#and it's like they are afraid to admit that he is evil and highly problematic

[cosmics-beings]

I think another thing I like about starscream, yet hate that the fandom fails to acknowledge about starscream is that, a lot of his rotten personality and his nastiness comes from way before he meets megatron and way before he was a deception.

That’s not to say that a lot of the ways he acts doesn't mirror megatron and the mistreatment he went through. and that impacts how starscream heals, makes friends, etc., idw - like what megatron did still badly affects him and that's not something to be ignored, and it's still not fair that he doesn't get the same happiness megatron did.

But, I think that people do tend to act as if Starscream was perfect and uncorrupt before Megatron.

That's not true...starscream was also a rotten, manipulative and bad person before that. and a lot of that was in response to how he was treated and hating his own body/existence, and the caste system, etc. We see how a lot of people in transformers react to oppression and I think starscream is such an interesting case of someone who is so angry and furious at the system he was created in that he takes it out on others yet still fights for himself and only himself. It is sad, and it’s awful to see how his own existence and the caste system does destroy him, but I think its important to note and to understand to just see how oppressed people still have to fight through their own oppression and sometimes, because of that, because of the trauma they go through, turn rotten. And Starscream did terrible, sneaky, and awful things. He did shitty things to climb to the top and he hurt those around him, he hurt people he trusted him, and he was happy to be that way. No one made him evil, manipulative, or untrustworthy, he did that on his own.

I don’t like that a lot of the fandom tends to tie Starsream’s negative and problematic behavior and personality to megatron because it also takes away from a lot of growth, agency and discussion about starscream’s personality and why he is the way he is.

He wasn’t a perfect, innocent and shy person before he met megatron, or before he became a deception. He still did awful things and while becoming a deception was a way he could grow past the system that created him, he still did very much do so for power. Starscream was an ambitious yet a morally ambiguous person before megatron and he had to be to survive in his own mind. His life wasn’t perfect and happy before megatron, he was still fighting and he was still scheming to survive.

I really don’t like how people kind of take that away from him, and act like everything he does and every shitty way he acts is *because* of megatron. I know it’s not fun to have to admit that he wasn’t a good person before megatron met him, but I think it’s necessary to understand his character, and not a lot of people do. And when you don’t do that, you have people misinterpreting his character and being genuinely shocked when he does villainous things. Like for instance, sky bound starscream’s actions shock a lot of people because they don’t think that he is a villain - I remember a lot of ES critique is that earthspark starscream doesn’t need a redemption act- he just needs people to love and accept him. And I think you guys forgot that he was also a space fascist and enjoyed killing people on his own accord. And while megatron himself does impact how starscream acts and treats others - starscream still was an extremely problematic person eons before he met megatron.

I don’t think this negates just how badly Megatron’s treatment fucked him up, and made it so that it was difficult for him to form relationships even after, or find happiness. And I think that’s just something that cannot be ignored. But I also think starscream is more interesting as a character if the fandom acknowledged that he was this way before, that he wasn’t perfect or innocent, and that he reacted that way because he was unhappy with is life, his station, his caste, etc.

this also isn't a chance to come and try to excuse how megatron treated him, so pls don't do that on here.

[captains-log-reviews]

Disney’s Peter Pan (1953)

Summary/Overview:

I’ve been considering a Hook-themed review blog for some time now, and what better way to start off than with the classic 1953 Disney film? Originally slated to be Disney’s second animated film after Snow White, the idea for a production of Peter Pan was in Walt’s mind long before it hit the big screen. Walt himself had played Peter in a school play as a boy and had retained a fondness for the story ever since. The first major film version to feature a boy (Bobby Driscoll) in the titular role, Disney’s Peter Pan has since become perhaps even more widely known than Barrie’s original. That being said, I think it’s probably unnecessary to give much in the way of a summary, but for the sake of developing a consistent format for my reviews, here’s the super quick version:

Wendy Darling, a young girl with an active imagination and a love for storytelling, is distraught when her practical father decides that it is time for her to grow up and move out of the nursery with her brothers. Later that night, after her parents have gone out, Peter Pan—the flying boy hero of Wendy’s stories—shows up at her window and offers to take her and her brothers to Neverland, a magical island with mermaids, “Indians,” and pirates where they will never grow up. Unfortunately the kids get caught up in the plans of Captain Hook, who wants revenge on Peter for cutting off his hand and feeding it to a crocodile. Ultimately, Hook captures the children and nearly kills Peter with a bomb in the guise of a present from Wendy, but Tinkerbell, Peter’s loyal fairy friend, saves him just in the nick of time, allowing Peter to free the children from Hook’s crew and fight the captain in a final duel that results in Hook being chased off into the sunset by the crocodile. Wendy and her brothers return home safely, and Wendy realizes that she isn’t so afraid of growing up anymore...only to have her father admit that maybe holding onto her childhood a little bit longer wouldn’t be such a bad thing after all.

What I Liked:

Those of you who followed me over here from my other Hook blog, not-wholly-unheroic, already know that I am more than slightly biased when it comes to Disney’s Hook. I distinctly remember the first time I saw him on screen when I was twelve. The sequel had just come out on video, and ABC was doing its usual Sunday Disney movie (and advertising) by showing the original Peter Pan one weekend, followed by the sequel the next. I was bored and had never watched the film before, so I decided to give it a shot...and I was instantly struck by how different Hook was from any Disney villain I’d previously encountered. While most of the classic villains are motivated by greed, vanity, or the desire for power, Hook’s feud with Pan is at least somewhat justified considering he not only lost a hand but also faces the constant threat of the crocodile as a result of our supposed hero’s actions. Additionally, prior to Peter Pan, Disney’s major villains (Queen Grimhilde/The Evil Queen, Lady Tremaine, the Queen of Hearts) were typically rather flat and lacking in personality. We see only their wicked side (or in the case of “Man” in Bambi, we don’t see them at all!). Hook is a major departure from this trend in that while he is clearly made out to be the bad guy, we also see him in moments of fear, weakness, and self-doubt. We see him sick and in pain and ready to give up at times. Suddenly, he isn’t just a villain anymore... He’s a person we can empathize with. Walt himself recognized that the audience would “get to liking Hook” would not want him to die as he does in Barrie’s canon, opting instead to have him “going like hell” to get away from the crocodile but ultimately still very much alive at the end of the film.

Aside from Hook himself, I love the dynamic he has with Mr. Smee. While Hook admittedly doesn’t treat Smee well, there is clearly a bond of trust between them. Early on in the film, for instance, Smee prepares to shave Hook with a straight razor. It’s a moment that is ultimately used for comedic effect, but when one considers that Hook has a crew full of literal cutthroats, it says a lot about Smee that Hook feels totally at ease with this man putting a blade to his neck. Smee repeatedly attempts to intervene to save Hook when he doesn’t have to, and Hook unfailingly looks to Smee when he’s afraid for his life or when he needs to send someone out to complete an important mission for him. It’s a villain/sidekick dynamic that borders on friendship, and I think it adds a lot to the film and to Hook’s complexity as a character.

As far as artistic choices go, it is a rather minor thing, but I love that they kept the stage tradition of using the same actor for both Mr. Darling and Captain Hook, giving the film a rather dreamlike feel and subtly reinforcing the enmity Wendy feels toward her father in real life as she faces off against Hook in the Neverland. Speaking of the actor, Hans Conried isn’t just voice for Hook, as many would assume... He IS Hook as much as any live-action actor could be. I love the old hand-drawn animation style and how they used to use the actors as live-action reference models. (You can see some shots of Hans as the reference model vs the final images of Hook in the film here.) If you’ve ever seen a recording of Hans in one of his other roles, you’ll notice he doesn’t just SOUND like Hook...he makes the same facial expressions (particularly in how he speaks with his eyebrows) and hand/arm motions. It’s small details like this that make Hook (and all the characters) more human and show just how much time, effort, and love the animators put into their work.

What I Didn’t Like:

RACISM. With a capital “R.” There’s no sugar-coating it. Unfortunately, Disney’s film falls victim one of the many problematic tropes of the time when it was made and portrays the island’s native characters as highly caricatured, ignorant, and—in the case of Tiger Lily—romantically exotic people. Their signature song, “What Made the Red Man Red” is lyrically painful to modern listeners with any sense of decency, and the villagers’ character design—from their bright red skin to their large noses and often extreme body shapes (very fat or pencil thin)—along with their badly broken English is highly uncomfortable, to say the least. On the other hand, Tiger Lily, the most realistically drawn native character, is shown dancing flirtatiously for Peter and subsequently rubbing noses with him in what is meant to be a sort of native kiss (based on the concept of the “Eskimo kiss” which in and of itself is not a politically correct term).

Aside from the glaringly obvious issue of racism, my only real complaint with the Disney film is the music. While the songs are pretty standard for films of the day, I personally don’t find most of the music particularly memorable or catchy. “You Can Fly” is alright, I suppose, but the next few songs have their issues. “Following the Leader” and “What Made the Red Man Red” both have racist undertones, and Wendy’s lullaby, “Your Mother and Mine” puts the kids to sleep for a reason... It’s sweet but rather boring and drags on for far too long to keep the audience’s attention. Less time on the lullaby and more pirate sea shanties, please!

On the flip side, Hook is arguably the first Disney villain to get his own theme song, which is pretty cool. The original pirate song (which you can find here) is a bit more sedate than “The Elegant Captain Hook” we end up with and focuses more on the joys of pirating in general than why Hook, specifically, is someone the kids should want to work for. Personally, I’m glad they chose the song that they did, though I do wish they’d given Hook more lines as originally planned. (You can find the lyrics to the full version here.)

Would I recommend it?

Despite its flaws, Disney’s Peter Pan has had a major impact on the legacy of Peter Pan and how we view the characters as well as Neverland itself. It has long been a personal favorite of mine and acted as a gateway into the fandom for me. It introduced me to Hook as a likable, sympathetic, and complex villain and I’ll always be grateful for that. I definitely recommend it to anyone entering the fandom, those with a fondness for the nostalgia of classic Disney films, and kids at heart of all ages.

Overall Rating:

As much as I love the film and want to give it a perfect score, I’d be remiss if I didn’t deduct at least a few points for the depiction of the “Indians.” Otherwise a lovely version of the story so... 4/5 stars

[sonnefur]

I am going to cry

I’ve found the first hard evidence that my religion has been coopted by... troubling people. They’re bigoted, sexist, misogynistic, homophobic, anti-semitic hateful people. Nationalists. Presumably white. 

I feel... sick to my stomach. My heart hurts. I’m afraid. I’m so afraid. 

Content warnings for homophobia, misogyny, xenophobia, so much hate.

I’ll admit I started off kind of snippy, but then horror. I didn’t have the will to be snippy any more.

You both like paganism, and pagan.

Stranger: hey you

Stranger: you need to come to terms with reality

You: huh?

Stranger: there is nothing wrong with traditional patriarchal norms

Stranger: nor is there anything wrong with a masculine dominated polytheistic ethos

You: ill disagree with you there

You: probably because youve never been hurt by the patriarchy

You: but these things happen

Stranger: patriarchy will return

Stranger: no but it's okay to hurt people who aren't hetero males

You: unfortunately its never really left

Stranger: they are actually problematic

Stranger: it isn't strong enough

Stranger: we need full patriarchy

Stranger: not just implicit

You: im sorry you feel that way

Stranger: i am sorry but you have no right to tell me what to do

Stranger: I am born superior to you

Stranger: We need to bring back those values

You: thats cute but no

Stranger: you only exist like this because of the law

You: i exist as i choose to exist

Stranger: what if the law made you legally effectively a 3rd class slave?

You: thats all

Stranger: no you don't

Stranger: you have no rights

Stranger: you fucking faggot

Stranger: you owe me respect

Stranger: I am sick of having to live in this stupid monotheist nation

You: respect is earned not owed

Stranger: it is earned only by men

Stranger: never by faggots

You: cute but youre wrong again

Stranger: you're brainwashed by egalitarianism

Stranger: why does equality make sense at all?

Stranger: equality is a bad thing

You: and youre obsessed with your dick

Stranger: no

You: yeah

Stranger: masculinity is about chromosomes and testosterone

You: and your rage boner because you think your rights are being impinged upon

You: women have testosterone

Stranger: not as much

You: everyone has testosterone

Stranger: not even close to as much

Stranger: women are stupid trash

You: tell that to women with pcos

Stranger: look, the idea of love is another stupid idea

Stranger: any man who loves a woman or another man, romantically, is just a tool

Stranger: that shit is shameful garbage

Stranger: we need to bring back the roman value of gravitas

You: sounds like someone is bitter

You: hm

Stranger: i simply want to rule

You: solemnity?

Stranger: i want a new roman empire

You: you dont seem particularly solemn

You: i stand by my observation of the rageboner

Stranger: we need a class of highly selected highly intelligent males who can wield power

Stranger: no sissy talk

Stranger: you're just a fucking faggot who thinks he has any say in the world

You: wrong on two counts

Stranger: protip faggot: you shouldn't

You: You know who liked men?

Stranger: pure patriarchal power will return with brutality

You: Roman men

You: And Hellenic men

Stranger: actually romans considered the men who were penetrated low status

Stranger: and guess what freak

You: More rageboners?

Stranger: by the 3rd century roman culture had come to consider homosexuality a bad thing

You: Sources?

Stranger: the medieval world was roman-esque in culture, largely, and was homophobic

Stranger: homophobia was a step forward in civilization

You: Sources?

Stranger: we must revive romanitas

Stranger: oh my god faggot

Stranger: this shit is basic

Stranger: KNOWLEDGE

Stranger: you fucking FREAK

You: I'm quite familiar with Roman and medieval history

You: I'd like your sources

Stranger: this is incredibly basic, what am I wrong about?

Stranger: please, tell me anything I'm not accurate about

You: So you're saying you have none

Stranger: you're insane

You: No sources?

You: That's unfortunate

Stranger: you don't have sources for telling me caesar got assasinated either

Stranger: you dumb fag

Stranger: it's called common knowledge

Stranger: you're feigning ignorance to spread your aids

You: Not necessarily

Stranger: you filthy faggot freak

You: Maybe you should get the rageboner looked at

You: An erection lasting so long can't be good for you

Stranger: maybe you can go google if it's livy, or suetonius

Stranger: or someone else

You: Priapism is not healthy

You: Maybe it's Livy or Suetonius?

You: That's not a source

Stranger: you're very focused on erections, faggot

Stranger: maybe is maybe

Stranger: you don't fucking know either

You: And you're very focused on men who love men

Stranger: god you fucking pathetic sicko

You: How does it harm you, when a man loves another man?

Stranger: look, homosexuals are fine as long as they do their shit in private and hide it out of shame

Stranger: stay the fuck away from normal society and children

Stranger: and maybe your extra nice relatives won't throw you to the dogs

Stranger: maybe

Stranger: that's returning

Stranger: you'll see

Stranger: you think it's not? you're nuts

You: I'm curious

You: If homosexuality is fine, why bring up 'faggot' as a constant pejorative?

Stranger: I've been part of a nationalist pagan revivalist group since 2015

Stranger: we revive graeco-roman mores and religion

You: Oh?

Stranger: and by the way a more highly romanized form of christianity is acceptable

You: What's it called?

Stranger: but we must actually revive the empire itself

Stranger: i'd rather not tell you, you could easily use that info to find my real name and location

Stranger: it's all very public

Stranger: so no, I can't reveal that

Stranger: just know that the roman revival is coming

You: I have better things to do than try and look up some random person on the internet

Stranger: people think paganism is all viking fans

Stranger: we're here to bring back the romano-greek pantheon

You: Interesting

Stranger: and by the way the men of the iliad would strike you down just for being the sissy that you are

Stranger: sure the archaic classical world accepted homosexuality

You: Unlikely

Stranger: but they later came to revile it

Stranger: by the time of neoplatonism, homosexuality was reviled

You: Proper guest-host relations were very important to the Hellenes

Stranger: yes, as to the Germans

Stranger: common cultural traits

You: It would be a violation of xenia for me to be stricken down for simply existing and asking for hospitality

Stranger: Greeks were still barbaric until the 3rd/4th century

Stranger: Romans held onto some barbaric views allowing pederasty too

You: Incidentally, a massive violation of xenia was the cause of the Trojan war

Stranger: anything but normal male/female relations that can potentially produce offspring

Stranger: is evil

Stranger: and by the way there is no such thing as rape in marriage

Stranger: the woman belongs to the an in a state of marriage, sans abuse or beating

Stranger: my tribe believes strongly in this principle

Stranger: we raise our girls and our members to reject these post-christian ideas

Stranger: post-christian ideas like the individual who wants to divorce is more important than the collective of the married couple

You: Despite the fact that the Romans permitted divorce?

Stranger: but it was greatly limited

Stranger: also the early julian emperors heavily encouraged popular fertility

Stranger: high fecundity is a primary value of my group

Stranger: we see that christianity largely took over due to high fecundity

Stranger: it's up to us to trust in the Dei (Gods)

Stranger: and produce many, many offspring

Stranger: we need to carry forward the classical spirit

Stranger: and none of that included equality for women, foreign scum or perverts

Stranger: sorry but you are just tolerated as long as you lay down and shut up

Stranger: people like you make me deeply sick

Stranger: if your values are post 1800 then you really deserve to be flogged

Stranger: we need strong, primary, ancient values

You: Interesting idea of 'foreign'

Stranger: yes

Stranger: foreigners are 2nd class in any society

Stranger: that's only right

You: Who is a foreigner?

Stranger: non-Americans

Stranger: those who speak no English

You: Anyone can learn English

Stranger: yes

Stranger: they can assimilate

Stranger: but too any foreigners coming in too quickly can dilute a culture

Stranger: look at what happened to Dacia, you ignorant cumbucket

Stranger: educate yourself!

You: What are you afraid of losing?

Stranger: I'm not going down your rabbit hole, cocksucker

Stranger: you know very well why people naturally oppose foreign incursion

Stranger: the same reason the Gauls resisted Rome

You: I'm afraid I can't really agree.

Stranger: these basic universally applicable concepts are easily understood

Stranger: sorry, but you are just stupid or dishonest

Stranger: more likely the latter

You: Ah, not everyone who shares your opinions is stupid and uneducated, I see.

Stranger: they are though

Stranger: everyone outside my faith is stupid or uneducated

Stranger: if a smart person is educated properly, they will see it

Stranger: we have the supreme culture

Stranger: the knowledge

Stranger: the whole legacy of greece, rome and the west is ours

You: Is my father a foreigner?

Stranger: the gods chose us to bring back their holy epire

Stranger: he might be

Stranger: empire*

You: He's an immigrant. He's lived here for over fifty years

You: Speaks English, barely remembers his mother tongue

Stranger: where did he come from?

You: He shed blood for this country

You: Italy

You: He also isn't a US citizen

Stranger: well he is welcoe here especially as a son of the Romans

You: Is he a foreigner?

Stranger: not anymore

Stranger: but he should really study platonism, the pantheon, the classics, etc

Stranger: we need to bring the world kicking and screaming into a neopagan future

Stranger: monotheism out

Stranger: but a fresh off the boat disrespectful entitled foreigner needs to be slaughtered or beaten

Stranger: like the Romans slaughtered Celts

Stranger: we honor that

Stranger: the celts who sacked Rome are fine to kill

Stranger: they have no right to live as foreign invader scu

Stranger: m

You: And the people who come here seeking asylum?

Stranger: fuck that

You: Like my maternal family?

Stranger: if you don't benefit us economically, fuck off

Stranger: oh is your mother jewish?

You: Yes

Stranger: so surprised!

Stranger: not

Stranger: jews are a filthy people who brought the world monotheism

Stranger: that was the original evil action that made them cursed

You: I hope you rot for the rest of eternity in Tartarus. Shame on you for twisting the mos, and for twisting history to suit your hateful wishes. May the gods of the infernal realm make it so.