#wait does this qualify as meta? i trully dont know so lemme know

[fanficmaniatic]

Not to be the over analyzing Cole fan… but am I the only one both surprised and delighted by this shot?

Cole is in the front and center, running, and he looks SO cool! I am rotting for him and everything he does!

Now, I need to admit this is weird. Cole is rarely put in front and center for shots, he is usually in the back, SPECIALLY in running shots, that’s why I have the head cannon that due to his weight/muscle he is not that fast (When compared to the other Ninja) And the show seems to follow this. To be honest I am having a hard time thinking of a running shot when he is front and center that doesn’t belong to Master of The Mountain. Because in there it doesn't matter whether or not he is the fastest, he was the focus character, therefore the focus of the shot goes to him.

And THAT'S what has me so intrigued. Master of the Mountain was Cole’s focus season, his moment to shine, it made sense when he was leading the Upply for him to be front and center... But Now? I am surprised it isn't Nya.

Okey, ignore for a second, the fact that Cole was one of the main 4, ignore the fact that he was the original leader of the team. Dragons risings is a soft reboot. Meaning that while all the other seasons are still relevant, A soft reboot is written in a way someone that has not watched the previous seasons can still jump in and follow along. That's why we have Arin and Sora, new characters that allow the writers to re-explain old concepts without it looking like the characters we grew up with are being idiots.

With this in mind I have to ask... Why is Cole front and center? (And I repeat, he is my absolutely favorite character here) but from the soft reboot perspective... isn't Cole a new character? isn't Cole someone new to the team and therefore new to the plot and narrative? In relationship to the plot and narrative of the soft reboot, Sora is the character we have spent more time with, yet it doesn't make sense for her to be front and center. Sora has not expressed desire to be the leader, and doesn't have the push to lead a team (at least not rn, when we only have her development up to half s1, and the trailer for part 2). Nya on the other hand, she is a character that through Sora's eyes -our POV character in essence- has some sort of authority, we have been with her for longer too. Nya is someone Sora can look up to, learn from, and follow... So it would make sense to have Nya in the front and center... Yet she is not even next Cole.

Notice how not only are both Sora and Nya parallels at the back, not front, they are also blurry... In fact, Cole is the ONLY character in this shot who is not blurry. In addition to being front and center, the animators blur the other characters as Cole runs closer to the camera. Hell, even in the composition, you could draw a clear triangle with the other characters, and Cole is a the peak. He is the focal point, and this ensures the viewer is looking at Cole, but more importantly HIS expression.

His is the only expression that is 1) clear to see, and 2) not showing fear. He is angry, focused... determined.

This bring the actual question of the post... Why use these visual framing devices this way if not to give Narrative focus to Cole?

Could this episode focus on Cole? could we maybe see how he found the formling and the serpentine? notice too how they are next to Cole, and in front of Nya and Sora -aka closer to Cole (Maybe both figurative and literally)-... Could this episode touch on his new team, perhaps show him leading? Because I can't think of another narrative reason as to why they would put so much visual focus of a running scene on Cole.

And you could say "Duh, the episode is of when they find Cole, of curse they are going to focus on him" and You'll be correct, but also you are not getting my point. What I am saying is that, if this level of focus is anything to go by, Cole fans are going to eat, this episode is going to be a meal. Cole is about to kick some mech's ass so bad that bitch is going to go back to the mechanic crying and we as viewers are going to have front row seats to the whole thing.

Cole might be having a focus episode where his leadership skills are shown, where he is being fatherly, where he is showing himself as the responsible rock of the team. THIS is not any focus episode, this is a five start restaurant meal. A buffet.

Anyways... I am trying to keep my hopes low, but I needed to put this out there real quick.