Media Analysis - Blog Posts

I am obsessed and thus I am going to analyse the names of all of these eeveetwotions!! Props to the artist for being super cool and clever and genuinely setting my brain on fire :/

OKAY SO-

BOLTEON: Jolteon (Electric) + Steel: - The concept of STEEL BOLTS + BOLTS OF LIGHTNING MAKES BOLTEON JUST THE PERFECT NAME - Also steel is electrically conductive so it would WORK as a combo

Plus, the colour scheme combo of gold (ik it's yellow but close enough) and silver looks really good together.

SULFUREON: Flareon (Fire) + Poison: - SULPHUR GAS IS FUCKING POISONOUS!! AND sulphur is commonly associated with fire which just makes it such a cool link - The combo of purple and fire is also really giving volcanic vibes, which... also produce tons of sulphur AHHHH

- Also the black rock texture looks amazing!!

- Also, also I think using the "F" spelling of sulphur works so cutely here since it brings the design name closer to Flareon :) but I am a PH sulphur apologist until I die.

My only lil note here would be that sulphur burns blue, so that could have been incorporated #bluehellforthegays

AGUANEON: Vaporean (Water) + Dragon: - The shape of vaporeon with the tail structure blends extremely well with a dragon design (this works for the gills too)

- ALSO!! In spanish Agua = Water

BUT WAIT

- "Aguaneon" is also similar to "Iguana", which is a genus of reptiles AKA WHAT DRAGONS WOULD ALSO BE CONSIDERED TO BE

WHICH IS SO FUCKING CLEVER

Again, colours of the types work well together, plus I love the juxtaposition of the idea that maybe instead of breathing fire this dragon type would breathe water lol (which gills would help with ig hehe)

EPHEREON: Espeon (Psychic) + Ghost: - The new name is very similar to the original name, and we love consistency and theming in this town

- EPHEMERAL = FLEETING (yanno, like a ghost would be)(using my miraculous knowledge here

- The name also is vaguely close to Ethereal (pronunciation and structure wise) which is also linked to supernatural stuff!!

- Not the mention the fact that Psychic and Ghost are already both supernatural types, and thus work really well together naturally. - ALSO AGAIN look at that colour schemeee, Ephereon be looking like a dark high priestess I would totally sell my soul to

OBSIDEON: Umbreon (Dark) + Fighting: - Red and black go excellently together as fighting colours, especially the way the artist has designed the pokemon to look like a ninja

- The bandages (associated with exercise and boxing/exertion etc.) really bring the colour palette together

- Obsidian is a black, dark mineral, that is also very tough (obviously, since you need a diamond pickaxe to get through it) so OF COURSE Obsideon is the perfect name for a tough, dark pokemon.

SYLPHEON: Sylveon (Fairy) + Flying: - Not very different from the original spelling however the subtlety of this one is what I think makes it for me. - So Sylveon + Seraph = Sylpheon A SERAPH IS A CELESTIAL BEING NOTICE HOW SHE HAS A HALO AROUND HER HEAD AND LOWKEY LOOKS LIKE A PEGASUS (FLYING HORSE) - LIKE MAGICAL UNICORN ANGEL ESSENTIALLY, which works so perfectly for a flying fairy type!!!

LEPIDEON: Leafeon (Grass) + Bug: - Conceptually, this is such a good blend of types because, um HELLO, leaf insects exist!! - Upon looking it up, Lepidodendrons are apparently an extinct genus of plants, which I think adds to the eerie vibes that the design has

- And works well enough because it's a similar word to leafeon

OMG WAIT MORE RESEARCH I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT LEPIDOPTERA IS AN ORDER THAT REFERS TO WINGED INSECTS LIKE BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS. THAT IS SUCH A PERFECT NAME FOR BUG AND GRASS TYPES COMBINED?? AS WELL AS BEING EXTREMELY SIMILAR TO LEAFEON?? HOOLY SHIT

- tHE MOth face is so cute omg, and the forest creature colour scheme vibes are epic

REGALACEON: Glaceon (Ice) + Rock: - Obviously we still have the root word Glaceon still in there, which is cool, and could have just worked by itself as a funny sort of "well, glaciers are just big ice rocks aren't they?" but I'm glad they didn't do that cos I get to ANALYSE 🤓 - However, upon research I found nothing, but what I interpret to be the artist's intention (and I think this is really cool) is that "ice" and "rock" are both like diamonds

(I mean, just look at the design, it is incredibly bejewelled)

So I believe it is Regal + Glaceon, which obviously fit very well together, to form... Regalaceon!!

A beautiful, Rarity from mlp-esque design (always a win for style)

- I like how the ears and tufts look like royal banners, and how the tail kind of reminds me of a red carpet vibe

EVEN THE SCRUFF OF THE NECK IS LIKE THOSE POSH NECK THINGS

It is very beautiful and regal, and I love it and think it's very clever.

AS I DO WITH ALL OF THEM

Also props to them for not including ground type (and obviously normal) as the most boring ones (no offence ground type lovers)

Eeveelutions 2.0!

The Intrusive thoughts of a Cannibal: A break down

The Intrusive thoughts of a Cannibal (TITOAC/ I'm too lazy to write that again and again) is another artwork based of my short story; The Warmth of his flesh. I'd advise you read the story first to have some context first.

Time to break it down!

As you already might be able to tell, TITOAC is definitely more simplistic compared to The glutton regrets. There's no shading, no proper colouring, rough writing etc. Simply put, it's raw.

The raw, unfiltered thoughts of Hyacinth after eating someone. It could be her lover in The Warmth of his flesh, but it could be the four before him. She could be having such thoughts with any of her past lovers/victims. The point is, she never changes.

Short description:

Her eyes are wide open, sweat dripping from her head and her arms, her mouth erased, as if it's a part of her she wishes to forget, that reminds of her worst moments. She's in a state of panic, alone with her thoughts after consuming one. The afterparty by herself.

Colors

The colors are bright and unnerving, using shades that clash with each other, which pushes the feeling of uneasiness. Yellow is a color that can be associated with sickness and disease. Hyacinth feels as if she's disgusting, as she's tainted and a sinner. As if something was always wrong with her, something that she could never change.

Text:

The text that surrounds Hyacinth are her intrusive thoughts, her most vulnerable state. There are no pauses and words repeat like thoughts that are constantly in the back of your mind. The writing shows the duality of her psyche; the guilt and the greed.

Conclusion:

Her thoughts can evoke sympathy, expressing her guilt and sorrow. But she won't ever stop, she'll do whatever it takes to get what she wants, no matter how much it hurts other people, the people she loves. No matter how many times she feels guilt, no matter how many times she comes to terms with the unspeakable things she's done, she'll keep going.

She is the embodiment of greed and gluttony.

That's it for today! I'll probably upload this to my master list by tonight (I really need to stop procrastinating...)

Read The warmth of his flesh!

https://www.tumblr.com/acrylic-ducks/775107031485087744/the-warmth-of-his-flesh-re-worked?source=share

The Glutton regrets: A break down

The glutton regrets is an artwork I created based off my own short story, The warmth of his flesh. I highly suggest you read that before reading this as it will provide much more context!

So! Lets set the scene! What's going on?

The glutton regrets is an aftermath to The warmth of his flesh, and as the title suggests, is when Hyacinth comes to terms with what she just did, which was cannibalising her lover.

...

Like I said, you should probably read the story before.

I decided to use a more sketchy and a sort of semi-realistic art style compared to my other posts as this truly is a horrific scene with context.

Basic description:

She's sitting alone at the dinner table, all the lamps extinguished, Hyacinth illuminated by a singular light. She dead pans into the camera, her face full of regret and disgust. A plate of meat is set upon the table, barely visible, as if she herself is trying to hide and forget what she has done. Blood is seen from across the table, hinting at the sinister meaning behind all of this. Finally, behind her is a bright red shadow resembling a man, the only defined part being his hands, which are resting on her shoulders. They are calloused and grimy.

I specifically only used a monotone for most of the drawing so it makes the painting more moody and gothic. The red added high contrast, making it so it's the first thing you see. I made the shadow of her lover red to make sure viewers would associate the blood with the man. His hands are only defined to really nail down her regret.

If you've read the story, you are aware of her reasons for wanting to kill and eat her lover, which is the fact that he provides her with comfort. It's as simple as that. She wants to forever be with that comfort, and how else do you that than by eating your lover? The hard and calloused hands are a representation of the harsh reality crashing down on her. Sure she's being comforted, but it's not the way he would. It's almost artificial, fake even. It's there, but it will never come close to the real thing.

It's almost like it's uncomfortable.

Huh.

Fun facts:

The flower around her neck is supposed the represent a hyacinth itself (I know, it's very poorly drawn)! If you aren't aware, hyacinth represent sorrow. It draped around her neck, constant, never leaving.

I can't draw cutlery! :)) -> :((

That's it for today! (Not really I have a lot more to post today for school)

Read The warmth of his flesh!

https://www.tumblr.com/acrylic-ducks/775107031485087744/the-warmth-of-his-flesh-re-worked?source=share

Something I have noticed is that so often in media and in real life, is that we push around this narrative that having a “dark side” or being someone who “you don’t wanna see mad” is a good thing.

If you have a “dark side” you’re dangerous, someone who could hurt others and be cruel, and that makes you strong. That being good in a fight, having the ability to be scary when your angry, those are things that push authority.

I don’t get it.

Why must being benign be seen as a weakness?

Being harmless does not make you fragile.

Violence and strength have been so interwoven to the point people mistake one for the other.

Being violent does not make you strong, and being strong does not mean you have to be violent.

One of the greatest ways to show strength not in a character but in life in general is to choose forgiveness (seriously, like watch ATLA and see how Aang shows great strength by forgiving others instead of lashing out).

Anger is a valid and real emotion that you are allowed to express, but it is not one that should be wielded as a weapon. Anger is a secondary emotion, morphed from pain and sorrow.

Anger is like fire. It’s okay to light a fire, as long as it is safe and contained. You can keep a fire in a fire pit going for as long as you want, just don’t burn a forest.

Do not fear your anger and do not use it to strike fear in others. Being kind does not make you weak, being forgiving does not make you soft.

Generosity, honesty, fragility with your emotions—these can bring you strength. To be open with who you are and how you feel is a tremendous feat.

It takes courage to cry, to ask for help, to forgive.

Know that being loving is not a weakness, understand that forgiveness takes strength.

It’s easy to kill a fly, but it takes effort to capture it and bring it home.

Just finished I Saw the TV Glow, and I must say it has quickly become my favorite movie I've ever had the honor to watch.

There's so much beauty in it in so many different ways. It is a compassionate and raw perspective on transness and mental illness and feeling empty and nostalgia and isolation. Not only was the writing excellent my god the acting and the cinematography had me in tears. Some things I loved about the movie.

1. The writing (obviously)

The way this movie is a metaphor for so many different things that seem separate but are all intertwined is breathtaking. Something I found fascinating is at the end I didn't even really sit there trying to decide if it was all a psychotic break or it they really were from a tv show because it didn't matter. Because at the end of the day, it was still about being too afraid to be yourself. About holding it all in until you break. About life moving too fast but being too slow and monotonous. It was about fearing who you are and never taking the dive because it sounds crazy and you can't. It's about regret. It's about soulmates, about that on person who you never have to lie to. In the end, it would still be about those things whether or not there really was a tv show or not.

2. Cinematic Decisions

The filming decisions in this film made it what it was. One of the things I found fascinating was the lack of a true soundtrack. There wasnt particularly a lot of background noise excpet for chatter on the TV. All of the conversations and days are smothered in this thick heavy silence. The silence is so prominent it feels like its own character. The graininess and static making it feel like an actual tv show. The colors, the sickening neon glow from everywhere all the time. The unsteady camera and wide shots.

3. The relationships

While Maddy and Owen are amazing on their own, their relationship is the most compelling part of the story. Both feel alone and broken and like theres something wrong with themselves but not as much around each other. We see Owen isn't really talkative or open with his mom, that he barely says anything at all to her, but with Maddy almost immediately, he feels a connection to her. He seeks her out again and again. Owen doesn't have anything resembling a relationship with anyone else. He barely has dialogue with other characters. In the scene where his dad is holding him under the shower, he doesn't say a word, doesn't even look at him honestly. He says near the end he has a family, but we don't even see them. But with Maddy, he is close to her. They're intertwined, and around each other, they admit truths and secrets it doesnt feel like they've ever said outloud before. Even when Owen is freaked out by Maddy, even when he pushes her away and runs, there's till love there. It's not rejection as much as fear, and maddy doesn't blame him.

4. Parallels and Callbacks

One of the main cinematic choices I found myself noticing over and over again was the colors surrounding Maddy and Owen. in the first scene they sit across from each other as Owen leans against a oink vending machine and maddy a black. Owen has a pink sleeping bag and a pink shirt and a pink dress. Maddy is more often seen in black and white. Some great callbacks are the scene where we find out Owen doesn't have a heart, and Maddy reminds him of the bleavhers where he said he was afraid someone would dig up his insides and find there is nothing there. Seeing the chalk on the road clearly for the first time and it being the ghosts and "there's still time".

My personal favorite scene is the scene where Owen watches the finale, and then his dad comes in to find him with his head on the TV, screaming and crying. To me, this scene is very reminiscent of an attempt. He's finally been pushed to the edge and flung off of it. he's been holding everything in for so long and he can't take it anymore. Its heartbreaking in every way.

All in all this is a fantastic movie I highly recommend. All my love to the writers producers and directors.

Thoughts on Disney Pixar's Soul

Anyone like me who missed the movie soul cause it went straight to streaming during the pandemic, please take a moment to watch it because it's a master piece.

The art style is a beautiful mix of hyper realistic rendering and cartoon caricature and the intentionality of when it leans more into either style says a story of its own. The first things I noticed were the musical instruments rendered in way more detail than necessary, the pictures in his class of real people and not caricatures.

Then it was the perspective shots of 22 experiencing life, where the art was again, all hyper realism. The overwhelming nature of nyc to the beautiful moment of them feeling the spark of life. And in those moments despite the realism, it was not new york I saw. I blinked and I was transported to all the moments in my own life that paralleled that moment and I remembered the cold breeze on my skin, the smell of rain on cement, the context of my memories that made me feel that spark of life.

And when Joe laid out the trinkets they had gathered as proof of living that day and started playing the piano, as he went through his own memories, his proof of living his whole life, I sobbed. Once again, with every blink I saw my own life and every memory and emotion proof that I have lived. The score he played truly felt like it represented the feeling of being alive. Being alive through all the pain and joy and excitement and despair, a feeling so human.

What's insane about this is that I'm not from NYC, I don't take the subway to work, I have nothing to do with music or jazz. None of those moments or memories are directly relatable to my life. And yet I feel it represented my life.

The movie itself was a piece of art of course but watching it, the emotions it invoked in me felt like a separate multimodal artistic experience. One so deeply personal, I cannot express it to you in words.

Please go watch it for yourselves. If you watched it when you were younger and are now a full adult, please watch it again.

(I could go on about how perfect jazz is as a metaphor for life but I'm not the most qualified for that. If anyone is, please do talk about it)

For whatever reason, I found myself thinking about the theme of heritage/inheritance in Harry Potter and how it's, like, catastrophically broken in the text.

The villains in Harry Potter are almost unanimously racist and classist - they believe they are entitled to behave however they wish and live at the top of the social hierarchy because they were born to rich, pureblooded families, and anyone who wasn't is filth to be exploited and/or purged. That's the philosophy of evil in the book - "I deserve everything because I was born in the right family with the right genes and the right social standing. My heritage makes me better than you."

All the injustice and evil in the books is rooted in this belief in entitlement by way of heritage. People are abused and die because of it. Inherited wealth and status, and more specifically the unfair priveleges it affords, is the root of evil in Harry Potter.

So you'd think the protagonist would present some sort of strong contrast to it, right? That they'd be born poor, or mixed race, etc. But no, Harry is from a rich pureblood family, with the vast wealth and social status that affords.

Well, that's OK, we can still make a contrast. Maybe Harry differs in how he acts with wealth - perhaps, realizing his inheritance is an unfair privilege, he gives it away? Maybe he works to give the underprivileged their due? Again, no, not really. He sometimes buys stuff for his poor friend Ron, and defends his "mudblood" friend Hermione from racist criticism, but he sees no reason to change the system that dehumanizes them in the first place, and by the end of the tale is pleased to exploit his privilege for his own gain.

The whole house elf subplot illustrates this failing well - we have a race of slaves who are frequently shown to suffer from abuse. One of them, the property of a rich racist, risks his life to save Harry, and Harry frees him in return. Oh, nice, finally fighting the system, eh? Except no, not really - while Harry frees that specific slave, he's content to leave the others in bondage, especially when he inherits a slave of his own.

The contrast Harry Potter puts up against its rich, racist, privileged villains is "Hey, being rich and higher in the hierarchy is awesome and just, but you can't be a dick about it." That slaves belong in the dirt, but masters should be polite while putting them in their place.

Voldemort posits himself as the heir of Slytherin - claiming his inheritance is vital to his rise to power and villainy. And Harry opposes him by... also claiming inheritance from a rich old dead guy. Hell, the final battle comes down to who rightfully inherits a specific rare Wand!

The fact that Harry and Voldemort have shit in common is not a flaw on its own - villains and heroes are often foils for each other. But in this specific tale, the relationship the villain has with inherited power is so central to the conflict that the hero having the exact same relationship is a major failing. The story is just shy of saying "Voldemort was basically right, but he shouldn't have been rude about it." It's bad from both a moral and a writing skill perspective.

(The only inheritance Harry fully rejects is parseltongue, i.e. the ability to talk to snakes, which was accidentally given to him by Voldemort, and could be argued to be a symbol of trauma rather than inherited wealth. Also I'm still salty about how that series turned on snakes so cruelly, but that's a whole other rant.)

On the topic of Power-Ups, let's talk Fire Flower (personal headcanons under cut)!

The Fire Flower is one of, if not, the most known Power-Up from what I've seen. Even though I'm quite a fan of it myself I'll admit I never thought too much about it. So after giving it a good thought here's what I got:

General headcanons;

Fire Flowers are very adaptable plants, however they naturally originate from the Darklands, which so happen to be where they grow the most. The heat eminating from the magma is perfect for their growth. Since wielding fire isn't too rare of an ability for Koopas they're mostly perceived as weeds, so it's not much of an issue if someone plucks them. Unless you're an outsider. Something might be considered useless but it's a problem if the enemy wants to exploit it. Because of this some of the main fields will have patrols just in case a mustachioed human, or two, happen to be sent to collect a supply. They usually consist of Fire Bros who protect and even tend to the flowers. Rumours say that with some luck it's possible for a normal Koopa to inherit fire abilities after being exposed to a Fire Flower for extended periods of time but it hasn't been scientifically confirmed.

The Fire Flower is a multiple use Power-Up. Once activated it lends it's energy to a single user, then proceeds to hibernate and slowly regain heat overtime. The process can be sped up exponentially by placing the flower near a heat source like lava or a fireplace.

Mario and Luigi specific headcanons;

It took some time for the brothers to initially get hang of releasing energy without overdoing it. It's easier to ignite something, rather than put it out. Eventually with some guidance from friendly koopas they managed to become respectable fire users. That is until the events of Superstar Saga happened.

For Mario, getting the Firebrand only enhanced his abilities. Focusing energy became very easy, a second nature even. Shaping fire, directing it, managing it's temperature. Easy peasy for a guy like him! It wasn't a suprise that the Fire Flower quickly became his favourite to use soon after. When used with the technique he can truly show off his mastery over the element!

Luigi however... got it rough. The Thunderhand, notable for giving it's user affinity for manipulating electricy, drastically reverted his progress. These two elements just unfortunately don't mix. The fire he started to produce was unpredictable and unstable. There was no guarantee if it'll fly in the right direction nor how much power it'll pack. He's been practicing ever since to not accidentally go overboard.

Mario's fire tips and tricks aren't helping too much but at least he's trying.

In conclusion the Fire Flower is one of the more reliable, common and useful Power-Ups. Getting a good amount of them can be a hassle but in the long run it's worth it especially if they're used to make your own farm. It's uses can range from warming up the house to battling evil. Mario is the "fire master" of the group and Luigi, with the peculiar way magic reacts to him, is a walking proof of the statement: "elements don't mix".

Some of the stuff I said here could change with me adding details in the future but right now this is the general idea. It might not be completely original but the thought of making this seemed fun. Thank you to whoever read this, I hope the blocks of text were understandable!

Comfort Food

Something I love about these two scenes is that it shows just how much influence his mother has on Luigi. If he takes after anyone when it came to his parents, then his mother is whom he takes after the most. He grew up around her kindness and learning by example, grew up around their mother’s amazing cooking and knows how comforting it can be.

To Luigi, when their mom brings them food, food means comfort, food means love and warmth. Food is their mothers way of showing them her love and her affection. So when Mario leaves the table, obviously very upset and frustrated. Luigi brings him food, he takes that positive influence from his mother and extends that to Mario.

He’s not only bringing Mario food to make sure Mario eats (that’s part of it cuz Luigi is a nurturer at heart) but also because he’s trying to comfort his big brother and make him feel better, and show him that he cares him and that he’s there for him. Which further shows how much Luigi loves Mario and how he does his best to comfort his brother anyway he can.

@pianokantzart and @multicolour-ink @jell-o101 @the-brucest-fan @roscolate since i know we all love our green bean

One of the tiny things from The Mario Movie that hurts my heart whenever I think about it is Luigi’s need to pause and take in surroundings, and how The Shy Guys used it as an excuse to abuse him.

You remember when Mario and Luigi were in that penthouse apartment? how he stopped halfway up the stairs so he could look at everything for a moment?

He probably didn’t even realize what he was doing until he noticed he was being left behind, and had to book it to catch up with his brother and clients.

After Luigi gets captured in The Dark Lands, in the thirty seconds we see of The Shy Guys dragging him along he gets aggressively yanked forward 6 times, with more and more violence and frequency as they go on, like the Sniffit handling the rope is losing patience with him. 

I don’t know, something about that just hurts. Hit me a lot harder than the Bowser interrogation to be honest. 

Are you a Mario kind of person or a Luigi kind of Person

The End/The Beginning

I don’t think you’ve done this one yet, but what do ya think of the first scene with the mario bros commercial?

We're going to get into some headcanon territory, so be prepared!

This commercial definitely has the vibe of two guys who said “let’s make a commercial!” but had no experience in film.

I'm calling it now: Mario wrote the script and Luigi wrote the jingle.

It starts out pretty professional looking during the song, with the moving shots and camera zooms. In the middle it gets a little messy with the overuse of green screens and the powerpoint-style scene transitions. By the end of the commercial it's all hard cuts and static shots that linger a little too long. You can see the already-limited budget run out before your very eyes.

Speaking of, it feels like they filmed the final few scenes in one take, especially that actress who flubbed the cue-card reading. 

"It seems like the only thing that you haven't drained... is my bank account. ???" Oh, c'mon lady, that is a fantastic line.

The fake accents? The little yellow superhero capes? The terrible puns? I get the commercial is intentionally silly... but boy does it feel like something that was written at 2 a.m by the power of black coffee and foolhardy ambition.

Mario is quite the showman! Especially if he did these scenes in one take! He’s got great energy, good body language, and an enthusiasm in his line delivery that shines through the goofy accent. He doesn’t look uncomfortable, he’s chewing the scenery like a champ!

When Luigi has a script to follow, or when he’s doing something in tandem with his brother, he looks good! But whenever he’s directed to stand in the background without anything specific to do he’s so awkward.

He slips and nearly falls over when leaning against the van, and whenever he doesn’t know what to do with his body his go-to move is to just nod in agreement. He nods in agreement like... 3 times in one 35 second commercial. 

I don’t think the hug at the end was part of the script given the way Luigi glances over at his brother, but he looks pleasantly surprised. His face immediately lights up as Mario finishes out the commercial by holding him in a side hug. 10/10, I'd hire them to destroy my house.

And as the camera zooms out, Mario and Luigi are seen embracing each other proudly while watching the TV.  They're so darned happy with themselves. Absolute dorks.

Something I love about the Mario movie is how is basically squashed any kind of ideas of Luigi being jealous of Mario from the get go that fans have come up/theorized throughout the years.

The whole “Luigi is jealous and tired of living in Mario’s shadow” has no leg to stand on when it comes to this movie.

In fact, Luigi is actively the one singing praises towards Mario, he knows that his brother dreams big and has a big heart, he knows his brother is amazing and he loves him for that.

Does he have low self esteem? Absolutely. But there is absolutely not a single bit of jealousy/envy towards Mario, Luigi loves and adores him far too much to ever be jealous and angry at Mario, someone who means the absolute world to him.

Oh don't you get me started.

Too late, I’ve gotten started. YOU ARE SO RIGHT. The movie did to theories that Luigi's “bitter and jealous” what it did to theories that Mario’s an antisocial asshat.

There are two things I can point to that are to blame for the theories that Luigi is bitter and jealous:

The description of his Negative Zone final smash from Super Smash Bros. Brawl:

"Luigi's final smash. As exotic music plays, he performs a dance befitting a sorcerous incantation. A barrier envelopes him, negatively impacting all in his area. Random effects include getting launched, sleeping, moving in slow motion, tripping, fainting, and losing attack power. This technique is a reflection of the dark side he embraced in his brother's shadow."

2. His characterization in Paper Mario

But there’s like… almost 40 years of games to glean from. You can literally pick and choose whatever you want to form any sort of theory (like a certain internet man did when arguing that Mario is an animal abusing sociopath). But 99% of the games show about as much evidence that Luigi is bitter as they do that Mario is a bad person– none at all. Quite the opposite, in fact.

As for Paper Mario, it's the only time Luigi is directly characterized as envious... NOT jealous. He still loves his brother and sees him as worthy of the praise he gets, but he feels bad being stuck at home, and desperately wants to be brought along for the adventure– to have his opportunity in the limelight. But Paper Mario is kind of its own thing, established to be a separate universe from the mainline Mario games. In the Super Mario Brothers RPGs– which delve deeper into the bros character while remaining more aligned with the classic "canon"– the dynamic is quite the opposite! Mario dives headfirst into danger while Luigi desperately avoids it unless there is no other choice. In Super Mario Brothers Superstar Saga he tries his darndest to not be taken along for the adventure, confident that his brother can handle the task.

But one consistent across the Mario games is Luigi being the underdog of all underdogs; unlucky and clumsy, the butt of the joke, and constantly undermined. Naturally this causes people to get defensive of him– get angry for him, and project their feelings onto the character himself.

But tHEN WE HAVE THE MOVIE!!!!

Nintendo is given a chance to craft Mario and Luigi into fully fleshed-out characters with motivations and backstories, not just plucky videogame personalities for people to project themselves into, and boy oh BOY did they knock it out of the park.

While Mario is still a headstrong hero with a never-say-die attitude and a heart of gold, everything he does is for his brother. Mario has insecurities about feeling small and wants to prove himself to his father, but in the end his love for Luigi is his main motivator. Mario can handle being threatened, made fun of, and told he’s crazy, but if you want to truly hurt him, tell him his actions are hurting his brother. Try hurting Luigi directly, and Mario will tear you a new one.

In return, everything Luigi does is for Mario! Lu’s not the willful ball of determination and gusto that his brother is– he has always been nervous, softhearted, and sensitive, which is why he lets his brother lead the way. Luigi’s not living in Mario’s shadow, he’s thriving off of his confidence! He recognizes Mario as his best friend and greatest source of strength, and will follow him absolutely anywhere.

There is no sense of Mario being treated like the beloved star of the show while Luigi gets the short end of the stick. They are both downtrodden, both learning, and both dependent on each other. It's not just Super Mario, it's the Super Mario Brothers, who equally inspire each other to be the best version of themselves.

at the risk of sounding like a raving lunatic, i think one of my favorite trekkie memes/posts is that one where someone comments on a screenshot of tos and asks if sulu is texting, because it PERFECTLY encapsulates star trek's strange little place at the intersection of pop culture and the tech world:

like listen... 55+ years ago a bunch of actors had to use a mix of existing habits and wild imagination to come up with what they felt would be believable movements and muscle-memory for someone using completely unbelievable tech a few hundred years in the future. like tv had less than ten channels and the screen was a foot across, and they had to go "ok how would someone who's used to a tiny wireless gadget with a screen hold it and use it? how would they talk to a computer? how would the computer sound when she talked back?"

and over half a century later our own tech has surpassed the clunky retrofuture gizmos in so many ways, no doubt inspired by it, that now someone two decades into the 21st century sees an actor in the 60s holding some tiny rectangular plastic prop in both hands and immediately recognizes it as "oh, sulu's texting!" now THAT is a called shot. hell, that's putting your money on a roulette wheel in a casino that hasn't been built yet. i LOVE it. it's so star trek. sulu is absolutely texting.

SAY IT LOUDER FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE BACK 🗣🗣🗣🗣🗣

Some of y'all SERIOUSLY need better awareness and critical thinking, especially when it comes to POC characters; particularly this issue is more prevalent with black characters and women of color, and how you perceive and react to them.

It's shockingly and VERY concerningly common to see this issue occur and to see the lack of self-awareness or flat out willful ignorance to their own internal biases coming out into fandom spaces and their interactions with media. All too often, there is hypercriticality or malice lunged at POC characters, but their white counterparts or even white characters who are absolutely abominable with their views and/or actions get a pass or even end up with sympathizers trying to excuse their actions and views.

Not to mention, it's getting frighteningly more prevalent/common with the rise of right-wing talking points and ideology; at least here in the States.

We need to be aware and alert about this, and always view media and the analysis or reaction to media, INCLUDING OUR -OWN- VIEWS AND ACTIONS, with a critical and analytical eye. We need to question the "why" behind all of it instead of jumping onto and believing in first instinct.

i know of course that fandoms are not immune from cultural and societal biases but it still disappoints me that people in fandom will be blatantly sexist and racist and not even critically think about where exactly those takes are coming from

"The best thing we can do with power is give it away" - On the leftist critique of superhero narratives as authoritarian power fantasies:

The ongoing "Jason Todd is a cop" debate has reminded me of a brilliant brief image essay by Joey deVilla. [EDIT: I SCREWED UP! This was created in 2019 by the guy who runs the Midnighter-Core page on Facebook, and Joey just reposted it!]

So here it is, images first and the full essay text below:

"A common leftist critique of superhero comics is that they are inherently anti-collectivist, being about small groups of individuals who hold all the power, and the wisdom to wield that power. I don’t disagree with this reading. I don’t think it’s inaccurate. Superheroes are their own ruling class, the concept of the übermensch writ large. But it’s a sterile reading. It examines superhero comics as a cold text, and ignores something that I believe is fundamental, especially to superhero storytelling: the way people engage with text. Not what it says, but how it is read. The average comic reader doesn’t fantasize about being a civilian in a world of superheroes, they fantasize about being a superhero. One could charitably chalk this up to a lust for power, except for one fact… The fantasy is almost always the act of helping people. Helping the vulnerable, with no reward promised in return. Being a century into the genre, we’ve seen countless subversions and deconstructions of the story. But at its core, the superhero myth is about using the gifts you’ve been given to enrich the people around you, never asking for payment, never advancing an ulterior motive. We should (and do) spend time nitpicking these fantasies, examining their unintended consequences, their hypocrisies. But it’s worth acknowledging that the most eduring childhood fantasy of the last hundred years hasn’t been to become rich. Superheroes come from every class (don’t let the MCU fool you). The most enduring fantasy is to become powerful enough to take the weak under your own wing. To give, without needing to take. So yes, the superhero myth, as a text, isn’t collectivist. But that’s not why we keep coming back to it. That’s not why children read it. We keep coming back to it to learn one simple lesson… The best thing we can do with power IS GIVE IT AWAY." - Joey deVilla, 2021 https://www.joeydevilla.com/2021/07/04/happy-independence-day-superhero-style/

- Midnighter-Core, 2019

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid0bU6TrKdX6QgMLnUFk64jResHMVwiSyENASvJk7efasgZ94G4c81XJCVgGcLFPgPsl&id=594855544368212&mibextid=Nif5oz