#series: Jem and the Holograms

[quilldesignz]

wait thats so big brained @notsogoodangel

[tvcartoonme]

[shitpostsfromstarlight]

every time

[teegeeteegee]

Tee's 30 Favorite Cartoon Opening Theme Songs

My recent Animaniacs post reminded me how much I adored its opening theme, leading me to re-watch it again. This sparked a wave of nostalgia for other cartoon theme songs that have brought me joy over the years and thus inspired me to compile a list of some of these songs. I started with the intention of including just 20 but as I revisited more themes, however, I found it impossible to stop at that number. I expanded the list to 25 but eventually stretched it to 30 as more themes came to mind. I had to draw the line there; otherwise, I might still be adding to it! 🤣

(For the record, the Animaniacs theme will appear in this ranking; where it appears, however, everyone will have to wait and see. 😉)

Before I begin, I want to shout out a few honorable mentions that just missed the cut:

~~~

Batman: The Animated Series

Among the most legendary cartoon opening themes ever, "Batman: The Animated Series would have certainly earned a spot on my list had I expanded it to a Top 35. The haunting ambiance combined with the high-octane rhythm that kicks in after the halfway point perfectly embodies the spirit of the series.

C.O.P.S.

Wow, this theme really gets the blood pumping! Much like B:TAS, the score for "C.O.P.S." encapsulates the show's atmosphere beautifully. In contrast to the darker undertones of B:TAS, however, this theme is a relentless rush from start to finish. It makes me feel as if I’m navigating a chaotic, crime-infested futuristic city. Bulletproof’s narration also brings a significant weight to the overall theme. As an aside, I also love the outro, where Bulletproof names the officers and the villains.

Jem and the Holograms

Much like the titular character, this theme is truly outrageous! The 80s synth pop/rock sound fuses glamor with a mellow vibe that I nod my head to whenever I hear it. Moreover, the interruption by The Misfits introduces a jarring yet compelling contrast before the original melody returns to wrap up the track.

Kim Possible

"Kim Possible" boasts a theme that’s a vibrant pop anthem laced with R&B influences. The rhythmic beeping cleverly ties into the show's technological essence, highlighting Kim's role as a teenage spy who relies on an arsenal of gadgets during her escapades. The catchy refrain, 'call me, beep me, if you want to reach me,' rings out throughout the song, establishing itself as a memorable catchphrase for the entire series.

The Simpsons

In simple terms, "The Simpsons" stands as a monumental television series that has left an indelible mark on pop culture. It holds the record as the longest-running animated series in America, the longest-running sitcom, and the longest-running scripted show in prime time. One of the standout features is undoubtedly the opening theme. I adore how it begins with a soothing melody that gradually spirals into delightful chaos, with Lisa's saxophone solo providing a lovely contrast. It's a catchy tune that never fails to make me hum along whenever I hear it.

On a different note, I miss the days when Homer would scream and dash away from the car instead of getting hit by it now. I haven't watched in what feels like forever, so that change surprised me while browsing for a video. Hence, I posted a video with that classic part for this post.

~~~

I could easily add more themes to the list but just like with my Top 30, I'd be here forever if I didn't establish a limit! 🤣

[martianbugsbunny]

Bc the animation styles look pretty similar I am now yearning to see an X-Men/Jem swap thingie where the X-Men get assigned to be members of the Holograms (outfits included) and the Holograms get assigned to be members of the X-Men (outfits included)

[collectivedirective]

*casts a milf spell to make you pay attention to this show

[doctorcorby]

Send me a kiss prompt from this linked list and any ship on the list below the cut and I'll write something for it!

ETA: I turned on anon for this

note: these are all pairings I can write without calling on my writing partner XD

Digimon

Ken x Daisuke

TK x Ken

TK x Daisuke

Matt x TK

Koushiro x Mimi

Koushiro x Ken

GTA V

Trevor x Tracey

Lester x Trevor

Franklin x Trevor

Ace Attorney

Kavier x Apollo

Phoenix x Miles

Phoenix x Apollo

Phoenix x Mia

Peter Pan

Hook x Smee

Jane x Tinkerbell

Tinkerbell x Hook

Slayers

Zelgadis x Xelloss

Rezo x Kappii

Zelgadis x Kappii

Lina x Zelgadis

Metal Gear Solid

Ocelot x Otacon

Acid Snake x Ocelot

Ocelot x Mantis

Mantis x Otacon

Jem

Eric Raymond x Raya

Eric Raymond x Pizzazz

Eric Raymond x Kimber

Techrat x Riot

Kimber x Riot

Pizzaz x Riot

Rapture x Riot

Kimber x Pizzazz

Craig x Pizzazz

Craig x Jetta

Craig x Riot

TGAA

Kazuma x Ryuunosuke

Yuujin x Kazuma

Yuujin x Ryuunosuke

Barok x Ryuunosuke

Barok x Kazuma

hosonaga x mikotoba

hosonaga x ryuunosuke

barok x hosonaga

drebber x tuspells

drebber x yuujin

drebber x barok

Courtney x drebber

Urusei Yatsura

Mendo x Megane

mendo x ryoko

mendo x shingo

rei x mendo

ataru x mendo

ataru x megane

ataru x rei

Resident Evil

Chris x Wesker

Chris x Tyler

Leon x Tyler

karl x ethan

nikolai x george hamilton

chris x ethan

annette x wesker

heisenberg x chris

heisenberg x wesker

Fire Emblem

Manuela x Hanneman

linhardt x caspar

manuela x dorothea

claude x lorenz

jeritza x mercedes

jeritza x ingrid

jeritza x seteth

jeritza x hanneman

jeritza x yuri

balthus x yuri

bathus x jeritza

seteth x mByleth

byleth x anyone

Claude x Linhardt

Danganronpa

Toko x Nagito

Toko x Syo

Toko x Kirigiri

toko x Hifumi

nekomaru x gundam

nekomaru x teruteru

teruteru x kotoko

kaziuchi x hiyoko

hiyoko x kotoko

asahina x sakura

Marvel

Sabretooth x Otto

Sabretooth x Forge

Sabretooth x Cypher

Sabretooth x Kitty Pryde

Kitty Pryde x Cypher

Kitty Pryde x Otto

Cypher x Otto

Sabretooth x Tabitha

Sabretooth x Banshee

Sabretooth x Toad

Banshee x Northstar

Banshee x Doug

Sabretooth x Logan

Kitty Pryde x Logan

Peter x Harry

Peter x Otto

Peter x Adrian

Adrian x Otto

Harry x Otto

Harry x Adrian

sabretooth x daken

daken x logan

steve x logan

steve x sabretooth

peter x Ben

Ben x Otto

Ben x Harry

magneto x northstar

northstar x sabretooth

Homestuck

Vriska x Aranea

Vriska x Dave

Vriska x Eridan

Vriska x Sollux

Vriska x Equius

Vriska x Cronus

Cronus x Aranea

Aranea x Eridan

Dave x Karkat

bro x dave

dirk x dave

hal x dirk 

hal x dave

dirk x vriska

DD x HB

BQ x DD

BQ x HB

dave x sollux

dave x eridan

sollux x eridan

cronus x equius

Kurlox x equius

Persona series

Naoya x Kei

Katsuya x Baofu

Baofu x Dojima

Dojima x Naoto

Yukari x Junpei

Kei x Reiji

kandori x reiji

kandori x kei

chie x yukiko

yu x dojima

yu x chie

yu x yukiko

akira x akechi

akira x ryuji

[kujo1597]

“Do you plan on getting into gardening?” Stormer asked.

Jerrica hissed. “Probably not. I’m sure I can trust my girls to not trample it but I just don’t have the time. Besides, I think black thumbs run in the family. My mother never managed to successfully keep flowers alive.”

“That explains a lot about Kimber actually. Your mom didn’t know how to take care of plants so she never taught her kids. But you have house plants and they all look healthy to me.”

“Mrs. Bailey takes care of them.”

Stormer groaned, and this was when Kimber appeared.

“What’s up?” She asked.

“I just learned that Jerrica kills plants too,” Stormer replied.

“Hey I’ve gotten better!” Kimber quickly defended herself.

“You have, thank god.”

“Rude.”

*laughs triumphantly* There's no real evidence that Jacqui was good at gardening! I only see bushes and trees in the back yard which are super easy to keep alive! My silly little line about black thumbs running in the family can stay!

[nerd-artist]

Horizon Rock Bands AU: Alpha Prime

This is heavily inspired by the animated series Jem and The Holograms (I’m sorry if you know the reference because it means you’re as old as me 😆). There will be posts about other bands. Ereloy implied 🧡.

The band

Alpha Prime is a synth-punk rock band that performs songs about the struggles of social life and humanity's downfall. Aloy and her twin sister Beta started the band to take down Nemesis, the evil group that was winning every contest through dishonest ways before Alpha Prime showed up. Petra, Alva, Zo, and Talanah also had their own personal discordances with Nemesis, so they teamed up with the sisters to bring them down and make the world a little brighter with their music.

Unstoppable on stage, they've been number one since their first appearance at The Proving, the most prestigious battle of the bands in the music scene. There, they met the band Rock Breakers, who are not only their competitors but also great friends and allies against Nemesis.

With their manager Ersa, they’re getting ready for the competition by touring across the country. Their shows are called epic, thanks to their magical computer GAIA, which adds awesome visual effects and illusions to their performances.

Character profiles under the cut

Aloy

She's the leader of the band and their main songwriter. She plays her guitar ‘Outcast’, and her soft voice mixed with her feral screams make her the perfect backup vocalist. When she and her sister Beta were little, their mother disappeared, which shattered Aloy's trust in others. This caused her to become closed off, and now she struggles with social interactions. She seeks revenge on Tilda, the leader of Nemesis, because she suspects her of being involved in her mother's mysterious disappearance. When the weight of her mother's legacy and her own frustrations become too much to bear, she turns to her best friend Erend, the leader of Rock Breakers. Being by his side makes her feel more at home than anywhere else, sparking emotions she doesn't quite understand—emotions that end up fueling her songwriting.

Zo

Fans describe the soothing tone of her voice as healing, so it’s no surprise that she uses her ‘Fa’ mic to take on the role of the band’s lead vocalist. Always looking out for the other girls, it’s common to see her setting up meditation sessions before shows. As an environmentalist, she’s determined to take down Nemesis to stop the pollution caused by the companies owned by their members. She’s also (very) openly in a relationship with Varl, a member of Rock Breakers.

Beta

Even more isolated than her sister after their mother disappeared, she found solace in sci-fi movies and video games, completely avoiding social life. She’s a tech nerd who spends most of her time planning new shows with the computer GAIA. For her, forming Alpha Prime has meant gaining a new, bigger family that’s slowly helping her come out of her shell. Though she keeps a low profile, the deep beats of her bass, ‘Matrix,’ make the crowd feel the tremble and are essential to completing the band’s sound.

Talanah

Her cultural background made her believe all her life that guitars weren't meant for women—until she picked up "Khalis," the guitar passed down from her father, who was said to be the greatest guitarist under the sun. It felt like she had finally found herself. She made it her mission to become the best guitarist out there, regardless of gender—and she did. Now, she shreds alongside Aloy to take down Jiran, a member of Nemesis and the one responsible for her father's death.

Alva

CEO, a member of Nemesis, controls the town of Alva from a distance. Both he and his predecessors have erased music from existence there, repressing the creative minds of its inhabitants and keeping them submissive. Alva is determined to recover musical knowledge and bring it back to her people, across the world, along with her beloved Federa. With her keyboard 'Ancestor' in hand and performing alongside Aloy, she feels capable of freeing her people from the torment of living without music.

Petra

It's no coincidence that the crowd's cheers grow louder whenever Petra shows up. The power of the rhythms from her drums, 'Forge’s Breath,' combined with her strong personality and physique, make her a favorite, especially among women. She's an amazing musical engineer and has crafted all the band's instruments in their players needs. She's not here seeking justice or revenge; she's here to hit hard and push the rhythm of their songs to the max.

Thank you for reading! What do you think they would sound like?

If you want to know more about Rock Breakers check this post ✨🤘

[vancruejovi]

Artist Shoutout!! 🎨

As an artist I always get so excited seeing everyone’s art, so I wanted to share some of the incredibly talented artists that I’ve found over the couple years I’ve been here in no particular order (and feel free to add your own favourite artists to the list) and as always sorry if I forget anyone! I have a memory like a siv

@midnight-in-santa-carla (Unbelievable Lost Boys and Kiefer Sutherland digital paintings and fanart, I love their shading and the way they draw hair)

@wardenmop (I fell in love with their Wiseguy fanart but their OC stuff is also terrific!)

@contact-guy (UNREAL Sherlock Holmes comics, so much so they’re making a whole artbook!!)

@noodleshook (i adore their Knockout Grooves series, but also their LOTR art is amazing!!)

@forecast0ctopus (I love their almost blocky artstyle, they capture the Star Trek characters perfectly!!)

@rainfynite (Gorgeous Motley Crue fanart, they have so much range!!)

@hollis-art (their Star Trek fanart is always so colourful and lively. I really love their Superman art too, so cute!)

@apfel-strudelz (I absolutely adore their Star Trek fanart, their style in general is just so distinct and groovy)

@snottiesnot (GORGEOUS painted portraits from all sorts of different fandoms)

@hippano (BEAUTIFUL buffy fanart but also has so much range from cute Kirby stuff to LOTR)

@colloquial-kayak (absolutely adorable Knight Rider fanart, the way they draw kitt is immaculate)

@x-0rion-x (AMAZING IHNMAIMS art and band fanart, amazing lighting)

@otonokis (beautiful lost boys and gothic art, has so much range too!)

@guadalajarawontdonow (some STUNNING Star Wars fanart, amazing lighting and shading!)

@bryn-not-brian (some absolutely groovy beatles and monkees fanart, love their colours)

@hammettsulrich (Amazing Metallica fanart, love how they draw hair!)

@acewykkyd (has some AMAZING Jem and the Holograms fanart as well as some beautiful Monster High fanart)

@xwayka (UNREAL Metallica fanart, very cool stuff!!)

@razberry-cookie (I fell in love with their Rambo fanart but they’ve got some beautiful oc art too!!)

@colinarcartperson (Just AMAZING art all around, I love their Yeehawgust series)

Please check out everyone’s art is you can, they totally deserve it!! And please feel free to add some of your favourite artists too!! 🎨✨

[leavemebetosleep]

WIP. a very self indulgent crossover of my two favorite Hasbro shows.

I was originally just gonna draw Fluttershy as Jem but then I thought, screw it, I'm going all in. no one can stop me.

also no one asked but if you want my theoretical cast for this crossover it's under the cut:

The holograms were the hardest bc there's not a 1:1 personality or design equivalent for everyone, but I tried to to make it work.

Jem/Jerrica: Fluttershy

Synergy: Twilight

Kimber: Rainbow Dash

Aja: Apple Jack

Shana: Rarity

Raya: Pinkie

Rio doesn't exit in this AU bc it's my AU and I do what I want.

The starlight girls: The CMC and Spike

Pizzazz: Chrysalis

Stormer: Cozy Glow

Roxy: Tirek

Jetta: Sombra

Before anyone gets mad at me, I cast the Misfits like this purely for the visuals bc I'm doing art not writing a fanfiction. So I figured having the main villains of one show as the villains of another would be fun. Yes I know Cozy is way meaner than Stormer, and no I'm not trying to imply she's gay for RD. It's not that deep. I'm just imagining what would look cool on a poster. I stand by Cryssie as Pizzazz tho. That one is perfect.

And last but not least:

Riot: Discord

Minx: Starlight

Rapture: Trixie

The Stingers were the easiest lmao.

If you wanna suggest more characters go for it bc I might make this a series of art bc drawing this has been fun so far.

[problematic-faves-appreciation]

Cartoons With Continuity (Overarching, Season-Long Arcs, Partial, Multi-Part Eps, Etc.) That Came Out Before Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005)

1980s

• G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero (1983)

• The Transformers (1984)

• Thundercats (1985)

• The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo (1985)

• Jem and the Holograms (1985)

• The Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers (1986)

• Ducktales (1987)

1990s

• The Pirates of Dark Water (1991)

• The Legend of Prince Valiant (1991)

• The Adventures of Tintin (1991)

• Batman: The Animated Series (1992)

• X-Men: the Animated Series (1992)

• The Animals of Farthing Wood (1993)

• Exo Squad (1993)

• Sonic the Hedgehog (1993)

• ReBoot (1994)

• Iron Man (1994)

• Gargoyles (1994)

• Spider-Man (1994)

• Beast Wars: Transformers (1996)

• Todd McFarlane's Spawn (1997)

• Men in Black: The Series (1997)

• Princess Sissi (1997)

• Silver Surfer (1998)

• Batman Beyond (1999)

• Roswell Conspiracies: Aliens, Myths and Legends (1999)

• Cybersix (1999)

Early 2000s

• Jackie Chan Adventures (2000)

• Chris Colorado (2000)

• As Told by Ginger (2000)

• Justice League (2001)

• He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (2002)

• Codename: Kids Next Door (2002)

• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003)

• Teen Titans (2003)

• Code Lyoko (2003)

• Lilo & Stitch: The Series (2003)

• Xiaolin Showdown (2003)

• Star Wars: Clone Wars (2003)

• Winx Club (2004)

• Danny Phantom (2004)

• Justice League Unlimited (2004)

• The Venture Bros. (2004)

• Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go! (2004)

• W.I.T.C.H. (2004)

• American Dragon Jake Long (2005)

[suzieloveships]

Marauders era's girls x girl childhood

Lily - Strawberry Shortcake girl first, human second, collected greeting cards and watched the cartoon religiously. Loves Barbie, had few dolls and watched every movie with Petunia, her favorite ones are Magic of Pegasus and Princess Charm School. Watched Winx, her favorite was Bloom. Favorite Disney Princesses are Belle and Cinderella, Twilight is her favorite out of Mane6 from MLP. One of 10 people on the planet that read Star Darlings.

Marlene - Polly Pocket girl, had a dozen of those tiny boxes. Adores Monster High, got atleast 2 dolls for every birthday, seen every movie. Watched og He-man and She-ra with her brothers and was super hype once the reboot came out. Made James and Peter watch Barbie movies and W.I.T.C.H., they made her watch TMNT and Transformers. Her favorite Barbie movies are Mermaid Tale and Diamond Castle, favorite pony is Rainbow Dash and favorite Disney Princesses are Mulan and Merida

Mary - dances ballet since she was 10, watched Angelina Ballerina almost every day and read as many Angelina books as she could. Collected LPS since she was 6, has two shelfs in her room just for the figurines. Favorite Barbie movie is Nutcracker and Swan Lake, mostly because of the real ballet dances in those movies. Her favorite Disney Princesses are Tiana and Rapunzel and Rarity is her favorite pony. Elle Woods and Cher Horowitz are her heroes

Dorcas - she is Tiana and Tiana is she, she owns colour green, as a kid definitly tried to kiss a frog atleast once and she and Pandora dressed up as Tiana and Lottie for Halloween 2 years in a row. Adored My scene, had many dolls, watched all movies and cartoon episodes and played all of the flash games. Also watched Winx and listened to Winx's albums so often I started to drive her family insine. Was also obsessed with PowerPuff Girls. Watches Sofia the First and Elena of Avalor with her younger sister. Mariposa duology are her favorite Barbie movies, Applejack is her favorite pony

Pandora - W.I.T.C.H. girl, collected comics as they were coming out, still has a box with accessories that came with each issue, rewatched the whole show every year, probably forced Regulus watch with her. Watched all of Disney Fairies movies and read all of the books, forever mad that Rani was not in the movies. Fairytopia trilogy stan, had a Bibble plushie. Pinkie Pie is her favorite pony and Aurora and Ariel are her favorite Disney Princesses. Watches Enchanted atleast 3 time per year

Sybill - One of 5 people that remembers Bratzillaz, but never really got into a Bratz. She just really likes a cartoon where a main character is a seer. She also likes Barbie, Rapunzel is her favorite. Religiously watched Addams family cartoon and Laika's movie. Had all 3 MLP G3 movies on DVD and later got obsessed with Friendship is Magic, her favorite is Fluttershy. Her favorite Disney Princesses are Snow White and Aurora. Practical magic is her comfort movie

Emma - Bratz girl, bought many dolls, watched all of the movies, even the live action one and listen to every album. Was also obsessed with Totally spies and Kim Possible, wanted to be a spy until she was 10. Despite being Bratz girl she did seen few Barbie movies, 3 musketeers is probably her favorite. Will unironically say that Kuzco is her favorite Disney Princess, it's actually Jasmine. Also a big fan of Jem and the holograms. Can quote Mean Girls so well it's actually scary

Amelia - one of those Barbie scholars. Not only has she see all of the movies she also knows deep lore of the toy. Don't ask her which movie is her favorite, she cannot choose. Adores Legally Blonde, movie and the musical. Hello Kitty aesthetic. Favorite Disney Princess is Rapunzel. Read Princess Diaries serie and hates to movie for completly ruining the story

Emmeline - MLP stan, can sing every song on Rainbow Rocks soundtrack, her favorite is Twilight, og LyraBon shipper. Also loves Care Bears, definetly annoys everyone by yelling Care Bear Stare while throwing thing at people. Had a massive crush on David Bowie and watch Labyrinth over and over again. Favorite Disney Princess are Ariel and Mulan and favorite Barbie movie is Princess and the Pauper

Lucinda - Evar After High girl, watch the whole show, bought many dolls and had a diary with a key. Thought Somebody to Love was written for Ella Enchanted. Favorite Barbie movie is Thumbelina. Got really into Buffy as she grew older. Grew up with DreamWorks rather than Disney, but Jasmin is probably her favorite princess

Hestia - lived near sea and had a mermaid phase. Watched H2O and Aquamarine almost every day. Marmaid Tale duology stan. Favorite Disney Princess is obviously Ariel and favorite pony is Pinkie Pie. Had a small Sylvanian Families collection. Was also a big Sailor Moon fan. Adores studio ghiblie movies, especially Ponyo. Actually owned the 13th year on DVD, that's how big her obsession with mermaid was

[decadebattle]

Which Decade Had Better Animated Media?

Popular Animated Series' of the 50's Include: Looney Tunes, Tom and Jerry, Woody Woodpecker, Chilly Willy, Mighty Mouse and Gumby

Popular Animated Films of the 50's Include: The Snow Queen, Animal Farm, Sleeping Beauty, Lady and the Tramp, Peter Pan, Cinderella and Alice in Wonderland

Popular Animated Shows of the 80s Include: Inspector Gadget, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, She-Ra: Princess of Power, Thundercats, My Little Pony, GI-Joe, the Smurfs and Jem and the Holograms

Popular Animated Films of the 80s Include: Who Framed Roger Rabbit. The Land Before Times, My Neighbour Totoro, Heavy Metal, The Last Unicorn, The Secret of Nimh, Oliver and Company, All Dogs Go to Heaven, Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland, Kiki's Delivery Service and The Little Mermaid

[queen-erika-the-songful]

I feel like a lot of people forget WHY the Jem persona had to be created in the first place and why Jerrica can't just tell Rio even after the events of the first arc.

In episode 1, it's established that Emmett Benton left half of Starlight Music to his eldest Jerrica and half to his partner Eric Raymond. Jerrica is also left in charge of Starlight house, the foster home her parents ran, but it's falling apart and needs more money. When she goes to Eric to get more, she finds that he's immediately gone on a power trip and has changed a ton about the company, including hiring the Misfits who Jerrica disapproves of. Eric's next plan is to plan a contest that's rigged for the Misfits.

Meanwhile, Jerrica and the others (Kimber, Aja, Shana) discover the supercomputer Synergy and all the music stuff Emmett left for them. Synergy can create realistic holograms, so Jerrica gets the idea to start their own band so they can rival the Misfits and stop the contest. So she dons the Jem persona and as Jem states Jerrica had invited them to the contest.

The reason Jem exists is because it couldn't be "Jerrica" and the Holograms for that specific contest. She couldn't be part of the band since she owned half the company; Eric would immediately call her out on that. But by becoming "Jem", she found a work around to keep the Misfits from winning. In other words, she cheated, but again she had to do it this way. However, I will say that this should've been portrayed a bit more clearly than it was. Jerrica doesn't actually say she couldn't be in the band, so the kids watching might not get that. Not that kids are stupid, of course, I just think they should've actually said it out loud.

After Eric's plan was foiled, he made Jerrica a deal. Both heads of the company, again, him and Jerrica, would spend the next 6 months promoting their bands and then have another contest to see who gets to own all of the company. So The Holograms have to continue to exist, with Jem leading them. In addition to this, Starlight house burns down and the girls are moved into Howard Sands's extra mansion, which is also part of the contest. If The Holograms lose, the girls become homeless. These are reasons Jem exists: to give Jerrica a disguise so she can work with the band, and protect the Starlight girls. After this first arc, Jerrica keeps the Jem persona because she's been solidified into the group.

Now let's talk about Rio and the love triangle. In the first few episodes, Rio is left out of the secret. I will admit, no good reason is given by the show itself. The only thing I can think of is that there wasn't a good time to tell him before it got too late. But there were times she could've told him, and actually tried. She attempted to tell him a couple times in episode 2 but was interrupted both times. Hell, even Kimber tries to tell him next episode but gets shut down by Aja and Shana. Then the group becomes so hyper focused on the band stuff that they almost have no time to rest. And when Jerrica again wants to tell him, it's been so long that she thinks they're too deep into it and is afraid she'll make Rio feel like a fool and that he's a very proud person. Shana reaffirms this, saying the situation is delicate. They both understand how sensitive Rio is.

Rio is loyal to Jerrica, but then starts to be confusingly attracted to Jem and her mystique. He tries to step away from helping the band because he's confused, but Jerrica insists he stays. Then, when Jem almost dies, she ends up kissing him and he returns it. This confuses Rio even more. He loves Jerrica but can't help his crush on Jem.

And then you have to take into context all the new information we get throughout the rest of the series. For example, in episode 25 of season 2, we see that Rio and Jerrica aren't just in love, they've been together since they were very young. Jerrica immediately fell for him when they were kids, and he returned that affection as they grew up together. And we've been through some extremely traumatic times together - Jacqui dying, then Emmett years later, the house fire, and multiple close calls on Jerrica/Jem's life. They've really learned to lean on each other, probably a bit more on Jerrica's side.

Let's go back to the beginning of the series again. When Jerrica kisses Rio as Jem, she wants to tell him everything but is afraid of he'll react. In the song "Deception", she outright explains that she feels he'll get so upset that he'll end their relationship. Now let's jump to the finale of season 1, "Glitter and Gold". Jerrica asks Synergy to make her a realistic deception of how Rio will act when she reveals the secret. Hologram Rio yells at her, saying he hates liar and deception and that's over. Jerrica is shaken but still decides to risk it. But when Kimber accidentally books 2 dates on the same day, Rio completely goes off on her, saying the exact lines that Synergy predicted he would. So Jerrica backs out again.

Jerrica feels she can't tell Rio because she's certain they'll break up over it. She's developed such a dependency on their relationship that even when she does want to risk that chance, she just can't do it. In her mind, she will lose one of the only stable and constant parts of her life.

Now I'm not saying this makes it right, of course. Rio has a right to know, and Jerrica really did create her own problem (this doesn't absolve Rio for constantly cheating either though). But at the same time, I understand why it happened. I still think we should've gotten an episode where she told him though, especially since they brought in the Stingers and made the love story even messier.