#oh fuck there it is. The depth I wanted to see in cartoons so bad.

[keferon]

Biblically accurate Blurr~

Blurr's Spotlight was actually the very first Transformers comic I ever read. I remember looking at the first pages and being like, holy shit, dude why are you so ugly?? Ahahjcmgmg

[amethyst-draws09]

The weird side of the smiling critters fandom need to be addressed and brought to light as Its actually vile creepy and I don’t see many people talk about it.

Before I get in there are mentions of pedophilla. Nsfw. And sexual assault. If these topics are sensitive to you. Feel free to go now.

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Now I’m not gonna go to in depth with this bit as I already did in another post a while back. But the weird art you see on thumbnails on YouTube. On Tik Tok. Or on twitter is downright wrong. Your basically showing NSFW to minors what is wrong and a crime. Also let’s not forget how children coded these characters are aswell.

Now with the second part. TIK TOK AND TWITTER

Now unfortunately on Tik Tok there is very weird art of all these characters. Specially dogday and catnap. I’m sure you’ve all heard of that one edit and unfortunately there are people basiclsly posting porn on there but censoring it very lightly. I’m sure if you’ve been on Tik tok you’ve heard about the “burrito incident” with a piece of art that has dogday and catnap in. If you haven’t all you need to know it’s very disgusting artwork of catnap SA dogday in his heretic form. (The one where he’s in half) and it’s all censored with a fucking burrito.

Not only has it basically been shared round the fandom on tt but also the original post IS STILL UP?!?!?

I shouldn’t have to say why this is disgusting but just in case you need to know. NOT ONLY ARE BIGGER BODY CATNAP AND DOGDAY KIDS. WHAT IS PEDOPHILLA ALREADY? THE FACT THERES SA IN IT? THATS FUCKING DISGUSTING AND INSENSITIVE AND DOWNRIGHT WEIRD? ugh the whole situation on Tik tok annoys me. And to the people who say “ima give catnap the hour of joy” he’s 8. Don’t try argue. Oh BUt HE dIEd 20 YEaRs aGo. DOESNT matter. It’s still weird and he is still 8.

Not gonna go In depth with twitter but twitter has even more disgusting art on it. And also people that attack you if your even in the fandom. So yea.

Now finally the shipping aspect of all this…

Now I’ll say this. I think the cartoon versions being shipped. As long as it’s platonic and nothing nsfw and aged up. It’s fine. In fact I’ve seen some genuinely wholesome art on tumblr about it. But you need to tread thin with this as stated above.

Now with the experiments? Please don’t. There kids first of all. and second of all anyone who ships catnap and dogday in experiment form REALLY needs to play the game. Cause yk. Catnap kinda cut dogday in half. Just don’t ship the experiment versions. It’s wrong.

Sorry for this post but I had to say it again. I seen so much bad art of them around and the fact it’s not being taken down is bad very bad. It shouldn’t be able to roam free of no consequence. Want my opinion? See a weird piece of art? Report it and block the creator. Done. Thanks for your time

[warsamongthestars]

ONTO TBB - POST-SERIES

I am going to need to sit down, and go through all of the show, and I hope to (energy providing). Mostly to make a review, or series of reviews. Produce a few what-ifs. Someone might want the fanfic inspiration.

( I hope, I'm not going to promise because I am bad at energy, and I'm not going to promise things until I can actually deliver. So let's just say I want to do it, but we'll see if it happens or not. )

Look, I still dont' want to rain on people's parades this close after the Finale, so read at ye own risk. Lots of critical down below.

I would call the TBBshow a waste of time. But its not a waste of time, the reason being is that, I have dedicated an enormous amount of energy, to tearing this show into pieces. It soothes and enflames the rage that lies in my heart.

( Remember, I do love Star Wars, and I love the Clone Wars. And Anger and Fury are what happens when something you love, or something you cherish and care about, gets hurt very badly. And I find that the TBBshow is both the weapon and wound. But its a weapon I can turn against itself. And it is a wound I can remedy. )

Now for my bit thoughts on the finale, and bit thoughts on the show itself.

They're just big bits, because when I want to really tear into the little issues of this show, I will go molecule-by-molecule, atom-by-atom when I do.

I am going to be the fucking Saturday morning cartoon villain, with suit and cape and evil laughs, about it.

So...

One). Fifth Enhanced Clone and Omega wasn't it, remember? You remember that from the first Finale?

I remember. The show didn't.

I 'd like to think it was Emerie. It points it that. But even now, I have doubts.

Because what was the point.

They oh so twittered about Emerie, and that didn't end up much--and I'd know because the biggest TBB Fans here haven't talked jack about her. That's how good her character is.

Just listen to the silence and all those crickets.

Two). Remember how this was supposed to be the Republic becoming the Empire?

They didn't act like it, did they. You could place these scenes in the Clone Wars, and y'know, it would not only still make sense--it would be more pointed on how the Republic had always been the Empire underneath.

Because you don't get the evil of an entire instellar Empire out of nowhere. That just doesn't happen in stories that have any depth.

If it does happen, you're reading a kindergarten story then.

( ... Frankly the kindergarten story would prolly tell it better, honestly. )

THree). They killed Tech, and CX-2 meant nothing.

You can't tell me they didn't have time, because they spent 3 seasons bullshiting and then at the last minute went "Oh shit, we're supposed to have a plot! Uhhh THORW SOMETHING AT THE WALL AND WE'LL SEE WHAT STICKS"

They knew full well how much fucking time they were alloted, because TV time always allows at least 3 seasons unless you have fucked up that royally.

It is by Contract. They Knew, and they still Bullshitted.

They murdered Tech for Shock Value. Oh someone is going to say "But George Lucas didn't Like Tech--so it made sense to kill him!"

I know they're going to say it.

If they didn't want Tech, then they shouldn't have created him. If you didn't want the Apple Pie, you shouldn't have made the damn Universe. When you introduce a vital character, a main character, people are going to care about them, especially upon character development.

So when you kill that character for Shock value, and then made that value meaningless by lack of conversation and perceived impact, then all you've done is spat in the face of everyone who cared about him--who might've identified with him--or felt that they needed a fictional example of grief--or fucking hells, just WANTED TO HAVE CHARACTER IN YOUR FUCKING CHARACTERS.

Tech was the point where my fires started. He was the point, where I realized, there was no hope in this show. Can't repair the character dynamics, can't do anything of significance now.

And by their refusal to allow the characters communication and grief, they stamped Tech into the dirt by the heels of their imperial boots.

CX-2 had all this development, for fuck all. What was the point of the CXs if they weren't going to do jack with them.

Four). Spent an awful lot of time shitting on other ideas.

Every possible guest character that could appear, did appear, and it took away from the story. Worse, it took away from Authors, and Game Makers, and spat all over them with a "Haha this is OUR CANON NOW!"

Cid lost her appeal. Because it was an episodic format, and the series did not stick to an episodic format. Would've been a great minor villian, too fucking bad though.

Phee was a phenomenal character (even if I don't care for Indiana Jones / Lara Croft archetypes), and she didn't go anywhere. She stood nearby Tech, gave him a pet name, and that's it. They wasted her.

( I would say that the shippers went too hog wild--but shippers have always been hogwild. To say that they're overdoing it, means they've been underdoing it. They will go hogwild for "Nameless Twi'lek in Background". That's the beauty of the shippers. Keep shipping folks, the Empire can't take all of us out. )

They killed Scorch. Scorch, from Republic Commando, is dead now. You remember that happy go lucky guy? The one who wanted to go back for Sev?

( HE WAS MY PARTY MEMBER, GODS DAMN IT. I PLAYED THE GAME WITH HIM. )

Well. He can never go back now.

( From the bottom of my gamer heart--I felt like this was the greatest Fuck You of all time. Tech's death was already unforgivable, but this? This is as if you just executed Carth Onasi in front of me. )

( The only way they could've done worse, is if they had made a poor copycat of the deathstar as some star destroyer with a rip off of Darth Revan except he's like, the grandson of Darth Vader or something. And he like, murdered a lot of Jedi again, because they wanted to rip off the prequels... )

Why is VENTRESS EVEN THERE.

Why did we need KANAN AGAIN!?

Oh look, Rex, and... Clones... Fucking wonder what's going on there. I can't imagine that the sequel of the Clone Wars would have anything to do with Clone Wars maining Clones. Can't imagine why they might've been important for the Star Wars audience. They're just CLONES AREN'T THEY ITS NOT LIKE THE AFTER EFFECTS OF THE CLONE WARS WOULD HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH CLONES.

Completely dissed the Chip plot, for victim blaming, and all the victims paid for it. In fact, they even villianized the victims and punished them dearly. Through execution, or dismemberment.

And they just straight up murdered every villian they could get away with, for... no reason. It wasn't satisfying. It was bullshit.

The sheer audacity to fuck Echo up. He was our Audience Surrogate, on par with Ahsoka, and THIS IS WHAT THEY DID TO HIM? Made him a bit player in his own show?

Only gave Fives, one of the most important people of Echo's life, a mere throwaway mention.

Not gonna get into what they did to me boys the Bad Batch, because we'd be here all day. And I've got other things to do.

And finally, because this made me rage so fucking hard.

FIVES) The Spoken Message "Now we can be who we want to be!"

...

ARE YOU FUCKING FOR REAL. WHAT IS THIS SHOW'S MAJOR MALFUNCTION.

The Entire Point of the Bad Batch, was that they were already being who they wanted to be or who they were, since their introduction in Clone Wars. They were Unique Nonstandard Clone with Unique Abilities and excellent character (In the Clone Wars)

And suddenly the show wants to say "Oh by they weren't really being themselves--"

They didn't set that the fuck up. The TBBShow, spent the last 3 years fucking around in the ether. They had plenty of time, and they squandered it, and then they rushed jobbed like kids on final group project day.

If the "Good Soldiers Follow Orders" was the set up, then that is akin to saying "Oh don't worry about being drugged into doing something you didn't want to do, you can learn from the experience of having all your choices forced from you and against your consent, and be better from it!"

We can even take in-story!

They spent, so much time, never once talking to one another, about one another, setting up jack all. In fact, vast majority either followed Hunter's lead or ignored him, and left the Camera--there has never been any "Oh we can be who we want".

Unless you're Omega. And y'know, I tots watched a show called the Bad Batch, because I was totally clearly there for an original character not apart of the Bad Batch.

At the end of all it, I have to ask... what... story were they trying to tell exactly?

The show didn't dedicate itself to anything. It spent so long avoiding dedication that it robbed all impact, and left a constant sense of tension in every episode.

It didn't dedicate to a story. Oh it dedicated to the Rush, the New AND SHINY CONTENT--but that's it. Honestly, if they wanted the feeling of rush, they should've just dedicated themselves to Youtube Shorts, Vines and Tiktok.

I'm not here for the rush of content. I'm here for a fucking story, with characters. I have games that are decades old, I have the original Han Solo Trilogy, far before that fucking film.

And I go back, and I reread and replay, because I fucking love them. And that's what you do with something you love, you return to it constantly, its not a Fad that passes once the rush stops.

But I can only go back to the TBBshow, to take what little is good, And destroy the rest, and plant garden above the ashes.

(There are things good in this show that I want to drag out into the light and into better things. And I know, plenty of people have found that good too, and they have done the same. The sheer dedication of interpretation is a beautiful thing. )

There is no Replay Value here. By all accounts, they turned this into a throw-away show, that I guarantee, in about six months, half the fandom is going to be gone from because there's no substance here.

( I'd be shocked, but also not shocked, if it isn't, but I'm not hopeful here. )

And I'll guarantee to you, my audience, that I am going to be here with a never ending coal-fire in my chest.

Because as a lifetime Star Wars fan, from birth and unto where ever the end of my journey is, it has me--it can have my Love, or it can have my Never Ending Rage, but it has me regardless.

ADDENDUM

There are other things, believe me, I am not finished, but I wanted to get the big points down and out, to air my grievances. Twas an emotional response of sheer fucking unbelievable rage. The fires of mustafar would mean nothing in comparison to fires that lie inside. ( i'm in my darth vader arc. )

This hasn't been a waste of time... But fuck it was a Waste of Story and a waste of characters, and I will never forgive the TBBshow, for the fact that the Clone Wars lead me to love, and the TBBshow lead me to antagonizing rage.

The TBBshow story should've been a tragedy. That would've set some things to rights. If they had just, killed the team, and finally made the Empire into the tragic but villianous threat it really is, then that would've at least, made up for somethings. It wouldn't have fixed the show--S1 and S2 are still bad and no amount of good endings will fix that--but it would've been an anchor for it.

[sentys]

hotd 2.02 spoilers below the cut:

oh, you didn't want to be a father to your sons and would rather play with your legos all day? WELL, GUESS WHAT MOTHERFUCKER?!

not sure that i needed to see aemond in a brothel with some rando. like, honestly, who fucking cares? i'm not even an alysmond shooter like that and maybe it's just the demisexual in me, but ffs, what did that even add???

... but i do appreciate seeing aemond in little to nothing at all, so gotta take the good with the bad. 🤷

they are just making criston a cartoon villain with no redeeming qualities, like maybe don't do that with your 1 dornish representation :/

seriously, criston's inner conflict would be hitting so much harder if they put any thought into making him a multifaceted character with outwardly likeable traits or maybe even a healthy relationship/dynamic with his fellow kingsguard.

truly appreciate that baela was allowed to have lines, nay- a whole conversation that gave her depth! baela the brave, we love u.

is mysaria actually leaving or are they keeping her for the rest of the series? ngl, i liked her this episode and wanted more of her insight from the smallfolk perspective. but if she's high-tailing it out of westeros because sonoya mizuno is booked for other projects, then good for her. i don't know that i want to see mysaria get the short end of the stick like her ultimate fate in the book.

how is it that the cargyll clash was far more tense than b&c? maybe it's because they got 2 1/2 episodes worth of screentime between s1-2? idk.

daemyra going through their divorce era. yikes.

i straight up didn't think she would actually call him out on his grooming of her!!! maybe those rumors were true and emma d'arcy really doesn't want to co-sign any of that shit and so they asked for reduced scenes with matt.

on the flipside, they need to let go of rhaenicent because it's hindering alicent's character.

DAERON MENTION, LET'S GOOO!

more alicole sex, and for what? they're already using them as a narrative scapegoat for b&c.

aeg2 having his little moment with helaena on the stairs and then sobbing over little jae later on.

no seriously, let alicent comfort her son, PLEASE!

they showed his body? stitches and all??? wild.

you reap what you sow, otto. i have very little sympathy, if at all.

you know ... if they weren't so inconsistently written, i might've enjoyed corlys and rhaenys post-coitus a looot more.

it wasn't nearly as bad as it could've been, given the sara hess of it all. granted, i've given up on the writing/directing at this point.

[jennycinco-5]

Miraculous Writer : Who cares about “Bad Redemption “ and Inconsistency as long as Fans will pay attention on “Love Square” riiiiiight~

I know that lot of you will said “ You just too salty ! “ “ Oh ! This just Kids show ! “ “Ooooh~ This cartoon is about silly-teenage romance” “This cartoon is about  L O V E “ etc etc etc 

WHO CARES ! I already abandon the Canon!ML before the leaks comes out  everywhere

After I check all the leaks I would like to said “ WHAT THE FUCK “ and “ I’m glad finally I no longer care about this show ! “. Because I can see Season 5 is a HUGE MESS and beyond the redemption ! 

As much as I hate how BLEACH Ended due to how rushed the ending and the pairing, At least its still manage to be better and satisfying ! Despite no fans like Newest Gundam series (The Witch from Mercury) and claim to be a “full of yuri or silly school drama series in mecha”, G-WITCH still manage to be a good Gundam series and restrain its dark and heavy element . This why Suletta still acceptable as MC by many Gundam fans beside being adorable clumsy and ditzy girl instead of edgy girl

Miraculous ? Its a HUGE MESS and will never satisfying ! 

Why ?

It’s all about inconsistency and dumb ways to “redeem the character”. ML clearly has no idea what kind a theme about the show ! It’s about Shojo-esque cartoon ? No ! It’s about superhero ? No ! It’s about LOVEEEEE~ and Hardship of being teenager ? Turning Red handle it BETTER than this shit ! It’s about girls power ? The MC constantly being punch sack for writer with their un-funny comedy moment, Most of Male antagonist is paint as “Misunderstood person” and constantly give a “redemption” while female antagonist are paint as “Pure evil Bitch” who deserve no redemption.

I like to said THREE MALAYSIAN SUPERHERO CARTOON is better handle on female character in both Protagonist and Antagonist side while the show is still aimed for young boys rather than a so-called “girls power” cartoon like Miraculous

Of course ML writer cares nothing about this as long as Fans pay attention on Love-scareSquare Riiiiiggght~

Aside from inconsistency, the WORST part about ML is about poorly handle a character especially about Redemption. Its seems that from That Guy logic, Redemption means that you will full blown into a new leaf as a “super duper nice character” without any progression as long as they have “tragic backstory” so they can pity on them.

In reality, redemption of the character is need a progression and not all of them will be become a new leaf as a “super duper nice character” in instant way. They could become a anti-hero at their best or still restrain their arrogant  side and still have problem or struggle during their redemption quest such as many character would not forgive them or always remember their worst attitude before redemption happens 

Aside Zuko, there are lot of character have good redemption such as Ken Ichijouji, Peridot, Karone/Astronema and  Ashi. Special mention Anime (especially shoujo anime) have lot of character who good on handling on the antagonist or an arrogant character by give them a good depth or redemption than Miraculous

Miraculous see “redemption” and “character depth” nothing more than for “Please feel pity on them ! “ instead of to humanized the character itself especially in  Antagonist side. This is ANOTHER biggest problem in Miraculous :

Gabriel “redemption equal to death”  and Felix “Redemption for luv” are MEH and very insulting for other main antagonist who undergoes real redemption

I know that lots of pro will said “Its GLOOB Fault because they didn’t want Brazilian kids reminder about their parents in jail so they push poor astruc to change the ending~” to defend this shit. Being kIds show doesn’t mean who have an excuse about why your show is bad for handling the Big Bad of the show

So according to Leaks, Gabriel while dying is begs to Marinette to keep his secret from Adrien and is remembered as a hero and “good father” for Adrien despite of his emotional abuse and the isolation on him for 14 years and the terror that his spread on Paris for a shake of “My Wife and luvely Son UwU” . Meaning that he is free from any serious consequence of his action despite of his death.

Then we have Felix who according to Leaks suddenly simping on Kagami just because she is a Senti “just like him” and Kagami just accept him because he looks like her ex despite what already he done before to Marinette and Parisian in many previous episodes. No consequence or guilt of his previous action because Kagami defense him and the narrative paint him as “misunderstood baby~”.

That’s not a redemption ! That’s a Karma Houdini ! Neither Gabriel or Felix show a real remorse of their malice action and then Writer suddenly give them a “Redemption” because they want make Lila as big-bad since this is a “Girls Power” show which mean they need a female evil big-bad

If you want a give a Big-Bad a redemption either is resulting their death or being humiliated during their redemption quest to show how redemption is not an easy process and sometime they have struggle to do it.

You want to know where is a kids who is good on handling Big Bad Redemption 

Here Ken Ichijouji a.k.a Digimon Kaiser  a.k.a Ex-Big Bad of half season of Digimon Adventure 2

Initially a lonely prodigy boy who constantly being ignore by his parents due to their favoritism over his older brother. As Digimon Kaiser, he enslaved and corrupt many digimon, all because of his arrogance. After realizing that his bad deed is not a toys since he know Digimon are not mere a data but a living creature with emotion thanks to Wormmon sacrifice, he return back as Ken with full of guilt of his action as Digimon Kaiser. 

Despite he already forgiven by Daisuke and the other chosen children and is allow to improved himself as better person, some of Digimon still unable to accept his apology. See the gif above, he still unable to move on from the guilt even imagine himself being tortured to death by the other digimon. And this is comes from a 10-11 years old antagonist who used to have inferiority-complex with his older brother! Not a full grown man antagonist. And Digimon is a freaking kids show who not shy to show a children have a immense guilt about their action 

And Here we have Impmon/Beelzemon from Digimon Tamers 

A trouble maker digimon who always picking on human due to “not being respected by them” after see the toddler constantly argue to be his partner. He Become Beelzemon after being persuade by Caturamon and resulting on him become a power-hungry antagonist who would kill any digimon to strengthen his power

After killing Leomon in front of his poor partner (Juri Katou) and the other Tamers, he surprised and shaken to see instead of hate on him, Juri pitying on him and begged Dukemon to stop killing him due to feel guilt and didn’t want to see her allies losing someone anymore. Resutling on him feel guilt and ashamed. Despite his attempt to save Juri from D-REAPER, he always being brutally beaten by the villains. But is still his redemption being memorable by majority of fans

Digimon is a kids show just like Miraculous. But they are not shy to show any heavy or dark content to make the show become complex and those element actually give some character a meaning development

Here Miraculous give a heavy or dark content nothing more than fanservice and never meaningful for the show

Gabriel is NOT a “sympathetic gray antagonist” 

The show desperately try hard to make Gabriel as “Sympathetic” despite of what already he done toward his own Son and Parisian just because he being Hawkmoth “for sake of his family UwU~”

Sure there is nothing wrong to Humanized a villain . At least show it that the depth are genuine not a manipulation. Here they didn’t show how Gabriel truly bad about his action or his genuine attempted to be closer with Adrien because he truly love him not because of try to gain a control over his son. Most of Gabriel “kindness” toward Adrien are nothing but a manipulation

Disney has PLENTY a MC parents who portray as misunderstood. But I think Ming Lee from Turning Red to be mention of this section

Ming Lee is a realistically portray of “Tiger Parents” and lot of better than Tomoe Tsurugi who nothing more than a caricature of “Tiger Parents”. She is not a villain or Abusive mother of course, but her conflict with Mei is lot of interesting compare to Gabriel-Adrien. Although we can see her reason of her controlling behavior because of her mother, but the narrative didn’t desperate made fans to “feel sorry” about her like how ML do with Gabemoth and she still receive of consequence to pay a compensation of what already she done at SkyDome as Pandakaiju

Here in Miraculous, Gabriel didn’t receive of any serious consequences of his action as a villain or a abusive father because they didn’t want to “break Adrien little heart” and is hailed as hero and receive a statue

 Male jerks or antagonist are more redeemable than Female 

Aside from the Gabriel and Felix, a character like Alec, Rolland Dupain , the Ice Cream man, Mayor Bourgeois, even Jagged  Stone as “misunderstood character” who deserve to be “redeem” despite the horrid things they done to them such as mocking a interviewee in front of TV Show, a racist grandfather, creepy shipper who like to meddling teenagers love-live, a major enabler of spoiled brat and abandon his children for 16 years

Meanwhile 

A two spoiled brat teenager are are painted as “more monstrous than a grown-up man who is a abusive father and terrorist”, and two jerk mothers like Tomoe and Audrey as heartless bitch who don’t deserve to be humanized

Are you sure this show can be redeem ?

[the-owl-house-takes]

A lot of the people criticizing TOH are using recycled arguments from the SU crits and for that reason alone I know they're not good arguments. Something can be serialized AND episodic. This mixed model is present in many shows, INCLUDING ATLA. Something can have horror and romance and comedy, look at WTNV! "The Collector had more characterization than Gus" that is patently false. I am a Collector fan and Gus definitely got more focus. He had multiple episodes fleshing out his relationships with other characters, outside the main cast, we know his weaknesses, in that he can be blind to other people using him (a parallel with the Collector) AND he can only really do illusions. We know about his insecurities, we know his strengths, we know his interests and hobbies. People are complaining to complain. It's not lost on me that this intense nit-picking of problems that barely exist is the exact same thing that happened to SU. AND DON'T EVER LET IT BE LOST ON *YOU* THAT THIS MOSTLY HAPPENS TO SHOWS WITH QUEER REP, A DEATH BY A THOUSAND CUTS, SHALLOW OBSERVATIONS OF PROBLEMS THAT DON'T REALLY EXIST ***AND THEN!!!*** CALLING THE CREATOR A BAD PERSON OR A RACIST OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, AS IF THE SHOW SPRUNG FULLY FORMED FROM THEIR HEAD. (mod can you not post any asks in the future that call Dana or anyone else on the team a racist or anything like that?) "Oh the ending was rushed! It's bad writing, I don't care that they had a runtime equivalent to six episodes to conclude what they originally planned and paced for TWENTY!" Okay then pal, if you're so fucking smart and talented, then why don't *YOU* make a script that wraps up everything perfectly but the catch is YOU NEED TO ACCOUNT FOR THE RUN TIME (this is an argument about what we have being rushed so you cannot change the conclusions, because the "it was rushed" argument implies that "it would work if it wasn't paced poorly"). Yeah. Develop the Collector more and show us their change of heart in more depth? At the expense of what? Rewrite Huntlow so it isn't abrupt and is further away from both of their mental breakdowns? At the expense of WHAT? Include the hexsquad in the final Fight since everyone wants the deeply traumatized child to watch his abuser die (this is not something every abused person wants or needs btw)? I'd like to see you juggling (Luz, King, Eda, Hunter, Amity, Willow, Gus, Camila, The Collector, Belos, Raine) ELEVEN CHARACTERS. Not to mention so many of these complaints REEK of media illiteracy. "The ending should have been more like amphibia's" That wouldn't have worked with the Themes of the show. Not to mention the ones I pointed out at the top of this rant. It really feels like people have walked into a subway and are complaining at the lack of chicken nuggets. "I'm allowed to say my complaints about the show I like!" I think if you call the creator of this show a racist or insult anyone on the team because you wished this cartoon for children didn't end the way you wanted it to, then maybe you shouldn't be allowed to criticize anything, ever. Critique NEVER should include insults at the creator. Would you look at the work of a painter and say "Wow what horrible skill, what a lack of talent, this artist must be a real loser" and it turns out you're mad about the art being abstract when you prefer romanticism, or post modernist when you want neo-classical.

There's things that could have been improved about the show, there's criticisms to be had, but Critique IS NOT insulting the creator. And your criticism can be criticized too, especially when it is over-inflated or based on objective flaws in reasoning (like people wanting the ending to be like amphibia's, which, despite all similarities, WAS TELLING A DIFFERENT STORY THEMATICALLY).

-

[halfagone]

I was just rereading Insomniacs Anonymous (which, good stuff 👍👍) and I was just wondering if you've seen Miraculous season 5 yet? And if so, thoughts?

Why thank you~ ✨

And yes! I have seen Miraculous Season 5. You might notice in one of the A/Ns in Insomniacs Anonymous I say that the story won't be following Season 5. Mainly because the story starts somewhere in Season 4 and diverges from canon from there, you know how that goes.

As for Season 5... I think this season made me realize that this genre is not meant for me. Yes, it's superhero media (and I love superhero media; I still need to catch up on Invincible before they release the rest of Season 2), but the genre itself is very different. Like how Captain America: Winter Soldier is action (you could even make an argument that it has aspects of the thriller genre), while She-Hulk is comedy. They're both superhero mediums, but the content and storytelling are completely different.

In general, I have a very complicated relationship with Miraculous Ladybug. I don't read fanfiction for it anymore, and I dropped a lot of the MLB blogs I used to follow.

A lot of my problems aren't even from Season 5 but comes from the show altogether. The characterizations are very inconsistent, and the writers often ignore their own worldbuilding. They'll create hard rules and then backtrack.

I'm not a huge fan of how Thomas Astruc handles the show and some of the characters. Keep in mind, this is the same man that once said Jesus Christ used a Miraculous, before he rescinded the statement when he realizes oh fuck this is a bad idea.

I think a lot of it comes down to the fact that there is so much potential, but at the end of the day, this isn't the genre for it. Their focus is on something else, so I can't judge it based on what genre I want it to be.

It's also a little disappointing because there are so many other cartoons that are limited by their ratings as well but they can do so much more with it. Like, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is rated PG. That movie had depth and character growth and never once lost its charm and humor.

But I know there are those that really enjoy it, and honestly? It makes me really happy. Buggachat has some amazing art; her Bakery "Enemies" AU is an incredible display of love for the show. She also has some great analysis posts about the series, and Season 5, that I would recommend. There was a post she made about the Season 5 finale that made me appreciate it more. There's also frostedpuffs who makes beautiful pieces of art and fanfiction.

I'm never going to criticize anyone that enjoys it. I know what it's like to be interested in a piece of media that gets a lot of contention and discourse. With the rise in popularity with DPxDC, I've seen a lot of posts that gave bad faith interpretations of Danny Phantom because they didn't try to look into the show beyond the tropes they saw and disliked. Hell, just yesterday I saw the most rancid take on a beloved character that had absolutely no depth or nuance.

There are so many times when I'll see these posts and just know they've got it all wrong. Because they don't love the show. Sometimes they know the show, but they don't love it. You know what they say about authors and directors and creators who get their hands on a character they hate- they ruin them. Because they don't love them.

I don't love Miraculous Ladybug. There are parts about the show that I wasn't fond of, and then I'll see analysis posts about how the episode fits into the series as a whole, and you know what: they make sense. I couldn't have thought about it that way, because I simply don't love the show like they do. And I don't have to.

I don't think I'll watch Season 6 when it comes out. I was morbidly curious about Season 5 after the Season 4 finale, but knowing that the studio is hoping to produce 8 season total, I don't think I can commit to that. The show just isn't for me, and it's time I accept that and move on.

I'll still play in my little corner of the playground, but I think otherwise I'll just stand aside and let everyone else play with their toys how they want to.

[eolewyn1010]

Reading Percy Jackson TLT was an ordeal for me 2 - Characters

While I can repeat my disclaimer here that I only ever read The Lightning Thief (a translated version, no less) and won't try with the rest of the series, that's still about all of the slack I'm willing to cut Rick Riordan. I don't feel this is a good book, so get it off my chest I shall. Let's get down to business, and when I say business, I mean character work.

Is anyone here not a plump stereotype?

I have real difficulties to find a character here that has more depth than a cardboard cutout. I mean, let's forget about the main trio for now, but is there anything to Chiron beyond Wise Mentor? Oh, yes. The gaslighting. He wants Percy to go to Camp Half-Blood anyway. What is the point of telling him that he hallucinated shit for months?? That's an inexplicable dick move for someone we're supposed to see as a positive, caring mentor figure, but it's not the same as giving him depth. Nevermind that he was introduced via "sometimes he had an expression in his eyes like he was hundreds of years old", which... I said I hate this sort of oh, but it couldn't POSSIBLY be THAT foreshadowing. It's lousy. It's about as subtle as "this guy is EVIL, you see? He took money from an orphan charity fund to buy himself a bigass house with golden toilet seats!" It sounds like something from a cartoon.

There are a couple characters who have a little more groundwork to them than that - I appreciate Percy's mom and the subversion built up with Hades. I do not appreciate pretty much everyone else. People who are evil are obviously and obnoxiously evil (and in case of Medusa and Echidna, so obviously that they make Percy and Annabeth look dumb as fuck). They are also so stupid that you wonder how they function in their jobs (animal smugglers who feed lions with vegetables and herbivores with meat? Come on; they want to sell these animals alive). And Riordan's evil = ugly shorthand gets old really fast. Honestly, it already got old with his bully back at his human school. It also brings up a serious moment of confusion when Percy describes recognizing Ares because Ares looks similar to his daughters at the camp - except... Percy says Ares is "sort of handsome". He went out of his way to tell me how ugly Clarisse and the other bully girls are. So. Looks good on a guy, but not on the girls? Is that sexism or what? I wouldn't put it beyond Riordan for reasons I will go into when talking about mythology. Then there is every character we're supposed to hate using the same slur: "Freak." Can't you think of anything more creative? Especially coming from Ares, it sounds weird: Why would he think of demigod kids, of which he has a few of his own, on the same terms their shitty human step-parents do?

Annabeth, the know-nothing know-it-all

And then there's Annabeth, the deuteragonist. Also, the one where the set-up stereotype falls completely flat. See, we're supposed to think she's that smartass girl who knows everything better to the point of being annoying, kind of Hermione but with a terrible attitude. She's often described to look like her mind is going a mile a minute, she's Little Miss Exposition when Chiron is not around, she knows the world of the Half-Bloods and Immortals since she was seven; she has it all down. Well. Except several situations don't make her appear very smart at all. She ignores Grover's warnings when he says he can smell a monster, just as Percy does. She looks down on Grover for no reason (except maybe Fantasy Racism, which is a really bad trait for someone who has lived around satyrs and the likes since she was seven). She doesn't pick up on Medusa knowing Percy's name without being told. She prioritizes her being hungry over caution with strangers, just as Percy does. She leaves him alone with strangers when their instincts tell them both it's a bad idea. For someone who's oh-so-bright and level-headed, she fails the most basic logic.

Let's also mention Annabeth's big passion, architecture. It doesn't look very good when I know after the first vague description of Camp Half-Blood that Rick Riordan doesn't know shit about Ancient Greek architecture beyond having watched a few toga movies in his time. Because he repeats this lack of knowledge in a character who he claims knows better. Granted, the reason why I know better is because I'm minoring in Classical Archaeology, and most of the readers probably don't. But here's the thing: If you wanna write an expert in a field, you should really read up on the field. Ideally, let an expert edit the relevant parts of the text. "Write what you know" doesn't mean "hands off of non-you experiences!", it means "do your research"; it's a point of respect towards your reader not to assume they know nothing anyway. I don't know why he insisted on this being Annabeth's major interest - I mean, I do know; he did because it's a basic trait of Athena's and Riordan isn't very creative in character-building. The St. Louis Gateway Arch as an example of impressive architecture for a CLASSICALLY educated architect?? You've gotta be kidding me.

The other thing about Annabeth is that I just. Don't. Like her. She keeps being rude to Grover. She never explains anything to Percy and then complains about his ignorance. Her bitchiness is persistent and unprovoked. The reason she gives him for why they shouldn't get along doesn't even make much sense - because their parents dislike each other? The respective parents in question are barely even involved in their lives! What kind of a lame justification is that? You aren't your mother and Percy isn't his father, and parentage is not a personality (except when it kind of is, but I'll get back to that). And it takes so long for her to do anything likable... yet her constant insults don't count as bullying because, you see, she is pretty. Honestly, for at least half of the book, this seems to be the only justification why she isn't put on the same level as Clarisse. She tells Percy it's his fault the bus got blown up because he fought against the furies who made the bus blow up? Make it make sense. And then she bitches at him again because if he dies, she won't get to fulfill her mission successfully. Yeah. She just made her alleged friend's possible death about herself. Awesome.

This ship is sailing without me

I know a few things about the Percy Jackson series as a whole, for example that Percy and Annabeth are going to be an official couple sooner or later. There is the ship-teasing in this book already, and I assume it'll develop onward from here. Hm. I'm so not on board of this ship. I know a bickering romance when I see one, and this doesn't look like one. Because 1) the admiration and positive feelings seem largely one-sided for Percy, and 2) the insults and sarcastic retorts seem largely one-sided for Annabeth. This is not a balanced dynamic. It feels like Annabeth has made it her hobby to shit on her supposed love interest and be as unhelpful as humanly possible, but he compliments her at every turn, and she expects him to bow to her bossy attitude. And Percy outright says at one point that she talks to him and Grover the same way she talks to a dog. Bad news: The Cerberos scene was the only moment when I sympathized with Annabeth, and that statement severely undermined my sympathy.

But, say it with me now, she is pretty. So of course she's nothing like those nasty bullies, the daughters of Ares. And also, she blushed and was embarrassed when she was supposed to walk into that love tunnel with Percy to retrieve a MacGuffin, for fuck's sake; he didn't ask her for smoochies! "What if anyone sees us?" my ASS; you are 12-year-olds alone in a closed-down theme park; if anyone sees you there, they'll ask you what the hell you think you're doing on other people's property, you stupid bint!, so there! Yeah. No. I really hope for the future books (blindly; I will not read them) that they'll get to something that feels more mutual, because whatever they have in this book is far from cute. It's tiresome.

Consistency whomst? Don't know her

I have real difficulties to get a grasp on the main trio. Even Grover, whom I do like best among them, has a few moments that just make me go, "huh? How does that fit with what we have been told?" For example, at some point in the camp Percy and Grover are whining something about weaving baskets. It makes sense that Percy, the action-oriented 12-year-old from the human world, would think weaving baskets is the lamest shit ever - it makes zero sense for Grover to look down on it. He's lived in this world his entire life; what does he think how everything works if no one is taking care of the everyday jobs? What does he think how the camp is running if no one does the necessities?

Also. Does Grover have a good instinct for monsters, or does he not? He is the first to warn of Medusa, but with Echidna, it's suddenly Percy who gets a bad feeling. Percy also tells us that Grover is his best and only friend, then treats him as an idiot to make fun of half of the time. They cast a POC to play Grover in the series, and I swear to God, if they have a boy of color running around there eating garbage and mainly being present to be mocked by the other two protagonists...

Then there's Percy's attitude about people. Which also makes sudden switches from one adventure to another. The bus stunt with the furies? Fuck the other passengers, amirite? They can have all the trauma they can get; who cares if they get hurt. Afterwards, Percy talks about them in a supremely eye-rolling manner when the bus has crashed and everyone is panicking and there's probably injuries. But during his little touristic trip in St. Louis? He's suddenly all hero and wants to rescue people. Then he lets wild animals, including a fucking lion, on the loose in the middle of a city full of people, and snarks at Cerberos squishing dead people even deader. Does he care about humans, or does he not?

Even Annabeth, as consistently dislikable as I find her, had me go, "what?" Throughout half of the book, I was suddenly told that she's, like Percy, dyslexic. And narrator Percy says it in a manner of, "I had forgotten that she was also...", so I was like, "did I forget it as well?" and went back to look it up. I hadn't forgotten. It wasn't established before that point. Don't gaslight me, Riordan.

Where's my protagonist at?

While I liked Percy in the beginning, I found it increasingly difficult to emotionally connect with him. That started with the death of his mother. Besides Percy mentioning her on a few occasions, it didn't seem like he was grieving. His distress about her loss was very brief, and yeah, I get his whole angry-12-year-old spiel, but he's still a kid who just lost his mother? The only parent he loved? Eh. On the other hand, his ties to Camp Half-Blood are vastly oversold. He says it feels like a new home after a couple days; leaving it pains him deeply... after all of. Two. Weeks. How am I supposed to believe that? In what way was it more of a home to him than his human school? Where he also had a friend and some bullies, and his mom was not there? Even after the mission, the time he spends at the camp is just skipped. Zero connection for me as the reader. On the more amusing side of this, Charon in the Underworld singing a Barry Manilow sing confuses me less than Percy, a 12-year-old millennial, recognizing a Barry Manilow song.

And sometimes I'm just wondering what the hell is going on in Percy's head. He describes the situation at Medusa's shop as increasingly uncomfortable - but he ignores the warnings of Grover and then Annabeth, and he allows a stranger to take a photo of them? CREEPY! Has his angelic mom not warned him about strangers? That seems wildly counterproductive. He tries to put it to his not remembering the Medusa myth in that moment and not connecting the dots, but I'm not buying it. She's all, "everyone loves children", and he doesn't go, "ew, stay away from me"? And after that, the very next situation he has a bad feeling about? "Nah, it's okay; I can stay alone with some weird stranger. You guys go ahead." *facepalm* Beating your reader over the head with something like that comes at the detriment of your characters' apparent intelligence. And the confrontation with Luke reinforces that. You don't have that many friends, Percy! And you refused to even consider the possibility of Grover or Annabeth being the one to betray you! To then cheerily prance away with an obviously troubled Luke doesn't look smart.

Lineage is not personality

Last but not least, why is this something that Riordan and Rowling gotta have in common? It frustrates me to no end - the assumption that you can easily sort people, in this case kids, into personality categories. And in Riordan's case, the personality traits are determined by their lineage. It's not Slytherins; it's the children of Ares who are cruel bullies. Annabeth the smartass is not a Ravenclaw; she's a daughter of Athena. The impulsive, fearless protagonist is not a Gryffindor; he's a son of Poseidon, one of the Big Three. Oof. This makes things very easy for Riordan, and it makes things very flat. Aphrodite is the goddess of beauty, so her kids are vain and useless (yes, I am planning to shred this via a look at mythology). Demeter is the goddess of nature, so her kids are gentle little flower children (same). Kids of Hermes cannot be trusted because he's a trickster. Kids of Hades were the fascists of last World War. Not only do these categories not work because Riordan's takes on mythology are at least very one-sided and superficial; he also tries to hammer home that who your parents are will determine your personality. It's a way to simplify characters, and a notion I loathe.

[protagonistheavy]

It's kind of blowing underneath everyone's radar among all of the other problems with regards to Overwatch 2......... but holy shit the Kiriko animated short is fucking terrible. Horrifically bad compared to the usual quality of these shorts, easily the worst directed one of the bunch. I left the video having learned less about Kiriko.

It's soooooo outlandish that I was genuinely cringing. It's not like the OW universe is gritty, but it's never felt so like a cartoon, so immature. Nothing about this short is actually original, it's just constantly wanting to be like other stuff. It hits so many generic checkpoints: protagonist walks in with her favorite trademark food, she bumps into Innocent Civilians which also conveniently lets her show off her Checkbox Diversity skill of knowing sign language, local not-yakuza gang walks in (complete with exaggerated walk cycle) and beats up old man only seconds later, protagonist interferes in the most edgy way... and then, by using her ultimate, she... turns the two civilians into killing machines? Wtf? And then this over the top mother-wailing of her mom crying "My baby is a super hero!!!!!!!!!!!!! ......... ooooooooo!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ............... !!!!!!!!!!!!! wahhhh!!" jesus christ why did it go on for so long. Nothing felt inspired here, everything felt like such a specific production, trying to be what other stuff has done before, and failing to make the character any more interesting.

Why was this animation so fucking cramped? The entire thing takes place in the world's most narrow apartment hallway and never, ever opens up. This makes the battle extremely unimpressive with no depth, it's just Kiriko disappearing and reappearing, kicking people around. And what's with the whole "I'm going to kick all of you in the face" thing? There's such terrible mood whiplash here, we're seeing innocent people get beat-up by organized criminals and be genuinely threatened... and then our hero appears and says "I'm gonna kick you all in the face" in a really dark voice? Wtf is this middle school shit?

Middle school is just totally how to describe Kiriko. She feels like a chuuni character but with zero irony or awareness, a weaboo's OC shamelessly made-up of influences from the anime theyre watching. And it outright ruins her design/makes it worse. My most hated aspect of her design was her dumbass headband, and you wanna know why she's wearing it? Why is such a prominent aspect of her appearance there? Oh it's because in THIS animated short, she randomly received it as a gift from the kid. Doesnt that just seem so awkward? It's so irrelevant and yet it's arguably the most defining characteristic of her visual design -- imagine if Roadhog got an animation and in the first ten seconds he sees a random mask at Goodwill and is like "hmm, cool" and then just starts wearing it forever.

God and the climax, when the old man gets shot. Again, another huge whiplash that just totally broke my neck -- everything is all goofy during the fight, then STOP! SOMEONE HAS BEEN SHOT! GUNS ARE REA-- oh don't worry, Kiriko has magic healing papers, so all tension is lost. EXCEPT IT'S NOT. YOU JUST PISSED OFF KIRIKO AND NOW SHE;s;psijfb SHE'S FUCKING GOING RAGE MODE. LSL:ASKNDS oh my GOD! How did they animate this with a straight face? I've seen role plays on Neopets be better about drama than this. And then with her ultimate ability, she whips up the two civilians into a murderous rage???? I'm supposed to think this is cool???? That Kiriko apparently has the power to make people explode into violence???

.......... AND THEN SHE DIDNT EVEN KICK ANYONE IN THE FACE? right??? I dont think she kicked ANYONE in the face, despite that being a huuuuge "joke" or whatever! Wtf is this disappointing set up? This whole short feels way more confident in itself than it should lmao, it really thinks its being hilarious.... Like when that gangster was like, "we're gangsters, son!" and then when he's lost he whimpers it again? Oh my god, this is just so juvenile.

What's her relation to Genji and Hanzo? What's her relation to ANYTHING happening in the Overwatch universe? What's the science behind her abilities? Where's her spirit fox?!?! Do we get any sort of glimpse into who Kiriko is besides a shounen anime protagonist vigilante that beats up nameless goons? No but 30% of this ten minute short is spent about fucking donuts.

I want to guess that maybe this was an extremely rushed product, because I just can't believe how poor in quality it is. The dialogue sucks, the cinematography sucks, the action sucks, the characters suck. There's nothing worth remembering here, nothing that pushes Overwatch lore or makes the OW world more interesting, just an immature showcase of the worst character added to OW yet. So completely uninspired.

[justsalpals]

eh, everyone and their mother has Opinions about natla so I might as well give mine

To be clear: overall I think it's fine. Some things good, some things bad, and smarter people are gonna say much more well thought out things than little ol me. I don't have it in me to string up a giant essay about story structure, or dialogue pacing, or the visual elements. But in the end, I had fun.

There are just a couple changes I wanted to focus in on, and give my thoughts about (both positive and negative) that I hadn't seen delved into too deeply.

Zuko's notebook

yay- Okay but I kinda love the addition of this little notebook. It really gives a physical weight to the fact that Zuko has spent the past three years researching the avatar. Not just sailing around blindly, but doing constant in depth research with all the vicious unshakable stubbornness we see from s1 Zuko. All information that's publicly known on the avatar, but I bet no one else in the current age has it all accumulated together and organized like Zuko has. And to Aang, that knowledge is absolutely invaluable. It really helps give shape to Zuko's time after the banishment.

Besides, you can't tell me that Zuko was the perfect professional detached academic. Hell no. That boy's personal thoughts, feelings, and theories were over every inch of those pages. He wrote a lot of that when he was thirteen years old. I've seen the term tossed around jokingly, but that shit basically IS his diary. What I'd give to be able to read it. Hell, imagine the insight Aang could get on Zuko specifically between all the avatar ramblings.

nay- As said, I really do love the concept of this little notebook. So... where is it?? I'm hardly the first person to harp on this adaptation's issue with telling rather than showing, and this circles right back to that known problem. They introduce this compelling little notebook by having Aang steal it, never show it being read or even opened, and later Aang mentions how helpful it was. So show me!! Or at the very least give a shot of him reading it late at night, and hiding it from Katara and Sokka! And at no point does Aang ever mention any of the supposedly valuable insights that this notebook gave him. Basically nothing changes if you cut it, so why add it?

Kiyoshi

yay- To be honest, I don't mind them getting rid of Sokka's overt sexism as much as other people seem to. They just kinda shifted his arc around, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. He was still really undermining Suki in his attempts at flirting, and then had to reevaluate what being a "warrior" meant to him. It helped fold into the arc this new version has going for him. (Plus, I mean, those aspects of the character can still exist in these circumstances I think. Even though this Sokka isn't carrying a big WOMEN BELONG IN THE KITCHEN sign, I think a lot of his behaviors clearly still stem from a history of misogyny and toxic masculinity. It's a little more grounded and subtle than the og avatar's Cartoon Feminism story, but it's there.)

And Suki. Oh Suki. Big thumbs up from me. I might even like this Suki more than the original? (Though that's probably just because in the og we don't have much more from her than "a girl who can kick your ass." And don't get me wrong, I love a girl who can kick my ass.) I think I'm just extremely charmed by how immediately and intensely she wanted to Get Down with Sokka. Go get him, girl. And that cute little moment of "I kicked your ass! This is flirting! We are both warriors and this is how we flirt and I have shown off my strength! :) Now cute boy will want to kiss me! :) Why did the cute boy walk away? :( I beat him in combat and did flirting so good, why is he not enchanted? :(:(:("

And I fucking love love love a good fight/dance situation filled with tension. I'm twirling my hair and giggling. We love the intimacy of combat.

nay- Now I'm not the first person to say this and I won't be the last, but they should've put Sokka in the fucking dress. Don't want to make a Man in a Dress joke? Good call. Solution: don't make it a joke. Make it a special moment of sharing cultures, of showing the significance of the garb and the weight behind Suki giving this honor to an outsider. I think that could be really beautiful (if you weren't a fucking coward about it.)

Another thought that may seem to contradict my Suki gushing earlier: as much as I loved their little thing? I don't think her and Sokka should have been nearly so explicitly romantic as they were at this point in the story. Between Suki, Yue, and the unnamed fire nation lady they randomly introduced on a joke, combined with the less cartoony nature of the show, this Sokka really seems to fall hard and fast very superficially. And honestly, that's not a bad trait to give him? I kinda like the vibe and implications. It does however completely undercut the Yue storyline.

I think it would've been more impactful to spend this time having them build up a really strong friendship (maybe with a bit of flirting), and then carry through with the romance when they met again in later seasons.

Yue

yay- Giving her more tie into the spirit world was a smart move, and the perfect opportunity to build her relationship with Sokka prior to arriving at the North Pole. And the dessert scene was cute.

nay- Having Yue appear in the spirit world was a good way to build her character and their relationship, but then they? Didn't? At all? And even though it felt like they were trying to make her more down to earth and fleshed out, she felt very flat to me. Their whole relationship just didn't hit for me (and also adding in my point from the Kiyoshi section, it definitely felt less sincere when this Sokka is falling for ladies left and right). Her whole situation just kinda lost a lot of emotional impact.

And what was the point of Hahn in this version?? This is less a complaint and more just confusion. I genuinely don't understand. His whole character was just "an asshole who is betrothed to Yue" both of which are just. No longer true about him. And I don't think change is inherently bad, but they just didn't give him anything else to do? He's just a guy who shows up and flirts with Sokka from time to time (which I don't mind, but I feel like it wasn't what they were going for).

Honestly, why would they get rid of the betrothal plot?? It felt like they were just trying to make Yue more single and available. Which didn't even hit right? It took away an interesting complication to the relationship, without any real payoff.

Zuko's banishment

yay- I genuinely really like this version of the war meeting a lot. It really twists in the knife of "why is this thirteen year old in a war meeting? oh god, why is he speaking?" Zuko is so passionate, but so bad with his words. He's never been a diplomat, and here he's thirteen years old. He's gonna call you an idiot to your face and believe his dad his gonna give him a pat on the head for being so good and smart.

And I like how here it was fully and pointedly directed towards the general. In the original it was pretty clear that Zuko was gonna end up facing his dad in that agni kai, but I think if this was the version I saw first I would've genuinely been fooled by the switcharoo.

nay- Firstly, Iroh shouldn't have interfered. Come on, not stepping in to stop it was literally one of Iroh's greatest regrets! And that's so interesting! And gives him so much depth!! Don't take that away!

And of course, the big one:

ZUKO. SHOULD. NOT. HAVE. FOUGHT. BACK.

Is it believable that this scared little kid could be intimidated into fighting? Sure. And you can tell his heart isn't in it. But the scene is much less powerful this way. There's something about the original scene that feels so intrinsic to Zuko's character. Refusing to fight no matter what. Thirteen years old, on his knees, begging for his father to forgive the disrespect. But he will not fight. He will not. Please. Please, this isn't how it was supposed to be. He will not fight.

They tried to carry that same feeling by having that "Zuko could strike him, but choses not to" moment, but it's not the same at all. AT ALL. (Plus, I don't believe for a fucking second that scared and unwilling thirteen year old Zuko could actually win against his extremely powerful grown ass man father. Like what the fuck are you doing Ozai?) I get what they were trying to do with the whole "compassion is weakness" line (and I did kinda like how it lead to Compassion being a trigger for him in his talk with Aang), but it's so much more of a generic and bland villain line. Not feeling it at all.

Especially since they had the baller fucking line "You will learn respect, and suffering will be your teacher" from the og. Like COME ON. I thought you wanted these characters more fleshed out?? Why would you throw out that gold to replace with some mustache twirling Kindness Bad bs?

Also I adore half-blind Zuko headcanons, so you're gonna have to pry that away from my cold dead hands.

whew. anyway. that was a lot of words to say: I liked some things. and I didn't like others. and that's fine. I have more opinions, but these are the only ones I felt strongly enough about to type up rn.

[thenewtotaldramaseason]

Hm is this the place i can go more in depth about my legitimate weirder sorta "these characters would never even meet let alone be friends" thing bc hear me out:

Sammy, Alejandro, Kitty. Bad Older Sibling Squad (Kitty becomes an alumni/is still just friends with them, obvs. Emma's improvement n development are fantastic to see) I just like the idea they somehow meet n have even maybe SEEN the respective seasons the others were in, and while Kitty is in a much better place, shes still like. yk that was still probably multiple years if not longer shes been kinda treated like that, it just came to a boiling point here, etcetc, and in the end her being a part of it is, more of knowing how it felt, what theyre going through, and an intense deep desire to protect Sammy lol Alejandro is. is there bc i said so. Idk what to tell u i think he can become less of a douche if he had a better support system and was encouraged to do like. Not Evil and Manipulative shit. would that change him entirely??? no. but perhaps he could be allowed two (2) friends of a more normal non snarky/mean/antagonistic nature.

Who DO hate his brother n DONT judge him when he goes off about whatever is going on in his life currently. Like im not gonna get into my full Alejandro analysis bc that. that'd take way too long. and i am alllll too aware a lot of it is headcanons n bias ill have to lay out proper like. but you cant come to my house n say oh yeah his worst fear is his older brother :)" n think its chill or ok or normal or nothing. idc if its a cartoon huff shorts, thats fucked UP dude.

plus side note i hc alejandro as Nonbinary and i think two adorable n probably fashion forward girls will b happy to help him on days he wants to lean more feminine or a bit more out there. nothing to do with their shared trauma, just an extra bit.