#red vs blus alpha

[n3onwraith]

The tension between church and state/ref

[smhalltheurlsaretaken]

Blue Team dynamics are so natural from the beginning because they're all bros. But not like, brother in arms or some shit. The core Blood Gulch Blues are, in fact, siblings.

Church: clearly the oldest child who tries way too hard to assert his dominance. Can't pass up the opportunity to make the others praise or worship him, while constantly professing a deep hatred for them all. Secretly deeply cares but it takes life or death situations to get him to admit it. 

Tucker: CLEARLY suffering from middle child syndrome. Craves Church's approval and attention in the beginning, then grows resentful when he feels abandoned. Resorts to taking up the mantle of responsibility instead of the fuck-up oldest bro, while still clearly pissed because he feels like it shouldn't be his job. (Still takes the job super seriously though.) 

Caboose: the ultimate youngest child who competes with the middle bro for big bro's affection. Very annoying. When big bro and middle bro are fighting, he’s the one to bring them together.

Flowers: capitalizes on all of that to try and be accepted as The Dad.

Tex: the eldest brother's girlfriend nobody really knows how to act around.

[anneapocalypse]

The Blood Gulch Chronicles and the Tragic Finale

Writing about season 15 a while back got me thinking about RvB protagonists, and I wrote a bunch of additional stuff on the subject that didn’t make it into that post and I wasn’t sure what ultimately I was going to do with it. But there’s nothing like an old gifset of season 5 to make me suddenly need to wrangle a post out of this immediately, so let’s go. ;)

Church is the protagonist of the Blood Gulch Chronicles. Yes, it’s an ensemble story, but that story is driven largely by Church--his actions, his relationships both past and present, even his death(s). Yes, Blood Gulch has a plot. The sequence of events may feel convoluted, unserious, even random at times, but there is a plot.

And one thing that makes Blood Gulch very interesting to me to this day is that it’s a story about failure. Church, as the main character, has one primary goal since season 1: to keep Tex safe. That is what he wants, and that is what he seeks to do: by warning Tucker not to get her involved, by orchestrating her rescue from Red Team when she gets involved anyway, by his (real or perceived) time-travel in an attempt to fix everything, by attempting to protect her from Omega and Wyoming. You can argue that he also has the secondary goal of protecting his teammates, Tucker and Caboose, but Tex is his primary motivator.

The problem? Tex doesn’t want to be protected. She can take care of herself, and she wants to make her own decisions. If she wants to go on the Great Journey, she damn well will. If getting rid of Omega isn’t good enough for her and she wants to kill him too, she damn well will. If she wants to kidnap an alien baby in the name of humanity’s survival? Well.

See the thing is, Church fails.

Sure, Tucker succeeds in killing Wyoming. Tucker’s story in Blood Gulch is one of success, and I don’t think it’s an accident that he develops into a highly-motivated character in his own right, and goes on to become a protagonist himself in later seasons.

But Church? Church fails. Even though Wyoming dies, his plot still succeeds; his story convinces Tex to rejoin the war effort and leave her new friends, and Church, behind. The villain dies, but in a way he still wins. Tex takes Omega back, kidnaps Junior, and takes off in Kai’s dropship which then appears to explode in atmosphere (which, we later learn, is actually Andy the Bomb going off). Church loses Tex, fails at the one thing he has been trying to do since season 1, and the story ends.

For the arc with a reputation as the most lighthearted, humorous, and unserious portion of the Red vs. Blue canon, the Blood Gulch Chronicles is in some ways the grimmest and most hopeless in terms of its resolution. That is its irony. That irony is one of the many reasons I still love it, and still think it carries interest as a story.

And you could argue (and I will) that it is in fact season 5 that sets the precedent for what I will call the tragic finale in Red vs. Blue. There is no RvB arc, no matter how triumphant, that ends without loss.

Though Reconstruction is the culmination of Church’s character arc, Wash is the protagonist of that season as well as the Recollections trilogy as a whole, because it is his motivations and his actions that drive the plot. Reconstruction reconstructs the Red vs. Blue universe in the larger context of Project Freelancer, and it needs a perspective from outside of Blood Gulch to do that, so Wash is the point of view character, not Church.

The conclusion of the Reconstruction arc is primarily the culmination of Wash’s goal: to stop the Meta and expose the abuses of Project Freelancer. But in the process, we also get the culmination of Alpha Church’s story. He learns his true origins, and for reasons that have been much-debated over the years, stays to help Wash defeat the Meta--and is destroyed by the EMP in the process.

It’s really unfortunate that the scene in Reconstruction where Wash convinces Church to stay and confront the Meta with him was cut (you can find it in the DVD/Blu-Ray extras), because it makes it so much clearer why this is the culmination of Church’s character arc and not a senseless death. It is, in Church’s mind, the one way he can make up for his failure to protect Tex. If she needs him now, he can go to her. Maybe he will still fail, and maybe they will die, but at least he can do what he feels he was meant to do. In the best case scenario, they are both ghosts and they carry on. In the worst case scenario--

well, at the very least, he can see her one last time.

And thus, the tragic finale. Even Wash’s victory is only a partial one, and a bitter one; he succeeds in stopping the Meta, but Caboose fails to uphold his end of the plan, keeps the memory unit instead of turning it in, and with no evidence against the Director to exonerate him, Wash lands in prison.

The ending of season 8 is similarly bittersweet, though a bit more optimistic. Once again, the Meta’s defeat makes for a celebrated victory, and Wash’s adoption into Blue Team begins a new chapter in his story. But once again, Church is lost--not forever, but locked down in the memory unit chasing eTex down through the iterations of his reconstructed memories. The tragedy here is twofold: Epsilon Church, in recreating Tex from his memories, is subject to a rude awakening in learning that Tex, as always, has her own plans and ambitions far beyond being his long lost girlfriend. (I’m not saying this is objectively a tragedy; I’m saying that narratively what is, in Epsilon’s mind, a betrayal becomes a personal tragedy that for him mirrors the failure of Alpha Church at the end of season 5.) And Caboose has spent two seasons rebuilding his best friend--only to lose him again.

And so the cycle repeats.

Season 10, I would say, doesn’t necessarily break this pattern but it does turn it on its head--which is appropriate! The protagonist of the Freelancer arc, though often obscured by clumsy writing and POV problems, is undoubtedly Carolina, and the finale is the culmination of her character arc: to break the Church family cycle, and be the one to let go. (And no, I don’t care what the book says, I don’t care what anyone says, this is not a forgiveness ending or a redemption ending for the Director; it is both of those things for Carolina herself, and this is a hill I will die on, but that’s another post.)

This is why it’s Carolina who tells Epsilon he needs to let go, and not the reverse. Because she is the change. She is the one who breaks the cycle of tragedy, of recreation and destruction. And that is why she is the Church who lives on to this day.

There is tragedy at the end of season 10, without a doubt. Particularly in the flashbacks, where Tex fails to save both Alpha and Carolina. In the past, we see the cycle continue. But in the present day, in Carolina’s survival and in the choices she makes, there is hope. The cycle is broken. This is why, even in its clumsy execution, I’ve come to feel that showing the past and present storylines side by side was important, even necessary.

And of course I can’t conclude without mentioning season 13, which closes the book on the Church family story. (From that perspective, season 15 is really more of an epilogue, making at least an attempt to honor Church’s memory while letting him go–though in my opinion it sort of bungles the tragic finale both by excluding Carolina from the Church closure and by grasping for a less-significant character to actually kill off, which makes it not really the note I’m looking to end this essay on!)

But in the Chorus trilogy, as in every preceding finale, there is no victory without loss. Doyle’s sacrifice ties into the Chorus conflict itself and the dynamics of the two sides, and that could be a whole post in itself. Epsilon’s sacrifice carries forward the Church family themes of love and loss and letting go from every previous finale, and mirrors Alpha’s sacrifice in season 6–but this time Church goes with unquestionably full knowledge and full agency, and this time, he goes not chasing an unwilling partner, but instead saving the friends who have accepted him and come back for him, time and again.

And Carolina lives on. The survivor, the scion of the Church family. The one who breaks the cycle--who lets go of the past, and lives.

[router00]

My blu-ray collection as of (01/06/2018) This will be something I keep updating as I get more blu-rays. I like building this collection! Wonder Woman Man of Steel Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Suicide Squad Batman Batman Returns Batman Forever Batman & Robin Batman Begins The Dark Knight The Dark Knight Rises Green Lantern Watchmen (Director's Cut) Constantine - The Complete Series Captain America: The First Avenger Iron Man The Incredible Hulk Iron Man 2 Thor The Avengers Iron Man 3 Captain America: The Winter Soldier Thor: The Dark World Avengers: Age of Ultron Guardians of the Galaxy Ant-Man Captain America: Civil War Doctor Strange Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2 Spider-Man: Homecoming Hellboy Hellboy II: The Golden Army Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Original Trilogy 3-Pack) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows X-Men: First Class X-Men: Days of Future Past (The Rogue Cut) X-Men: Apocalypse The Wolverine Logan Deadpool Fant4stic The Punisher Punisher: War Zone Big Hero 6 The Amazing Spider-Man The Amazing Spider-Man 2 Power Rangers Doctor Strange (Animated) Blade Runner (30th) Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets Ghost in the Shell Passengers Lucy Life Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Star Wars: The Force Awakens Alien VS Predator (Double Feature) Prometheus Alien Anthology Alien: Covenant Pacific Rim Super 8 Godzilla Kong: Skull Island Shin Godzilla The Mummy (2017) Transformers Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Transformers: Dark of the Moon Transformers: Age of Extinction Transformers: The Last Knight Rise of the Planet of the Apes Dawn of the Planet of the Apes War for the Planet of the Apes Jurassic Park Collection Jurassic World Game of Thrones - Season One Game of Thrones - Season Two Game of Thrones - Season Three Game of Thrones - Season Four Game of Thrones - Season Five Game of Thrones - Season Six Unbreakable Split Lady in the Water The Last Airbender The Dark Crystal Chronicles Star Trek Beyond Dumb and Dumber To Beauty and the Beast IT The Evil Dead Evil Dead Ash vs Evil Dead - Season One Kick-Ass Kick-Ass 2 Paul Scott Pilgrim vs the World The Accountant Romeo + Juliet The Hunger Games Pitch Perfect Serenity Sucker Punch (Extended) Tron Legacy Ghostbusters (2016) The Bourne Classified Collection AVATAR Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Morgan Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part One Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part Two Fantastic Beast and Where to Find Them Terminator Salvation (Director's Cut) Terminator Genisys The Breakfast Club The Shallows Knock Knock Goosebumps Paddington The Matrix Trilogy (3-Pack) Jingle All the Way Hannibal - Season One Hannibal - Season Two Beauty and the Beast (Animated) The Lion King The Incredibles  Brave Zootopia Inside Out Moana The Peanuts Movie How to Train Your Dragon Rise of the Guardians Alpha and Omega Cowboy Bebop (Complete Series) Cowboy Bebop The Movie Bleach Vol. 1 Bleach the Movie 3: Fade to Black Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV The Legend of Korra - Book One: Air The Legend of Korra - Book Two: Spirits The Legend of Korra - Book Three: Change The Legend of Korra - Book Four: Balance Tales of Vesperia: The First Strike Tales of Zestiria: Dawn of the Shepherd Ghost in the Shell (Animated) Digimon Adventure Tri: Reunion

Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker Superman Doomsday Justice League: The New Frontier Batman: Gotham Knight Wonder Woman Green Lantern: First Flight Superman Batman: Public Enemies Justice League: Crisis on Two Earth Batman: Under the Red Hood Superman/Batman: Apocalypse Superman/Shazam!: The Return of Black Adam All Star Superman Green Lantern: Emerald Knights Batman: Year One Justice League: Doom Superman vs The Elite Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Superman: Unbound Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox Justice League: WAR Son of Batman Batman: Assault on Arkham Batman vs Robin Justice League: Throne of Atlantis Justice League: Gods and Monsters Batman: Bad Blood Justice League vs Teen Titans Batman: The Killing Joke Justice League DARK Teen Titans: The Judas Contract Batman: Harley Quinn The Lego Batman Movie

Psycho-Pass - Season One Akira Your Name

[router00]

My Blu-ray collection as of (04/21/2017) Batman Batman Returns Batman Forever Batman & Robin Batman Begins The Dark Knight The Dark Knight Rises (Steelbook) Green Lantern (Steelbook) Watchman - Director's Cut Man of Steel (Steelbook) Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Suicide Squad Iron Man 3 Avengers: Age of Ultron Guardians of the Galaxy Ant-Man Captain America: Civil War Doctor Strange The Amazing Spider-Man The Amazing Spider-Man 2 Fant4stic Big Hero 6 X-Men: First Class X-Men: Days of Future Past - Rogue Cut X-Men: Apocalypse The Wolverine Deadpool Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Steelbook) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows Batman: Under the Red Hood Wonder Woman Batman: The Killing Joke Justice League Dark Teen Titans: The Judas Contract Doctor Strange (Animated) Unbreakable Lady in the Water The Last Airbender Split Blade Runner - 30th Anniversary Collector's Edition Star Wars: The Force Awakens Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Ghostbusters Promethus Alien Anthology Jurassic Park Collection -Jurassic Park -The Lost World: Jurassic Park -Jurassic Park III Jurassic World The Evil Dead (Steelbook) EVIL DEAD (Steelbook) Ash vs Evil Dead - First Season LUCYThe Bourne Classified Collection -The Bourne Identity -The Bourne Supremacy -The Bourne Ultimatum -The Bourne Legacy The Dark Crystal Tron Legacy The Hunger Games Dumb and Dumber To AVATAR Terminator Salvation - Director's Cut Terminator Genisys PAUL Scott Pilgrim vs. The World Serenity Hannibal - Season One Hannibal - Season Two Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part One Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part Two GODZILLA Pacific Rim Pitch Perfect Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time The Peanuts Movie Alpha and Omega The Incredibles Beauty and the Beast - 25th Anniversary Edition BRAVE Zootopia Frozen Inside Out How to Train Your Dragon Rise of the Guardians The Legend of Korra - Book One: Air The Legend of Korra - Book Two: Spirits The Legend of Korra - Book Three: Change The Legend of Korra - Book Four: Balance Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV (Steelbook) Cowboy Bebop: The Complete Series Bleach the Movie: Fade to Black Tales of Versperia: The First Strike Tales of Zestiria: Dawn of the Shepherd