I also was wondering why were so many idols barred from also having similar opportunities. Some like him were able to act in various projects playing different characters but others were stuck in a box because their fans weren't interested in seeing them any differently. I believe he was such a compelling performer that it allowed him to be accepted by the public as an actor.

but I can't lie Johnny kitigawa's connectiong probably helped as well..also his face plus the fact that he aged well probably helped. Many idols get copius amounts of plastic surgery that does not age well at all

but there are still other decent looking idols that never kept up with the changing tides of the ent industry. On an old translated forum some people were arguing why he wasn't as famous as Takuya Kimura

but I think it's because the japanese love androgyny like over everything Tomoya was just a tad bit too masculine.

In this show though and others like it he starred in he was a silent brooding type so it worked. I don't want to spoil it and this isn't a review basically it's a comparasion of different types of love. Which is ..kind of genius. His character is in a eros or romantic type of love with a woman engaged to his brother. Who has a much more friendly type of love with her. It's probably a metaphor for something but..hmmh oh and it has the iconic Hosho mai

her role isn't that big she is toted as mostly just the tagalong girlfriend but really as the show progresses you start to like her more than the main love interest.

anywayz its a good show very deep if you watch it closely.

I love when fiction is written so neatly it starts Vivian Walt-zing all over my previous complacency

Tbh, the stream chat moment was too real

Me when my consumption of the media feeds perfectly into the meta narrative of the story and thus makes me part of the villains of the game

Belos is the one most terrifying kids cartoon villains.

But why?

It’s because he’s tangible almost. He’s real.

Let’s break it down.

Belos is human. He can only be seen reflecting ourselves. While other villains are amphibian kings or godly triangles, or even in our own show- a child that holds way too much power, a woman who cursed her own sister, or a witch kid.

Belos is real. Belos is seen everywhere in the world.

Going further, let’s simplify him.

Belos is a religious dictator who says his way is the only way. He speaks for the Titan. And only he can do so. Any who disagree are damned for eternity.

Belos is a human whose core belief is that his race is the superior one. He’s from the 1600s where witch hunting is their culture and to be a seen or side with a witch is a death sentence. He takes this farther by believing that they deserve death and to suffer.

His beliefs and motivations are things that are inherently wrong yet he’s a political figure that people worship.

When he fails to indoctrinate his brother into his inherently evil ways, he kills him.

Belos is a person who goes against every message being pushed in the owl house.

He is against identity. He is a bigoted mad man. He is a religious cult leader. He attempts genocide.

Sound familiar?

Oh wait those are so many of our current government leaders in the world.

Belos is real in the sense that he is human in the sense that his history has happened and will happen again.

And that’s terrifying.

And important.

This mirror of modern times should terrify us. Because belos is only human and so are we.

If this doesn’t make sense, that’s because I’m sick and it’s the next day. This is my own interpretation but please reblog with your own thoughts because this topic is like one of my favorite things about TOH.

Talk to me…I’m a lonely soul…

This is really random but I think asking the question whether a character deserves redemption is a dumb way to have a deep conversation.

There has been so much debate on certain characters redemption but the main thing is whether they deserve redemption or not. But the thing about that question is that there is no answer that isn’t in some way personal. It changes on every person and will likely just lead to agreements rather than discussions.

Here’s some of my favorite questions to ask about a characters redemption that I think have sorted my feelings out about it.

1. What were the writers trying to accomplish with the character?

2. What message did this character bring? This is important especially in kids shows.

3. Was the redemption well done?

4. What were the characters reaction to the redemption?

5. Did the other characters forgive the character?

6. How did they do the redemption and why?

7. Why was this character redeemed?

8. Did they make up for their actions in any way?

All of these are more on the objective standpoint rather than one that changes person to person.

Now you can still ask if a character deserves redemption or not but it’s important to understand that we ourselves are not moral judges and the line between redeemable and irredeemable is nothing but based on our own perception.

I just think there needs to be a balance.