#ask missfox

[miss-fox116]

Jackson Storm

Give me a character and I’ll answer!

Do I like them: To be honest, I initially HATED Storm! Not only did he have no character arc, he was also a HUGE JERK! Like, who are you to tell McQueen to retire? Who are you to push my baby Cruz into the wall like that? But, I am warming up to him now. After reading a few fanfics and getting to write him in my own story, I feel like there is more depth to Storm than we all care to think about. I believe that I hated him because Pixar wanted me to hate him. Now that I’m looking at his character a little more, I can’t help but say that Jackson has a lot going on under the surface. I can’t wait to discover more about this poor misunderstood boy! 

5 good qualities: 1) Although he doesn’t have the positive attitude of a champion, he sure wins like one. He may pose a threat to Lightning, but man, this dude can really drive! He is extremely talented in this area and I have to give Storm credit for his incredible racing success! 2) His taste in music! When he backed into his trailer and that dub step blasted through the speakers, I couldn’t help but smile. He really be JAMMIN’! 3) His voice! Armie Hammer really brought Jackson to life and you can tell that he had so much fun with the role. Plus he sounds even cooler with that deep voice of his lol! 4) His clap backs!! Jackson’s sass is so spicy! He really knows how to get under people’s skin and he does it with such sarcasm and sass. 5) He is FREAKIN AWESOME LOOKING!! My gosh! When I first saw him in one of the trailers, I instantly wanted to drive a car like that. Jackson is one sexy looking car! Lightning has to step up his game!  

3 bad qualities: 1) He is such (as Armie put it) a gashole!!! He was way too much of a jerk in my opinion, and he is really vindictive when he doesn’t get his way. He longs to win and he will do ANYTHING to crush the spirits of his opponents (and I thought Chick was bad!). 2) He is super cocky! His pride really gets on my nerves cause he’s so full of himself. Him and McQueen may be tied for being extremely cocky. 3) He rarely smiles. I know that everyone is different, but Jackson literally never smiles unless other people are feeling bad. Which is way too bad because he has a great smile and a hilarious laugh!! 

Favourite episode/etc: I actually have 2 favorite Jackson moments: 1) The scene where he first met Lightning. This scene was too funny to me. He just came for McQueen’s life (especially with that stare before he said,”I think you heard me!”) and all Lightning wanted to do was congratulate him on his win!! He even tried to cover up his rudeness by playing nice in front of the cameras.That boy is something else! 2) The scene where he was training on the simulator and passed Lightning. His crew chief, Ray, told Jackson that he wanted to give him some competition. This was followed by some awkward silence and a burst of laughter. Storm’s laugh had me in tears! I wish I could hear it more often! 

Otp: Alright, I may be the odd man out, but I do ship Jackson with Cruz. This is an unpopular opinion, but I think they could work as a couple. I envision Jackson flirting with Cruz just to make fun of her or distract her from her racing career. At first he wants nothing to do with her, but once he gets to know her, he falls in love with her. I believe that Cruz’s personality is so strong that her optimism and goodness will be able to change Storm and show him that he could be a better person. They may be polar opposites in personality and enemies on the track, but never say never! It could work out! Lightning better prepare his shotgun lol! 

Brotp: Aside from his crew chief, I think Jackson has a great relationship with Gale! I think that she acts as a mother figure to him and she might be the only one he ever gets vulnerable with. I think they have nice, long, and emotional talks with each other on long drives. Jackson knows that he can talk to her about anything! 

Ot3: Maybe a love triangle between him, Cruz, and Natalie. After all, Natalie was ALL OVER his stats and was even rooting for him in the Florida 500. This might not prove much, but I’m seeing some sparks there. 

Notp: I do not ship Jackson with Lightning. I don’t know why this is a thing, but I don’t think they would work in a romantic setting. Both of their personalities are so strong that I can see them having lots of arguments. Plus, Lightning is old enough to be Jackson’s father! There’s no way these two can manage as a couple. 

Best quote: “I think I touched a nerve!”- Cars 3

Head canon: It’s a shame that Jackson was so one dimensional in Cars 3. He was just an obstacle for Lightning and Cruz to beat. He even DISAPPEARED when he lost the Florida 500! I believe that he and Lightning should’ve had a moment after that race. I could see Lightning going over to Storm’s tent (or trailer) and really giving him some words of wisdom and encouragement. At first, Jackson tells him to back off, but Lightning explains that he understands the pressures of being a champion and putting on a front for the media. McQueen lets him know that if he ever needs to talk or ask for advice, he will always be there for him. Although they had their differences, at least Jackson knows that someone in the racing world has his back. I wanted a scene like this in the movie, but sadly, it never happened.  

[miss-fox116]

(This isn't anonymous, oops) Can I get uhhhh...entire essay about how much you love Cruz??? thanks 😂

WHY DO YOU LOVE ME SO MUCH??!!

This is literally the best assignment I have ever received! I actually made an entire appreciation post for Cruz with 10 reasons why I love her, (you can read it here if you want), but I’d be happy to restate those reasons again!

A few things before reading:

I divided the paragraphs under different headings (for your convenience)

I took the essay thing very literally! I actually wrote a book instead of an essay haha!

Some of the things may be a bit personal

This essay will contain Cars 3 spoilers

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR REQUESTING THIS!!! Hope you enjoy!!

Why I adore Cruz Ramirez

by: Sarah Fox 

Origins

Before I delve into the various reasons of why I adore this precious banana babe, I must make a small confession: I was never a Cars fan until I saw Cars 3. I was only seven years old when the first movie came out in 2006 and I vaguely remember my exact reaction to it. The only scene that I loved was the neon lights display in Radiator Springs (I don’t know the exact name, but the “Life Could Be Dream” song is very enchanting by the way). Lightning McQueen’s attitude in the first film was a major turn off for me. I was disappointed with his asinine behavior and don’t even get me started on Cars 2! With that being said, Cars was on the back burner in terms of my personal interests. All of that changed when the teaser for Cars 3 dropped in November of last year.I vividly remember me clutching my chest at the sight of Lightning barrel rolling in slow motion. The horrific crash sequence sent my soul into an emotional spiral (it came up as an ad on YouTube that I couldn’t skip). I just knew that I had to see this movie. I desperately wanted to know how Lightning would come back from a traumatizing experience like that.

Cruz and Cristela

Just when I thought that I couldn’t get any more interested in this film, Cruz Ramirez came rolling into my heart.Cruz was the bridge that led me to become a Cristela Alonzo fan. After I saw a brief Cars 3 interview, I knew I had to do some research on her. I saw every episode of her TV series “Cristela,” on Netflix and it always had me in tears of joy. I also saw her stand up comedy special, “Lower Classy” and I was in stitches by the time it was over. When I heard that she was playing Cruz, it was an automatic bonus for me. At first, I thought Cruz would be that annoying character who was extremely optimistic about every situation and had absolutely no flaws. I thought she was going to be this two- dimensional “Mary Sue” with no character arc. After she got vulnerable with Lightning and told him about her racing dreams, I instantly saw myself in her character. 

My Reflection

It was like staring into a mirror. In that moment, I realized that I had a serious issue with self-doubt. Just as Cruz lacked the self-confidence to pursue her dreams, I have the same problem when it comes to seeing myself in a positive light. On another note (one that is not often mentioned),Cruz is a Latina car. When she stated that none of the other racers “looked like her,” I immediately recognized the underlying meaning behind that. I am an African American woman. I’m not trying to play the race card here, but I do understand the struggle of being placed in an environment where no one looks like you or understands your struggle of being a minority in America (I currently go to a predominantly white college). 

Yes, I’ve had some challenges in regards to racism and I know all too well the feeling of not having the same opportunities as others. I also believe that being a woman in general can be challenging, especially since we aren’t exactly considered equal to men in certain aspects. I just appreciate Pixar for their willingness to be real in that way. I love that they integrated Cristela’s story with Cruz’s character. It helped me to relate to her on a deeper and more personal level. Cruz just adds such heart to the Cars franchise and she helped me to realize that even if I come from a broken background (speaking in terms of family), I can still make a difference and achieve my dreams.

Like Father, Like Daughter

 That scene alone is one of the major reasons why I love Cruz. I also ADORE her relationship with Lightning. At first, I didn’t appreciate Cruz giving Lightning the “old man training style” (although, I did enjoy the Zumba!), but I began to enjoy their chemistry once they got to train on Fireball Beach. That scene is one of my favorite scenes in the movie because Lightning is teaching Cruz some techniques without even realizing it! Yeah he got annoyed at her for messing up so many times, but he was determined to help her get it right. Once Cruz got vulnerable (after Lightning yelled at her) about her shattered dreams, their relationship got so much deeper! I also love how Lightning just took Cruz under his wing (or tire), and allowed her to learn about Doc’s past and gain some racing techniques along with him. The Florida 500 scene always tugs at my heart strings!!! I could go on and on about it, but I JUST LOVE how Lightning selflessly gave Cruz her first shot at becoming a racer. This touched my heart because he was there for her and he realized that she was important and that she had potential. Cruz also helped Lightning to realize that he was inspiring people to dream big. I just love the dynamic between them and I gush every time I see Lightning acting like a dad and Cruz just being the precious daughter that she is.

Cutie Pie

For this section, I’m just going to make a list of all the cute aspects of Cruz that I LOVE!!!!! 

Her bubbly personality just brings a smile to my face all the time!

Speaking of smiles, she has the cutest smile EVER! 

Yellow is definitely her color!

Her teeth look like little fangs! They are just too adorable!

The squeal she does before racing

That girl can MOVE!!! (Reach for your lunch!)

She is an emoji! Her facial expressions are priceless!

The fact that she is a fan of Lightning and Louise

The way she calls Lightning “Mr. McQueen.”

The lip bite she does when she races

The doughnuts she does after winning a race

Her spunky attitude (not afraid to tell Lightning that he’s old)

The fact that she’s the “Maestro of Motivation”

That moment when she pretended not to recognize Lightning

The names that she has for her tires

Conclusion

If that wasn’t enough proof for you, let me just say that I LOVE CRUZ RAMIREZ! What else can I possibly say? She dragged me into hillbilly hell with no mercy, she is the sweetest character in the world, she is a direct reflection of me, and she motivates me to work hard and push through the pain. I may abuse her emotionally in my fan fictions, but I still love her so much! 

Bonus: Favorite Lines

“The beach ate me.”

“That’s right! Get him! Get him Mr. McQueen!”

 (To Lightning) “I wanted to become a racer forever, because of you!”

“Show me what ya’ got!”

“USE THAT!”

“You talked him into it! Way to go Mr. McQueen! You can talk a snow mobile into an air conditioner!”

“Uh oh! My GPS says that there’s slow traffic in my way!” 

“I didn’t want to hit a crab! What? It was cute!”

[miss-fox116]

Sally!

Give me a character and I’ll answer!

*Sorry this took so long, I was buried in school work for the week.*

Do I like them: DUH!!!! Sally is a Queen! She’s so strong, smart, and beautiful. I love the heart that she brings to the Cars films and how she often talks some sense into Lightning. She just has a way with words which is why she’s perfect as an attorney. She truly has the power of persuasion (and she isn’t afraid to be as blunt as possible with it!). Need I go on lol?

5 good qualities: 1) She is a very strong and independent woman (she ain’t got no time to be fooling around with those players. i.e. when she met McQueen for the first time). 2) She has such a good sense of humor! (calling Lightning “stinky” instead of “stickers.” Loved that). 3) She isn’t afraid to give the truth to you straight. 4) Her appreciation for the RS gang is so touching. She never forgets where she came from. 5) She is the most supportive girlfriend in the world! Even though they aren’t married, Sally still supports Lightning and his career and she always manages to put his needs before her own (gosh I ADORE those two!). 

3 bad qualities: Are there any? One thing I would say is that I wish she had a little more character development. For me, she was just there to be McQueen’s girlfriend. She barely gets any screen time. I just want to see more of her. 

Favourite episode/etc: I would say favorite moment for this one. My favorite moment was her driving to Wheel Well with Lightning. That is literally my favorite scene in the entire movie! (Even though I didn’t appreciate her throwing water, mud, and leaves at Lightning, I still enjoy that scene all the time!). THE MUSIC GETS ME EVERYTIME!!

Otp: SalQueen obviously! 

Brotp: I would say her and Flo look like they have a really deep friendship with each other. Even though all we know is that Flo took Sally in when she arrived at RS, I believe that their relationship has gotten richer because of that moment. 

Ot3: This might seem weird but at the end of Cars 2, I liked the dynamic between Lightning, Francesco, and Sally. I feel like the rivalry between Lightning and Francesco is always fun to watch and things get more tense once Sally is involved. I imagine a a heated love triangle between these three. 

Notp: I don’t know of any.

Best quote: “Don’t fear failure, be afraid of not having the chance. You have the chance!”- Cars 3

Head canon: Sally and Cruz make girl time a priority. Whether its watching a movie together, taking a drive, going to the mall (idek what they would buy) or simply having a bi-weekly lunch at Wheel Well where they talk about life and share each other’s experiences. They really spend a lot of quality time together (sometimes even getting on Lighting’s nerves just for fun lol!).

[miss-fox116]

Sheriff!

Give me a character and I’ll answer!

Do I like them: Sheriff is just a BOSS okay! Lol I really do like him, but I wanted to see more of him. To me, he was such a minor character that it was a bit hard for me to get attached to him. He isn’t in my top five faves, but honestly he gives me a chuckle whenever he shows up on screen. He is also known to be very naughty (shaking his behind for Lightning LOL!!!!). He’s a really cool character! 

5 good qualities: 1) I love that he longs to serve and protect the people of RS. He has such a big heart and does everything he can to secure the ones he loves. Tbh, he is THE model police man. 2) He has a dirty sense of humor! I keep referring back to that scene where Lightning barges into Doc’s operating room and gets a glimpse of Sheriff’s undercarriage! The way he flares his behind at Lightning had me in stitches! Y’all better watch out for Sheriff lol. 3) I love the way he wrangles up the “delinquent road hazards” and makes sure that no one else gets the idea of speeding in the town (”NOT IN MY TOWN YOU DON’T!”). 4) He can dance! In the neon lights scene from the first movie, I LOVE the little clip of him swaying to the beat of “Life Could be Dream.” The dude’s got moves! 5) The way he keeps Mater in line. I burst into laughter every time he yells out Mater’s name, which causes Mater to jump. This is seen especially in the scene where he reprimands Mater for talking to McQueen. I was dying at that part! 

3 bad qualities: There aren’t any for me. I just felt like I didn’t get enough moments with him on screen, which sucks because he’s too hilarious!  

Favourite episode/etc: My favorite moment with Sheriff was when Lightning left the town and he made little sniffling noises. Ramone then asked him if he was crying, to which he replied, “No! I’m happy! I don’t have to watch him every second of the day anymore. I’m glad he’s gone!” That response caused Red to drive away crying. I just love that scene! Like, come on Sheriff, we all knew that you were crying over there. 

Otp: I don’t pair him with anyone. He’s a humble bachelor in my eyes. 

Brotp: I believe that he and Doc were extremely close! I bet they go for long drives together or just make some time to talk. They seem to be great buddies. In RS, I believe that Sheriff is definitely Doc’s right hand man (or car)! 

Ot3: I don’t have one for him. 

Notp: I definitely don’t ship him and Doc as a couple. I see their relationship as a brotherly bond. 

Best quote: “Gettin’ a good peek city boy?”- Cars 1

Head canon: On his days off, Sheriff secretly likes to go tractor tipping with Mater. Frank never seems to bother them because Sheriff intimidates him. No one dares to mess with Sheriff! 

[miss-fox116]

For the character meme: Doc Hudson

Give me a character and I’ll answer! 

*Sorry this is so late. I was swimming in papers for school lol.*

Do I like them: YES! I ADORE DOC!!! He is one of my favorite characters in the cars franchise (besides Cruz obviously). I love his character arc and I believe that he is the most interesting character in Pixar history (this is strictly my opinion). He has so many layers and yet manages to give strength and wisdom to everyone he comes across. Not to mention he is the Fabulous Hudson Hornet! He is a racing LEGEND and was voiced by a real life LEGEND: Paul Newman (rest in peace). Needless to say, Doc is awesome! 

5 good qualities: 1) He drops some GEMS in the first movie! His wisdom is profound, especially in the scene where he tells Lightning that his Piston Cups are just empty cups, I mean, that line alone just gives me chills! 2) He has a killer sense of humor! How did he even know that Lightning couldn’t turn on dirt? He is so smug and yet so clever all at the same time. 3) He genuinely cares for every person in RS. He’s the town’s doctor, judge, and mechanic. He isn’t afraid to leave himself undone to protect the ones that he cares about (I just love that about him!). 4) HIS RACING SKILLS! Doc is truly the master of the race track. I wish I could see more of his “tricks” because they are truly amazing! 5) He was such a great father figure for Lightning. Doc saw much of himself in that young race car and he aimed to strengthen Lightning’s skills to make him a champion. As Smokey said, the best part of his life was training Lightning and getting to be a mentor to him (that scene tore my heart strings out!!!).

3 bad qualities: 1) He was too bitter for me in the beginning. He was acting so hostile toward Lightning (I mean I know he was a jerk, but don’t act like you weren’t as cocky as he was when you were his age). I especially hate that he called the media to take Lightning away. Right when he was finally warming up to the town and making everyone happy, Doc just HAD TO ruin the moment!! 2) He was extremely cocky!!! I thought Lightning was bad, but this dude showed up to his first race and already decided to call himself “The Fabulous Hudson Hornet.” Talk about being hypocritical! 3) He was too hard on himself. As he was explaining his past to Lightning, I felt like Doc was blaming himself for crashing and losing his career. I believe that he didn’t have to be so hard on himself. It wasn’t his fault, accidents happen. I hated to see him beat himself up over the incompetence of the racing world. 

Favourite episode/etc: Here are 3, yes 3, of my favorite moments of Doc: 1) The racing scene at Willie’s Butte! That scene blew me away! At first, I really thought that Doc was just an old car with no drive in him, but MAN, HE HAS GOT IT IN THE BAG!!! The visuals and the slow motion drift gets me every time! I’m pissed at Pixar for not including that score in the soundtrack, like that DESERVED to be on it! 2) The moment at the end of the movie (in the after credit scenes) where he and Lightning are racing around Willie’s Butte and Lightning thinks he knows all of Doc’s tricks until Doc drives off the cliff and jumps over Lightning to get back on the track. How does he do it???? 3) In a flashback scene from Cars 3, Doc was balancing various objects on his hood outside of the garage in front of Lightning. This was TOO CUTE!!! He is a total grandpa! 

Otp: I don’t really pair Doc with anyone since he is dead in the movies and him and Louise weren’t really a thing. 

Brotp: Smokey and Doc, OMG!!!!! I love the relationship between these two. Even though they didn’t share much screen time with each other, the mere fact that Smokey kept all of Doc’s letters, hangs them up in the garage and has them cued to a big light shining on them, like wow! After Doc crashed, he didn’t speak to Smokey for 50 years! Yet, Smokey wasn’t bitter about it. He still cared about Doc’s achievements and he supported his relationship with Lightning even though Doc left Thomasville and never returned. These two are truly friendship goals! 

Ot3: I don’t have one for him.

Notp: I don’t have one for him.

Best quote: “Was that floating like a Cadillac or was that stinging like a Beamer? I’m confused. You drive like you fix roads, LOUSY!”- Cars 1

Head canon: Even though Louise and Doc weren’t a thing, I believe that Doc used to play hard to get. He knew about Louise’s little crush on him and he made it his mission to become her secret admirer. Every morning before a race, he would leave her short, anonymous notes of encouragement to help her gain confidence on the track. For championship races, he would leave a bouquet of yellow roses in her tent (these flowers symbolized good luck). Somehow, she always had a feeling that he was the one doing all of these gestures. Although Doc wasn’t into “fast women,” I still believe that he wanted to keep Louise head over heels in love with him. 

[miss-fox116]

Doc Hudson

I actually just answered this one! You can find it here:

https://missfox116.tumblr.com/post/166130537406/for-the-character-meme-doc-hudson