#inanimate insanity analysis

[norazingrid]

Testmic analysis because people don’t get their relationship, like, at all

I’ll go over these points below

why test tube and microphone aren’t actually toxic

test tubes character arc and how it involves mic

their great potential and similarities with each other

conclusion

OKAY FIRST UP I WANT TO GET SOME THINGS CLEAR

I do NOT ship these two because they’re both “girls” and I am NOT picturing them as “what if they didn’t hate each other”

I've always considered their complex relationship and so called “hatred” towards each other, but I’ll explain more of it below

Test tube and microphone don’t actually have a “toxic” relationship

Now the word “toxic” can be a very strong word when describing a dynamic and I personally think that it is not the right one to use when describing their relationship because the both of them haven’t shown actual deep hatred towards each other. Sure, their dynamic isn’t exactly on “good terms” and test tube has made it pretty clear that she hates microphone, but has microphone actually shown any hatred back? No. She has always stayed quiet whenever test tube complains about her, which could be a sign on guilt. That means microphone knows the reason why she hurt test tube and understands why she’s upset about that. The lab and inventions were very dear to test tube, and microphone was convinced to steal from her and somehow “leak” her secret lab, but its pretty clear microphone regrets all of those things, and therefore she does not hate test tube.

And I would like to talk about how test tube would actually be able to forgive microphone at some point in the future, I’ll go over it in-

test tubes character arc and how it involves mic

Test tube’s character is very interesting to me because it has changed a lot during the seasons, but I’ll try to summarise it as quickly as possible. In s3 she has been seen to be pretty average and calmed down from the events that happened in episode 14, which is understandable since it happened a long time ago, but this started to change when cabby and test tube started to develop their rivalry. I’m not gonna dig too deep into this but I want to focus on how test tube STILL forgave cabby after learning her true intentions at the end of the season and I believe this could be a sign of how test tube stars acknowledging that she could learn not to judge everyone right away if they did something wrong, and I believe test tube could be starting to feel guilty aswell, not only for how she treated microphone but basically all bad moments she has had in past situations with other contestants. May I also remind u guys that test tube is stated to be socially awkward, so I don’t want to blame her for the way she acted with other contestants, but there’s always room for improvement and I would be happy to see test tube prove herself more, just like she did after forgiving cabby and voting for her to win iii.

their great potential and similarities with each other

Now I personally think that their arc could be one of the most interesting ones in the series if just given some more chance, because these two are actually very similar if you think about it. They both have been somewhat been turned down by their teammates, which gives them more willingness to prove them wrong. Test tube has been seen to be too “into the role” especially in episode 14, which might also be because her best friend was literally kidnapped by aliens, but when fan was saved, she was still not satisfied, which destroyed her respect she had from others. And the reason why she wasn’t satisfied is because microphone got all the credit. But microphone didn’t mean to steal her reputation, since she was against hurting anyone in the first place. The plot-twists in their arc’s are so entertaining, it makes it even more fun to study. And if we get to see these two characters making up somewhere in the future, it would complete their arc perfectly. Happy ending yay

Conclusion

Microphone doesn’t hate test tube, but rather feels guilty for what she did to her.

Test tube has now proved us that she is willing to forgive someone if knowing all point of views.

Their arc hasn’t ended yet, and much more depth could come out in the future between these two characters.

thanx for reading please correct me if there were any mistakes in my takes 😁

end of analysis✌️

[starrysymphonies]

I HAVE to share my thoughts on the new ii episode with Balloon and Nickel ok

!!SPOILERS AHEAD!!

Preface!!: I know I’m known to be a nickloon shipper in the past but I discovered Balloon is canonically arospec and!! Oh my god he is just like me!!!! I don’t care what anyone else ships as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone, but Nickloon’s (or any balloon ships) just not my cup of tea anymore

Let’s get into it!! Yippee!!!

I’ve been in situations similar to this before. Where something bothers you but you can’t tell the person because you’re scared that if you speak up about it they’ll get mad at you (in this case, have Balloon lose his alliance + possibly get voted out), or they’ll find a way to blame you.

To my understanding, Balloon was acting this way out of self preservation. He didn’t want to be alone again, be without an alliance again, so he pretended like everything is fine

Thank you fake suitcase!!!! He could just say sorry!!!!!! Also here, Nickel is moving on from the past without ever trying to rectify his mistakes. It’s important to move on, yes, but first you have to acknowledge and apologize and make up for what you did wrong

Tumblr has a photo limit so I’ll reblog with a part 2!!

[maxphilippa]

so i wanna talk about the trailer and the details that are shown there,

so:

- Taco is apparently trying to apologize to Pickle. We don't know if the scene in which Baseball finds both of them together means that Pickle let them in, or if Mepad managed to teleport both of them on an empty room so that Taco could get prepared. Judging by Pickle's expression, it is rather unlikely that he let them in, but it could still be a posibility. By Taco's state we can pretty much see that she's not mentally there, and that the scar on her asset is back, indicating that this is a permanent scar. Mepad is most likely comforting her.

- Mic is shown to be relaxed and happy genuinely after all of the horrors she went through on the show. It seems like she has finally seen Balloon after forever, this probably means that Balloon got back to the Hotel shortly after Mephone4 went back to s2. We don't know where Nickel is, but it is likely that he'll also have an scene on the ep, as there it looks like there's going to be a lot of grandslams focus on the ep.

- Balloon is finally accepted to a party.

- But the Bright Lights seem to have quite an important role nonetheless. If you have noticed it, they're especifically on the part of the Contestant Grounds in which Paintbrush burnt all of the flora after Mephone4 gave them a 0/10 for their Cobs painting. This could probably imply that they're working with some Meeple related bussiness, and Test Tube seems to be holding something that is... a sensor, it is likely that they're looking for something or someone in specific. This is also shown by the fact that Test Tube and Paintbrush are probably working together on this one.

- This one is pretty obvious, but this is a parallel with 3gs' first introduction.

- We know Suitcase and Knife are on the sky, yet we don't have much of a clue regarding why. I have some thoughts about this, but my biggest theory at the moment is that the challenge MAY be retrieving Toilet, or something Meeple-related, since the clouds are pink, just like the Meeple ones. We do not know for sure, though, but since the atmosphere is very tense, and the fact that they're most likely talking about the alliance might imply a thing or two.

- Mephone4 wants to finally put an stop to Cobs, but he knows he can't do it alone. So he's asking Mepad for help. However, it seems that Mepad has fully settled down for stopping to work with Mephone4, since Mephone4 never listened to him, and Mephone4 respects that decision of his, but asks Mepad to not do it for him, but for the contestants instead. I think that the data of Brian saying that Mepad "very clearly cares about these contestants" will have a lot of weight on the next episode.

[lilacs-stash]

Hey can we stop acting like Nickel is the cause of all of Suitcase's problems. Like not even in a defending him way this is just a disservice to her character.

It's implied she had anxiety since before the show, considering how she acted when Paintbrush called her selfish in Marsh on mars. Yeah ep2. Long before Nickel did anything besides be kind of rude.

In rain on your charade Suitcase said she'd never been under pressure like that before. The hallucinating really seems like a pre existing issue that was just never triggered until now, or they happened more rarely and Suitcase didn't realize what was happening until the show.

She has anxiety from the start she has a hard time standing up for herself the hallucinations are most likely a pre existing issue in some way.

And yes her relationship with Nickel being toxic made all these worse but Idk just. Let Suitcase have problems outside of him ig. She's more then just someone Nickel hurt.

[mr-payjay]

going to do a series where i post a drawing every day for pride month :) day 1!

[wrensartstash]

It's Soap Saturday so I bring you a(fairly scattered) Soap analysis

"Oh she only has OCD and no more she's written badly" I HAVE OCD AND WHILE THAT DEPICTION WAS EXTREMELY DAMAGING AND COULD'VE BEEN DONE BETTER, IT'S UNFORTUNATELY ACCURATE FOR SOME PEOPLE(it's me I'm some people). SHE OBSESSES OVER EVERYTHING AND BEING A SOAP BOTTLE PROBABLY DOESN'T HELP SINCE OBJECTS ARE EXPECTED TO ACT ACCORDING TO THEIR OBJECTS

She can't HELP IT!!! SHE TRIES TO GET BETTER BUT LETTING GO OF YOUR HABITS IS DIFFICULT ON YOUR OWN AND AGAIN, AS A BOTTLE OF SOAP, SHE PROBABLY FEELS MORE SOCIETAL PRESSURE TO BE GOOD AT CLEANING!!!! SHE FIXATES ON EVERYTHING BECAUSE IT'S ALL SHE FEELS LIKE SHE CAN DO TO HAVE ANY CONTROL OVER THE SITUATIONS SHES IN!!! Besides cleaning, she has ONE coping mechanism, and it's one that everyone else HATES(singing). So no WONDER she ends up just cleaning. For hours. And hours. And hours. To the point where it's irrational

ALSO THAT'S ANOTHER THING!! Having control over situations is very big for me, and fixating is one of those things that helps. For Soap, being in a clean space and cleaning the hotel helps her feel like she can actually be calm and helps control her emotions, because without her cleaning? The hotel would be in shambles! If SHE wasn't helping, then everything would fall apart!! Sure, this isn't reality, but for her? Someone who has tried again and again to make things better but just making them worse BECAUSE of her impulses? She needs to feel like she's doing SOMETHING or else she's nobody. Just another stereotype ignored by the narrative

It's not HER FAULT that she has OCD and it's not HER FAULT that societal pressures force her to be who she is. Besides, after Tissues got eliminated, she could've thought that SHE had a higher winning chance because he got eliminated for his trait being. Well. Sick. So, as the opposite, the fans should love her!! Right? So, she goes further, she puts soap on the pizza, she has a musical number while fixing the hotel, she does all of these things to not only give herself a sense of stability, but also to hopefully boost her appreciation from the audience

And it didn't work

The moment she STOPPED cleaning, it didn't work. She told Mic to listen to her heart when walking through the portal, but if we're being honest(and if we see the comics), she went right back to cleaning. The moment she tried to be less impulsive, she was eliminated. And there goes her control once again

As of now she's likely right back in that loop, cleaning endlessly despite being asked not to as it isn't needed, but she won't, because if she's not CLEANING, then she doesn't have a purpose. She can't just pick up a new hobby, this is her LIFE, and if she can't sing, then she only has one option left

Or maybe I'm just reading too much into a one note character, who knows

Happy Soap Saturday

[wisp-wandering]

For those of you who don't understand Taco’s complex character, think she's a straight up terrible person, or just want to know my view on her... this is the chapter for you! I will be going over analysis, psychology facts, and head cannons that align with her character.

Let's start with copy and pastes with Ideas I've already conveyed in other media's;

(This is me):

How come nobody here actually sees II in the light of a *REALITY SHOW*. A thing that's meant to bring out the worst in people? Like genuinely it makes me so frustrated that people can't see that. Characters like Steve Cobs/Walkie/Springy have no excuse, as they were never shoved into the environment. But the Gameshow was not only nonconsensual but offers 1 MILLION DOLLARS. in the light of 2011? THATS A LOT OF DAMN MONEY. most gameshows offer 10k, or 100k? 1 MILLION IS A LOT. Just to put it into perspective try to imagine the difference between 100k and 1Mil in marbles.  the human brain simply can't process that high of a number.

Onto the psychological effects. IT CAN PUT HIGH STRESS ON IT'S CONTESTANTS. and I'm just gonna say it right now. What Balloon, Trophy, and Taco did isn't that bad. LIKE I SWEAR. PSYCHOLOGICALLY IT MAKES SENSE FOR THEM TO USE STRATEGY LIKE THIS. The only thing I'll call Them out on was their rude comments and nature after the fact, but you also have to realize it's to exaggerate their negative antagonism towards the other contestants. In a game show like that it invokes behaviours that would otherwise not be part of their character. Trophy can be seen being a better person once not in the Gameshow. Cheesy was rude as shit until he wasn't in the Gameshow, Balloon reflected on his character when he wasn't in the Gameshow, Taco— oh! Would you look at that! Became better when she wasn't in a game show! Sure she acted shitty in some cases, but that was when money was still put on the line. I'm absolutely furious people can't realize that the Gameshow invokes that behaviour. Nobody cancels people from survivor when they act shitty. In fact, they Invited the shitty people TO PLAY AGAIN??? AND PEOPLE ROOTED FOR THEM??? People actually need to look at it from a bigger perspective.

Taco has conveyed the thing I've believed and tried to communicate on multiple occasions. THE GAMESHOW BRINGS OUT THE WORST IN PEOPLE!!! The only problem is that SHE DOESNT BELIEVE SHE HERSELF IS EFFECTED SIMILARLY. She's been berated and convinced she's a horrible person, and that she needs to act the way she does because that's who she is. Taco probably thinks she deserves what she's gotten, and was always too scared to confront Pickle directly. She probably thinks she needs to have circumstance around her change in order for her too aswell, considering how she wanted to go back with the Time Machine, but, when confronted by Mepad she denied it. I feel like the plot is pointing towards a situation where she tries to save everyone, and when confronted by Microphone she breaks down and curses herself out for being a horrible person, friend, and other things similar. Microphone and Pickle. Creating a situation where they show Taco that the game made her the way she was too. That she didn't have to be the villain.

Notice how Taco never blamed Mephone directly for the shortcomings of others? Sure she did say it was for his entertainment, but never that it was his fault. She blamed the game. Something NO OTHER VILLAIN HAS DONE. She taking account for her mistakes, THINKING ITS HER. And not stressful circumstances! She doesn't understand she's not a villain, She's just *human* (or object for that matter). A living breathing being. Mistakes don't make you the bad guy.

Also saying Taco has no will to make try and apologize for the sake of others is stupid too. She clearly wants to. She REALLY does. She's scared to hurt them, she's scared she will hurt the again.

(Spoilers for a Spider-Man no way home)

Its a similar trip to what happens at the end of Spider-Man NWH, she isn't going back because she thinks she's protecting them from herself. She genuinely believes she ruins everything she touches. She tried to do so by sabotaging the challenge!

Taco didn't really manipulate Microphone—??? I know what you're gonna say. "Ohh!! Wisp! Yes she did!!!" But— I mean... Rewatching it? If she is— it's... more of peer pressure than direct manipulation??? I mean. She never forced Microphone to do anything. Applauded her input... LET MICROPHONE LEAVE? There was no guilt tripping or alienation, Direct threats to Microphone and her friends. It was more so pressure about the game. Which was— probably Taco perceiving herself as still in the competition. Needing to out smart the others to get Microphone further. Taco seemed to admire Microphone's pacifist nature after a while. And I believe when she Attacked the aliens in ii14, she acted out of blind fear, like an unexpected twist in a challenge. You could tell her initial reaction wasn't malice, it was more of a natural response. She was more protecting Microphone than anything else. Trying to get her out as fast as possible.

I myself have been through a manipulative relationship, and... While I know all experiences aren't the same.

It doesn't feel malicious. Taco felt genuine. She wants to protect others from her own mistakes and herself. She's unknowingly putting others first! She doesn't even realize it! Taco is trying to be a villain only to mistakenly be good, and when she tries to be a hero, she's mistakenly bad... I feel bad for her. She doesn't understand she... Has it right now. It's sad...

What about the situation with balloon?

Well...

She tried to convince Mic to harm him, but never threatened Microphone or herself. Nor did she try to alienate balloon to make it more appealing. Taco pointed out a situation and gave a morally Grey solution. But she never forced Microphone to go with it, she just warned her of potential consequences.

People often mistake her strategy with manipulation. When... Taco didn't really manipulate anyone. She pretended, and provided input. Knowing actions have consequences from her own experience.

Taco is experiencing the "illusionary truth effect" otherwise known as "gaslighting":

(Online statements)

—...However, repetition itself should not serve as a signal of truth, since it does not add anything new to the conversation in terms of credibility. For this reason, the repetition bias is also called the "illusory truth effect"

the fact that repeated presentation of information or items typically leads to better memory for the material. The repetition effect is a general principle of learning, although there are exceptions and modifiers

In relationships, an abusive person may use gaslighting to isolate their partner, undermine their confidence, and make them easier to control. For example, they might tell someone they are irrational until the person starts to think it must be true.

It is a psychological FACT that if one, or other's repeatedly give you information, even if it's false, eventually your mind will begin to perceive it as true. It's why bullying can negatively effect someone, or even just simply saying, "hey fatty" as a joke. Even if you're the skinniest human being on the planet, If you or another says say it enough, the subconscious will inevitably perceive it as true, despite if you know it's false. Even something stupid, like, "The sky is red." Well, no. The sky is blue. You think. But, if someone were to bash that into your skull every day. Ranting on about how the sky IS RED. You're mind will betray your knowledge.

Everyone constantly talks about her in a bad light. Say she's horrible. A good for nothing liar. She's going to perceive it to be true in the end. And she has...

Saying Taco is nothing but a terrible person, and a villain just isn't true. She's an Anti hero, anti villain AT WORST. Not to mention her childish decisions and mind sets make her seem in her teen years, as per my head canons. That only makes her mind MORE malleable and vulnerable. Taco is a complicated Character. But that doesn't mean she's the worst human on the planet. Please, if you don't agree with what I've said, before you berate me, rewatch the show, or atleast look up the psychological effects and other such I included in this rant. I may add onto this in the future, so keep an eye out for a future Taco analysis.

Thank you for your time.

[invisibows]

// cw: spoilers for ii 16 (the first act of the ii movie)

sorry but imo taco definitely thought she caused pickle's death. before mephone came in and explained the situation with cobs, the thought of her own manipulative figure pressuring pickle so badly he died must've crossed her mind at least once. she has experience with that herself, being under so much distress she killed herself.

"the worst that could happen is saying no!" he backed away from something approaching him—to taco it would look like he was getting away from her—and screamed in fear as the life drained from his entire being. she watched the person she hurt literally die because she tried making amends

this seems like a really obvious analyzation idk im just insane and idk how to word my thoughts properly but what the shit dude i was NOT prepared for that animationepic is paying for my therapy WHAT

[demoninc]

everyone misunderstanding the new ii is making me giggle really hard. cobs said that he made the CONTESTANTS and we've seen it foreshadowed, not that he made EVERYONE. toilet for example! toilet was completely unexpected, ADAM hired toilet and we know that cobs made adam and especially with cobs going on about how hes had an interest in the show and junk we know for a fact that players like 4s and toilet were introduced independent of mephones will

[alexthemacaronian]

So I wanna ramble about the ii ep 15 trailer, maybe theorise a bit?? Idk

First of all, what is that behind Taco in this scene?

It could very well be hotel OJ, the colour scheme and window design line up perfectly but the placing of the trees throws me off

It could just be an inconsistency that I'm looking too deeply into 😭 but also why would Taco take MePad near hotel OJ?? Scratch that, why would Taco reveal herself in general? I get that she has no more direct ties to the game since Mic left, but she'd gain nothing from revealing herself

Second of all, the contents of this box

I'm actually assuming that these are Test Tube's belongings since multiple of the things shown look like her inventions, such as the tranquilising tracking dart blaster and others that were shown in the background during ep 3

They seem to align perfectly, I'm pretty sure that's one of the darts on the left

I can get how they have access to TT's stuff since a) she got eliminated, and b) she did technically give them all permission to use her stuff in ii14 as far as I can remember (even though it probably was at least a bit sarcastic), I just don't get why they'd have it all gathered in a box??????

The trailer does seem to focus to some degree on TT's inventions, with them being seen multiple times throughout the trailer via the box, Microphone's bow being stomped on by who I assume to be Taco and Suitcase wearing Mic's bow.

I think it's also fair to assume that the Suitcase invisibility clip comes before Mic's bow is stomped on.

Third of all, I'd like to point out how this trailer has themes of destruction. Said destruction can be divided in two main categories:

• Burning (there are about 3 other instances of burning imagery in the trailer if we don't count the thumbnail that I couldn't add due to the 10 img limit)

• And Taco's weird obsession with stomping on things (one picture of which was shown already)

I'd also like to count MePhone's line at the end of the trailer, "Don't mention that again," as adding to the themes of destruction since sentences like that are usually used to hide things or try to push them back, ykwim

Currently, my only guesses as to what'll happen in episode 15 is that they're going to burn either a few specific inventions or everything in the box. It's the only logical conclusion I can make for now, but even I don't think that's fully right. I mainly just wanted to talk about the stuff I noticed lol

If I missed anything, I'll update this (since I took a long break in between writing this, I might be kinda out of it lol). Feel free to add anything if I missed it 😭😭

@shadow-blackout

[asphodelzthornz]

I think my favorite part of ii15 is how they included little details that are barely noticeable but really add to the episode.

Knife and suitcases little look at eachother when baseball says it was nothing personal compared to suitcase and badeballs look at eachother after he calls her a victim of circumstance yada yada.

My favorite small detail is how the music affects the scene, if you listen closely during taco and mephones little back and forth you can hear how the music reflects their arc.

When the cameras on mephone the notes are bouncy and dramatic. Hes playing up for the show, he probably is genuinely suprised to see taco but he has a sort of added flare that comes off as fake. He doesnt want to face his feelings, the only way he knows how to is to play it up for the camera.

Meanwhile tacos song is quiet, and more somber. It still definitely has a dramatic flare but its very quiet under her voice. Shes been hiding for who knows how long, she still is a bit dramatic but she refuses to play for the camera.

In a way they are polar opposites. Mephone needs the show, he doesn’t know how to cope without it. To him the shows have been the few years he can atleast slightly hide from the abuse he got from cobs. Meanwhile taco views it as the reason her life was ruined. She knows that she is part of the problem but the show doesnt exactly help her reputation. It doesn’t matter where she goes, ii is canonically popular in their universe, there is no escape.

I really hope we get more of everyones past in ii16, especially taco. I wonder why they all joined, especially since im assuming that if they had a contract it had to acknowledge that theyd die. The fact that theres no other method of revival is so interesting to me.

Sorry to my sweet2th moots lol, i swear im still writing that bear fic i just got kinda burnt our

[starrysymphonies]

THIS IS THE MILLIONTH TIME IVE TRIED TO POST THIS AND I THINK ITS BECAUSE OF THE READMORE SO IM SORRY IF YOU GET SPOILED SPOILERS AHEAD III EP 12

We all know these scenes in the episode, where Balloon compares himself to the butterfly

It’s confirmed further by Candle a little later in the episode

So then…

To Nickel, Box and Balloon were the most convenient allies in the moment. They were the only people he knew on his team, the only two returning constestants

This begs the question:

Does Nickel still see him that way?

[altosys]

Plural rep audiences be like: [TW: brief mention of programming]

Yin-Yang (Inanimate Insanity): Plurality for autistic danganronpa fans Cube & Cubic (The Pink Corruption): Plurality for people who are way too concerned with their aesthetic Circubit (The Pink Corruption): Plurality for gender non-conforming EDM fans ENA (ENA): Plurality for Mitski fans, or plurality for WCU fans. Alfred Alfer (Alfred's Playhouse): Plurality for people with problematic introjects who could never catch a break Toko Fukawa (Danganronpa): Plurality for people who want to reclaim the stereotypes [if you're plural and not just "uwu DID = quirky hehe"] Hajime Hinata (Danganronpa): Plurality for BPD mfs Geiru Toneido (Ace Attorney): Plurality for people who wish they could change their appearance to whoever's fronting GLaDOS (Portal): Plurality for RAMCOA-survivor mfs who said they kinned GLaDOS only to find out they genuinely relate to her due to her trauma Eda Clawthorne (The Owl House): Plurality for mfs who want to communicate with their more destructive headmate Crystal, Shyra (Undertale): Plurality for ENFPs who wish they were heard Memoryhead, Reaper Bird (Undertale): Plurality for people who probably saw Head I and were like "mood ngl" Endogeny (Undertale): Plurality for ENFPs who wish they were heard, and are tired of endo discourse. iCEY (iCEY): Plurality for people who want to break free from programming Octocube (Geometry Dash fanmades): Plurality for chaotic-neutral, most likely ENFP, neurodivergent (autistic, schizospec or both) mfs who probably have religious trauma and want to reclaim the evil narrative that was put on them by the rest of society

[maxphilippa]

i'm genuinely just saying that the ii fandom should try to not put their ships on basic dynamics because when you watch the media itself you realize that they're wayyyy more complex than that, and that the content that gets made off it feels one dimensional and like people don't really get why their dynamic/friendship works at all, or simplify their attributes completely disregarding the other relationships the characters in said ship have.

nickloon works because of suitcase mattering so much to both of them. now this is something that most of the fandom doesn't get because they don't get nickel's character at all and often portray him as an gay asshole, but i've made a lot of analysis on his behaviour, so you can check my posts on him if you're interesed to learn why suitcase is so important to him too. however they're so much more than just "a weird gay thing", they're an story of growth and realizing that you were wrong, how much love they have and how you can learn and change for the better, as someone who went through that same thing and now i have a best friend thanks to that, seeing how people only put them on one dynamic disregarding completely the reason as to WHY they're like that is pretty boring. they work because had so many issues at hand and needed communication in order to work through it. their care towards one person (suitcase) is what made them be so angry at eachother and what ultimately made them become friends as well, but the way they genuinely ended up wanting to be friends and caring so deeply for eachother is what speaks the most. sure, nickel cared about baseball and all, but balloon was ultimately the reason as to why he lets go of the rough attitude, and decides that he does want to fix what he has done, that he wants to become a better person and friend.

lightbrush works as an POST canon ship, not as one that happens on s2, nor should people ignore the fact that paintbrush was often angered/stressed by lightbulb's behaviour for most of the show. it works because ultimately they're both struggling to come to terms with themselves, and lightbulb gets to finally understand why she was messing up so much and genuinely showed care for paintbrush, who was ultimately struggling with themselves, you know, coming out and all that. what people don't get by making their relationship just an "silly random fella x hot headed person" is that they're both so much more than that. lightbulb has depression and her terrible copying mechanisms are what made her suck so much as a team captain, and paintbrush wanted stability and for someone to actually listen to them for once. lightbulb gets to learn that life is much more complicated and that she has to be there for people if she wants genuine connections with others, and she helped paintbrush on such a complicated moment, showing that they can work on an actual friendship post show, and that they do care about eachotther after all.

fantube is so much more complicated and emotional from what the fandom usually portrays. downgrading them to just an "girlboss x malewife" feels like they're not getting their characters at all and also like it's missing the point of their arcs being entwined by still making them act like their s2 pre-ep 14 selfs. both fan and test tube had severe issues with social interaction and grasping on what's real and what not, emotional communication often being their biggest struggle, and constantly got on arguments with others thanks to the fact that they couldn't "fit in". test tube shows to generally struggle understanding people and their feelings, meanwhile fan is more so aware of those, he still struggles with understanding that the game is very real and that he can't keep running away from the fact that change IS very real. they both made eachother grow because fan made test tube aware of feelings, and test tube made fan aware of growing and learning. they're both pretty equal on their own terms and they had bad copying mechanisms through s2 as a whole, except for their elimination of course, where they make amends and start over. they trust eachother and are pretty much partners, whether romantic or not, they are a team. a duo. they're just trying their best after all, and still struggle a lot with feelings at times. but that's why they work it through talking: the thing that they couldn't do at all before.

i really like/enjoy these ships on their own and i kinda hope that the fandom starts to actually get the characters and understand them properly, i would've also talked about silvercandle, but that is a whole can of worms and after iii 18, i have an overall more negative/neutral stance on the fandom perception of them.

this is just a recollection of thoughts, too.

[lilacs-stash]

My opinion on the twist is basically just, it really depends if Mephone just made them or if he gave them base personalities.

The contestants have free will that's not a question, the show doesn't make sense unless they do (although it will most likely be questioned by the characters themselves if they do or not).

I really hate the idea of them having base personalities. Because it takes away a lot of growth that happens, mainly the accountable of characters who were bad at the start.

Like Balloon for example can you really blame him for what he did if he just, was acting out of his base code and hadn't become a full person yet? And I LOVE that Balloon was a bad person in S1 it's a massive part of why I like him as a character, but if it wasn't really his original thought to manipulate OJ & Bomb (well, try to anyways he was so bad at it), then what's the point.

It takes away a lot from his character. It would change his arc from learning to be a better person and accepting he doesn't need to have everyone's approval In order to be that better person, to just growing past what you're made for. Sure the approval thing is still there but it holds much less weight when you change the meaning of the first half.

It also takes away a part of why he and Nickel work as a duo. It takes away them being parallels. Because Nickel only started being shitty in S2, so he's 100% responsible for his actions no matter what. His arc doesn't change meaning, but if Balloon's does? Then there goes a big part of what makes them so good.

And growing past what you were made for IS a good storyline I love it for Bot and Mephone but not Balloon. Not for Knife.

But if Mephone DIDN'T make their personalities, and instead just created their bodies, I'm way more open to it. It doesn't change the meaning. It would still be Balloon's idea to manipulate people and Knife's to kill them. It keeps their depth. It keeps them, well, them.

[decompose1]

i think i see Bot as almost a stand-in or parallel to Suitcase, where Nickel is doing this weird overwhelmingly supportive thing, trying to be Nice to them, as if to make up for what he did to Suitcase. Which is interesting, because it implies he recognizes how badly he treated her and feels remorse for it. I still don't think Nickel is off the hook until he actually apologizes directly to Suitcase and owns up to what he did, but i think it's an interesting direction to take his character. I hope they do more with it because this is the first episode to make me genuinely sad for Nickel and it's neat to see more nuance in his characterization :o)