#exceptional zed

[quodekash]

my sister and I just watched all the zombies movies for the first time. And I’m kind of annoyed with how much I genuinely liked them

Big (and I mean huge there’s a lot so you have been warned) ramble about why the movies are actually really good under the keep reading thing (what are you actually supposed to call that? The banner? Idk). Spoiler warning!

First I’m gonna say the things I didn’t like about the movies

-So it’s about zombies (well, it is at first), and zombies have pale skin. The problem with that is black zombies have quite a bit of whitewashing which isn’t good.

-There’s also quite a lack of (canon) queer characters and relationships in the first two movies, but then when it comes to the third one, it’s actually pretty good. (I’ll go more in depth on this later)

-And naturally there were the flaws of DCOMs, like awkward dialogue that doesn’t feel like how real people speak, plot lines going pretty fast, relationships developing weirdly quickly, talking into the camera, all those kinds of things. But honestly… okay, quick disclaimer, I am a huge lover of the hsm and descendants movies. But… I think… zombiesmightbemyfavouritedcomfranchise. I still love the others, but in terms of development of characters and relationships, and representation, this one was probably the best. (I’ll also touch on this more in-depth later)

-There was this one moment in the first movie where it seemed like Bucky was getting a redemption and becoming a good person! But then suddenly he was bad again. And then at the end of the movie it seemed like he was getting a redemption again! But then in the next movie he was horrible again. But then at the end of the movie it kinda felt like he was slightly redeemed! But then in the next one he was even worse. So they could’ve tried to develop his character further and not scrap the redemption each time, but it’s fine because every other character gets so much development it’s crazy

-It’s a little inaccurate at times? Like I’m pretty sure werewolves wouldn’t actually look/act the way they do, but then again there’s so many different myths of werewolves so it doesn’t really matter. And there’s almost no way aliens would speak English or be even vaguely humanoid, but then again we literally don’t know cos we’ve never experienced aliens before

-And the last thing I didn’t like about the movies was Bucky.

OKAY ONTO THE GOOD THINGS

1- Bonzo.

2- I love the concept so much, because people would absolutely be racist and horrible towards zombies and werewolves and aliens if we discovered they were real.

3- The entire series is a social commentary and I’m living for it. Like, each group represents a different minority. Zombies are representative of African Americans, especially when it comes to the segregation; stores only allowing humans to buy from them; zombies only recently being allowed to go to school with humans and previously they had specific schools for zombies and specific schools for humans; there being different sides of the city where zombies aren’t allowed on one side for the humans’ safety, humans aren’t allowed on the other side also for the humans’ safety; even calling zombies monsters even though they’re very stable-minded people (because of the Z-band, but also after a bit they can control their zombie urges and they’re stable-minded without the z-band too). I just really feel like the entire thing is super representative of American history (well, what I know of American history as a non-American. If anyone who knows more than me can expand on this, that would be great!) And then the werewolves literally describe themselves as the original owners of the land, meaning they’re both literally and metaphorically the First Nations peoples. I’m gonna take this from the Australian side of things, because that’s what I’m more familiar with. Both the humans and the zombies feared the werewolves without reason. They called them savage, bloodthirsty, unpredictable. In terms of Australian history, that fits perfectly. If you’re unfamiliar, I’m gonna give you a bit of a history lesson (and I will talk a lot, I’m really passionate about this and I also did a whole unit on this last term so it’s all fresh in my mind). White Australians treated Indigenous Australians horribly. There was a plan for a while, literally called White Australia, where the white people were determined to “breed out the black”, which is when the stolen generation happened. First Nations boys were taken from their homes to go to boarding schools and learn Christian values. First Nations girls were taken from their homes and forced to marry and have children with a white man. If they kept going for enough generations, there would only be white people left. It started in the mid-1800s, but didn’t end until the 1970s. That’s only 50 years ago. And throughout it, none of them were allowed to practice their culture and traditions, they couldn’t be on their own land, on their country, they couldn’t even speak their own languages. We went from over 250 individual languages, not even including all the different dialects, and now we’re down to about 100-150, but most of those are near extinction. Most languages there’s only a few words that they know for sure. And because of all that, today we still have repercussions of it. So many First Nations peoples have no idea what their traditions are, they don’t know the name of their country, they don’t know their language, they don’t know who their elders are. Which I think reflects the werewolves, getting sick and losing their power because the humans took away their power source. And that leaves the aliens, who represent neurodivergent people, particularly autism. They’d never experienced emotions before, they’re excluded because they act strangely or talk strangely, they’re unfamiliar with humans and their human ways because they’ve never experienced humans and never been taught how to “act human”. And there’s so much more I could talk about with all of these things, but I don’t want to bore you.

4- The relationships?? Are actually?? Good???? Like, Addison and Zed met in the sweetest way, and I’m not usually one for “love at first sight” and it seems like that’s what they were pushing for these two, but the development of their relationship? I’m shocked. In a good way. They have issues and problems, mostly due to miscommunication. But then they clear those problems up so well and act in a way that’s so mature it’s astounding. Addison doesn’t answer Zed’s letters because the Aceys were shredding them all and making pom-poms out of them? Addison explains it and Zed takes the explanation and doesn’t make it a big thing. A werewolf is flirting with Addison and Zed gets really jealous? They both dramatically sing a song and Zed realises he was being close-minded and mean and making Addison feel alone, and wants to apologise. Then he thinks Addison has been kidnapped so he tries to rescue her and thereby offends the werewolves and Addison. And then a rift appears because Zed takes the necklace and doesn’t want Addison to leave him and become a werewolf. But it’s fine, because Zed not only owns up to it, but also after thinking about his actions, he apologises sincerely and says he had no right to do that. And he literally could’ve said he just found it rather than took it, they all literally think he found it at first. But no, he tells the truth. And honestly, that takes real strength. The next movie, someone who has never felt emotion before has romantic interest in Zed? Addison tries to explain in a super respectful way and doesn’t get mad, even when they still don’t understand. Addison is the aliens’ map so she has to leave with them, but Zed doesn’t want that? He accepts it anyway, because he can see it’s important to her. They’re sad but they part ways and I’m crying. And then they realise Utopia was Seabrook and they come back and everyone’s happy and I’m still crying Bonzo and Bree? Absolute. Goals. You’d think they’d have communication issues because Bonzo doesn’t speak English, right? Nope. They’re flipping perfect. Bree learns to understand Zombie so that she knows what he’s saying to her, Bonzo is so pure and sweet and wholesome and- you know what, actually:

5- expanding on my first point: Bonzo. He’s perfect. He supports his friends, he’s wholesome, he just wants a hug. He can write in both English and Zombie, he understands both English and Zombie, he speaks Zombie, is super good with Werewolf, and probably could speak some level of English but he doesn’t want to. When he makes signs, he does them in both English and Zombie, so that everyone can read it. Like, when he’s wearing the sign things for Zed’s presidency, he has one side in English that says “Zed for president”, and the other side is in Zombie. He’s one of the tallest and strongest people, yet he doesn’t do the sporty things and something about that feels so refreshing. He does cheer and band and dj-ing and probably other things, but he doesn’t do… uh, the sport in the movie. Football? Rugby? The- the game with the ball. (Clearly, I know sports)

6- The soundtracks are so stinking good, especially the second and third ones like wow. Just- the MUSIC and the SINGING and the EFFECTS and the MELODIES and the HARMONIES and the DOPAMINE It brings me joy. But seriously, whenever I watch a new movie, I always go through and listen to the soundtrack (whether it’s a musical movie or not), and press the little heart on the ones that I really like, and for all three, there were only 11 I didn’t like as much as the rest. And 7 of those were from the first one. The soundtracks are literally so good I can’t even explain it

7- The actors ages are awesome. Like, every single one is between 20 and 26, which is both amazingly age appropriate for high-schoolers (reminder: the first one came out in 2018, and they were probably filming all throughout 2017. Like the main two actors were been 16 and 17 while filming the first movie, which is amazing). And not only that, it’s fantastic that they’re all around the same age, because then it’s beautifully unproblematic casting. (Like, if there was a 16 year old and a 25 year old, that would be. Not good. But there wasn’t so it’s not not good!) And also, adding on to that, the actors are all just so good, despite their young age. They’re all so talented and amazing and they portray each of their characters so well and I want to hug them all please :D

8- The representation in terms of race. It’s astounding. There’s so much diversity in all the actors. The whitewashing with the zombies is very not great, but compared to other movies (especially other dcoms), the racial rep is absolute top notch (at least I think it is. If someone who’s watched more movies than me could fact-check me that would be excellent)

9- THE QUEER REP IN THE THIRD MOVIE. Everyone uses A-spen’s they/them pronouns perfectly and without question. In Exceptional Zed (Reprise), you can see a female werewolf holding hands with a female cheerleader. Zed finds out a-spen likes him, and he doesn’t say like “wait does that make me…”, nothing like that, he just says he’s got universal appeal. And that’s it. And then Addison tells him to be nice because a-spen’s new to emotions and I literally love both of them so much for it. A-spen and Willa become a couple at the end of the third movie, and they don’t hide it, nothing bad happens to them, it’s so casual and no one questions it and I love it so much

10- RuPaul voicing the Mothership.

11- every single person in every single one of these movies is so attractive. Help.

12- THE ALIENS CAN HELP THE HUMANS (and zombies and werewolves) WITH GLOBAL WARMING AND HELPING THE ENVIRONMENT SO THAT OUR PLANET DOESNT DIE LIKE THEIRS DID YAY

13- I wanted to make a negative point about how some of the characters (*cough*zed*cough*) aren’t exactly great people sometimes, but the thing is they literally always develop and become a better person. Which makes me mad cos I want to get angry at the characters but I can’t because they always improve Like, Zed’s got a couple problems a few times. In the second movie, he keeps insisting that zombies aren’t monsters. But, after being influenced by the werewolves, he’s proud to be a monster because there’s no shame in it. Like at one point the lady in charge of the uni’s applying to, so someone you’d probably be scared of correcting, said “Our biggest concern is that you could turn into a monster at any time.” and he swiftly corrects her and says, “Yes, I am a monster, but completely safe!” So he corrects her really easily and then continues on. And in the second movie he’s really racist against werewolves and that sucks but then he realises how many things they all have in common and he learns some things from the werewolves and he’s super nice and awesome to everyone ever after that. Even when the aliens come, he’s a little ticked off but only because the aliens coming made the college recruiter people freak out and run away, but then they help him out because he didn’t openly aggravate them or anything, so he’s just a super good person And later on, Addison’s alien powers finally come in and she keeps zapping Zed and making him go all freaky which makes the interview lady terrified and she starts running away, which means his chances of getting into the uni are really low at this point, and Addison pus on gloves and says “I’m so sorry!!” And Zed, ever the amazing person, says “Don’t be.” Then runs after her and sings a little reprise of exceptional zed and I love it. Anyway. There’s other examples of other characters’ development/s but Zed was the main one, and also I’ve already spoken a lot more than I thought I would do I’ll leave it there with this point.

14- There’s really good platonic male/female friendships and that’s so refreshing. You’d expect them to put the main two werewolves in a relationship, but no, one of them gets the tech-savvy-activist zombie (happiness!) and the other gets the non binary alien (hAPPINESS!) And after Addison leaves and they’re all staring into space where the Mothership had just been, Stacey takes Zed’s hand and holds it, and platonic handholding makes me feel so happy for some reason Just- usually movies take two best friends of opposite genders, then decide at least one of them likes the other, and forces them into a couple or forces one into the friend zone which makes things awkward and then their friendship doesn’t survive. And I hate it when they do that because it happens a lot, so seeing this franchise literally not even do it once feels so nice

15- This is just a small thing but oh my gosh, Wynter on the football team??? I LOVE IT MORE THAN I CAN EXPRESS. Like. It’s rare that you see men on the cheer squad, and yet there’s heaps of them. It’s even more rare that you see women on the football team (unless it’s specifically a “women’s football” team which is just stupid can we get rid of “sport” and “women’s sport” and just make it all ✨non existent✨ and just make it all ✨sport for everyone✨?). And not only that, a werewolf. And not only that, a werewolf who CLEARLY HAS AUTISM AND I LOVE HER And Zed is super duper supportive and amazing and says the right things Wynter spends the entire second movie doing or saying something, then asking “Too much?” And the answer is generally yes. Sometimes it’s more of an implied yes but still a yes. And then when Zed gets her pumped up at the rally thing, she runs super fast and accidentally makes an indent in the bus, and she asks “Too much?” And immediately, without missing a beat, Zed yells, “Never too much, you do you!!” AND IT FEELS SO GOOD FOR REASONS I CANT EXPLAIN

16- AMAZING LINES OH MY GOSH a few examples (okay more than a few): -“We’re changing ourselves. But what needs to change is everybody else.” (SAY IT LOUDER FOR THE FOLKS IN THE BACK) -“Yeah, we are different Bucky, but that’s what makes us stronger!” (👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏) -“I thought werewolves were just myths.” “Yeah, like cavities.” (This one’s just funny) -“How do people make it look easy? Are they happy or just good at deceiving?” (THE TRUTH STINGS BUT ITS SATISFYING) -“The more I cover up my flaws the more they appear.” (👏PO👏E👏TRY👏) -“Dude, you eat brains,” “If I did, you don’t have one so you’d be safe.” (The ✨sass✨) -“You’re beautiful, Addie… but the same beautiful that you’ve always been.” (Seriously tho, that was the perfect way to say that. Not ‘you’re not a werewolf,’ not ‘I’m sorry,’ just “you are beautiful.” Sorry I love her) -“We’re part of Seabrook, too. The originals, in fact.” (YES!! JUSTICE! FOR! ORIGINAL! OWNERS!) -“I couldn’t handle the fact that you might be a monster, ‘cause I couldn’t accept the fact that I am one.” (SLOW! SELF! ACCEPTANCE! WE LOVE IT!) -“Your teacher does not understand Zombie culture.” (It’s so true!) -“The joy of competition has consumed me and unfortunately I am just so good at winning.” (You can’t not love Matt Cornett) -“I may be part alien but I’m still totally alone.” “Addison, because of you, no one in Seabrook ever has to feel alone.” (I’m not crying shut up) -“So much passion!” “Uh… she wants to rip your heart out.” “She can have it!” (IM CRYING I LOVE THEM) -“Woah! You zombied out! You good?” “Yeah. I dunno what you’re up to, but brother, but I got your back.” (I LOVE ZOEY WITH ALL MY SOUL) -“No matter how far away she goes, she’ll always be a part of our pack.” (IM SOBBING) -“Wyatt? I like-like you too.” “……..awoo.” (JFJEJEFJEJEJFJHDHFJFJFJ) -“Maybe we’ll meet again. Somehow.” “Someday.” (SOMEDAY- I CANT TAKE IT THEYRE GONNA KILL ME)

basically they’re really good movies and you should watch them if you haven’t already. thank me later.

[deeply-unserious-fellow]

I would just like to personally thank the Zombies 3 Exceptional Zed dance tutorial for helping me stay grounded to reality during my really bad dissociative episodes. Ur a real one <3

[butwyatt]

Over analysing Zombies part 1

(spoilers alert)

"You have the heart of a wolf"

Ladies and gentlemen and nonbinaries, I know that I said I would analyse the 2nd movie first buuuut I have felt the call to the wild and wanted to talk about probably my very favourite Zombies character: Wyatt.

Wyatt is Willa's brother. He is therefore a werewolf(obviously). Not only is his design and just character amazing, but also he's - he's just my favourite really.

The quote I have written above is the one I will analyse today. Even though I could analyse more things about him let's just focuse on the one lyric dear Wyatt has in "Exceptional Zed" (best song fr).

Back to our quote though:

"You have the heart of a wolf"

In the second movie, we learn that Zed is insecure about being a monster, something Wyatt is not. This can be clearly understood as Wyatt, proudly tells Zed he's got "the heart of a wolf". Now now people, you would not tell your Zombie friend that he has the heart of *you basically* if you aren't proud of yourself. Wyatt is happy to be a werewolf. He holds pride in that, he really does.

Furthermore, this quote, where he tries to cheer Zed up, contrasts with the second movie, where the two of them hate each other, and where Wyatt is seen by Zed as a rival to defeat. The two of them are now obviously quite close. Something I find heartwarming.

Today's analysis isn't the best buuut as a treat here's a picture of Zed physically harassing Wyatt in "Do it Like the Zombies Do" (2nd movie), and another one of "Exceptional Zed" where they share erm friendly touch.

---

So fellas- I'm back from looking for pics annnnd

We went from pure hatred("do it like the zombies do" 2nd movie):

To gay ("exceptional zed", 3rd movie)

This is what I call character development...

[theminecraftbee]

Once again, Zedaph finds himself outside the closed gates of the Deep Frost Citadel, tapping his feet with annoyance. Honestly, by now you’d think the stupid thing would understand Zedaph always gets his way, when it comes to Tango, but no, Tango’s stupid base keeps trying to stop him.

“I told you, I’m not here to negotiate, I’m here to pick up my friend,” Zedaph says irritably. The gates of the base don’t respond, and don’t open. “I have a very important nap to be taking, I’ll have you know, and I will not be stopped by… by base chicanery!”

There’s a deep, rolling growl from somewhere in the bowls of the citadel. It sounds like ravagers.

“Oh, don’t you threaten me, you know I’ll run around and die in there all you want as soon as it’s ready. Not even afraid, am I? You’ve had your taste of the good old Zed flesh, but no sir, you aren’t getting me today. The high-voltage wires were a good trick last time I came to bother Tango, I admit, but it won’t work again!”

Another rumbling growl. Zedaph huffs. It would certainly be nice if Decked Out spoke in human to him, so he wouldn’t have to keep guessing. Even sheep would be better—Tango may have an affinity for beasts, but Zedaph only has an affinity if the beasts are also silly.

He makes an educated guess. “Yes, yes, I know you’ve ‘eaten him’ or whatever. Well I’ll have you know that Tangos have more nutritional value after watching me take a very important nap. And also dying. Its enriching. You like enriched Tango—okay, okay, that wasn’t the complaint, geez, you don’t have to shout at me. At this rate I’ll just use my pickaxe to break through the door, and then what will you do, huh? Nothing. You’ll do nothing, because you’re a big stupid building in the ground, and Tango was my friend first.”

A rumble.

“Haha, yeah, take that. We’ve been friends for years. You might be his magnum opus, but you’ve never made him sign a custom body pillow with your beautiful face on it, have you? That is the bond of men! No base can do anything about that.”

A louder rumble. Zedaph feels what he thinks is supposed to be fear and desire to wander into the depths and die or something silly like that. Zedaph isn’t certain, because it’s not as important as Zedvancements. This is one of Zedaph’s special abilities: if it’s not as important as whatever he’s doing right now, he’s very good at ignoring it until it becomes important. So, like, the Citadel is trying to lure him to his death, but that’s less important than taking a very deadly nap while Tango watches with horrified awe, so he’ll just ignore it until later.

Works every time.

“Listen, I’ll bring him back in one piece! Have I ever lied about that? I never do. He always comes right back to work, even when I do distract him, and he’s chipper again, right? I barely even disrupt things. Not that you could do anything if I did, of course, you hunk of stone and ice.”

Zedaph stares at the closed doors for a bit longer. He thinks this is about when anyone else would either die on the spot, or run away screaming, or maybe just come in and feed themselves to a ravager, but the that’s because the other hermits very frequently don’t have anything better to do than to get caught up in other people’s nonsense, in Zed’s experience.

Zedaph simply has so much nonsense of his own that he can out-stubborn even Tango’s base. Like he said: a special talent.

Slowly, as though greatly reluctant, the gates open.

“Thank you, geez! Was that so hard?”

Zedaph stomps through to the hidden access door of the Decked Out maintenance tunnels, grabbing one of the supplemental oxygen masks as he does. He sighs as he realizes that Tango, once again, has forgotten he needs to breathe. Hopefully, the fact Zedaph is currently keenly aware of needing to breathe on account of planning to not do that ten times in a row does not remind Tango.

He finds Tango taking a nap tangled in some high-voltage redstone lines. This time, Zedaph knows better than to touch them. It had been a mite embarrassing the last time. “Tango! Hey, Tango!”

“Wuh?” says Tango, eloquently. “I’m up, I’m up, level three’s almost done I swear—”

“Tango, get up, I have bedroom tricks to show you!” Zedaph says.

“I’m up! Zed? Oh hey! What are you doing all the way out here?”

“I told you. It’s urgent, Tango, urgent. I have bedroom tricks only you can assist me with.”

“Well, that’s a good time I wasn’t expecting,” Tango says.

“No, you idiot! Get your head out of the gutter, and come on! I have things to do!”

“Okay, Zedaph, geez, geez, lemme just—”

“I’ve already asked your stupid base,” Zedaph says. “It’s fine. Now, get out of those wires before I get shocked or something, and we’re going to go have fun.”

Tango slowly uncoils himself. “Right. I’ll get ready and—” Zedaph whips a pair of sunglasses out of his pocket. Tango pauses before smiling brightly. “Oh, you’re the best.”

“I really am,” agrees Zed, and he grabs his best friend’s hand and leads him out of the Deep Frost Citadel to show off his latest contraption. He turns around and sticks his tongue out for good measure at the base as they go. Hah. Take that. The best. There’s no beating it.

And there’s no keeping him away from Tango. Zedaph guarantees it.

[mauv-the-bluest-cat-ever]

one big cat.

and another one medium cat.

[imjustavenuxwithaboomerang]

WHAT DO THEY MEAN BONZO WAS BORN IN 2007

WHOSE IDEA WAS THIS????

[astronomodome]

waiter! waiter! more zedaph spite and hatred please !!! More violence and killing! Take him to the battlefield! I Demand it!!! 💥🩸🗡️🐏💥

^casting a mischievous spell of dubious efficacy dont mind me

[benthesoldiersjeanshorts]

[theonnor]

Zed Prime from memory

[righthandman-martyn]

so am little rn...an i jus got done doodling tango!!! and i showed my cg!! and they really liked it which made me really happy!!! and then they asked it to make it a profile for smth and i almost cried cause My aRT..?????!@?$%#!% THATS CRAZYYY!!!! AND THEIR TANGO SECRET LIFE ALTER MADE IT HEART'S SIMPLY PLURAL PFP ASDNGKNFDH THE ART IS THIS:

[featherymainffins]

Me when I make a character who's supposed to feel dangerous and set off the alarm bells in your brain and yet again make them tall, very lanky, wiry and bony with protruding bones, and give them blond/white (usually long) hair and themes of nature/flowers:

[arithechair]

Comparison of my oc line up from every year since 2021 (newest to oldest)

Something you might notice is that I started out drawing them like they were strangers and as I progressively “got to know them” they started to look way more like themselves

Every single year when I do this line up I think “oh man, this is it, I’ve peaked” and then next year I do it again better lol

[kantraels]

@chickenly's amazing character expression meme with my morons zed (krieger vet), kal (fanatic zealot), rite (savant psyker) and my friend's cadian vet gallus. zed uses it/its pronouns and everyone else is one of those he/hims. I like to think this encapsulates a single mission.

[drummer-from-down-under]

Everyone else got to wake up.

[mauv-the-bluest-cat-ever]

its not halloween anymore but anyway

he got distracted.