#but that also was bc they really wanted to do the judas contract for some reason
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Two ships that always confuse the hell out of me when I see them are raven x Damian and cass x superboy. I know the Damian and raven came from the animated movies but i don’t really read enough comics to know where cass and superboy came from
Cass and superboy come from batgirl (2000) cass' first solo run and its a very weird ship even then very awkward I'm not even sure if it was meant to be taken seriously considering how weird it felt and how little time they ended up being together for - damian and raven is terrible imo as a ship since they only seemed to age raven down so they could make her and damian into a romantic thing and thar just urks me
#ask#anon#they were really trying to give tims teen titans to damian#but also dicks???#but that also was bc they really wanted to do the judas contract for some reason#idk i hated the animated movies universe so im a bit bias#like i get why some decisions were made#but forced romance is a pet peeve of mine#i do think cass and kon made sense tho#i get what they were trying to do there#but i still dont think they were meant to be a serious couple
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Ok, so this is going to be another kinda-long rant (I was the one who submitted the whole 'Juliet fake feminism thing') so bear with me here part 2 sorry it's like 12 in the morning and my brain is on hyper-drive:
Also a disclaimer- all of these are just a theory of mine!
So this blog has already mentioned that Crimson Skies sounds very anti-Scientology and I did once submit an ask discussing how The Phantom Tomorrow's main antagonist is named '9' as in the nine levels of Scientology, so I did a little more digging into the three songs we have released and here are a list of lines that could relate to Scientology so much it's not even funny-
Scarlet Cross:
"My mind remains my pain, I'm tied down to this chain" could relate to how Andy wants to make a change but can't due to a contract or whatever.
"Will we live when we die?" Directly ties into Scientology's belief of life after death.
"Just keep on saving our goodbyes" as in Scientology's belief of reincarnation?
Fields of Bone:
"Here I am, your Judas Christ." In Christanity, Judas is the one that betrays Jesus Christ. Andy is involved in Scientology (whether willingly or by force) and now he's rebelling against them, this time out in the open.
"Hard to stand when no one gives a damn" as in it's hard for Andy to take a stand against Scientology when so few BVB fans so much as know about it, much less are able to see through his facades and see his struggles.
"Not alone, just not one of them." Is this Andy speaking to himself?
"Heaven hasn't ended so I swear that I'll protect it" as in Andy still believes in his own faith and hasn't yet been completely brainwashed by Scientology?
"All the sinners are sent to rest, all their misery has to end." This sounds as if the tyrannical antagonists of TPT are singing, not the branded 'sinners', and it directly relates to Scientology's belief that they're taking away everyone's sorrows.
Crimson Skies:
"We were born to fight for this when all they ever do is pray"....'all they ever do is pray'. That line speaks for itself in my opinion.
"We take control, (don't give up) when all they know (is corrupt)." They literally used the word 'corrupt' I'm-
"And they worship a liar." The founder of Scientology, L. Ron Hubbard, was notorious for lying often and making up a bunch of accomplishments from his childhood to gain more praise.
"And we won't ever run from the pain you see because now we're free." This could relate to how Scientology doesn't believe in mental health, psychologists, doctors, etc., even forcing people to take vitamins in replacement of their prescribed medications.
Plus (this I found on a Reddit post), in the song 'Coffin', it sounds like Andy's final words before he gets sucked into Scientology, with phrases like 'I'll never let you steal my coffin' and 'Never let you steal my afterlife' and in the music video for this song, a snake is the one trying to steal Andy's coffin. As in Juliet's main symbol and how she's nicknamed 'Mama Snake' and her fans are called 'Snakeys'.
But back to TPT. After all this, I got to wondering- why red? By now we know that Black Veil Brides don't do anything on accident and almost everything has a reason for and some symbolism behind it, especially something as big as the color scheme. This caught my interest especially by how much they exaggerate the use of red in only two music videos, an album cover, and three songs: scarlet cross, crimson skies, all the guys' outfits having red on it, all the red we see in the music videos, the album cover's main color being red, etc. I thought there was no way they chose the color red just for the heck of it and for the 'aesthetic', so I did a little digging, and I found two things that honestly got me jumping in excitement:
1. One of Scientology's main symbols is a cross. A cross.
2. The Church of Scientology's buildings are blue.
Not only this, but even the title of the album 'The Phantom Tomorrow' directly relates to Scientology's main belief of reincarnation and life after death. And the entire story of TPT is about a tyrannical first-class government casting away anyone who sins or makes a mistake and leaves them as outcasts branded with a scarlet cross...kind of like what Scientology does to people who break their contracts and/or openly speak against them- outcasts them from everything, even their own families. At first I was a little skeptical of the idea that TPT was about rebelling against Scientology cause we didn't have much evidence to back it, but now I'm 100% convinced, and also a little freaked out that I was able to discover all this by myself. My FBI agent is probably keeping a close eye on me at this point.
And yeah thanks for coming to my TED talk ✌🏽
these are actually really good theories and although bc they're theories we can't discuss them like actual fact obviously, i will say that a lot of fan theories tend to kind of be reaching but these are actually believable. thank you for sending this in!
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do you think we're gonna get another tt dcamu movie and dickkory after the judas contract? if they're gonna do another one i hope they're not gonna break them up just like they did to superman and wonderwoman. and i also hope it's a prequel. they should really make a movie with that old team 5 years ago because i still don't know how raven and blue joined the team or how robin and starfire became a couple. their relationship would be an awesome centerpiece of the film.
I... don’t have high hopes tbh. I would adore another dcau movie, especially with my babies bc them two are like such a top highlight of the animated movies.
I had some people that told me apparently we aren’t getting another and that they’re wanting to reboot the whole dcau or something so meh who knows.
If they do another one, I agree; I do not want my bubs split up and it would be nice to have a prequel type of movie.
Personally, I would like a Kory focused movie since they threw a lot of Tamaran references our way in JC so it wouldn’t be a crazy idea to have a Tamaran based movie; maybe she has to go back and is asked to marry Karras orrr Blackfire maybe? Idk but I’d like a Kory movie most of all bc she is my absolute love
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So I Finally Saw the Judas Contract
I liked it. I will wait until a second viewing to say weather or not I loved it.
I went in with A LOT of reservations. I did enjoy Teen Titans vs. the Justice League, but still have really mixed feelings about DC’s choice to animate old storylines with totally new team rosters.
Perhaps it is rather unrealistic to hope for a full-blown 80’s experience with a studio that needs to sell current comics, but I desire it nonetheless. When it comes to the individual characters of that roster, and how they were portrayed, I was impressed.
- VERY MINOR SPOILERS -
Dick and Kory were so freaking cute. (I share Tara’s conclusion that “a rock” would have been more impressive than his gift, but we have already established that I have unrealistic desires.) I enjoyed all the hugs and flirtation, but also the important discussions of support and leadership. Very sweet.
Kory in general was awesome. She’s actually a very good leader, and the movie reminded me of that. I had thought of her previously as someone who had become a bit of a team den mother who was especially good at punching things, but the level of patience she’s developed as an adult makes her a good leader in her own right, even though other rosters generally do have someone who tends to reach for the position more overtly (Like respective Robins for better or worse.)
Garfield’s portrayal was great. He’s a teenager. He wants to have fun. He flirts. He does NOT always understand the cues and responses to his flirting correctly. He makes generalizations where he shouldn’t. But he cares. He loves and forgives and has the best of intentions.
I REALLY appreciate what they’ve done with Raven. She’s a bit of a hybrid of her Teen Titans cartoon and comic self. Solemn and mostly sincere. Her moments of sarcasm are really, really dry rather than sardonic (Christina Ricci!! On voice! wow! Perfect.My mistake. Taissa Farmiga. Still wow, perfect. Ricci did the perfeclty believable Tara. A more surprising but still great casting choice now that I have that clarified.) Creepy powers. Pure intentions. I love her.
Jaime’s issues with his family helped him stand out in this story as well. I’ve never read a full story arc of Blue Beatle, so I really needed for him to have his own angst little storyline to endear me to him. The film delivered.
Damian was a little sh*t. But an improved one. One who has learned the value of showing appreciation for people, though he doesn’t have the hang of how or how often yet. You know he’s a jerk, but you can tell he used to be worse. :p
Tara. I remember in the comics how Tara felt like a bit of a mystery, but here she doesn’t. In the movie, I feel like we get in her head enough to see where she’s coming from with the things she does. There were some scary aspects of her from the comics that I expected to be cut. They weren’t. I didn’t expect that to feel right to me, but it did. There are different types of manipulation, and I think the movie showed that.
Slade was such an evil douche. That’s fine. I don’t need my villains to be complex and sympathetic. He was a douche but he possessed a charisma that worked on other characters, but not, I feel, on the audience. I’m totally cool with that.
Yay for portraying Hive and the Cult of Blood in a manner that felt cohesive to me! Watching the villain’s story unfold made me realize how nebulous my understanding of them was before, because I was always missing some TT issues and wasn’t focused on the plot so much. But this was pretty clear and kept my interest.
So overall, happy and impressed. There are hints at expanding the roster for next movie, and I hope that goes well. I’m still adjusting to the modern roster thing (Vic! They miss you! Ditch the league, your new buds are cooler!) Kinda curious how this will go. Bc the writers clearly feel the need to balance elements from the 80’s AND nu52 AND rebirth, that it makes for an unpredictable hodge podge… (Ok. FINE. I want a Geoff John’s roster movie. I’m probably never getting it. Living with this conclusion is haaaarrrd.) But I trust I won’t be bored.
This was fun. Let’s do it again sometime, DC.
#teen titans#the judas contract#teen titans the judas contract#review#dcau#comics#gidgeblog#movies#robstar#dickkory#Garfield Logan#raven#Jaime Reyes#damian wayne#terra markov#koriand'r#starfire
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Heavy Metal Healed My Heart
Let me share with you all my story. (I apologize in advance, it’s a long one).
I have always found comfort in music and can get obsessed with one particular song or band for months. Prior to discovering metal, I was really into classic rock and the Backstreet Boys (I know, but let me have my guilty pleasure). Classic rock was just something I enjoyed more than other genres of music. I could jam to some pop, appreciated jazz/classical, exercised to hip-hop/rap, and enjoyed soundtracks.
Music and reading are my escapes from the world around me. Since I turned 15, I have had a difficult life. Sure, it’s taught me a lot about myself, but it’s also a lot more than one person should have happen to them in a six year span.
My senior year of high school (the very beginning so 2013), I was reading a book whose name I can no longer remember. Before the book even began it said to look at the lyrics and listen to “Dear God” by Avenged Sevenfold. So I did. I fell in love. The music video was sweet, the lead singer was ridiculously attractive and the song was powerful. I didn’t explore much further than that though.
My first year in college, I went through a period where my knee was injured. Instead of delving into the classic rock I had grown up on, I decided to look more into this Sevenfold band. Hail to the King had come out almost a year ago and the second song I ever heard by them was “Hail to the King.” It was so different from “Dear God” but I still really, really enjoyed it. And thus, a love for heavy metal/metal was born.
I started looking into all of their songs. At first, I only bought the ones I could actually jam to. By the end of my freshman year, I owned all of HTTK and the white album.
My sophomore/junior year (graduating a year early so my hours are weird), I was having this weird stomach pain (turned out to be ruptured cysts and an appendicitis) and turned to A7X because I thought their lyrics were really powerful. That semester (Fall 2015), I fell in love with City of Evil and Nightmare.
Now it’s Spring 2016 and I’ve fucked up my knee really good (surgery for that June 14, 2016) and again, the guys are what are keeping me sane. I now own all of their albums from STST all the way to HTTK and I’ve bought tickets to see them at Texas Mutiny in Sept. 2016.
Fast forward to the knee surgery, and I’m a miserable bitch. I can’t use my leg for four weeks and I’m basically a small child again. I am frustrated and bitter and just downright mean, but have found solace in Sevenfold and in music. Their music kept me sane and from there, I started expanding my metal music. I got into Metallica and Pantera a lot that summer. Eventually, I was listening to Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden and Judas Priest. Sevenfold was still my favorite, they always will be, but I was expanding.
Now it’s Fall 2016 and I’m thinking all my health issues are put to the side. I’m going to PT and doing my second to last semester in college and doing my RA job. PT is rough but metal is getting me through it. My best friend and I went to Texas Mutiny (I took some fucking amazing pics) and my love for my boys grew.
Oct. 30, 2016, I am fucking miserable. I puked while working and my friend rushed me to the ER. Four hours later, I have an ovarian cyst the size of my freaking UTERUS. I am shook. How is that even possible? How does a cyst get that big? Once again, I turned to music to calm myself down. I found solace in The Stage. That album was pumping me up throughout dealing with all the doctors. I got my surgery (five cysts were removed, five!) and felt better knowing that I came out of it alive.
That has to be it, right? I’m now a full on metalhead. I love it! I can’t get enough of this kind of music. The lyrics are so powerful and have so much meaning or they don’t and it just has an electric beat. I’m getting other people into Sevenfold or other metal and then it happens.
The pain in my ovaries comes back (turns out the cysts are back and I’m intolerant to my BC). But it gets worse. On 1/21/17, my hands decide to stop working.
To sum it up, I can’t fully bend or flex my fingers, they are often too stiff to write, type or hold a camera, my wrists ache, my elbows ache, my forearms hurt, lifting anything feels like it weighs way more than it actually does, and my hands get freakishly cold as well as reacting poorly to temperature changes.
I am an author (just signed a book contract) and a photojournalist (about to graduate) who has lost her hands. Doctors can’t figure out what’s wrong with me. They are giving me scary options, even the best case scenario is still too terrifying to even think about. And I still have my boys, my bands that saved me.
Though I am completely terrified of the results (have to wait til March), I have found solace in Sevenfold and my heavy metal. My goal is to one day write Sevenfold’s biography (if they want) and to be a concert photographer for metal bands (hopefully A7X). HOWEVER, I am completely scared that I can’t do it anymore. All my money is going to my health, and all I want is to see my boys again before the pain in my hands gets to be too much or before I have to do one of the scary options.
Heavy metal healed my heart, but I still need thoughts, prayers, and good vibes.
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Night’s Review Time! - Teen Titans: The Judas Contract
Where to start... maybe I should set it out kinda bit by bit.
So, pals, the much awaited (by me at least) “Teen Titans: The Judas Contract” came out today via digital download. I’m telling you; last night I was a mess bc I was so on edge with wanting to see it. Time difference fucked me over bc by the time it was released digitally in America, it was like 5am here so ya know. I had to just “sleep” to pass the time. I know right? How lame.
Anyways, enough of me babbling about my first world problems.
Stop reading here if you have yet to see the movie and/or do not want it ruined. Because, needless to say... SPOILERS.
The Judas Contract in short centres heavily on the Titans, not too much on any one character but enough for us to be able to get an understanding of each of them that we lacked in the last film.
In particular, it focuses in on Terra; the newest member of the team. She has a rocky attitude (ha I made a joke... sigh i’ll just leave) and tends to keep the others at arm’s length. There is of course a reason for this.
The plot is that of the Titans hot on Brother Blood’s trail and trying to bring him and his cult to a stand still. Meanwhile, Blood has a contract with Deathstroke for the Titans, to help him accomplish his plans of being an “almighty god”.
And anyone who is clued in on the gist of the Judas Contract will know exactly what is going on with our darling Terra.
So, let’s do this. Piece by piece.
I’ll be a good little film student and start with the structure and narrative of the movie. I honestly think it’s okay; I like how they split between showing us the Titans and their personal and professional shenanigans as well as showing us Blood and Slade’s interactions. At times, I felt it was a little choppy and didn’t always flow maybe as well as it should and/or could have. But, all in all, it’s well put together as much as an animated movie can be anyways.
The only thing I feel is somewhat... misplaced is the first scene of the original titans before our current kids. It takes place 5 years prior to the film and it just... I don’t see the point.
Or maybe I do; i’ll get to that in a second though.
We see Robin, Kid Flash, Beast Boy, Speedy and Bumblebee “puttering along” to use Wally’s words, only to be side-tracked by an apparent alien fight occurring nearby. You so know where I’m going with this.
As they near closer, tadaaa, we see our delightful Starfire fighting off Gordanians. So, it is literally a random kinda scene but it kinda works?
Like, I think the way it is just dropped in at the very start is a little random and gives me a sense of misdirection but at the same time, I can see why they’d want to include it.
It re-establishes the whole “titans together” kinda vibe and it gives some background on some characters. Well, Dick, Kory and Gar at least. And that’s what I think is the secondary reason. Starfire is the leader of the current Titans so it does seem fitting to show us where she came from and obviously, it gave a little more depth into where her alliance with Dick started and where their relationship bloomed from.
I really like the scene itself. It’s witty and action packed and for us shippers out there, we got the kiss. But more on that later.
It’s informative and it may have come in more at a thrust like here take this scene and run with it but, it does give an insight into the titans before and looking more into Kory’s origin which, in my opinion is always nice. So, good scene just wrong placement or at the very least, messy placement. It also doesn’t have much of a significant impact on the rest of the movie, itself but I like the... closure of it to be able to understand where some of our favourite characters came from.
Now, to talk about the characters because each of them get at least one moment where they’re explored a little more. I feel like the personalities and backgrounds were explained a tiny bit more with some of them. I honestly loved the characterization of each of them. They’re all individually interesting and throw them all together and you have an awesome team. I feel like no one was really left out or forgotten about too much which I felt did happen with “Justice League VS Teen Titans” which, let’s face it, focused mainly on Raven and Damian.
Speaking of the demon child, I’ll start with Robin first. Now, contrary to popular opinion that we all hate Damian... I do not hate him. I actually really like his character. People refer to him as being the whiny, bratty child which... yeah he is but he’s learning and this movie is definitely a show of that growth. He still has his little threats and glares at his teammates but you see a shift in this film from the last. He is more with the team this time, looking out for their best interests at heart. Even when he follows Terra when she’s going to meet Slade, he is checking on her... technically by spying but hey if he wasn't doing that, would he even be Robin?
He tries to empathise and tells her how much he understands the place she's at which... he really does understand. Like, really. They're talking about Deathstroke whilst Robin is catured and Damian says, "He's lying to you. That's how he does it. Mixing truth with lies. Let me guess, he kept you isolated, dependant, told you everyone was your enemy. Trained you, ruthlessly. And promised you exactly what you wanted." Now... show of hands who agree he is not just referencing Slade there. He has his own demons and he understands it and is trying to slowly but surely, come away from it. Not only does he understand that area, but he also understands coming into and being overwhelmed by the "team" as he's always been alone and had the same trouble adjusting to having people around him who are genuinely looking out for him.
As stated, he can be a little shit and definitely in previous films I have wanted to smack him myself but at the same time, the character is still a kid. Wiser than most but a kid nonetheless. He's settling and I like how they gave him time in this film. They didn't completely steer their focus to Damian, rather made him a small part of the plot. I liked that he was used to share the understanding with Terra too. It's not often we get to see Damian actually reflect like he does in this movie. It was a nice change of pace and honestly, Damian is funny in his ways. Even the way he congratulates Dick on his next step with Kory is a smidge reserved but he's playing nice and that's what counts. I personally love Damian's character and am glad he's being used in the DCAU.
Raven was probably the least looked into but at the same time, had an important role of being the one to sense something off about Terra. Not to mention, the first film was focused solely on Raven and Trigon and all of that so it was nice to still see her as an active character without her being pushed at you too much. Again, I love Raven's character, especially in the DCAU. She's witty and sarcastic whilst still caring for her teammates as a family. She's not all doom and gloom and "omg i'm so goth" which I hate. I hate when she is portrayed as someone who doesn't want anything to do with anyone. She's reserved but she's not a teenage nutcase. Jheez.
As stated, she is the one to pick up on the negative vibes from Terra and yet, still shows her caring side, offering to help her meditate to channel her control. Raven, in some media, I feel is overrated but in this, I think she is done just to the right point. Like, she is well gelled with the team and she has her place and uses and the team love and respect her. I honestly love this version of Raven. I can't expand on it more than that. She is less guarded but at the same time, remains a bit of a mystery.
Beast Boy... Ah, mon petit rayon de soleil. I don't think there is anyone alive who could not be in love with this munchkin. He's hilarious and adorable and you just want to hug him throughout the entirety of this movie. I love Beast Boy's character in all shapes and forms. Like from pieces of comics I've seen to Teen Titans (2003) to Young Justice. Every version is a blessing. He is constantly a ray of sunshine and renowned for being the comic relief of the Titans. There's no question. It's little things. Especially him being such a modern teen in this movie what with his continuous statements like, "Hey! I've got a million followers" it's just so pure and earnest. He literally wears his heart on his sleeve and I wish he was a recognised character more. I don't think he gets a lot of credit in any version really when he deserves so much. The character is so lovable and funny and yet there is an undercurrent of maturity there if you dig deep enough.
When he's talking to Terra and she's throwing stones across the water, he sheds some light on a more adult thought process of the way things are around him. He tells her, "I think pain is what makes a hero. It's like a pressure that either forms a diamond or grinds you into dust." And I love that that statement comes from the supposedly oblivious and funny member. He's childlike but he knows his shit. And your heart kinda just stays with him throughout the film. And after his kiss with Terra, he is flippin' adorable like I cannot even he just keeps cheering and aw, he's such a dork. But as things go grim, you just feel for him so badly like he is such an innocent and so happy-go-lucky that it's makes you sit there like why are you making my precious boy go through this? He is perfectly represented in this film and he may well be my fave from this.
Blue Beetle was a character I found myself drawn to during this movie. I've never really had much of an inkling about him nor have I really cared for his character that much. Like, not in a negative way, I've just been oblivious to his character in the past. Even in the last movie, I didn't connect with the character that much. However, oh boy does that change in this movie. I feel, if anyone had a big part to play in this it was Jaime.
There was such a sad undercurrent about his struggles that weren't touched on that much in the previous movie. I mean, we see him call his family and talk but there's the unspoken tension which allows you to understand there's a distance since the scarab fused to his body. It's horrible bc you can really feel the struggle and the sadness that he feels underneath it all with this movie. This of course also made his character extremely lovable. Vulnerable superheroes are my weakness. What can you do? But, along the same lines, you can see he is still having issues controlling the "bug" and that it greatly frustrates him, especially when he gets flustered around Traci and is in a closet trying to tell the bug to calm the fuck down. Ah, so many moments that made me smile.
Nightwing was delightful, as always in this one. I mean, I like his character throughout the animated movies. He's such a good mix between serious but also has his playful moments, something better explored in this movie, I think. I really liked how they focused on him at times. Obviously, towards the end I was happy it was him that came to the rescue kinda thing when I know a lot of people thought they would give it to Damian. And rightly so it belongs to Dick; he has a huge role to play in the Judas Contract because he dons the Nightwing persona. Now, this was slightly altered in the movie because he was already Nightwing but I like how they still gave him a suitable amount of spotlight to show he is an integral part still.
His personality is one of my favourite things in the entirety of this movie like to be completely honest. He's just so well portrayed in the sense he can be serious and focused and determined like he's trained to be but he can also be normal, like the rest of them and hang out with his friends and be jokey etc. I just really liked how they used his character in this one.
And lastly, my lovely Starfire, who you should be aware is my absolute favourite so excuse me if I gush. I love her characterization in this film. I like the fact that she is bubbly and positive. I like that she can have her defiant moments. I like that she is more confident. I like that she's flirty every now and then. I like that she's so down for her team like she loves all of them nuggets. I absolutely love that she is leader. I cannot stress that enough but I love the fact she is the leader because I feel she is that kind of character in the sense like she's not stupid; she is incredibly capable of doing a top notch job.
One thing I absolutely adore about how she was explored in this was looking at her insecurities of being said leader. Also, we see her sadly reflect on fleeing Tamaran and they're just subtle pieces to her backstory and ya know, it is sad for her because she's an alien still struggling her way through life on Earth and she probably does feel, more often than not, like an outsider but masks it with her happiness. She's unfamiliar with certain things even after a few years and tries hard to make the most of it and I admire her character for that.
The leadership issue was an amazing thing to see her feel insecure about. Like, she got a bit irked with Dick treading on her territory because he naturally would after being the leader for so long before her. But, she doesn't just do the cliché of not telling him about it and causing all kinds of tense drama. She opens up a lot about how she feels with being the leader because let's not forget, she followed Dick before he left so now that he's back, it's ridiculously unsettling because she'd be constantly comparing herself and second guessing whether or not she's up to the task and measuring herself to him. I really, truly liked seeing the vulnerable side to Kory which I also like that we only got to see her do in the presence of Dick. Notice, she may feel insecure about it but she isn't about to let it show to the team in fear of furthering her doubts of herself. All round love for Kory in this film.
And... we're down to Terra. Ahh, so many thoughts on Terra.
I have always been up in the air with Terra. I'm not sure just how she is in the comics because i've only ever seen bits and pieces and never got a good grasp of her character in that so my main judgment comes from Teen Titans series and this film, really.
But, I like Terra's character a lot. I really like the way she is in this too. She's an extremely complex character with a lot of boundaries and it's strange. She's guarded but she seems to let all the wrong people in and keeps all the right, influential people at a distance. I really enjoyed seeing the flashbacks on her backstory and how she was abused and mistreated by so many people around her. I've always wondered about her history because it's a little vague and never really goes in depth in the series at least. You just get the vibe she travels around with no sense of direction and with no home to go to so it was like getting closure to see her backstory and the struggles she's come through.
Only then, of course, to be found by Slade which makes me wanna scream. Like I feel like people forget that Terra is young and impressionable right and has always had people tell her she's a freak and never even had something that closely resembles a friend. So, when Slade reaches out, it's a no brainer she would accept. It doesn't make her a bad character; just someone who needed help and thought she would get that from this asshole. I like seeing the familiar lack of control with her powers again; it reemphasises the unstable nature within her as a person as well as with her abilities.
And you know, with Terra I feel she somewhere, deep down knows that Slade is bad and she knows she doesn't want to be a bad person. But, I think she is a character that is so desperate to be cared for in any way that she lets herself be used and tries to disparage the knowledge that she is in fact, being used. We can see that from the way she reacts to Damian flat out telling her what she knows is true but doesn't want to believe.
I think it's pretty self explanatory as to why she reacts kinda aggressively towards the Titans when they're trying to help and be nice to her and genuinely show care for her. She's never had that before so of course she's gonna get defensive and get her back up.
The thing with Terra, as a character, is she does things not everyone looks at in a different light. In my opinion, she makes a ton of bad decisions but in every variation I have ever seen, she kinda redeems herself in the end. Like, she does it as a last act of showing she is capable of doing good and that in the end, she could make the right decision.
Terra is definitely a character that I like in this and in general bc she's back and forth, unpredictable but in some ways, relatable regarding trust etc.
The relationships in this movie. Oh boy. Like there's such a good mix between familial and romantic relationships in this movie which I know is something they said at the wondercon panel that they were really putting effort into this time around. Like, I want to mention one which was more obvious in the first Titans film that really makes me happy and that's Raven and Kory. Like I really like how comfortable and sisterly they are? Like even in this one, I took silent joy in Raven sitting and meditating whilst Kory trains like the companionship is sweet. It's probably more so me because I really love them two as besties and sisters.
I secondly, like the little interactions with Jaime and Gar when he's all bummed about Terra showing next to no interest in him. I really like Dick and Damian's little interactions throughout like I just enjoy them tbh bc it's such a love/hate kind of relationship but they'll always have each other's back kinda thing. I found myself liking the dynamic between Damian and Raven. Like I lowkey love them as either just really good pals or even romantic. I don't know why but something about their interactions makes me smile and at the end when Rae brings out whom I can only assume is Titus; I found myself cooing. And shockingly, I found myself enjoying the Beast Boy and Terra relationship which weirded me out because BBTerra has always kinda been a notp. But it was sweet that she seemed to calm down and open up a little and let her guard down a little more around Gar. And their kiss was adorable if not just because of Gar's reaction afterwards. Nope this dope doesn't just play it off coolly; he's whooping and grinning and it's frickin' cute. I really enjoyed the interlaced relationships. They were heart-warming and made me connect easier with the characters and movie as a whole.
And of course, Dickkory is going to get a whole paragraph because what kinda trash shipper would I be if I didn't? These two in this film are to die for. Their relationship is so healthy and balanced in this which is the way it should be. Like, they really portray them in the best kind of way. They throw in so many dynamics that make the two of them work. There's the fact they are friends and teammates whilst being able to make little jokes to each other regarding their romantic relationship. There's the playful and flirty side which we've seen from their phone calls in the previous line of films without being distasteful. There's the trust and the worry and it's just all round tender and sweet. There are so many scenes with Dick and Kory in where they're being cutesy; it'd be hard to pick a favourite. There are a few up there though. The early scene of him being a dork and asking her to move in together in front of the others just makes me melt. The hug. The little box with the key inside. The fact Dick has this running thing of getting interrupted with Kory with literally anything made me smile. Like, let the boy have some alone time with his lady. Damn. The other scene is the training scene hands down because it's fucking hilarious. Kory is so direct and Dick has to quickly stop her from talking about their sex life. God, I almost cried with laughter. It's fluffy and cute. Like, I'm genuinely surprised with how much Dickkory DC put into this and like they also didn't fuck things between them by the end of it? Like, I'm still so shocked?
There were so many scenes and Dick was such a sweetheart in most of them, especially when Kory was feeling a little insecure. Like, the hugs were a big favourite I'm not gonna lie to ya, guys. It's just nice to see them like this in media tbh like domestic fluff with them is my weakness. They're very laid back in the sense they can make a remark about their relationship and not have it compromise a mission or anything and that's the shit I live for with this movie.
As for the story itself, I thought it was nothing too spectacular but it wasn't awful either. It had it's climactic parts and there was one part with Dick when I thought he was a goner. The fighting scene at the end with Blood and with Slade... all of it was wonderful; as was Terra's spotlight moment. It made me sad, it made it excited and it made squeal. So, all in all, I think the plot was good too. It wasn't a difficult or boring one to follow which always means better rather than worse.
The art style was something I wanted to mention, being the former art student I am. I actually really love the style of these films. Like, it looks more like Young Justice than anything else but it's cut, clean and crisp designs which is my frickin' drug. It doesn't look half assed or anything like that. The only thing I can never help but notice are the pinched brow lines on our batboys masks. Like they just continuously look angry and there's few times the lines chill out. And, gotta mention what I can only assume are stress/tired lines more so on Dick's face. Like, is it overdrawing or is it just Dick because he is continuously worn out. I dunno ya'll. Not saying these lines are bad, I just noticed them and thought I would mention it too.
Something I really like is the voice acting. I love all the choices for each character and think they fit with personalities really well. In particular, I found myself really loving Deathstroke because of his voice. Like, there was a gritty, oily sound to his voice which really worked well to mirror the type of character considering he is a badass villain. So, a big kudos to Miguel Ferrer who unfortunately passed away earlier this year. Rest in peace; you did the character justice, in my opinion. Deathstroke was morbidly funny too which I am always a sucker for. Like, sarcastic or wise-cracking villains? Gimme' em'.
Note worthy parts of the film that I highly enjoyed or at least appreciated was that first scene bc I am shipper trash and we got given the infamous kiss so it was always gonna win me over.
Another is the massive nudge that Wondergirl will be a part of the team in any future project as she was shown as the "new girl" at the end of the movie which makes me happy. I'm just hoping that they keep it as Donna because, let's face it, we all want it to be Donna.
Lastly, something I was more so... happy with was how they showed Slade and Terra together. I mean their "relationship" is gross in any shape or form but what I mean is, I'm happy they didn't go too far or do it too distastefully. It was somewhat diluted down so that we didn't get a repeat of the shambles that was The Killing Joke. I mean, it's still bleugh but it wasn't actually graphic or anything like that, at least which I appreciated because I didn't want that near me.
Some flaws I noticed or things I didn't get an answer to or just simply didn't like weren't that many things. One thing that does stand out due to being unanswered is Dick's red suit. It really doesn't bother me. Like red, blue; I don't care but I would have liked them to address as to why it is different. I mean, is it due to being New 52 inspired or is it something else like did he wash his suit with a red sock? What is it? This is probably the only thing I really questioned like whuuuut.
Another thing I was a little "oh." at was the amount of screen time that Joey got. I mean, I'm not about to start raging but if there's one thing I know about The Judas Contract, it's that he was a big part of it; a huge part in fact and it was a little disconcerting to see him on there for like a minute before getting shot in the head. I just think it's a bit of a poor choice on DC's end like he could have had more to do with the story at least a tiny bit more but alas, they did not go down that route. Though, I think a lot of people missed the ending. At the very end of the credits, Joey's head wound heals and his eyes begin to glow and he wakes up so if that's not a hint to another movie involving him more, I don't know what is.
Always remember to stay after the credits, kids.
My future predictions for another movie is definitely not concrete; far from it but it's just things I would like to see and wishful thinking. One thing I would like to see and am quite hopeful for, all things considered is that of Kory and Donna's beautiful friendship. Fucking love them ladies together so yes, that one seems like a simple ask.
Other things include maybe a plot regarding Kory heading back to Tamaran to deal with her asshat of a sister because we've heard mentions of Kom in both this film and the last so I'm curious if that'll lead anywhere. However, I do not want this shit turning into Kory getting married out of duty. Like, no. Keep her with Dick in their adorable apartment eating Chinese food and watching looney tunes.
And lastly, the biggest stretch of wishful thinking would be introducing us to Mar'i Grayson. Like, I would fucking love if baby Mar'i was or became a thing in this universe just because I'd explode from the cuteness. And think, we could get cute bits of Dick being like no, babe to a pregnant Kory wanting to join in on missions. Of course, I'm not naïve or stupid to think Mar'i will ever be brought in because let's face it, we were on edge about Dickkory with this movie. I don't wanna push my luck. But, she is a wishful thinking topic for future Titan films. Baby Mar'i would be acceptable, highly unlikely, but acceptable and very well received.
Overall, I absolutely loved The Judas Contract. There is not much about it I would change and I wrote this to showcase all aspects. As in, I'm not just saying I love the movie because it features Dick and Kory together. I love it for various reasons. In fact, I'm about to watch it again because I can and because I'm trash for it.
Hope you guys, if you made it all the way to the end, enjoyed my review. I really didn't mean for this to turn into an essay but here we are.
Oh and if anyone comments and tries to just be a dick about what I've written, I won't be dignifying it with responses. This is purely a review of my opinion. You don't have to like or agree with it but you do have to respect it is my post. Just sayin'.
Til' another movie perks my interest, guys. *peace sign*
#night reviews#teen titans#the judas contract#nightwing#beast boy#raven#robin#starfire#blue beetle#dick grayson#garfield logan#damian wayne#koriand'r#jaime reyes#dc#animated movies#deathstroke#terra#tara markov#slade wilson#brother blood#i should calm down on tags#nightglider124
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