#this argument that 'they had the same amount of time as the cartoon so that means they have no reason not to include every single scene' is

[highfantasy-soul]

I think people underestimate the changes that need to be made to stories when adapting them to different mediums/structures and maybe if they understood, they wouldn't have such issues with scenes/character moments not being 1-1 adaptations.

The structure of episodes is really important when considering how the story will unfold and what to include in each episode. Every single episode needs struggles and payoffs, a goal and an accomplishment of that goal - especially in an episodic show like the animated ATLA. By necessity of this, each 20 minute episode is going to have a lot of stuff going on - and tons of issues cropping up where character can be shown. Also, it's common to only have one plotline being followed per episode per group of POV characters - often it's Zuko's plot (much less screen time) and the Gaang (more screentime).

When you only have 8 episodes, cramming all that in would make the episodes feel disjoined and cluttered. It would be a constant whiplash of 'small struggle, overcoming, small struggle, overcoming, small struggle, overcoming' and all those little struggles together might start to feel insignificant and like the plot is just trying to come up with something for the characters to be doing. An example that might have been frustrating is in the first episode of the live action, having Aang and Katara travel to go penguin sledding, then jump to the fire nation ship where they reveal Aang's been gone so long, then back to the village to yet again talk about how long Aang has been gone (to catch everyone up), then Aang leaves, then Aang comes back, then he's off on the ship, then Katara and Sokka have to figure out how to get Appa to work, then they go to the ship, they fight on the ship, Katara struggles to figure out how to waterbend, Aang goes into the Avatar state, they escape, they go to the southern air temple, Aang plays around, they figure out Avatar stuff, they chase Momo, Aang goes into the Avatar state again, Katara talks him down, then the goal of the narrative is introduced.

While that works spread across three whole episodes - episodes not meant to be watched back to back but rather week to week as well as the writers understanding that since this is a kid's show airing, it's possible the watcher has missed the episode before - it would not work for hour-long episodes intended to be binge watched. When the show is episodic and people might not be able to catch all of them, a unique issue needs to be introduced each episode and resolved that same episode (minus the few 2-parter storylines in the OG). It's just the nature of that sort of structure. Just like you wouldn't want a comic structure in a chapter book or a movie structure in a serialized show, different mediums require different structures.

 So how to resolve this? We've got one hour to do all that in - so instead of having all that time traveling (or gods forbid just jumping to the next setting without any establishing shots/travel scenes), things need to be condensed: which means, take several individual actions that share a common theme - say, how a character reacts to certain issues, and combine it into fewer actions that flow in a single sitting rather than three individual ones. Not only condense individual scenes, but also weave together multiple plotlines that might have been in separate episodes, but share a common theme, and have them all occur simultaneously. This means that specific beats from each of the 20 episodes might not all fit in the episodes, but the spirit of those scenes can be adapted to fit with the situation that's at hand - I think episode 3 in the live action does this masterfully.

A specific example is moving Zuko and Aang's first one-on-one fight from his ship in episode 2 of the animated series to episode 3 in Omashu - combining that with the epic fight between them at the perfume place. Episode 1 had already had many fight scenes and one more might have blended in with all the others - setting this big, impactful fight aside for the moment until it could be…well, a moment, I think was a good choice. It was different, an adaptation, but it held true to the significance of the interaction as well as weaving in to the other storylines.

So again, the change of medium is going to necessitate many scenes to be altered to 'fit'. Though many scenes can be translated pretty closely to the animated counterpart, all of them won't be and if you think every single character beat being shown is a must in order to understand character, then just go watch the OG, a different structure just won't work for you point blank no matter how well it's done. Trust me, you do not want to try to just shift a 20 episode season into 8 episodes with no structural changes despite the raw run-times being similar - it would be bad. Like really bad.

#media analysis #story structure #natla #natla spoilers #avatar the last airbender #live action avatar #netflix atla #this argument that 'they had the same amount of time as the cartoon so that means they have no reason not to include every single scene' is #just wild to me #story structure is IMPORTANT PEOPLE #this should be very obvious but apparently it's not #there's not just one way to show specific character traits - the same trait can be shown in a different type of scene just fine

[thestargayzingheroine]

Why A Better World is my favourite "Evil Superman" Story

So in the last two decades or so, there's been a notable amount of dark and edgy stories around superheroes turning evil and whatnot and most of them really love to do their own expies of Superman. I've never been the biggest fans of these kinds of stories.

And then there's the actual stories of Superman and other heroes being outright villains or at least just massive assholes. In recent years, this has been largely thanks to the influence of media like the Injustice Games or the Synderverse DC movies. It's... honestly become a trope I am tired of.

Because you know the damnest thing? There is a story that does all these ideas really damn well and arguably better. It is the two-parter from the Justice League cartoon "A Better World".

Now, I am aware how most people favouring the DCAU has become a bit of toxic nostalgia at times and it's something I myself am trying to work through a bit. But in this case, I do think it's the best idea of doing an evil DC story, much better and more interesting than the Crime Syndicate, who if you ask me are not very interesting, though I do remember liking the Crisis On Two Earths movie a lot, which funny enough, was originally going to be this two parter before various things led to it being canned and then later repurposed as a direct to DVD movie.

Anyway, my main crux of why I love this story is simple... The entire Justice League turns evil... and the reasons are very much in-character for all of them. You look at the scene with Justice Lord Batman for example.

As fucking evil as the Justice Lords are... Batman can't quite fully hate his alternate self for his reason for taking part in all this being basically one-step further than his own mission, that no child should ever go through what he did. Hell, I recall reading that the reason the writers had Batman drop his batarang at the end of this scene... was because he genuinely wouldn't be able to come up with an argument to that.

Superman likewise kills Lex Luthor because yeah, Luthor literally exploited the flaws in Democracy and became president of the US, threatening to kinda basically start world war 3. It's obviously horrible... but Superman is a character whose main motivation is making the world a better place. And if people who abuse the systems of power of the world are hurting people, why shouldn't Superman put a stop to that?

And yeah, Superman should obviously never kill, he's the most paragon of paragons of the DC universe, a man committed to always being better than the villains he fights... but this is him pushed to his most logical extreme. Hell, the main Superman knows this and its why Lex used his knowledge of this alternate universe as part of his plan in the season after this, to goad our Superman into crossing the line because yeah, there's a part of him that could go this far.

But right as Superman is about to apparently finish him, the big guy says this.

"I'm not the man who killed President Luthor. I wish to heaven that I were but I'm not."

Because Superman like everyone else, obviously would have those same thoughts and same urges. He's human.

I've kinda gone off Injustice a bit because to be honest... the injustice games were kinda just this but a bit too edgelordy. Hell, in A Better World, Lois Lane still lives and the whole genesis of it doesn't revolve around her getting fridged.

So yeah, A Better World is probably one of my favourite mirror universe stories because of the fact that well... it really is like looking in a mirror and seeing just how easy the greatest heroes can become evil and how they wouldn't be massively out of character doing so. But also it reminds us that as much as this darkness can tempt some of our finest, the ones who don't go down this dark path are stronger in heart than anyone else. Because when the world becomes a dark and horrible place, it becomes very easy to be just as dark. But even though it can be hard to still try and be a good person even in dark times, it's ultimately worth it. Because good always triumphs over evil.

#dc #superman #batman #dcau #justice league #justice lords #essay post #Youtube

[sarnai4]

Cake and Eat It

I really like Avatar the Last Airbender. That said, I'm not under the belief that it's perfect and has no hopes of every being improved. So, I wasn't opposed to it getting another live action remake in show form to explore some areas more. Unfortunately, the changes that were made (in my opinion) were often to the detriment of the story. Ultimately, my main issue was that the Netflix show wanted to have its cake and eat it too. On one hand, you need to separate it from the original to accept it. You're not supposed to think, "Azula's fire isn't blue like it's supposed to be. I hate this." It's its own thing and wants to be that; however, it wants you to say, "Oh no, Momo! I don't want you to get hurt because I remember all of the fun moments in the cartoon!" It contradicts itself.

In the Kiyoshi Island episode, we're supposed to laugh at Sokka for getting shown up by Suki. Why? Because he was being sexist? He wasn't really. We're meant to remember what he did in the cartoon and use that to influence us. Before, Sokka basically mocked the warriors and was rightfully shown that he should respect them. Here, he acknowledged both Suki and himself as warriors. At worst, he was pumping himself up for no reason, but he never put them down. Suki showing up the person who clearly isn't as skilled makes her seem a little harsh and then having him slink off with his tail between his legs doesn't make it as impactful like when Sokka in the original went back, apologized sincerely, and asked to be taught.

Later in the same episode, I didn't really buy that Aang gave them hope either. We saw him running with some younger kids once, then spend time with Kyoshi. The cartoon had him spend days basking in all his Avatar glory with his fan base. It makes sense that they'd be happy to have him there because their island was named after one of his past lives. This one doesn't have that happen, yet we're still expected to believe that the kid they didn't want who caused them as much danger as they expected would somehow make them happy and hopeful.

For Omashu, we're supposed to believe that Sokka and Katara have this sibling tension, but they haven't. I remember listening to their argument, wondering what they were talking about. Sokka was saying how Katara is constantly naive, but we didn't see that. We saw them argue in the cartoon because Katara took on the mother role despite being his little sister and Sokka took the protector role despite being a child. It put them at odds at times, but they still loved the heck out of each other. I don't believe it simply because they say to.

We're supposed to feel bad for Aang when Bumi is angry with him since he ran away...but he didn't. This scene was impactful in "The Storm" because Aang knowingly left, scared of the responsibilities. How can I be mad at this child for trying to clear his head and just having bad timing? It makes Bumi look cruel for no reason and doesn't give Aang the appropriate amount of guilt he reasonably would have felt in the cartoon.

So, going forward, I hope that they don't rely so much on the original. There are changes I did like, but when they try to cut out scenes and act like they exist because they did in the cartoon, I feel like that's cheating. Don't ask me to remember character moments from the cartoon in order to feel something here. If they didn't bond here, I won't use their bonds from before to color my perception.

#avatar the last airbender #natla #Sokka #Suki #Aang #Bumi #Katara #Kyoshi Island #Other changes were bad too in my opinion #I'll get to them on a other day

[heythetan]

thinking about Summer and Morty's sibling relationship....

teensy eensy spoilers for the new ep (wet kuat amortican summer)

idk just something about how it was portrayed in the latest episode felt so real. as an older sibling I relate hard to how Summer feels, how she sees Morty get everything seemingly for free. the way she's torn between being a good role model and support structure and feeling bitter because Morty is, quite frankly, a little shit sometimes. the fact that Morty IS a little shit because he thinks SUMMER has it better.

they're both jealous of each other, which is THE MOST older/younger sibling thing ever. Morty being spoiled because he's younger but also not getting the same amount of freedom or respect. Summer having to work a lot harder than Morty for things, but also being treated more like an equal. Obv it's a sci-fi comedy cartoon so these dynamics are stretched and exaggerated, yknow. to fit the fact that these family members murder aliens every other day. but at its core its just two siblings beefing it out over dumb shit.

What is compelling to me personally, as an older sibling who has had this exact argument (well, maybe not this EXACT argument) is the fact that Summer really, REALLY wants to be a good older sister to Morty. but she has to work harder than him, and it's so infinitely frustrating when your younger sibling can't or refuses to recognize that. it's not their fault, they don't have the scope or perspective necessary to fully understand those First Child Issues™, but it's annoying nonetheless. and it's the same the other way, too!! being the younger sibling sucks ass in unique ways.

and Morty has a SHITTON of other issues, with his parents but mostly with Rick (who is the person they're both competing over) that Summer just won't ever understand, because she doesn't have that very specific and very toxic relationship with Rick that Morty does. there's something to be said about the layers upon layers of codependency and abuse that is brought into the mix, complicating everyone's relationships to each other, but I just wanted to focus on specifically Morty and Summer, less their respective relationships with Rick. And I need to stop talking about that, cuz that's a whole other can of worms that I don't wanna get into rn cuz otherwise this post is gonna be 10x longer.

but anyways, what I find truly heartwarming is the way these two manage to come together and connect despite their disagreements. I think the first time it really stood out to me was when Summer wanted to leave in Rixty Minutes. MORTY was the person to go after her and make her stay with the whole "nobody exists on purpose" speech. it was one of the first major uses of that sort of optimistic nihilism/found family theme that this show is known for. Theres also a shitton of smaller examples, but the first one to come to mind is that moment in Morty's Mindblowers where, after Beth chooses Summer— Summer looks to Morty with such concern. Beth just looks sheepish. (i think about that moment a lot). the new episode was basically a sci-fi body horror rendition of the siblings being handcuffed together trope. their bond is honestly probably the strongest healthy relationship in the series.

it was good to see Summer finally relax in her role as "older sibling", because all she really needed was reassurance from Rick that just because he loves her differently doesn't mean he loves her less.

#rick and morty #summer smith #morty smith #rick and morty meta #they are so silly

[shrimpmandan]

I honestly fucking hate when antis bring up that fiction DOES affect reality as a counterargument to proshippers bc the thing is they’re not even technically wrong. Fiction and reality are inherently intertwined on some level. For example, fiction often depicts the ideals and standards of the time, or the creator’s lived experience. Fiction can impact reality in the form of individual people, both positively and negatively. For example, a propaganda cartoon vs an educational cartoon. The thing is, antis refuse to acknowledge that the “fiction =/= reality” argument (in the context of proshippers using it) is a direct response to the incorrect assertion that fiction will make people act against their morals. This can be about anything from “incest/abuse/age gap relationships in fiction will normalize it irl”, “video games cause shootings”, “porn causes violence”, or any other amount of honestly baseless and reactionary assertions about the world.

I see propaganda brought up a lot, which is especially frustrating, because antis don’t understand how propaganda works. Propaganda is not something that you watch and suddenly, you’re racist. Funnily enough, propaganda on its own isn’t particularly persuasive or logical in how it’s presented-- it’s just manipulative. Propaganda specifically takes advantage of preconceived ideas, fears, and prejudices-- for example, anti-gay propaganda would play into the idea of gay men being predatory, deviant, and mentally disordered, because that was already the general consensus of the time. Propaganda, by nature, plays into existing emotions, or preys on the human fear of the unfamiliar. This is why the best combatant to propaganda is education.

You can apply this same thing to taboo fiction, violent video games, and violent porn. You could make the argument that these things could have negative influences on children, seeing as they’re much more impressionable and may have a harder time distinguishing between fiction and reality, but the bottom line is kids are not the target audience for any of these things. They are not supposed to be viewing NSFW writings, videos, or games. We already have things like ESRB ratings, “are you 18?” verification checks (as paper thin as they may be), and tagging systems in place for the express purpose of deterring kids (or parents of kids) from seeing something that aren’t meant for them. After a certain point, you really just have to place the responsibility on the parent for either not monitoring their children, or being careless about what kind of content they consume. Aka: NOT the fault of the adults who make or enjoy violent or explicit media.

Going back to propaganda for a minute, with taboo fiction in particular (incest, age gap, etc.), it’s already, y’know, taboo. Meaning people are actively discouraged from participating in, or even just talking about it, since things like incest and pedophilia are already largely considered immoral. Most Western citizens would agree that irl abusive relationships, rape, and the like, are all immoral. So why would reading about it suddenly make them go against the entire worldview and moral upbringing they had? That’d be utterly absurd! However, if someone who was already considering or apologetic towards something like pedophilia were to consume media depicting it positively, it might, and I repeat, MIGHT have a chance to influence them into actually committing an offense. And even then, any evidence of that is extremely flimsy.

There’s been a small handful of IRL cases around fiction and reality. One that comes to mind is the murder trial of Scott Dyleski, wherein the prosecutor asserted that the Invader Zim episode Dark Harvest inspired Dyleski to commit murder. However, this statement was hardly backed up with any kind of proof, and in my opinion, is a weak argument on the prosecution’s end. There just isn’t any psychological evidence that makes a strong connection between dark/violent/explicit media and moral degradation, and while there have been studies done surrounding things like “do video games cause violence?” and “is porn making young men misogynistic rapists?”, these studies either came back inconclusive or even outright stating that no, these things do not lead directly to IRL violence. Simply googling “do video games cause violence?” or “does porn cause violence?” will yield countless articles stating that there’s no strong link between the two things. And, at its core, this is what proshippers mean when they say that fiction =/= reality. To say that fiction is responsible for all of society’s ills, instead of the fact that fiction takes inspiration from the tragedies of the real world, is an absurd take.

Overall, I think I’m still happy with the “fiction =/= reality on a 1-to-1 level” wording that’s since replaced “fiction =/= reality”. It’s far less generalized and overall more difficult for antis to counter with actual evidence (which, let’s be honest, they barely use anyways), even though the only reason proshippers were using such a generalized statement to begin with was to counter another generalized statement: that taboo or violent fiction will always, or almost always, lead to irl crimes and normalization.

#proship #pro ship #proshipping #pro shipping #proshipper #pro shipper #anti anti #shipping discourse #fiction =/= reality #profic #pro fic #profiction #pro fiction #anti censorship #fiction is not reality #fiction is fiction #proshippers please interact

[legobiwan]

So you may already know this fact but in Mario and Luigi paper Jam paper luigi was going to be in the game as a playable character, and I was thinking that what if the game happen after super paper mario (like 2 months after I don't know) and he would still be recovering, so getting sent into another world would get him into a panic attack (he was forced to almost destroy the Universe so that doesn't help) and when regular mario, luigi and paper mario find him he joins them in the adventure (although reluctantly) but tried not to get involved to much in quest like finding toads, keys, etc. for fearing that he would ruined everything and during half of the adventure he had a meltdown explaining everyone about what happened in spm even to the point that he blames himself for everything that is happening and thinking it's his fault that everyone in the paper world got stuck in another world (even though it isn't).

Long story short everyone doesn't blame him and they give him a well deserved hug.

I don't know if you like it but I been thinking this for a time so what do you think?

So I'm going to begin this by saying that I haven't played Paper Jam yet and my knowledge of the game's story is coming from a 5-minute quick-read of the Mario Wiki summary.

This being said...

I think there's some really interesting, fertile ground here for a kind of multiverse meeting of these two iterations of Mario and Luigi. Paper Luigi has been through it, and if this is taking place more or less directly after SPM, then there's no small amount of trauma and bitterness and just...everything that he's dealing with. (Especially if and when he learns the truth about Mr. L).

So I'm imagining the Paper forms of the brothers being blasted through to another dimension again and considering how that all turned out the last time, both Mario and Luigi are on edge. Not only that, but Luigi in particular has been moody, abrasive, and simultaneously distant and clingy to his brother, depending on his state (he wants to keep Mario far away from him, he's so angry at Mario for keeping the truth from him, he never wants to let his brother out of his sight again).

Compare this with our M&L versions of Mario and Luigi, who have also been through it, but not anywhere to the same degree. I'm imagining both Marios talking one night, Paper Mario asking the other one if he's noticed anything about Luigi, if his Luigi is okay, if he's happy and that's when they end up comparing notes about Mario's experience in Luigi's dreams, Paper Mario asking all kinds of questions of anything about the seeds of Mr. L were present in his alt-brother's subconscious, or if that whole debacle was something Paper Mario brought on himself.

Meanwhile, Paper Luigi is just kind of a jerk to the other Luigi. (And we all know Paper Luigi is more than a little unhinged). And then Paper Luigi learns it was the other Luigi who knocked the book over and sent them into the parallel dimension and Paper Luigi is just like, of course it was you, who else could be so buffoonish and they end up in an argument that eventually gets the other Marios involved and Paper Luigi exclaims that, look, all he had to do was take two steps back and boom! more dimensional chaos! I told you Mario, I'm a danger.

Anyway, I have to imagine at one point, other Luigi tells Paper Luigi that he needs to be kinder to himself and Paper Luigi bites back that other Luigi needs to cut umbilical cord with his brother before taking a deep sigh, prompting other Luigi to ask his Paper counterpart, "What happened to you?" And then it all comes pouring out.

So, anon. This opens the doors to some fascinating scenarios. What if we got the M&L/Luigi's Mansion brothers, the Paper brothers, the DIC cartoon brothers, and the recent movie brothers all together in the same room? I feel like Paper Luigi and movie Luigi have the most shared personality traits (they both tend towards bombast, although it's more explored with Paper Luigi), while M&L and DIC Luigi are a little softer, even if DIC Luigi (especially in SMB3) can be very, very snarky.

Great question, anon, great scenario, I think it gives us all a lot to think about. Thank you for this ask, this is fun!

#hello there #ask legobiwan #luigi #mario #my brain is still ultimush right now blaaaarg #gotta go out and buy myself some new brakes for my bicycle soon #oof it never ends

[cyanogen-miasma]

I really don't like characterizations of Pluto (the dwarf planet, not the Roman god or the cartoon dog) where it is butthurt about being demoted from planet to dwarf planet. Humans have known about Pluto for an immensely small portion of Pluto's lifespan (Pluto hasn't even had a full year since we discovered it), let alone actually been around, y'know, because all of the astronomical bodies are around in geological deep time and humans have been around for a tiny amount of that time...do you think Pluto has been sitting in the dark waiting for humans to evolve on Earth and thinking "notice me senpai"? Pluto does not give a shit what Earth's fleas think of it!

Furthermore, the eight planets simply would not bully Pluto for being a dwarf planet now. The definition of a planet is arbitrary and externally applied to them...I could possibly see the argument for Earth being Like That, but the thoughts of the planet can't have been the exact same as the thoughts of the animals living on it for all of deep time. and why would the other planets feel the same way. Jupiter, especially, would not care! he's massive! he's got bigger and better things to be doing, like murdering comets!! As for Uranus and Neptune, those are Pluto's buddies! They are pals! Do not separate! None of the astronomical bodies should care who is a planet and who is a dwarf planet because it is an arbitrary definition that has only just been applied by Earth's fleas who have only existed for the blink of an eye for these planets! THEY DO NOT CARE! this extends to asteroids as well

also the "your anus" joke is my villain origin story. Uranus is my fave (unironically) and I don't stand for this slander. The thing just sits there and rolls around, it's vibing!! yes yes, anus, very funny. it is named after the fucking god of the sky. BLAME THE ANCIENT GREEKS! anyways I love characterizations of Uranus as a pathetic nerd

Also, Pluto and Charon should be a binary dwarf planet system instead of a dwarf planet-moon combo. I don't think size should matter on this but it is in the size range of other transneptunian bodies that are possible dwarf planets (it is actually the sixth largest object in the Kuiper belt behind Pluto, Eris, Haumea, Makemake and Gonggong) so if that were a concern I think that helps. Astronomers, I know you acknowledge that they are tidally locked to each other and have a barycentre outside both bodies, please make it happen!!

I do have a space cats thingy (similar to my element cats) and a lot of the things I've just ranted about are sort of rectified

#rant #hot take? #this is based off of vague memories of educational videos about astronomy i watched when i was ten #but specifically the pluto characterisation is about the youtube channel 'hopscotch' #the song about dwarf planets especially #space #astronomy #pluto #uranus #dwarf planet #charon #planets

[ihopesocomic]

It's awful that people are trashtalking something you've clearly worked hard on because of a video that I thought was actually harmless and very helpful. What makes it worse for me is that you both spoke up from a place of oppression and yet you're getting 'if only you'd kept your traps shut and let me enjoy my cartoon lions, then i'd respect you and your work'? Disgusting. I can tell how done you both are with this situation and I think I speak for everyone when I say I don't blame you at all.

I think my favorite part of the whole thing was we weren't even the first and only people to make a lot of the points we made in our video. And all those people who said it first were quickly dogpiled and didn't say anything afterward until we posted our video. It was really something witnessing whole-ass adults saying how amazing MP is for its "mature themes" and "good representation" of queer/disabled people, while in the same breath ridiculing those who come from one or both of those groups who dare try to point out serious flaws (it doesn't really matter whether the fans are also queer/disabled, you just. Don't do that when you're an adult? That's shit I expect from children.)

So frankly we're tired of it. Its unacceptable, and too many of them are well into their 20's. Everyone else who is a MP fan has had perfectly normal reactions and discussions with us, I don't know why everyone else takes it so personally to the point they have to defend objectively harmful tropes just because their favorite pointy lion is attached to it.

Everything RJ has said before, and in my case, what, am I not allowed to point out tired old offensive lesbian tropes? Because I've been doing it a long time, and I'm gonna keep doing it until people stop making offensive lesbian stereotypes LOL (And like I've said before, these are stereotypes that were old years before MP came out. Guess that's on me for assuming people would care about butch lesbians in the year our lord 2020.) I'm not gonna stop just because you happen to like the show. You can either listen or not. It doesn't help that MP is a lot of peoples' first exposure to queer characters in animation. And since it's made by professionals, why would they doubt it, am I right? lol

I've talked about how I'd fix Hover many times, and none of those times had been what we're currently doing with Storm. It would be easy to turn Hover into a character that's closer to myself and call it original. But guess what, I'm not the only kind of butch lesbian out there. I wanted to show appreciation to the kings out there that aren't taller than their girlfriends, that don't have the deepest voices, or the biggest muscles. Cuz contrary to popular belief, butches are diverse. Which means we aren't crass chucklefucks who abuse our partners. You'd think that'd go without saying, but here we are. Not only does it STILL happen in media, but an off-putting amount of people relate to Hover, or like her without bothering to understand why a character like Hover would be offensive to some of us.

Which is all it boils down to. We've been very consistent with our opinions for the last 3 years and people make the exact same arguments against us. They don't want to learn, because if they did, they'd at least acknowledge what we have to say instead of making assumptions every single time we mention MP. - Cat

[sokkastyles]

I wonder, how widespread is the Azula stan fandom in reality? It seems like wherever I go there is at least one of them. Maybe it's the case of the loud minority, but you've been around longer in the fandom than I have, so I wonder if you think it's the case.

I've only been here three years, but I've been in fandom a long time and some of the Azula stans I recognize from the GoT fandom, where they make the exact same arguments about Cersei Lannister. What is new is the amount of Azula stans, and there always seem to be new ones popping up no matter how many times I block them, but I think a lot of them are just young or easily influenced fans who are reading the things said by the BNFs, which, as I said in the last ask I posted, often come with heavy amounts of guilt-tripping. Do you hate mentally ill abused fourteen year old girls? Of course you don't! Well then listen to me. It's manipulative rhetoric and gaslighting, and it's the same sorts of tactics used by abusers and cults to get you to doubt what you know is true and trust only them. I've even seen Azula stans admit that they realized that was what was going on, that they were just repeating talking points from BNFs that they didn't actually believe, because they thought they should. It's very easy to get caught up in the fandom's sense of self-righteousness, especially when it's a character you identify with and what people are saying sounds reasonable and uses social justice buzzwords to reinforce the arguments.

What's ridiculous is the amount of people that make these arguments and how illogical they actually are, and how pervasive. And how aggressive and entitled the stans are. One of the first posts I saw in the Zuko tag, before I had even finished the series, was a post about how it's "weird" that Zuko acts younger than his sister. And like, at that point I didn't even know Zuko was supposed to be older but I understand enough about logic to know that that isn't how it works, anyway. I didn't even know at that point that this was a common Azula stan anti Zuko talking point, I was just like "okay, someone doesn't understand how family dynamics or kids or abuse works" and moved on with my life. Then I realized why the arbitrary ages of cartoon characters matter so much to these people, more than what is actually onscreen, because what you actually know to be true from watching the show can be manipulated if someone can convince you that numbers matter more.

#azula #zuko #the discourse

[benjimarii]

Honestly I feel like people can be pretty overdramatic about Omniverse. Like I don’t have a problem with people criticizing it but like damn you don’t have to spend so much time nitpicking a cartoon

I can kind of agree with this. But at the same time, if that's how people enjoy the show, they can! While I myself don't enjoy nitpicking, I understand why people would. They just want to see the best version of the show, that or... They don't like the show. Which, both are valid.

I enjoy the entire franchise for what it is, flaws and all. It fun to watch, it has an ungodly amount of lore, world building and potential, and it just has some of the most loveable characters.

And yes, while I have a bais for Omniverse in particular, it doesn't mean I dislike the rest of the franchise! I adore OS and UAF! I don't like putting the eras in boxes, at least, not anymore. Having this whole... {Iteration} is better than {iteration} argument is so tiring. The shows genuinely don't need to be put up against each other, especially just to elevate the enjoyment of another one. Just say you have a favorite one, and we can call it a day.

Another thing I've grown to dislike is people accusing the writers or designers or things, as if they were in the room while they were making the show. Like, it's perfectly fine to not like designs, writing decisions and other things in the show. Its also perfectly fine to criticize things in the show. That's normal! But going after the people who were involved in the making of it is kind of weird, and a bit mean-spirited. A lot of people forget how much time and love went into the making of this show, especially with Cartoon Network breathing down their necks the entire time. Being one of the most profitable IPs sounds like a good thing, but in reality, so much of what is done in the show is controlled by the company.

One of the biggest lies and misconceptions is the whole "DJW hated jetray, so he didn't put him in OV" thing. That's just... A lie! A straight up, boldfaced lie! CN is the one who decided which aliens got to be cut from OV, not DJW. Brainstorm almost wasn't in OV, because toy sales for that alien were very low. But they snuck him in as much as they could anyways. There were just... Some that couldn't make it in. And I think that's okay. Ben used almost all his known aliens in the show, and the ones that didn't make it were turned into background characters so the species still had a spotlight.

But yeah. Going back to the initial ask, I feel somewhat the same. People treat all of the shows (except maybe OS) really weirdly in this fanbase. Its either "UAF was too dark and edgy! It has terrible writing and animation" or "OV was too silly and corny! The writing sucked! It had a terrible art style!"

These can both be true for individuals. But their opinions don't make it objective. I don't think my opinions are objective, as my entire view and views on the show are subjective.

And I must reiterate. Criticism for the show is fine. Its good, and healthy to have criticism for a show you like. You don't have to like everything in a show. I don't like every single thing done throughout the franchise, but I can still say it's my favorite series ever.

Criticism ≠ lack of enjoyment

But saying your views are "the right views", and treating your opinions as objective, does tend to make it a less enjoyable fanbase.

As someone who spent a lot of time in the mindset where I was hyper critical of the show, I can say that I genuinely enjoyed the show less because of it. But as soon as I took a step back, accepted the show for it's flaws, understood that it's not perfect and it doesn't have to be, I fell in love with it all over again. I still have things I don't like. I still have nitpicks and criticisms. But I don't think that hinders my enjoyment of the franchise. And that only applies to me (and by extension, people who feel the same), as I'm not saying that those things don't affect other people's enjoyment.

My whole thing is, as long as you're being nice to the people in the fanbase, you're fine. You can talk negatively about any of the shows, as long as you treat other people with respect. Especially if they have different opinions. Shows don't have feelings. People do. Talking down to somebody for different views, headcanons, or a different way they enjoy the show is unhealthy.

You wouldn't believe how much hatred the fans have for each other for having differing opinions on things about the show. Like, I've seen people get genuinely mad at things like crossover ships or LGBTQ headcanons. It's crazy. Just let people enjoy the show how they want to enjoy it. And if you don't agree with someone, that's fine. Just don't make drama out of it. Or at least, don't involve the entire fanbase into it. Unless someone is doing something genuinely wrong. That's a whole different story, though, and a bit off the point.

Anywho, thanks for the ask! Sorry this was a long post, as the only thing I'm really critical of is the fanbase itself nowadays. But I do enjoy talking about the show, positively or negatively! I like understanding things better, and you don't understand things fully until you've heard the perspective of others, I like to think!

#long post #opinon #ask #probably not going to answer stuff like this in the future #as i prefer to talk publicly about the show itself rather than the fans of it #i dont like the drama that's involved when talking about views on this fanbase #i do enjoy talking about the show though #throw me headcanons and questions about the franchise! #i love those kinds of asks #especially about speculation on aliens #i adore talk of the aliens or lore of the show #ben 10 talk #not gonna tag this in the main tags cus i dont want things to get too cluttered there #especially with something thats not directly about the show

[fangirlshrewt97]

Terribly Thought Out Help

My brain feels like it was ...fried. Like in those cartoons where a character sticks a finger in a socket and gets electrocuted? Why is real life so hard? 

Anyways, I saw this post by @rambheemlove​, and this idea popped into my head. As usual, somehow writing fic has become my way to destress. I can’t promise this is as funny as it was in my head. Or coherent. I may be half-asleep. Hopefully it’s...not terrible. 

Here we go...

///

Shobana was tired. She had a mile-long list of things to get done once she got home, chores her husband would likely not help with. She had to help her son with the science project due by Friday. And she had just been called three different kinds of incompetent and irresponsible by the parents of one of her most obnoxious students. It had taken every ounce of professionalism and self-control she had accumulated over her five years at this school to not scream back.

And now the second parent meeting. At least Loki would be sympathetic.

“Ah, Loki garu, I apologize for the delay-” Shobana froze when she realized that instead of the kind-eyed mother and friend she had been expecting, two strange men were sitting at her desk, heads bent in a furious whisper that had cut off as soon as she opened the door. She assessed them.

One was in a green shirt that looked like it could burst any moment, stretched across his shirt. His hair was puffed up around his head, and his eyes were the most earnest she had seen outside of people her student’s age. His beard was neatly tripped and he was sitting straight up, eyes totally focused on her. His…friend was in a light white jacket and white shirt underneath, with neatly combed hair and an impressive moustache and clean chin. While he was sitting back in the chair, he exuded the same amount of nerves.

Devuda, what now?

She cleared her throat. “Gentlemen. I’m sorry, but who are you?”

The one in the green shirt looked at the man in the white jacket. That man sighed. “Shobana garu?”

Shobana nodded warily. The man gave hr a weak smile in apology. “We uh-, we are Malli’s …uncles. She mentioned her teacher needed to speak to someone and since her parents are out of town, we thought we could come see you instead. It sounded urgent, and we didn’t want to wait till her parents returned.”

Out of…were these clowns serious? Loki had specifically told her to be ready tomorrow so they could go to the market to look for birthday gifts for her son. She plastered her most professional smile and entered the classroom properly, sitting opposite of them. Both men leaned forward in sync, resting their arms in front of themselves. They seemed to gravitate towards each other, shoulders touching as they waited for her to speak.

Oh, Malli, why all this drama?

Shobana cleared her throat again. Right. Let’s see how this went. “Alright. What are your names?”

“I am Bheem, and this is my…cousin. Ram.” the one in green, Bheem, replied. Shobana’s brows furrowed at the break in the middle of the sentence.

“Uh-huh, right. Bheem garu, do you know why I wanted to talk to Malli’s parents today?”

Both men shook their heads. In sync. What the hell?

“Malli got in a fight with another child. Shoved him. I need you to understand this type of behavior is not tolerated at this school, and if it happens again, we will expel her.”

As Shobana had spoken, both men had grown more rigid, even as their smiles stayed plastered on their faces.

Bheem laughed nervously. “Shobana garu, are you sure? It doesn’t sound like Malli at all.”

Shobana sighed. “I agree gentlemen. That is why I wanted to ask if everything is alright at home, and why she could be acting…so unlike herself.”

Bheem shook his head forcefully while Ram’s face adopted a troubled expression. “No, ma’am. Nothing like that.”

“Madam, could you tell us what instigated the incident? Malli would never just throw a punch?” Ram added.

“I wasn’t there myself, but the teacher said that during lunch time there was an argument among the students that culminated with Malli shoving another student into a wall. The boy ended up getting a twisted ankle.”

The two men exchanged looks.

Bheem was hesitant when he spoke next. “Madam, any chance the name of the boy was Indra?”

Shobana nodded her head.

Bheem bit his lip as he looked at his clasped hands. Ram sighed as he looked up to the ceiling, bringing his arms to fold across his chest.

“Is…has Malli spoken of him before?”

Indra was notorious among the staff. His parents were rich, and donated a lot to the school so he often believed he could never get in trouble. And Shobana had just received an earful from his parents for allowing one of her charges to get hurt on her watch.

“She… she had mentioned he was picking on one of the other girls in her class…could it be possible this was…self defence?” Ram offered.

Shobana frowned. “I…did not know about this. Indra has been known to be disruptive. I shall look into it, I promise.”

“Is…does that mean Malli isn’t in trouble?” Bheem asked, a hopeful light in her eyes.

Shobana grimaced. “Indra’s parents were adamant for her immediate expulsion. Given Malli’s record we did not think such extreme measures were necessary. She will be suspended for the rest of the week.”

Ram’s brows furrowed. “It’s Thursday.”

Shobana pursed her lips, holding back a smile. “She cannot come back till Monday.”

Both men caught on, the concern falling of their faces, replaced by gratitude.

Bheem pressed his hands together. “Thank you so much Shobana garu.”

She nodded. At least they were polite.

“Is there anything else?” Ram asked.

Shobana shook her head. “No that is all.”

Both men exchanged nods and rose up. Shobana rose as well and led them out of the classroom. When they were a few steps away she called out to them. “Oh, and gentlemen? Can you tell Loki I will be ready to meet her at the market by 5? I just need to do some paperwork before I leave.”

Both men whipped back to her in panic, but Shobana pressed her lips together. “It’s getting late. You should go home and tell Malli the news.”

She walked back into her classroom, giggling when she heard furious whispering start on the other side.

///

Both men sat on the ground, arms crossed in front of their bellies. Malli was sitting next to Bheem, but absolutely furious and giving her back to both of them.

Loki had just finished her 10th minute of tirade and entering her 11th.

It was impressive. And terrifying. Ram would rather get humiliated by his boss than suffer through this again.

“-grounded for a week!” Loki finished, chest heaving and eyes blazing.

“But Amma!” Malli’s whines died at Loki’s glare.

“And you two!”

Ram and Bheem stiffened, not daring to make eye contact with the woman. “Look at me!”

They looked at her with as much guilt as they could. “You ever pull a stunt like this again, and I promise you will not like what I do? Do you understand me?”

“Yes Loki” “Yes Akka.”

“Also you are banned from the house.” she said.

“Akka!” Bheem gasped, utterly betrayed.

Loki glared at him, making him shrink to half his size as he curled inward. “For ten days. You come near this house, or Malli makes contact, I will know and no one will see each other ever again.”

Ram thumped at Bheem’s arm. “Yes Loki.”

Loki harrumped at them, grabbing Malli by the arm and dragging her up to her room. The girl shot them pleading glances they looked away from in utter cowardice.

“I told you this was a bad idea.” Ram said.

Bheem whined. “I just wanted to help.”

Ram sighed and leaned against the wall. “What do you think gave us away?”

“The way both of you seemed ready to burst into giggles when I sat at my desk.” Shobana said as she entered behind Jangu, who looked between them all with an amused grin.

Ram and Bheem paled and blushed furiously in turn, jumping up from their seats. “Madam!”

Shobana shook her head. “I looked into Indra, it seems he made a comment, and Malli was defending her friend. I cannot retract her suspension but the headmistress agreed it won’t go in her record.”

Both men’s shoulders slumped in relief. “Thank you Shobana garu.”

Jangu cleared his throat. “I suggest you get out before Loki catches you again, I don’t think she was actually done with her rant.”

Both men’s eyes went wide with terror and they fled the house with their tails tucked between their legs. Hopefully they could think of a way of earning Malli’s apologies later.

///

The photo that inspired it:

///

Tagging (Please please work, Tumblr I beg you):  @rambheem-is-real @budugu @bromance-minus-the-b @junebugyeahhh @hissterical-nyaan @obsessedtoafault @hufhkbgg @yehsahihai @rorapostsbl @bluesolace1 @fadedscarlets @alikokinav @chaotic-moonlight @rambheemisgoated @rambheemlove @jaganmaya @burningsheepcrown​ @lovingperfectionwonderland @rosayounan @iam-siriuslysher-lokid​ @thewinchestergirl1208​ @dumdaradumdaradum​ @ronaldofandom​ @jjwolfesworld​ @jrntrtitties​ @kashpaymentsonly​ @jeonmahi1864​ @zackcrazyvalentine​ @stanleykubricks​ @m3gs1mps4a​ @tulodiscord​ @teddybat24​ @sally-for-sally​ @ssabriel​ @jadebomani​ @stuckyandlarrystuff​ @veteran-fanperson​ @ohfuckoffpls​

#rrr #rrr fanfic #rambheem #rambheem fanfic #ram x bheem #alluri sitarama raju #komuram bheem #malli rrr #loki rrr #my fic #my writing

[edoro]

☕ + Huntlow?

i am very fond of it! honestly though, i really wasn't at first?

rest of this under a cut bc it's long!

like in the first half of s2, i was aware of it as a thing, and it struck me as very like... well pretty much just the het version of Goldric, tbh. the art and fic and posts i saw for it felt, to me, like people just kind of reaching for a way to pair Hunter up with a girl who wasn't Luz (due to the variety of frankly bonkers Opinions And Takes about Lunter lmao) and it all just felt very cishet in a way that was profoundly uninteresting to me.

i spent a lot of s2b gradually considering it more and more while also being absolutely terrified that every single episode was going to confirm it in a way that i would hate. which did not happen!

i know opinions are very divided and some people feel like if it does become canon, it'll be really rushed. it's definitely not going to get the same amount of screentime as the lead-up to Lumity did, but honestly, like... i'm still not sure it IS going to become canon, but if it does, then at this point i think there will be... a pretty decent amount of build-up and foundation for it.

not as much as i'd prefer, but they had their entire third season amputated. Lumity, imo, is kind of a rarity among cartoon ships; they often DON'T get that amount of build-up or development or feel that organic, but i actually personally do think that the hints we've gotten of Huntlow suggest an organically developing relationship.

they're all relatively small, background things, because more important stuff is going on, but they do a good job of communicating that 1) Hunter at least definitely has a crush or at least gets very flustered by Willow and 2) Willow also cares about him a lot

(and, honestly? yeah, sure, getting together after knowing each other for a couple of weeks or a month or two is pretty quick. they're teenagers. plenty of kids develop crushes and attractions to people based just on Thinking They're Really Neat after knowing them for a short amount of time at that age, and impulsively get into relationships. so, Shrug Emoji, i don't really think the argument that it's super unrealistic holds water, and at this point i think they've done a pretty decent amount of build-up for the idea that the two of them might have a mutual crush. it's not like they're gonna get married on-screen.)

the sheer amount of discourse about Huntlow is honestly bewildering to me, and i say this as a person who initially really disliked it and felt like, genuine anxiety watching episodes being worried that it was going to suddenly be confirmed.

(you will notice that despite having this intense emotional reaction to the idea that a cartoon i enjoy might make a decision i don't like, i didn't go around taking it out on people, lmao)

like. it's so inoffensive. what we've been shown so far has been cute. it has cute potential. if it happens it'll probably be good, bc TOH is pretty solid about character development and relationships and has so far shown a refreshing lack of Shipping For The Sake Of Shipping. i totally get being worried about it or disliking it but i also think that there's kind of a tendency to just assume the worst and take what we've been given so far in bizarrely bad faith among some people, and i'm kind of overall tired of this trend of like, treating media creators like they're hostile enemies when they have absolutely NOT earned that kind of treatment. also, the argument that "Hunter can't be in a romantic relationship because he's traumatized" annoys me. Hunter's trauma is going to affect every single type of relationship he has with anyone, ever, for his entire life, romantic or otherwise. i'd love to see an in-depth exploration of how Hunter's trauma causes problems for him in dating Willow, and those problems don't just magically disappear because they love each other - how he has this very paranoid and insecure style of attachment, feels the need to constantly prove himself, is afraid of being punished with withdrawal of affection or replaced, etc etc - instead of having it just be used as a gotcha to try to prove how the ship is wrong.

like, people with trauma get into relationships. being in healthy, functional relationships is a great way to recover FROM trauma. it's ridiculous and infantilizing to say that someone who's traumatized just can't be in a relationship until they're 'better', especially because healing from the severity and duration of abuse Hunter's been through is probably going to be a lifelong project for him. sometimes someone's trauma CAN prevent them from being in a healthy relationship or make it so it would be better if they weren't, and tbh i'd also be interested in an exploration of Huntlow where they end up breaking up/not getting together because Hunter just can't handle the demands of an intimate partnership without spiraling and behaving in unhealthy and self-destructive ways, but, again, i find it insulting for it to be used as a gotcha rather than an actual topic of conversation.

but anyway! i have been thoroughly convinced re: Huntlow. i think they're super cute. i think Hunter is an adorable boytoy sub and that Willow would make an excellent loving domme for him and they should get together, be precious, and end up having a ton of mentally-healing kinky sex.

#huntlow #asks #the owl house

[mrvelocipede]

Very interesting, but is it Art?

When I first started messing with fractals*, I remember there was a fair amount of discussion about fractals as art, and whether it was even possible for that to be a thing.

* Just a bit before the turn of the Millennium. Gosh, I’ve been doing this a long time. Does anyone remember Y2K?

A number of people took the position that fractals were intrinsically incapable of being art, because the process was one of exploration rather than creation. The mathematical formulas were dictating all the properties of the image, and all anyone was doing was wandering around finding interesting areas and taking snapshots of them.

And now, suddenly there are all these AI image generators, which as far as I'm able to tell are taking enormous databases of existing imagery, and building them into a kind of multi-dimensional parameter space, which they use to generate images based on verbal prompts. Which is to say, people are sort of wandering around finding interesting areas and taking snapshots of them.

(For what it’s worth, I disagree with the idea that exploration and recording don’t count as art. Where does that leave cartographers? Also, the art world had basically this same argument when photography was invented.)

The commentary I've come across regarding AI image generators seems to mostly agree that the results count as art, and that the process of typing in prompts is a creative one. It's kind of fascinating, and also I guess kind of irritating, since it seems like fractals have never gotten that much credit. But it's true that the AIs are good at making pictures of recognizable things: people, animals, all sorts of familiar commercial products and cartoon characters and whatnot. Which makes them generally better than fractals at getting an emotional response from the viewer.

Both fractals and AI image generators have in common the property that it's quite easy to make something that's kind of cool, and surprisingly hard to make something that gets above that baseline and reaches a level where any given image is exciting enough to be memorable. They kind of all blur together, and look similar to one another, in a family-resemblance kind of way. I don't think this necessarily makes them not-art, but I do think it puts them mostly into the category of boring art.

Using any of these computer-based tools to make not-boring art takes an awful lot of time and practice, and quite a lot of understanding of basic artistic principles like composition and contrast and color and so on, and ultimately is probably just as much work as, say, learning to use oil paints or carve stone. Any medium takes work to master, even ones that seem to do all the hard work for you.

I don't really know where I'm going with any of this. Possibly it comes down to the difference between "Hey, I found a neat thing!" and "Hey, I made a neat thing!" They're both based in the fundamental human impulse to communicate your experience of the world to other people. But one of them implies intention and control, and I think those are worthwhile qualities to cultivate.

#fractals #art #AI image generators #neural networks #this is coming perilously close to Discourse #long post #botober #only not really

[colorisbyshe]

Have you ever felt that you're "outgrowing" fandom? I used to be an avid fanfic reader/writer when I was in my teens, I began selling fanart in my mid-twenties, and I was kind of a BNF in one fandom. But I just can't muster that kind of energy anymore? I have other concerns now and beyond liking posts here and there I just don't engage fandom like I used to. I wonder if it's part of "growing up" but if that's up, why do so many adults have heated arguments with teens over cartoon characters? 💀

i have no idea what a BNF is but... yeah

Listen, when you're younger, fandom just... has a lot more to offer?

First off, kids tend to have much more free time. Fandom fills it up.

More free time and less of a sense of self = more room for fandom. Fandom offers a vague social structure where you can engage with people and project onto characters (or... real people or songs or worlds or whatever) and explore your sense of identity. Relating to a character (et al) and meeting other peopel who relate to the same person/thing means evaluating who you are, in a way.

As you come more into yourself (and run out of the same amount of free time), you need that less. You form more relationships based on more levels of humanity than "We relate to the same fictional construct" and have an identity that is more complex and self-actualized, so you don't need to sum it up as "It's like I'm Bucky Barnes meets Ash Ketchum" or whatever the fuck. You don't need fandom or media as a crutch to understand yourself anymore.

The same way as I've gotten older, I don't really NEED "representation" the same way I did when I was 12, 15, 21. I don't need to see bisexuality on the screen or nonbinary people or whatever else to feel "validated" because I'm already at a place where... I know who I am and don't need any reflection of my humanity outside of my own.

And the reason why some other adults don't get there is a. they don't have that sense of self or b. they don't have real life communities that actualize themselves with (like friend groups, family units, even work spaces) OOOOOR c. they DO have those things but enjoy the power fandom spaces might offer them (ie younger audiecnes who defer to their "elder" status, followings they might craft if they make fanworks).

Fandom in and of itself isn't harmful or bad for adults to be in. Like... I still enjoy talking about my interests with people, gushing about things like headcanons. Fandom, fanfic, fanart, and other fanworks are all... like "junk food" (I don't like this term because I don't thinka ny food is "junk" but it's nice shorthand here).

Junk food, comfort food has value. There's nutrition there. ANd the cheap and easy flavor is great. But as you get older, you often crave it less or can also appreciate much richer fare. You balance it out with nicer meals. CAuse only eating junk food upsets the stomach.

It's good to eat... just... not all the time. You can continue to like it but your body and brain don't utilize it the same way anymore.

But when you're younger, cheap and easy is sort of the BEST possible thing a food can be. You can live on monster, ramen, and fritos.

You can't sustain your entire life on it (I tried and had to get my gallbladder out because of that... whoops) but for periods of your life, going ham and overindulging is like... peak existence.

That's... fandom. That's creating a sense of self out of what you consume. Fandom is a shortcut to self actualization that works when you're still figuring shit out, it's popcorn, it's quick and easy. But if it's all you have (or most of what you have)--for hobbies, for a social life, for a sense of self--as an adult, you're doing yourself a disservice and it's unhealthy.

[morganas-pendragons]

I Will Always Go To War To Defend ROTS Against Gen X: Here’s Why

Sounds like a stupid title, right? Well. Since Kenobi aired, my father - A Gen Xer - has repeatedly said that it’s the best Star Wars content to release since the OT back in 80’s.

He hates the prequels. Like REALLY hates the prequels.

My 20 year old brother and I have this discussion with him frequently: The prequels are the backbone to making the OT make sense, and remain some of the best piece of Star Wars media beloved by the generation it’s meant for.

And yes, I’m specifically talking about Revenge of the Sith.

My dad has claimed for years that it was ruined by cheesy dialogue (the high ground vs low ground scene is one he mentions every single time we have this convo) as well as having less then adequate saber duels. I repeatedly inform him that Hayden and Ewan have, to date, the most iconic and probably the MOST difficult saber duel in the entire franchise.

He also says there’s a lot of plot holes. I, being the only one in my family who has consumed nearly every piece of major Star Wars media, agree with him. But all of those plot holes are filled by two things in particular. The book, and The Clone Wars.

The Revenge of the Sith novelization has got to be the best novel I’ve read of all of the Star Wars novels in my library. It’s art in word form.

Case in point, a few of my favorite quotes from it:

"The rain will come, and the seeds will sprout, for the dark is the soil in which they grow, and it is the clouds above them, and it waits behind the star that gives them light. The dark's patience is infinite. Eventually, even stars burn out."

“This is Obi-Wan Kenobi: A phenomenal pilot who doesn’t like to fly. A devastating warrior who’d rather not fight. A negotiator without peer who frankly prefers to sit alone in a quiet cave and meditate.” 

And it makes the movie so much more poignant.

His biggest argument, however, is that Hayden Christensen was such a bad actor that it ruined it for him. I thus returned to inform him of how badly Hayden was harassed after the creation of ROTS and how hated the prequels were until the people who they were made for came of age and learned to appreciate them.

My best friend and I just had this conversation the other day: You really cannot enjoy Star Wars as a whole without consuming all of the available media. Yes, I too was skeptical of cartoons as someone in their early twenties, but TCW is not written for a child audience. It just happens to be animated with a mature story that fills in all the questions you inevitably have for the time between Episode 2 and 3.

The one thing that the shows do is add more depth that's not given in the movies. Depth through development of interpersonal character relationships (Anakin and Ahsoka from TCW clear into Twilight of the Apprentice) (Rex and Ahsoka) (Obi-Wan and Anakin) and enough of character development for those we know so little about - KANAN JARRUS - to make their inevitable deaths absolutely devastating.

That's what the shows succeed at. The movies, not so much.

I go on to tell my father that The Clone Wars (and begrudingly, Rebels..) fills in a lot of the questions he ends up having about plot holes and unanswered things during Episode 3. Like why Padme died, how Anakin ''fell so fast', etc.

He gets the same answer every single time.

"Your child's brain is a useless well of Star Wars knowledge obtained through the means of researching for fan fiction and now contains most answers to all Star Wars related questions you may have. No, Revenge of the Sith is not a bad movie, they just don't give you a satisfactory amount of information through the general story for you to be okay with watching it without complaining."

So, yeah. Gen Z, fight for your ROTS rights because that movie is phenomenal and needs to be defended against people who have only watched 9 movies and remain oblivious to the truth: You need to watch all Star Wars media to really grasp the overall story.

No matter how much you dislike it : )

#revenge of the sith #rots novel #Star Wars: the clone wars #TCW #tbd

[riathedreamer]

Zero is Null

A discussion of Zero’s love-hate-relationship with RvB and struggling independence; including a hotdog too big for the bun, tragic backstories, a single bow-chicka-bow-wow, and a cookie at the very end.

Welcome to what will be a lot of text. Basically, it will explore why Zero fails as an RvB (with emphasis on RvB) season. I will not be the first one to bring forth some of the points, and I promise to be fair and civil and fun. This isn’t supposed to be a piece of hate – in fact, I’m writing this because I love Red vs. Blue.

Okay, first of all, to increase your fun – take a guess on just how much of Zero is spent on fight scenes. You see, I’ve calculated the exact amount, and I will reveal it later, but for now, take a guess and remember the number. Maybe you are the winner!

Alright, time to share my thoughts. Wait! Since I suffer from anxiety and have this one annoying voice pretending to be all those critical statements my opinion could be met with, let’s give it an actual voice and address the points throughout this review.

“Why would I care about your opinion, Ria?” – I don’t know, you’re the one who clicked Read More.

“Your opinion doesn’t matter!” – Of course, it doesn’t! Geez. Do you think your opinion matters, though? Listen, we’re on Tumblr, the actual equivalent of screaming into the void. And it’s fun, too!

“If you don’t like it, don’t watch!” - *activates Uno Reverse Card* “You can’t talk about something you haven’t watched!”

“You’re just a Hater” – Actually, this is a point I’ll come back to. Like a cliffhanger. Also, at the end of this, there’ll be a cookie. But this will also include me talking about the stuff I like, because, surprise, Zero is not without talent!

“You just don’t like it because the Reds and Blues aren’t in it!” – Actually, that’s a good point, so instead, this review will start with a sole focus on Zero and discuss the problem that lies within that story. Then we can address why the lack of OG cast is understandable and problematic and weird.

But first! Backstory.

When the first 5 second teaser dropped back in spring (you know, when we were young and innocent and the world didn’t feel like an apocalyptic movie yet), I held onto that one image of what I thought (hoped) to be Grif and Simmons in the sunset, hopefully addressing Grif’s hateglue arc, but boy was I wrong because a) that’s not Simmons, that’s Sarge, and b) the image was from a PSA since the Reds are not in Zero.

Actual face-reveal of me below:

Admittedly, when I heard that the Reds and Blues were not going to be the main characters (or even show up), it felt like a gut punch. However, I actually found myself getting excited due to the creators’ hype. I want to praise them for this. It’s been a while since an RvB season was talked so much ABOUT before its release; it had advertisements, it had creators and voice-actors talking about it. Please. More of that in the future. Their passion rubbed off on me, and that deserves recognition. So it pains me that this was clearly a passion-project, and then when I gave it a try, I didn’t want to touch it again for weeks.

Here’s the thing. I cannot whole-heartedly say that Zero is bad. It’s not gonna melt your eyes. It’s not even so-bad-it’s-good. For me, it’s meh. It’s a Saturday-morning-cartoon aimed for a younger audience with a rushed plot and clichéd characters. The problem is that it calls itself RvB, and with that title comes something to live up to – but more importantly, something to continue.

My main issue is that Zero forces its story into existence by ignoring established content rather than adjusting to it. Let’s call this for the hotdog-too-big-for-the-bun syndrome solely for the sake of the bow-chicka-bow-wow that’s coming now. Bow-chicka-bow-wow. Many of the separate issues I will dive into all add to this hotdog-issue, so I will scream “Hotdog!” whenever this is the case so we can all keep track of my argument.

You can continue the story of Red vs. Blue without the Reds and Blues. While that would personally crush my heart, it can be done. There’s a story of Red vs. Blue that can be continued. The world can be expanded, the previous actions of the Reds and Blues can be explored from another angle.

So.

How does Zero do this? It doesn’t.

I just want to make it clear that new elements can definitely be added when it comes to worldbuilding. That’s literally the point of sequels. But Zero’s settings are presented with so little grace and with no connection to previously established worldbuilding. We get Alliance of Defense and GLASS thrown in our face as very big important organizations – yet we’ve never heard of them before. A big central plot point of RvB is the UNSC and Project Freelancers, and those were introduced naturally with the plot. We already have big established intergalactic organizations. What is AOD’s connection with those? We aren’t told. We are just told they exist and expected to accept it, no questions asked. If this was a whole new world and story – fine. But when you need to build on an already established worldbuilding, you need more grace than this. Chorus was a whole new setting, but it was explained, and it was connected to the previous plot. Same with Iris. Same with Desert Gulch. In Zero, it feels lazy. It feels forced. These organizations are just there because the story is built around them (HOTDOG).

This vagueness when it comes to wordbuilding is also reflected in the settings - we have a desert, a training base, a lab, temples, Tucker’s workplace, and we do not know if all those are set place on the same planet. If that is the case, what is this planet’s relationship with Chorus? Is it Earth? And most importantly, what is the deal with the temples? Why are they connected to Tucker’s sword if it isn’t the same planet. Are they made by the same aliens? Are people okay with this? Why haven’t these temples been explored before? Chorus makes sure to establish this, while Zero doesn’t, adding to a growing amount of confusion.

Okay, so no connection with previous worldbuilding. What about characters? I mean, we got Wash and Carolina and Tucker! So we have RvB characters, it gotta be RvB! Technically – yeah. But it feels dirty. These three characters are not here to be characters. They are here to be props to the new cast. They are not given any development. Their presence isn’t even that important, and if this was a whole new show, they could easily have been replaced with an unknown face. Worst of all, they feel miswritten.

Carolina and Wash are working at a new military organization? Leaving the Reds and Blues behind? To help people? First of all, fucking bad idea, Carolina, the last time you left the Reds and Blues alone, they changed the timeline. But most importantly – Carolina and Wash just joined this new super elite military organization? After being mistreated and manipulated by such an organization in the past?

Carolina is there to introduce the characters. That’s it. We are force-fed their personality by having her literally read out loud their personality. There is no gentle introduction to the new cast. We are not allowed to get to know them naturally. Why show when you can tell, huh? That’s Carolina’s role. That’s why she is there. To introduce the cast and explain their story. That’s it. (HOTDOG).

How about Wash? He is there to get beat up and be a damsel in distress so that the new cast has a reason to explore the plot. Oh, and that brain damage that was the consequence of previous seasons – gone now. The guy who literally has trauma from having an AI explode inside his head is fine with having a computer inserted into it instead. Because that’s needed. To explore his brain damage wouldn’t work now when his role is to be a prop to lure the new cast for one episode and then be put onto the bench for the rest of the runtime (HOTDOG).

And Tucker – he is there to die for a second and have his sword taken from him. That’s literally it. And for the few moments he is there, he feels like old super flirty Tucker, which erases the character development he went through in previous seasons. Okay, so Tucker dies, and then not dies, and then he is put on the bench with Wash where they can sit and talk or whatever (‘cause holy shit, the new cast is not allowed to that), because he isn’t important. The sword is. Tucker is just a prop, even more than his sword is (HOTDOG).

Damn. Wash gets beat up. Tucker gets beat up. Dies. Gets his sword taken away. Almost seems like a Red’s wet dream. Sorry not sorry, Blues, you were done dirty.

So there are miswritten old characters. Even worse is the retconning. The plot needs a “normal” Wash, so, bam, magic computer solution. Never mind Wash’s trauma and character traits. Never mind the logic of the new worldbuilding which also includes a character suffering for years to heal an illness. But the brain damage that was such a big consequence that it became the main part of the plot of the last two seasons – gone. I mean, a gunshot to the head can be healed by CPR. That’s canon. But no one gave Wash CPR so it’s a big thing, okay. It was canonically a big thing, and Zero erased that. This is not me saying that a Cerebral Enhancer couldn’t work in the RvB universe. Imagine it being done right. Wash struggling with the choice of getting used to his disability or accepting the possibility of help - at the cost of reliving his trauma. The struggle between what to choose - what should he choose when he wants to help as many as possible, the sacrifices he thinks he has to make, the way it could have been used as a part of his character growth. But in Zero, the enhancer isn’t a part of Wash’s character. It’s there so the story can work without having to deal with the previous plot’s consequence (HOTDOG).

Same with the sword thing. They sorta explain it by having Tucker flatline, but it’s weak. Honestly, I find it sorta offensive. What about Locus’ sword as well? It’s twisting previous lore to make the new plot work (HOTDOG). (Also, are we not gonna talk about the ultimate power being Spencer Porkensenson’s helmet? Have the writers forgotten Spencer Porkensenson? Have we as a community forgotten Spencer Porkensenson?)

If you have Red vs. Blue in your title, you cannot ignore what you inherit from it. You need to respect the worldbuilding, the established characters, and the previous plot. Zero does not do this.

Let’s talk about the Triplets. No, really, let’s do it. I don’t think I’ve ever talked about them before, because season 14 was a mixed bag for me (that I have now learned to appreciate. Thank you, Zero.) because I have heart at the size of the Grinch and can only love a few characters at a time, and that did not include the Triplets. Can’t even remember their names. Well, I can, but I can’t for the love of me remember which state is which, and my tongue is twisted every time I try to say Ohio, Iowa, and Idaho, and I know it’s on purpose. I know it is. And it got me good. That being said, the fandom actually embraced them really, really well! Seriously, I’ve seen more content for the Triplets than for Zero as a whole.

Why talk about the Triplets? (Was Iowa the lesbian? Or was it Ohio? Fuck.) Because like Zero, they introduced new characters with a story of their own. The Reds and Blues didn’t play a role. But here’s what I feel like the Triplets got right. They didn’t change the settings to force their narrative. They used stuff already established (Project Freelancer), added their own story as a continuation of that. They even included old characters in the beginning (Wash and some other Freelancers) but it felt natural and it didn’t feel like it happened at the expense of the old characters. Wash’s writing felt natural, and his presence wasn’t needed to tell these new character’s stories. He wasn’t a prop to them. He was there to establish the setting and to establish the relationship with these new characters, and then he and the other familiar faces (helmets??) left, and we as the viewers were left with these new characters. And the new characters told their own story by themselves. It felt like, hey, here’s something you know – remember Mother of Invention, and remember Wash’ lower rank, but now, try to imagine being even lower rank than him, aren’t you curious about those fates? Now let’s hear their story! It was new, it was something else, but it didn’t wreck what came before it, and it stayed true to the classic vibes of RvB.

As I said before, the hotdog-issue is my biggest problem with Zero. It infuriates me. I will return to this. But there are more issues, even if we try to look past the title-related problems.

If we try to imagine Zero as its own story and universe (as it should be, in my opinion), it still earns the meh review from me.

These isolated issues include awkwardness, the writing, lack of self-awareness, and pacing. First of all, holy shit, this is a tell, don’t show. Nothing is subtle, nothing is allowed to develop. It’s like the show thinks you are six years old with an attention span of a goldfish. You are not just led by the hand – they have literally pulled off your arm by the end of the show. We are force-fed every bit of information, every bit of personality from these new characters.

The voice-acting is a mixed bag for me. Sometimes it’s pretty good, sometimes it’s not. Some of the problems can definitely be blamed on the dialogue that you can only do so much with. It’s not good. I can’t remember any good jokes (the one joke I really appreciate was the cast on armor, and that was freaking visual humor. That was so RvB. Kudos to that. It was fun. More of that, please.), and RvB is known for having memorably good lines. This is a show built on good, clever, funny dialogue. Zero does not deliver. You have to sit through clichéd lines – “You’re not my dad”, “I trusted you”, “Come with me”, “It can’t be!”, “She’s way too powerful”, and “We have to do this together” – performed unironically. I cringed more than I laughed. Worst thing is that Zero could be a good parody. Sometimes, it feels like it is. One-dimensional characters, a villain wanting ‘the ultimate power’, very overpowered characters, bad one-liners, etc. But Zero takes itself seriously, and I was one of the people rooting for Jax to show up at the end and yell “Cut”. That would have been a funny-as-fuck twist. A spin-off parody. If I can’t have “Sarge the Movie”, I would have taken that and loved it. I would have forgiven everything. “We put so much info into finding that power, but we had no idea what it was” is really a line in the finale, and I cannot believe this is real in a show that somehow still tries to present itself as serious. What a plot.

We have to talk about pacing. God, first of all it should be stated that RvB is a mess when it comes to pacing. I honestly get what they were going for. Sometimes, RvB has come across as a bit boring when you get three episodes stretched over three weeks without much going on. I know season 11 did not have the warmest welcome because it was seen as boring until the finale. But when you see season 11 as a whole, as a movie, as a part of a trilogy, it works so well. Zero is more focused on being episodic. They want something to happen all the time so we will stay tuned. The thing that will happen – a fight. Oh god. The fight scenes.

I have done the math. I have run the numbers. I deserve a freaking cookie for this. Are you ready?

If you put all the episodes together, you have a runtime of 106 minutes. HOWEVER, with the introduction of credits in every episode, you gotta account for this. Removing the credits, this gives us 94 minutes of actual runtime. Out of that, 45 minutes are dedicated to fight scenes. That means 48% of the show is fight scenes.

If I wanted that many fight scenes, I’d watch Death Battle. Except the actual RvB Death Battle episode has a runtime of 20 minutes, and out of that, 5 minutes is dedicated to the actual battle. For the people who hate math – that’s 25% of the actual runtime.

RvB Zero has more fight scenes than a show called Death Battle. Take that in.

The pace suffers from this. Where’s the time to explore the characters? Where’s the time for good dialogue? All I can think of is this:

I get that RvB is a show that’s literally making fun of itself by acknowledging all their characters do is stand around and talk. I get that you want characters to do more than that. But for the love of Church, would it kill the new characters to stand around and talk? For just a minute? Stop fighting, I am begging you, stop fighting! Am I a pacifist now? Am I purple? Have I joined Doc’s team? What has Zero done to me?!

The good thing though is that fight scenes are very good. They’re entertaining. However, they seem to deconstruct themselves when we need to get a fight scene in every episode. Usually, the few fight scenes in an RvB season were in some of the most climatic episodes. In Zero, I can hardly keep up with the pace because they won’t stop moving. Fight scenes aren’t plot. They aren’t character development. You need more than just fight scenes. They entertain, but there’s a limit to that.

Noël Wiggins, the co-writer, stated the inspiration was a Saturday-morning cartoon. They nailed that vibe. If that was their goal, hurray, they have accomplished something! Because of the poor plot and constant fight scenes, it feels like you could just switch on the TV and drop in at any moment and let yourself be entertained by the cool and colorful soldiers punching and kicking each other. I will admit that the fight scenes entertained me. But they don’t make it a good season.

If I were the six-year-old with the attention span of a goldfish that the show believes I am, I honestly would enjoy it. The stiff dialogue and the constant tell-don’t-show makes you feel like an audience that’s not supposed to do anything else but admire the flashy fight scenes. I miss the cleverness of RvB. I miss the characters I get to connect with as I see them grow.

I miss the tone of RvB. Because this isn’t RvB to me.

It’s not that RvB hasn’t changed its tone before. Holy shit, I sorta do want to experience the absolute shock the RvB fandom went through when s6 aired and they were given new characters and serious plot. I would have loved to experience that, but I was too busy being ten years old. The Freelancers seasons also introduced a new tone and more fight scenes with very talented fighters compared to the Blood Gulch gang, but a balance was kept by having half of the season still revolving around the Reds and Blues. But Zero – Zero is so much change. And it’s on purpose. At least this has been made very clear from the beginning.

They constantly seem to appeal to new fans, rather than be directed towards older fans of the show. If you want an entirely new audience with a season with a new cast, new worldbuilding, and new tone, I’m confused as to why they don’t just make a new show. The hotdog-problem begs for this solution. This story and environment and characters feel so out of touch with the original RvB, that with a few rewrites and lack of Halo-armor, it could just be a new show. Problem solved.

If not this, then present it as a spin-off. In all ways, it feels like a spin-off (again, see everything marked HOTDOG). But the creators refuse to do this, and I don’t understand why. I could forgive many of these issues, had they officially separated themselves from canon.

Ah, what’s the idiom? You can’t both swallow and blow? (You can hear the Bow-chicka-bow-wow in the distance). Something about eating cake and having it. Forgive me, English isn’t my native language. POINT IS why are you calling yourself RvB while actively fighting against the core essence of RvB? In my humble opinion, you can’t be both. Marketing it as a spin-off would have granted it some defense when changing, well, literally everything, and I just, would someone please properly describe why it isn’t a spin-off? Isn’t this season marked by its association with the plot of RvB rather than a continuation of it? Zero presenting itself as not a spinoff feels like a toddler clinging to the hem of its mother’s dress while forcefully running away from her, ripping the dress in the process.

When they do connect with the original RvB, it leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. When they let Carolina, Wash, and Tucker appear for a moment, it feels like luring viewers in with the RvB title. Look at me. Look at me! I’m not saying this is the case. I say that it gives me the annoying vibes of being lured, rather than letting the characters be a part of the show for their own development, rather than having RvB in the title to continue its story. I should not be getting these vibes at all. But I am.

If you want to use RvB in the title, something from the core of RvB needs to be embraced. Things can be changed. They should. Something new should be brought in. But there’s a limit to how much you can change and replace and twist until it would have been better with an original show. As a season of RvB, it should tell the story of Red vs. Blue.

From my perspective, Zero fails to do so.

It pains me that the old cast has been replaced, but as stated earlier, a season could have worked without them. However, I do not like the take that one should be excited about all the new characters. That it isn’t a big thing that the OG cast got replaced. That we should just deal with it. Just, try to imagine another show suddenly replacing the main characters with characters we’ve never met before. Imagine RWBY suddenly only focusing on a new team of huntresses with the previous main characters reduced to an Easter Egg presence, or Camp Camp suddenly being about a new team of campers, no warning given. Can you imagine the outcry? So maybe let’s agree that a replacement of the main cast is a big thing and should be addressed and it’s valid to be upset about this change.

Could Zero have worked? It’s hard to answer this. How can I accept something as RvB if the season actively pushes away the core of RvB aside for an isolated story that could have been told in any other media? As a spinoff, I could have ignored it. To enjoy Zero, I have to fully separate it from RvB in my mind, and then it’s alright. S’not good. But it’s not bad. It’s entertaining enough. I really ended up liking Raymond and Tiny, and there were a few good jokes, and the fight scenes were admirable (but too much) and I love the creators’ passion. But it’s not RvB. I also wish that the new characters had been attached to previous worldbuilding, for example soldiers on Chorus or agents from Project Freelancer. That way we could build on familiar lore which would have decreased the confusion and added a much needed connection with the previous seasons of RvB.

God, the anxious voice is back (by the way, it sounds like Tutter from “Bear in the Blue House”).

“You’re racist” – I hope not. Literally, I do not want to be. Tell me if I’ve ever crossed some lines, because I swear, that is not my intention, I will apologize and most of all, change and do better. I included this because I’ve seen this take thrown around in the big ugly mess that is the fandom clashes regarding Zero. And racism is problem within RT community (this includes AH and RvB, sorry, I just use RT as an umbrella term for the latter), and I’m not saying it hasn’t been a problem with this season. Writers should never be harassed, and never-fucking-ever because of their skin color, and voice actors shouldn’t be treated like they are responsible for the choices of the show. But I was legit nervous to post this review, and I hope it’s been factual without feeling like personal attacks on the creators because that has never been my intention. I was delighted to hear about the diversity behind this project, and Torrian’s passion legit blew me away because it’s been a while since I’ve seen that for an RvB project. I’d hoped for it to be good, and when I feel disappointed, it’s for the reasons stated in this analysis. That said, Zero is made by a diverse cast and it’s made with love, and both of those things are so, so great, but it does not mean that Zero cannot be criticized. It can, and it should. It’s a product, just like all the other seasons, and fans are allowed to discuss it – both what they loved, and both what they found troublesome. And to repeat previous points, and be respectful, always, fuck racists, and never-fucking-ever harass the staff behind a season, what the fuck is wrong with you if you do this.

“Don’t you get it, it’s different because it’s trying something new!” – Hey, remember the philosophical question: if you replace all the parts of a ship one-by-one, is it still the same ship when you’re done? If it doesn’t include the Reds and Blues, if it ignores previous plot, if the old characters feel miswritten, if it values animation over dialogue, if it values fight scenes over comedy, if it wants to be Fast and Furious instead of Red vs. Blue – is it still Red vs. Blue? Because it doesn’t feel like it to me.

“It's been 17 seasons, it’s time to let the Reds and Blues go so someone else can shine!” – I simply do not understand us having been with the Reds and Blues for 17 seasons should be an argument to let them go, rather than be an argument as to why their absence hurt like hell.

“The Reds and Blues ran out of things to do!” – Did- did they, though? I mean, if we were discussing pretty much any other show, I’d probably agree that they were running out of content. But for the Reds and Blues… I think the PSAs nailed it this year! I’m not kidding, I had more fun watching the Reds and Blues discuss how to do laundry than watching Zero. You could literally give me an hour of the Reds and Blues trying to bake a cake or clear a gutter or simply settling down with an ordinary life, and I would trust them to make it worth the watch.

“The flaws were due to the fact it’s only 8 episodes long!” – Look, I can only judge a product the way it’s presented to me. I cannot come up with excuses for it. If they had 8 episodes to work with, they need to come up with a plot that works with this runtime. Seriously, this excuse cannot work when 48% of the season is spent on fight scenes. They could have used more runtime, sure, but the show needs to be able to pace itself and be planned accordingly.

“The OG cast couldn’t be a part of this year, hence Zero!” – That might be true. But. Would one year without RvB kill it? Is Zero necessary? Again, I just can’t judge excuses for the show. But trouble with the cast has been an issue before. Season 15 solves Geoff’s sabbatical by actually making Grif’s absence a part of the plot. Zero’s lack of Reds and Blues just feels like this excuse to tell a story that needn’t be a part of RvB.

Am I a hater? I guess? I greatly dislike Zero for the critique stated above. I do, however, not harass the creators and no one should ever do that. However, I have to admit that I feel there’s been this weird rejection of any critique of Zero where everything’s been brushed off as haters gonna hate, including the critique stated above. And I think that’s a problem because critique, as hard as it can be to hear (and I know this. I’m an author of original works. Weird flex, I know), is valid and necessary and shouldn’t just be shrugged away. As always, both sides of the fandom should always be respectful, but my own opinion is that addressing the flaws of Zero should not be controversial.

Does this super long rant/critique/whatever mean you cannot enjoy Zero? Gods no! I almost envy you if you enjoy this season, but holy shit, feel free to love it and tell the creators that you love it! Me pointing out the issues I have with the season shouldn’t be stopping you. I loved (and still love) s15 when it came out, and it was majorly rejected by the fandom. There were many, many critical posts, people were going on about how RvB should have ended with s13, and it evolved into the writer receiving death threats (me, once again: never ever harass the creators, assholes). But I didn’t tell people to stop being negative. I actually agreed with many of the flaws that were pointed out, and I enjoyed the season despite this, because that is possible. We, as RvB fans, should agree that RvB, is... I mean, it’s not the greatest, most flawless of shows, but we love it nonetheless. So go ahead and love Zero. This is not a stop sign. This is my opinion that you chose to read.

Wait, I promised you a cookie, didn’t I? Well, you’re not getting one. Why? Because I’m a Red and this is my chance to piss off a Blue. As Caboose wisely said: “Well, at least I don't go around... knocking on people's non-doors... and promising them cookies... and then NOT. GIVING. THEM. COOKIES!”

Blue Team sucks.

End speech.

#rvb zero #rvb #rvb zero critical #rvb critical #rvb0 #my rvb stuff #pls dont hate me for this #this is my honest opinion that people apparantly wanted to hear #as a standalone story zero isnt totally bad #as an rvb season it is