I just have to put this out here:
I love Invasion (2005).
I love the blend of sci-fi, mystery, horror, romance and family drama.
I love the themes of rediscovering one’s humanity.
I love that you can watch it again and again and discover several new details every time.
I love that every single character has an interesting arc.
I love how Tom learns that insisting he solves everything by himself does more harm than good. I love that he learns that keeping unpleasant truths from his daughter isn’t the same as protecting her.
I love how Mariel gets over her teenager-like infatuation with her new husband, discovers all his flaws, but forgives him when he starts trying to change and learns to love him anyway.
I love how Larkin learns that getting the truth out there isn’t always for the best.
And I love how Russell learns that not everything unknown is automatically evil.
I love how the 6-year-old Rose is the wisest damn being on the show.
I love how the writers avoided the evil stepmother/father trope by having Tom absolutely adore his step-children.
I love how the writers didn’t shy away from showing that a person can have romantic feelings for people who aren’t their spouse without being a cheater.
I love how Russell and Tom are visual opposites, with the former being square-jawed, darker-skinned, black-haired and dark-eyed and dressed in dark or earthy colours, and the latter being paler, with narrower features and lighter hair and eyes and always dressed in light or white:
I love how this also exemplifies "dark is not evil" and "light is not good" by Tom being the more morally ambiguous of the two.
And speaking of 'morally ambiguous'...
I love the absolute murder rage Tom flies into when his loved ones are threatened:
I love how Lewis takes on a full-time job as Tom's moral compass:
In conclusion:
This is a criminally underrated show. The authors probably tried to balance too many plates on a very limited number of sticks, and some of the stuff that makes the show great is too subtle to make out on the first watch. Nonetheless, it is a great watch, tackling difficult themes, with amazing cast giving it their all and superb soundtrack. I highly recommend it.
And if you're still unconvinced, and if that's your sort of thing, certain cast members do be looking like a certifiable snack:
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I got so freaking excited seeing the trailer for "The Wild Robot", so naturally some fanart was in order! I didn't expect the painting to look so oily and have so many softer edges, but I still think it came out really nice and was good practice! Colored pencil really has helped me figure out a personal painting process, as here I actually used a similar layering technique as when I work in colored pencil.
Aside from that though, I haven't read the books yet (though I plan to after I see the film) but this movie looks like it's gonna hit so many of my favorite tropes and features when it comes to fiction and animated stories, including: non-human protagonists (and both of my favorite kinds, animals and robots!), stylized visuals, robot learning to be more than just their programming yet still maintaining their original robot skills and behavior to a degree, robot with emotions and unique ways of showing it, character in the wilds adapting by studying the animals, post-industrial-level technology existing in harmony with nature and the wilds rather than being portrayed as inherently harmful to nature and therefore inherently wrong to make (this is a big one for me), the odd duo, the gentle giant, a character finding belonging in an unexpected environment, just general wonder for the beauty of the wilds, and probably other things that'll come to me as I understand this story more.
But even beyond that, I just had to draw Roz because she's so freaking cute! Like, even excluding the adorable way she mimics the animals or glows when happy or how her "eyelids" give her more facial variation, in design alone she's so round and sweet looking! And somehow her being big and bulky to juxtapose her kindness with an strong and imposing stature just makes it even better! I love characters who are large and intimidating at first glance but total softies on the inside. Brightbill's definitely in good hands!
If the film holds up and Roz also has a clear and entertaining personality beyond just being curious and caring, there's a 60% chance that come September she'll become my new robot blorbo (roblorbo?), up there with C-3PO, Wall-E, and Five Pebbles!
Also, another version of the sketches from when they were just the lines for comparison!
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"Phantom, you don't understand-" Superman tried, confused and desperate to stop this very powerful ghost from potentially attacking him. He may have been a bit preoccupied, but he could just drop Superboy and do so.
"No, you're the one who doesn't understand!" Phantom snapped back, green eyes glowing dangerously while he gently patted Superboy on the back. A comfort to the weapon, Superman supposed.
"He was created to be a weapon! His creators trained him to take over my life and destroy me!" Superman incredulously tried to explain why exactly he felt nothing for the clone of himself. Well, mostly himself. Turns out cloning wasn't exact to metas or aliens just yet, though the cloning of other humans sure was nearing perfection at an alarming rate, if not yet perfect already. And this "ghost" child was acting like he was just an infant, or his own child he abandoned!
"And? Does he want to do that? Did he have any say when they were brainwashing him? Did you even try to see how he was after he found out his whole incredibly short life was a lie?" Phantom retaliated, putting himself between Superman and Superboy. "Do you even know his name?"
That final question took Superman off guard for a moment. "Of course I do! Superboy needed to tell us something before we let the team use him."
The room suddenly felt colder than the Arctic, and the formerly bright lights in the area shattered, raining glass onto the 3 standing in the area. Now the only light in the room came from Phantom's glowing toxic eyes. "Conner needed to tell you something before you let the team USE him?" Superman didn't have a clue how to fight off a ghost- the one time he had been allowed to fight one, he'd gotten possessed (Overshadowed Phantom had said) and had been defeated by Phantom knocking him out. If this was headed to a fight, he wasn't sure if he could win it. "Phantom, calm do-"
"Clones scare you that badly huh? Well. I understand perfectly that cloning without you consent is uncomfortable- Don't say shit because I Do know. But it literally wasn't a clone's fault they were created! Conner- By the way, he chose the name Conner- is just a few short months old and you were the only one there who could've helped him transition to a semi normal life before I got here."
"You weren't ever cloned Phantom, y-" "Real funny you say that when you've literally met my clone."
Superman went rigid. Phantom had a clone, and with his powers that was highly dangerous! "What do you mean I've met it!?"
"Clones aren't things!" Phantom snapped, stepping closer just as Superman had to take a step back. This conversation was a huge concern! He was going to have to convince the League to do something about Phantom's clone. There's no way they could let him just roam free! "Since I can tell I won't be the one to get that through your fucking skull, and it's clear you don't actually want custody of Conner, I'M taking him! Royal decree from the King of the Infinite Realms, you gave up all rights to your child and now I have a new sibling. Hope you don't fuck up again Supes, because ghosts will take that very seriously."
Phantom and Superboy stood there for maybe a moment, probably waiting to see if he'd rebuke but... if Superman couldn't fight Phantom, then wasn't it way safer for Superboy to be with Phantom instead? He wouldn't have to deal with the potentials of Superboy giving in to his programming and attacking the Team if Phantom kept him by other ghosts!
So, Superman supposed that the ghost realm was the safest place to put Superboy.
Phantom left Superman to stand alone in the silent and dark room. Superman sighed and resolved to call a Team Meeting, one to say Phantom took Superboy, and one to create plans to track down and contain Phantom's clone.
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