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true-blue-megamind · 3 years

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FAN THEORY FRIDAY: Is There Proof of Megamind’s Presence in Rise of the Titans?

Special thanks to @thatfilthyanimal for putting in the time and effort to capture the screenshots used in this post! No copyright infringement is intended, and no money is made from this blog.

Okay, seriously this time: SPOILER WARNING!

Yes, yes, I know, this is late again. So sue me. Don't really do that.

This week's fan theory blog article was inspired by a discussion on the Megamind's Evil Lair Discord. Many Megamind fans were sadly disappointed when the first several minutes of Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans took place in Metro City without our favorite blue hero so much as making a cameo. (Really, DreamWorks? Really? Why must you tease us so cruelly?) However, there are some details that hint at Megamind’s presence within his hometown even if he never makes an appearance on screen. Let’s take a look.

The first indication that Megamind is, indeed, somewhere in the background is the city itself. To begin with, the color scheme has definitely changed. In the film Megamind, most buildings are shades of white and golden-brown, hues that call to mind Metro Man’s signature colors. In Rise of the Titans, however, Metro City looks very different. Take a look at the two images below for comparison. Metro City in 2021 sports a lot of black and blue: Megamind’s colors. Has the city slowly reimagined itself, as new structures are built and old ones are renovated, to celebrate its new hero the same way it did the previous one?

There is also a small reference to Megamind in the movie posters that appear all over the city. See the advertisements for the film involving the giant robot? Yeah. If you watch Rise of the Titans, look closely at the background in the subway car; you'll see that the release date is November 5, the same day Megamind was released in 2010. I swear, DreamWorks really is teasing us. Hahaha!

Another detail that stands out about Metro City is that it has become very high-tech. Consider again the differences between the pictures above. Compared to the way it looked in 2010, modern-day Metro City looks almost like something out of a sci-fi movie. (Don’t misunderstand me: I love antique architecture, and I certainly hope the city has kept come of it’s old buildings.) Is it possible that Megamind has given his home town new tech he’s invented, such as affordable and environmentally friendly energy sources that allow for all these new digital signs and lights? Has the new hero helped to improve the economy overall? The city’s businesses certainly seem to be more prosperous.

Which lead us to another difference. In the film Megamind, when Roxanne leaves the restaurant just after discovering “Bernard” is, in fact, the blue supervillain, the streets of Metro City are empty. Of course, it is also raining, but keep in mind that the downpour has only just started. Similarly, in the “Stalker Superhero” scene, when Hal/Titan scares the living daylights out of Roxanne by throwing her around like a rag doll, we see a great many cars on the road, but relatively few people out walking. Granted, Megamind himself may be partly to blame for this—he has taken over the city, after all—but there is still a marked difference between those scenes and the nighttime scene of Metro City in Rise of the Titans. In the modern urban center, people are casually walking all over the place as well as using public transportation, and many businesses appear to be open late. Clearly, local citizens feel very safe being out and about at night.

Furthermore, speaking of public transportation, Metro City seems to have gained a new, high-tech bullet train system. Is this something else Megamind has designed and ordered his brainbots to build? Many fans say yes, and I have to admit that it seems likely. Installing a technologically advanced (and probably environmentally friendly) method of safe, affordable transport for citizens simply feels like something an ingenious, inventive alien superhero would do.

Many may doubt whether this has anything to do with Megamind, but there is one more little detail that hints that that may be the case. Look in the background of the image below. One of the high-tech billboards features an interesting silhouette. It’s a little hard to see, but it certainly seems to be a very skinny person with a bald head striking a heroic pose and wearing a cloak. Is this an image of Megamind? If so, it’s more proof that the Blue Defender is still very much present in Metro City, that his home town is indeed celebrating his heroism, and that he may therefore be inferred to be one reason everyone feels so prosperous and safe.

There is also the difference between the police as they appear in the film Megamind and as they appear in Rise of the Titans. Firstly, as I have mentioned before in Why Did Metro Man Retire, a storyboard for the original movie made it clear that law enforcement grew too reliant on having a superpowered hero around while Metro Man was the Defender. This may be why they all were so quick to drop their weapons when Megamind commanded them to shortly after taking over the city. We also see in that same scene outside the mayor’s office that the police are armed with guns.

However, in Rise of the Titans, we see the MCPD actually working, and we see that they are armed with what appear to be stun guns. This is very interesting because there is a long-standing fan theory, found in fictions such as TruthandAdare’s Plausible Deniability, that Megamind invented technologically-advanced non-lethal weapons for local law enforcement. There is also the fact that the two scenes appear similar, and I think we all know enough about DreamWorks’s animators’ love for hiding thoughtful details in their films to believe this is an accident. Not to mention, of course, that the force would have to get some new blood and step up their involvement now that their Defender can’t move faster than sound to practically be in two places at once. Is that why we are seeing these changes in Metro City’s police in Rise of the Titans?

Finally, there is one more tiny image that may, just possibly, point toward Megamind’s continued position as Defender of Metro City. In one scene of Rise of the Titans, we see a busy city street, but several of the vehicles seem to be canted sideways as if making way for something we can’t see. Did Megamind’s invisible car just come through? I admit, this one is a bit of a stretch, but I am going to choose to believe it’s possible. You can even see what appears to be an “empty” path through the traffic. I’m going to say that this may well be thanks to the invisible car, and there’s nothing you can do to stop me.

So there you have it: several features in the first few minutes of Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans that suggest, to varying degrees, Megamind is still the Defender of Metro City and is still very much active. Of course, all of this is supposition, and readers can believe as much and as little of it as they like. However, it does give me hope that, perhaps, DreamWorks has not entirely forgotten one of the greatest movies they’ve ever made. Maybe we may yet still see a Megamind sequel one day. Until then, however, we can count on fans to keep finding amazing theories connected to this wonderful animated film!

#Megamind #megamind #Megamind movie #Megamind fan theories #Megamind fan theory #ROTT #trollhunters #rise of the titans #movie #film #fan theory #fan theories #Defender #Metro City #metrocity #metro city #dreamworks #dreamworks animation

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leepsheep · 4 years

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Past the Point of No Return

•••

Gabriel opened his eyes to the rosy glow of the Miraculous Cure sweeping through the city of Paris once again. He stared hard put the window of his lair, watching the swarm of ladybugs that seemed to taunt him, reminding him of the young hero who thwarted his plans at every turn.

Flashes of the future shown to him by his akuma played back in his mind. His son, Emilie, the Miraculouses—he had lost. And still then, Ladybug stood over him, victorious once again. He clenched his fists.

“Mr. Agreste,” Nathalie said behind him. “Welcome back, I suppose.”

Gabriel stayed silent as Nathalie continued. “Another akuma defeated by Ladybug. Unsurprising, given all your last attempts, but those were never enough to stop you.” He could feel her eyes watching him, gaze pointed. “Maybe what this akuma showed you will finally change your mind.”

“No.” His answer was resolute, hanging heavy in the air.

Gabriel heard his assistant inhale sharply.

“What?”

Gabriel refused to acknowledge her, walking towards the window, more images playing back.

Gabriel saw red. Ladybug standing alone, fury clear in her eyes. A swarm of red butterflies blocking out the sun. Paris, but not as Hawkmoth had ever seen before; engulfed in flames, torn to the ground, russet clouds and skies stained crimson—red, red, red.

Red against green, fire in son’s eyes as he was revealed the truth. Red against white, soaking into the ground and his son’s clothes. Red against red, against the bodies of his son and his wife, the colour of his blood on the floor and her roses on her coffin. Red, red, red.

He’d given up so much already. He was in too deep. No going back.

“It’s not over, Nathalie. Not until the Miraculous are mine.”

“Gabriel, you saw what would happen. You’ve pushed it too far, it’s gone on long enough.”

“Too far?” He scoffed. “Ladybug has won again. Battle after battle, she continues to claim victory. I will not rest until I’ve won this war.”

Nathalie shook her head, scowling. “But your son—”

“If all goes according to plan he’ll never have to know,” he said.

“You promised Emilie,” she pressed on. “She would’ve wanted you to look after him.”

“He is looked after. He has everything he’d ever need.”

“He needs a father,” she insisted. “I am not his parent. Neither is his bodyguard. We shouldn’t be the ones who care for him, but we do. But Adrien doesn’t want an assistant, or a bodyguard, he wants you.” Nathalie glares at him. “I’ve tried to keep him happy for you, tell him you care, but you don’t, and I’ve built his hopes up for nothing.”

“You misled him,” Gabriel corrected. “I never asked you to do this. You’re the one who made promises to him I never intended to keep. You built him up, so I’m not the one at fault for letting him down.”

“What was I supposed to do?” She cried. “He is supposed to be your son! You’re supposed to care!”

Gabriel sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “It is too late to change that now. There is work that needs to be done.”

Gabriel gestures for Nathalie to move closer, but she stayed put.

“What do you want from me?” She said, voice returning to cold and calculating.

“Look outside yourself, Nathalie.”

“I don’t understand what you mean, sir.”

“Ladybug.” He looked to the Eiffel Tower, where Ladybug stood with his last akumatised victim. “She is the only thing that stands between me and my goal.” A smile began to creep its way onto his face. “But not for long.”

“I won’t help you take her down.” Gabriel turned to his assistant. “This isn’t the way. You won’t succeed.”

He glared at Nathalie. “Don’t be so sure. But fine—” he said, making his way to the memorial. “—I’ll do it by myself.”

Gabriel heard Nathalie’s heels click angrily behind him, clangs echoing in discord as they crossed the metal bridge.

“You can’t bring her back.” Nathalie tried. “She wouldn’t have wanted this.”

Her boss continued walking. “I have to bring her back. I can’t stop everything now, not when I’m so close.”

“It’s been years, Gabriel. Just let her go.”

“No.”

“Why not?” She cried.

Gabriel stopped at Emilie’s memorial. He turned suddenly to face Nathalie. “I loved her, Nathalie. I know you loved her too. She was everything to me. I’m not giving up yet.”

“I’ve done everything I can to try to save her! And everything I can to bring her back! And you want me to throw it all away? Fine, side with Ladybug.” He spat the name out. “Abandon Emilie.”

“She’s gone, Gabriel!” Nathalie retorted. “She lived, and now she’s gone. She knew what she was doing, you both did, and she paid the price for it. And no matter how much I wish she was still here, nothing can change the fact she’s gone.” Nathalie looked at him. “She’s dead, Gabriel. You need to end this.”

“You knew too!” He accused. “She wasn’t the only one tampering with the Peacock. The Miraculous was yours before it was hers, Nathalie. Don’t think I’ve forgotten.”

“Her death was not my fault! You were the one pushing her farther!”

Gabriel growled. “If you don’t want to help, fine! But I will bring her back, and you can’t stop me.”

Nathalie didn’t back off. “Try, see what happens when you lose Adrien and Emilie a second time.”

“You would’ve been on my side.” Gabriel snapped. “Without Ladybug’s interference, you would’ve tried to bring her back too. Adrien could’ve been persuaded, we would’ve won.”

Nathalie’s eyes narrowed. “You’re insane if you think I would’ve helped you trick Adrien like that. He doesn’t know the price of a wish. He’d never want that and you know it.”

Gabriel turned back to Emilie, face smiling peacefully behind the glass. What was he willing to risk for her? What would he give up to get her back?

‘If losing my son means getting you back, then it’s worth it. I’ll burn down all of Paris to bring you back.’

He turned again to face Nathalie, finding her glaring at him.

“You won’t get away with this.”

He hummed. “We’ll see.”

He stalked past her, calling out the words to transform himself. He threw one more look over his shoulder. “The show’s about to start Nathalie.” He looked forward again and smirked.

“Ladybug won’t know what’s coming.”

•••

oh my gosh this is a lot.

how did I write this all in one sitting? I don’t know. But now I’m tired, I spent a lot of time on it and now it’s late. I honestly am not expecting this to get notes but whatever that’s fine

Nathalie is very ooc bc she’s a good(ish) person here instead of being an evil minion and in love w/ Gabriel. I just wanted to write her not agreeing with him.

This was very much inspired/influenced by/based on “interlude iv (showtime)” by Zach Callison

here it is if you want to listen:

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