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Published on May 04, 2023 13:18

November 26, 2022

Can a Story Save Gameplay? -or- God of War Ragnarok Review (Non-Spoiler)

original image from IGN

Right off the bat lemme say this: I loved God of War Ragnarok a LOT. It’s a serious contender for game of the year, an amazing sequel to a beloved Playstation exclusive, and one of the best story-driven games I’ve played, period. BUT . . . that does not mean it is bulletproof and beyond critique/criticism. So for the record, I give this game a 9/10. That being said . . .

A Quick History

The 2018 God of War was a reboot/re-imagination/continuation of the 2005 God of War franchise created by David Jaffe (Twisted Metal) at Sony's Santa Monica Studio. The initial series introduced us to anti-hero protagonist—and murderous edgelord supreme—Kratos, who cut a bloody swath through ancient Greek mythology. I say edgelord because it’s true. He was a provocative, extreme character whose exploits ranged from cold-blooded murder to in-engine sex mini-games. BUT, this is not necessarily to insult Kratos’ early work, but so we as an audience can see how far he’s come as a character. Sure, they attempted to humanize Kratos early on in the series by explaining that he accidentally killed his wife/daughter, was then cursed to wear their ashes on his skin, and thus became the Ghost of Sparta. Kinda cool, right? Well… let’s be honest, that’s a typical D&D character backstory created by an angsty youth high on Mountain Dew and 2000’s Nu-Metal. Ya feel me? Edgy for the sake of edgy. Ahh, we were all young once.

Image from Youth Culture

2018 God of War Gameplay

So when the 2018 God of War came out—helmed by the GoW2 director and former lead animator Cory Barlog—I was amazed to see how Kratos, now living in Scandanavia, had matured. Not just his glorious beard, but as a person. Recognizing the pain and grief he had caused, Kratos has put away his past, choosing to be better. He was once again a father and as we soon learn, a widower. A very recent one in fact as the game opens with Kratos preparing the funeral pyre for his late wife Faye. Ouch. This—this was not what I was expecting. Like the action-comedy Guardians of the Galaxy, I was not expecting such an emotional, weighty start. When Kratos’ son Ateyus stood before the flames of his dead mom, Kratos’ hand hovers over his son’s shoulders, but doesn't rest there. He does not give comfort. Fuck, he doesn’t know how to be a dad. That moment stuck with me.

Image from CNET

Instead of traditional mourning, Kratos takes Atreyus on a hunt, forcing him to bottle his feelings. This hunt then leads is the first plot step which culminates in an incredible adventure spanning the Norse Nine Realms. And I loved every damn moment. The Leviathan axe and the new combat system were freaking DOPE! Then came the puzzles, the open area design, and the MetroidVania style of returning to areas w/new equipment to do new things. And all of this “game” was wrapped around a tight, yet simple, narrative of a father and a son connecting, really for the first time. Sniff.

SIDE NOTE: Anyone who knows me, knows I don’t bother hiding my daddy issues, and I’m a mark for such stories. Still, I’m not ashamed to admit I cried a couple times during GoW18. By this time, I too was a father now. I too had been an edgy young man. And I too now had a son and was desperately trying to not repeat the sins of my youth and be a better man for my child. Playing Kratos, the former edgelord murder hobo, who had all that violence and rage still in him, but was using it to protect his son? MWA! Chef’s kiss. All that hit me in the fee-fee’s.

original image from Entertainment Weekly

God of War Ragnarok

Image from hyperxgaming

Like I said in the preamble, this sequel is SOLID. Picking up a couple years later, Atreyus is a little older and right in that sweet spot of mid-teen angsty, emotional, sweet, awkward, and annoying all at the same time. Hormones . . . am I right? Parents back me up here. I saw some reviews from folks who were irked by Atreyus. And no offense to those folks intended (seriously I know how condescending this can sound, so please know it isn’t condescension but context,) but those of us w/kids know this as fact and deal with it daily.

The story of the sequel goes deeper. Not just in lore, but in character connections. Rivalries from the past, goals and ambitions, furious conflicts, heartbreaking reveals, and even young love are all there, just waiting to be explored. I LOVED IT. Through the campaign, amid the blood, battle, and intrigue, Kratos and Atreyus’ connection was tested to the point of breaking, yet masterfully told, came out stronger . . . if a little melancholy. You’ll understand if you play. Not all endings are happy, but many feel “right.”

god-of-war-ragnarok-cast-character-models-brok-sindri.jpg

Images from hyperxgaming

Classic characters like Brok, Sindri, and Freya return and are vastly more fleshed out in this game. A couple take narrative turns I was not expecting. Bravo! The new characters, like Thor, Odin, Sif, Agraboda, Heimdall, and Thrud are incredibly welcome additions. Each has a uniqueness all their own and enough character growth to avoid being two-dimensional. And I’d be a liar if I didn’t say that Ryan Hurst’s (Remember the Titans, Sons of Anarchy) portrayal of Thor wasn’t one of the best ever.

Image from Charlie INTEL

But again, with Kratos and Atreyus being the leads, there were many moments in the game that bookends the series with such a delicate touch that I had to pause and appreciate the craft. Like the 2018 GoW, Ragnarok is ultimately a story of father and son. And like all good parents, they can admit when they are wrong and tell their children that they shouldn’t be another version of the parent, but the best version of themselves. But that’s the writer in me. Sadly, the gamer in me was a little disappointed.

See, not much—if any really— gameplay was changed. That’s both good . . . and bad. The puzzles were there, but felt fewer and more of the same. Tacked on really, borrowing heavily from the previous game instead of making new ones that felt inventive. The new playable areas came across to me as more maze-like and less exploration based, choosing instead to funnel the player from point A to B. I got to go to more realms this time, but they felt somehow . . . smaller? Shallow perhaps? Maybe I’m being hyper, or overly, critical, but I swear the new locations didn’t have the same build craft as the worlds in the 2018 version. And, I’m sad to say a couple were just . . . meh? The land of the Dwarves kinda looked like any generic southwestern US state. The home of the Vanir was basically just an idyllic Poison Ivy rainforest. But maybe that’s me being picky? To be sure, the character animations and combat graphics were on point (beyond really), but I can’t help but feel a little disappointed in the set design.

But all that aside, the plot was SO DAMN GOOD! Yet that’s the real sticky wicket for this review, the plot-to-game imbalance. While I won’t go into spoilers, there are several times when Atreyus has to go off on his own, as young people do. In the interim, Kratos is accompanied by an old frenemy who fills the Atreyus role of the “shoot that so I can do X” mechanic (at least it did in my play though, don’t know if that’s by design or order of events is optional.) And while it’s good, and the drama that unfolds in said time with the frenemy is solid, my (well, Kratos’s) goddamn son is out there! I don’t need to be doing side plot! Who gives a crap about breaking pots, banging bells, bringing ghosts their . . . whatever McGuffin so their spirits can move on?! They had their chance. MY SON IS MISSING! I NEED TO GO! NOW!!

Whew . . . got a little heated there.

Point is, if you liked the 2018 God of War core story, then you will LOVE the story of God of War Ragnarok. If you liked 2018 GoW just for Kratos killing everything and couldn’t give a crap about the plot, then there’s more of that. But, it’s just the same killing. Valkyries are replaced by Berserkers. You can do the challenges if you want, just like before. Combos and weapons play galore. But aside from a new weapon, there is very little that’s different overall.

A fair comparison would be The Last of Us transition to The Last of Us II. Both series sequels (Ragnarok and TLoU 2) had nearly identical gameplay as their predecessor. Ragnarok, however, I find to be a better narrative. Come at me all you want, but I did not care for TLoU 2’s story as much as the rest of the internet.

In the end, I gave God of War Ragnarok a 9/10. That was an average between a 10 for story, 9 for graphics, and an 8 for gameplay. While I wasn’t ga-ga for the gameplay, that freaking story had me riveted.

What did you think? Did you play the game? What are your thoughts?

As always, live long & strong!

~Gibby

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Published on November 26, 2022 05:55

October 30, 2022

Fantasy TV Burnout -Or- Why Am I So “Meh” about Rings of Power/House of the Dragon?

No matter how old I get, part of me will always be like Bastian, that kid who lived in a land of make believe w/their head in the clouds. Kind of a “no shit” statement considering what I do/write for a living. So when the Sci-fi & Fantasy (SFF) media revolution began in the late 90’s/early 00’s, you can imagine how I, along with the rest of the nerds of the world, rejoiced. Like the Goonies, this was OUR TIME. And over the last two decades, SFF remained the dominant entertainment media.

And I’m—I’m kind of getting tired of it.

Image from Meme generator

Don’t get me wrong, I still consume SFF as much as the next nerd. But the sheer volume of pop culture saturation has me just kinda . . . burned out? Desensitized and apathetic. Maybe it’s like a porn thing, you know? The adage that the more you consume the more you become numb to the medium, thus forcing deeper searches for either the truly excellent or the truly bizarre to pique your interest. Eh, who knows? Anyway, when the media heralded the coming of Rings of Power and House of the Dragon, I just kinda shrugged. So with that burnout filter in mind, here are my quick reviews of the latest entries of prestige fantasy drama. (If you don’t want to hear a middle-aged dude rant, then skip to the end where I try to redeem myself by listing shows I really like/recommend)

Image from IGN

House of the Dragon (HoT-D!!)

So right out of the gate, this show is obviously going to be compared to its predecessor. Impossible to separate them due to nerd zeitgeist. But considering how GoT ended, metaphorically like a stinking, loud wet fart after what had been some great sex, all the show had to be was better than that. And as such, my overall opinion was . . . it was safe. New actors doing and saying the same old thing in the old same places we’ve already seen. “Oh . . . look, it’s King’s Landing, the Red Keep, the Iron Throne, the Small Council, the Hand of the King, Maesters, family/house names we know, and . . . oh boy, white-haired Targaryen women with dragons wanting to be queen . . . again.”

And this is just me talking, but once you’ve seen Tyrion, Tywin, Littlefinger, Varys, Queen of Thorns plotting and sniping, or the sheer self-serving malevolent insanity of a Geoffrey, then the best HOT-D had to offer was little league at best by comparison.

Without a looming threat like the White Walkers or a legitimate external threat to give the internal strife context, and the fantasy elements just being “hey look, a dragon . . . neat,” then the show boiled down to elite 1%’ers fucking and fucking each other over. The Real Housewives of Westeros if you will. I know that’s reductive, but it’s my opinion.

Image from The Wrap

Then there were the time jumps, where whole sections of the cast were changed, leaving them without enough screen time to care about, let alone giving a damn when they have “a shocking death.” You want me to feel something for brown-hair generic son #2’s grisly dragon-back demise? Seriously?! Please, I was cheering for his death. When Ned Stark died it had an impact because we spent an entire season (1st book) with him (seemingly) as the main protagonist. Subsequent deaths in the OG GoT show followed the same formula: spend copious amounts of time with them, get to know their multi-faceted character, then kill them. Brown-hair generic son #2 (not gonna bother looking up the name) may have been cool in the book, dunno, didn’t read it. But on screen, he and most of the kids were as captivating as room-temperature water paired with unsalted crackers. And when the king died it was a goddamn blessing as we watched him literally fall apart for most of the season.

Now all that being said, I still gave this show 4 out of 5 dragons. For my gripes, I can’t deny the production and the acting skills of Paddy Considine, Matt Smith, Emma D’Arcy, Eve Best, Rhys Ifan, Olivia Cook, or Milly Alcock. Each of them played their respective characters with gravitas as they wove a The Crown-like level of royal storytelling strife. So, I’ll watch season 2, but man I hope they give us something new. Again for the record, no I did not read the book . . . books? Are there more than one? I don’t know and I’m not gonna bother looking that up either. Mainly because if a show is going to be a show, you shouldn’t need a companion guide. Speaking of which . . .

Image from IMDB

Rings of Power (RoP)

Oh dear lord, where do I start? Do I need to have read outside the Hobbit and Lord of The Rings proper to know what’s going on? Because I didn’t and I don’t know or care what a Silmaril is. I do care about how the show constantly cherry-picks lines and rather specific turns of phrases from the LoR. And man does it ever feel, what’s the word I’m looking for . . . cloying? A saccharine, excessively sweet play on nostalgia that filled the screen with Peter Jackson ‘member-berries instead of crafting a world of their own. Well, that’s not true is it? According to Screenrant, Amazon has the rights to adapt The Hobbit and the appendices of The Lord of the Rings, but not The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales. So the showrunners made their choices on how they want to tell their tale which came off to me as mostly piss-poor character archetypes that border on stereotypes, plot contrivances, and boredom.

So. Much. Boredom.

So let’s address the elephant in the room. Galadriel. To me, she’s an asshole. Maybe in 3000 years, she’ll be the Cate Blanchette version, but here in the 2nd age, she’s kind of a prick. They might have been going for strong and stalwart, but somewhere between the writing and the acting, they ended up with prick. I mean, if you’re gonna milk archetypes, then go for Steve Rodgers from MCU. A constant, dedicated, and capable character sure. But most importantly self-aware vice self-righteous. Humility, even a touch of self-depreciation, endears an audience. Now with all that said, Yes, Galadriel was a driven, capable warrior. And yup, she was 100% right that Sauron had survived and was out there despite everyone telling her no. And boy I’m so glad the plot let her realize who Sauron was at the very end for . . . like, no discernible reason, considering she was thirsting for him hard for most of the show.

Image from Reddit

This version of Galadriel is a villain pretending to be a protagonist. Aside from leaving troops to die (to which I don’t blame said troops for their mutiny one bit,) remember when she performed a soliloquy to a captured Adar? The one where she will keep him alive just so she can kill every orc in middle-earth, only to then tell him that all his children are dead and then kill him? Yeah, that’s called genocide.

Man, wasn’t there an internet movement a while back about Tolkien and D&D, where certain “monster” races, which were considered “evil,” being coded as basically non-white people in fantasy? And here we have Galadriel talking about exterminating them all? I’m not one to whip up an angry twitter mob or anything, but umm . . . like, you know? Moving on.

Image from Reddit

As for the rest of the characters, I honestly didn’t care about them. Not the Scottish dwarves, the Irish Hobbits (Harfoots?), the Stranger who is clearly Gandalf (too soon arriving in middle earth I hear? Maybe its actually Saruman?), the discount Aragon/Sauron, and not this version of Elrond who looked like Neil Patrick Harris’s inbred cousin. Oh, and the one healer lady/single mom who led the southland humans, you know how I knew she’d be the leader of that group? Not because she was brave, fearless, or whatever they were trying to convey, but because she was the only person in the village not covered in mud, had all her teeth, and spoke like she went to an Oxford finishing school. In fact the only characters I liked were: Ismael Cruz Cordova’s Arondir, Sophia Nomvete’s Princess Disa, and Joseph Mawle’s Adar. Their respective tales and POVs I actually found myself enjoying.

View fullsize Adar Den of Geek.jpg

View fullsize Arondir_British GQ.jpg

images from Den of Geek, British GQ, and Epicstream respectively

But like the above review, I have to give credit where it’s due. It’s clear Amazon sunk a buncha money into RoP. The show looked mostly great and yes, there were some actual cool moments. I don’t care if that’s how volcanoes are made, that whole ep was pretty solid. And like HoT-D, I didn’t hate RoP. I was . . . whelmed. Not over or under, just whelmed. But by the end, for me it was sadly just another generic fantasy show without an identity of it’s own. Middling writing with fancy production to hide the lack of actual multi-dimensional characters. A very weak 3 out of 5 Balrogs for me. And I’m not alone. Check out The Guardian’s review HERE.

So yeah, maybe it’s me. Maybe these are amazing shows and I’m just burned out. But I have a feeling I’m not the only one feeling the SFF burnout. No shade being tossed to Top Gun: Maverick, as it’s been dominating the box office. But I have a sneaking suspicion that if that flick had come out even 5 years prior during peak MCU, Star Wars, etc, I think it would have been a blip. But as it stands now, folks are raving about this movie. My guess is that folks are hungry for something else. Something simple with as many practical effects as possible. Wonder why?

Recommendations

NOW, so I’m not a total asshole, here are some “recent” shows (SFF and standard fiction) I’ve greatly enjoyed for their writing, character work, and having a unique identity. Arcane being the current gold standard of where storytelling and visuals meets solid AF character work.

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View fullsize Dragon Prince IMDB.jpg

View fullsize Carnival Row IMDB.jpg

View fullsize Umbrealla Academy IMDB.jpg

View fullsize Blood of Zeus IMDB.jpg

View fullsize The Boys IMDB.jpg

Images from their respective parent sites.

As always, feel free to leave a comment of message me directly on Facebook or Twitter to tell if I’m right, wrong, or somewhere in the middle.

Live long and strong

~Gibby

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Published on October 30, 2022 07:44

August 9, 2022

PLAYERS, the Show I Didn’t Know I Needed -or- Damn that Nerd Comedy-Drama for Making me Misty!

Image from Dot Esports

How many times has someone recommended a book, movie, TV show to you with such glowing passion that . . . well, you just nod your head and hope they SHUT THE F’ UP?! Gods above and below, please, stop talking about whatever the hell it is you’re blah-blah-blahing about! I get it, you like it. But you look like an epileptic kitten while gushing over this thing I HAVE NOT SEEN AND HAVE NO CONTEXT FOR!

. . . Just me then? Huh, maybe I am a jerk. Hmm. Anyway.

Image from Be Yourself

I think that despite being modern people, we still have that hunter/gatherer mentality. Finding that online deal. Finding a unique restaurant. And even in our entertainment, man . . . sitting there just scrolling through various streaming services until finding that niche thing that just catches you? Wow, what a feeling, am I right? Sure sure, sometimes we take recommendations but almost never right away. If you’re like me, months later you stumble on said media and deem it worthy of your time. Well, that happened to me with an amazing show called Players on Paramount+. A friend of mine named Adam couldn’t shut up about it. And I ignored Adam for weeks.

I was a fool.

DO NOT SLEEP ON PLAYERS!

The Non-Spoiler Pitch: Players is an amazingly deep and complex comedy-drama mockumentary on Paramount+ that follows the fictional e-sports League of Legends team, Team Fugitive. Using classic sports-style storytelling, Players flip-flops from 2015 through the present showing the team’s formation, ruination, and redemption as they seek to claim their first national title. (Side note: Between Players and the awesome Arcane on Netflix, League of Legends is growing into the greatest TV empire based on a game I’ve never played.)

Team Fugitive, Image from IGN

The Gush: Borrowing from classic rivalries turned begrudging respect and love like Magic Johnson/Larry Byrd . . . or even Zoolander/Hansel, Players showcases two main characters: Trevor AKA Creamcheese and Percy AKA Organizm. Creamcheese is 27, basically an aging dinosaur in the gaming community. Despite being a great player, he is loud, obnoxious, a bit of an insecure prima donna, and in truth . . . a raging asshole. He’s never won the big championship and is known throughout the community as a choke artist. When the big game is on the line, Creamcheese crumbles. Note: You need to endure his personality in the beginning. Trust me, it’s worth it.

Creamcheese, image from Spotern

The other lead main character, Organizm, is 17, the youngest player to be drafted, and is the complete opposite of Creamcheese. He is quiet rage with obsessive-compulsive levels of focus. He wants to be the best, yet has love for the people that came before him. Even if he has to go through them. Through the 10-episode 1st season, the layers are peeled back to show why Creamcheese/Organizm are the way they are, and then the show evolves these one-note characters into painfully, yet beautifully, realized human beings, flaws and all.

Organizm, Image from Paramount Plus

The supporting cast is also amazing as through them, the larger gaming community, with all the dirty secrets and heart-warming relationships, are revealed. The show expertly shows you one thing in order to evoke an emotional response from the viewer, only to show you the same scene a few episodes later with context, altering your perception. Brav-freaking-o! Special shout-outs to Holly Chou and Ely Henry as April and Kyle Braxton, the married couple who serves as manager/coach for the team. They are the parental soul of Team Fugitive.

Image from Alexis Joy VIP Access

The Meh: The only real negative for me was the tertiary characters who are simply present. There are a couple members of Team Fugitive who fill seats, have a scene or two, but have no real bearing on the overall narrative. Maybe they’ll be fleshed out in the (hopefully) following season(s).

Final Thoughts: To me, Players is an outstanding 10 episodes of television. If you can stand abrasive language and people who say “bro!” way too many times, then you will find levels of character work and emotional development I haven’t seen in a long damn time. I’m talking early seasons of Game of Thrones when it comes to the audience flip-flopping on who is a villain and who is a hero. No, Players doesn’t have the threats of dragons or white walkers. But it does have the eternal themes of redemption, desperation, despair, and bittersweet victory. And, just perhaps, the eternal hope of reunion.

Image from Variety

Overall: 9 out of 10.

Last note: If you watch this show and completely disagree with me, thinking it a waste of your time . . . blame my friend Adam. :)

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Published on August 09, 2022 07:38

March 12, 2022

Daily Road Rage Observations -or- What Your Car Tells Me About You

As I grow older I find myself constantly fighting against my inclinations and habits of “youth.” And not just my diet (you can take my pizza rolls from my cold dead hands!) No, what I mean is my conscious choice to be constructive instead of being destructive in my thoughts, criticisms, and opinions. It takes effort to apply reason, provide an alternative, and see another perspective.

. . . BUT, there are limits to what a person can tolerate when they are under a constant barrage of stressors. Slipping back into (amusing) destructive mode I need to unload a few thoughts.

See, I live in a kinda rural area of Maryland and I have a 30-ish mile commute to drop my son off at his school. The trip is a mix of country roads, interstate travel, and then business highway traffic. After which, I just make the drive in reverse order and get back to writing books that will never make me rich or famous. (Special note to ALL streaming services: I am a filthy, filthy whore and will sell you any (or all) of my IPs for relatively cheap.)

But back to the point. During these week-day commutes, my son learns a variety of new swear words. Well, more likely a creatively constructed and applied version of the swear words his mother blurts out when grading homework. See, my wife is a teacher and the things she says when grading kid’s homework? Wow. I was in the military for 20 years and even I wince at what she says when little Jimmy/Beth turn in their assignments.

So why am I swearing? Simple: there are A LOT of assholes on the road. Overly aggressive, lane drifting, tailgating, phone checking, rubbernecking, flow blocking, non-zippering fuck-knuckles who likely have married a fellow fuck-knuckle and will raise a clutch of knucklettes who too will be a plague on the road.

Now, bad behavior can come from anyone in any vehicle. That being said, I have noticed some trends based on certain vehicle types or brands. I will admit that since I have a fairly standard routine, leaving the house within a regular window of time. It is possible that I’m seeing the same drivers, thus making me a victim of confirmation bias. But . . . fuck it, who let’s science get in the way of their feelings!

So with that out of the way, below are a few of my favorite recent repeat offenders.

*Again, this is comedic catharsis, and my advanced apologies if you operate one of these vehicles. Unless you are one of the aforementioned fuck-knuckles. In which case, I hope you get a case of sonic diarrhea when next you drive.

The Lexus family of SUV’s - For those who think their taxes entitle them to more of the road.

Hey, Trip Vandersmyth III, We get it. you have money. But your mobile 401K has to obey the same rules as everyone else.

The BMW X4 & X6, the chunky-yet expensive-car/SUV mutant, is a perfect gift for your privileged child or wife to drift lanes while texting.

It never fails. There she is, and yes it is almost always a she. Some female, young or old does not matter, ripping down the interstate in one of these white vehicles to ride the bumper of the person in front. And 8/10 times, she is yelling into her phone which she holds like a slice of pizza instead of using Bluetooth. Is she too dumb to use Bluetooth?

The pumpkin spice of muscle cars.

Yup . . . I’ll just let that above statement speak for itself.

I know, I know. It looks like I’m just picking on expensive cars and equating them to being driven by rich pricks. And in truth, I kinda am. Like I said though, these humorous musings are based on my my observations during my commute. And with that being said, may I direct you to these two articles, both from February 2020

If you drive an expensive car you're probably a jerk, scientists say - CNN Click Here

and

New Study Says Expensive Cars Are Bought by Jerks Who Won't Yield - Car and Driver Click Here

So with that being said, let’s move on to some other of non-luxury favorites to avoid while driving.

The pristine pickup. Because unearned authority is only a car payment away.

This “hot take” is germane to the extended cab assholes who insist on taking their never-have-hauled-anything toys into more urban environments. I’m convinced these are purchased solely for the owner to watch the line of cars behind them scream in frustration while they back into parking spaces, thus eating up other people’s time. Double parking & sticking out too far in parking garages are added benefits. Oh, and a very special fuck you to all the limp-dick dudes (yes, almost always a guy) who ride the bumper of smaller cars in the attempt to instill fear and panic.

** special note: this criticism of pick-ups DOES NOT apply to the actual working trucks I see daily, especially in rural communities. Y’all are cool and my hats off to you and I thank you for the work you do.

The modded Subaru. Yes, we hear you go vroom vroom.

You’re adorable. But keep your matchbox car in your fucking lane. After all that added shit, I somehow doubt you can afford the accident you’re going to cause. Especially when there are two (or more) of you zigging and zagging through highway traffic because Vin Diesel and the Fast/Furious franchise gets you hard.

And last but not least . . .

YOU ARE NOT A CAR!

Look, I get it. Whether for going green, health, or whatever, biking is a thing. I too bike to supplement my exercise routine and have about 800 miles on my current bike. But, I don’t care what the propaganda says, you (we) are not entitled to the road. We are entitled to gravity, physics, and the result of conflicting weight ratio’s in a collision. Don’t be smug. Don’t be snarky. Be fucking mindful. Oh, and blowing through stop signs? Sigh . . . well, your puppy your mom told you that went to live upstate has missed you.

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Published on March 12, 2022 07:29

February 19, 2022

Why Arcane Succeeded Where Wheel of Time Struggled -or- Don’t You Just Love it When a Middle Aged-SWM Talks About Female-Led Stories?

Put down those pitchforks and lower the torches please, I’m not here to talk shit . . . well, not exactly. But as the title suggests, this thought experiment will be covering Netflix’s Arcane and Amazon’s Wheel of Time, specifically focusing on their respective female-centric characters, through the lens of my own biases. So, apologies for a few paragraphs of self-indulgence and spoiler warning for both shows.

via GIPHY

- My Personal Biases

I wasn’t a fan of the Wheel of Time books, not in the beginning. When The Eye of the World was published in January of 1990, I was a typical fantasy reading 14-year-old dork. I saw the Jordan books in the bookstores but ignored them. Mostly due to the cover art (I know, I know) despite my friends swearing that they were good. It wasn’t until mid-1998, two years into my Air Force career and stationed at a joint Air Force/Army detachment, that I started reading the series. My Army supervisor was reading book seven, A Crown of Swords, and offered to let me read book 1. I burned through all seven books in time for #8, The Path of Daggers. I was a fan ever since, both the highs and lows of the series.

Image from Esquire

See, it wasn’t the fantasy element that’d hooked me. It wasn’t the Tolkien rip-off (heavily) “inspired” elements of book one. And it wasn’t the classic Joseph Conrad Hero’s journey arc of Rand ‘al Thor. No, it was the multi-cultural, masculine/feminine dynamic of the story. That push/pull, yin and yang, which drove the story for me.

Many critics, professional and amateur, have praised/damned Jordan for either being progressive or doggedly sexist in his gender norms. I grew up firmly in the “battle of the sexes” era of child-rearing. Men were from Mars, girls were from Venus. Girls were sugar and spice while boys were frogs, snails, and puppy dog tails. It took time for me to deprogram myself from that rhetoric to really understand the impacts of nurture v. nature. But, years spent in martial arts taught me that a girl can kick you in the face, or the nuts, as well as any guy. Once you’ve been (metaphorically or literally) choked out by a better opponent, you don’t give a shit about what is/is not between the legs. You just wanna breathe.

But it was my time in the military that really shaped me. Over my 20 years of service, from age 20 to 40, I’d had the distinct pleasure of having led, and have been led by, amazing humans that were of every race, sexuality, gender identity, economic upbringings, religious affiliations, and several different nationalities. And during this time, I learned that our differences give us perspective, and our unity through diversity gives us the power to get the job done. And that is what the Wheel of Time books meant to me. When the characters from all over the world set their ideologies and dogmas aside: Shit. Got. Done.

When 4th wave feminism rolled out around 2012, we saw a growing change in our fiction. We saw a steady decline in the super-guy action dude trope. Underrepresented people were pushed into the spotlight. More female-led action shows/movies/video games/books gained attention. And I said: “Cool.” Because that was the world I already knew and believed in. Many “progressive” ideas were things I’d come to know as standard in the military. We were paid by our rank and time in service, not by our gender, while housing, healthcare, and hunger were covered by either financial allotments or on-base facilities.

Now, did I roll my eyes when some voices came off as pandering to look righteous online? You’re goddamn right I did. For I had known/worked beside/cherished far too many strong “minorities” who did the job some loudmouth--Left or Right--couldn’t or wouldn’t do. But I digress.

- Amazon’s Wheel of Time

Image from Forbes

I was excited for the Wheel of Time show while being naturally nervous. The book series is huge and has a rabid fan base. And when the first few eps dropped on Amazon Prime … man, I was pretty underwhelmed. As the show continued, it fell firmly in the “it’s fine” bracket of television. It had some high points and more than a few lows. But it never really had its own voice, seemingly a visual blend of Game of Thrones, Shannara, and The Witcher. Nothing unique. And that irked me.

When Rafe Judkins set out to adapt Wheel of Time, he had this quote in Polygon: “[…] there’s no way to bring a carbon copy of fantasy author Robert Jordan’s expansive world to screen.” He also added, “I feel a special burden laying me down, crushing me, of just wanting to deliver for this thing that I love, and my mom loves, and so many of the women in my family love.”

As I mentioned before, the initial arc of the Wheel of Time books was a textbook example of Joseph Conrad’s Hero With a Thousand Faces. Rand al’ Thor was the central character, the pastoral chosen one, and according to this WoT Fandom Page breakdown, the POV for 44 of the 53 chapters in Eye of the World. But the showrunners opted to remove focus from Rand and placed it firmly on the talented shoulders of Rosamund Pike’s Moiraine Damodred Sedai character, thus altering the fundamental flow of the story. But, that’s not a bad thing. By restructuring the format, the mystery of the Dragon Reborn allowed Moiraine to play detective. The show even altered the story so that the Dragon could be male/female and all five of the kids, Rand, Mat, Perrin, Egwene, and Nyneave, were ta’vereen, chosen ones, and potential Dragons. The show continued to make changes, adding scenes that weren’t in the book. Such scenes (which were actually my favorite parts of the show) included: Moiraine/Siuan’s love, Siuan’s backstory, The Warder encampment, the Warder funeral. They even opted not to open on Rand as the first kid from Emond’s Field, but rather Egwene and Nynaeve at Egwene’s hair braiding ceremony (also not in the book), where they delivered that banger line “To be a woman is to be always alone and never alone.”

But when you step back and look at it as a whole, that’s when the threads unravel and weave falls apart. The episodes loosely followed the plot of the book, running from spot to spot, dumping exposition, getting into/out of dangers, pausing only to let the new material (not book material) breathe. And by choosing to focus on Moiraine for the heavy lifting, with assistance from Madeleine Madden and Zoe Robbins’ Egwene and Nyneave respectively, the show has something of a feminist slant, possibly something to do with Mr. Judkins wanting to provide something the women of his family would love. And you know what? That was kinda cool. Sure I grumbled a bit. But from what the show was (seemingly) developing, I was hoping for a change in the narrative, something different from the books. But that didn’t happen, did it?

Cut-away edits were tricksy, like the bathtub scene which cut to Egwene after Lan asked who Moiraine thought the Dragon was. The amazing explosion-of-healing-power moment by Nyneave in the cave w/Logain (which made me eat my words in THIS post of mine) made me wonder if she could be the Dragon. Especially considering she was the only one of the five to kill a trolloc by herself on the night they invaded Emond’s Field. But no, at the end of the day, The Dragon Reborn was still Rand, the show’s least developed character. Ginger Pale, Sad-Boy McPouty Lips was the real chosen one. And frankly, that sucked. It sucked that the show used every storytelling technique to present the audience one thing, then pull the rug out from under you. And not in a “subversion of expectations” bullshit kind of way. In a way that hurt. JK Rowling feelings aside, imagine if the story of Hogwarts had been reframed to focus on Hermione doing her brainy thing, overcoming adversity, and defeating challenges, just to have Harry step up and be the chosen one? Stings, doesn’t it?

Image from Imgur

Side note: making Egwene and Nynaeve ta’vereen was a mistake. Full stop. In the books, these characters like the aforementioned Hermione didn’t need to be deemed worthy by some supernatural force. Both Egwene and Nynaeve achieved nigh-impossible feats by their own wit, guile, grit, and merit. Not because they were born special. Quite the opposite in fact.

And at the end of the show, when I looked back, I was left with the conclusion that the plot drove the characters, not the other way around. And that is the worst kind of storytelling. Plot happens and the WoT characters react. Rinse, repeat, and sigh. Just like the final seasons of Game of Thrones. And the changes made, while sometimes brilliant, felt bolted on and not integrated into what could have been a brilliant show. Maybe things will be better in WoT season 2? I do hope so. I haven’t given up, but my expectations have been lowered.

- Arcane on Netflix

Image from Netflix

After the success of WandaVision on Disney+, specifically the stellar performances by Elizabeth Olsen as the troubled and tortured titular Wanda/Scarlet Witch (my all-time favorite MCU character) and Teyonah Parris’ strength as Monica Rambeau, I was hoping for more quality, female-led fiction programs. I do have a soft spot for flawed-yet-enduring female characters which I try to showcase in my Hammer of Witches novels.

So when the nine episode animated Arcane came out of nowhere it blew me away with it’s visuals, storytelling, and social themes. Why? Simple, these near perfect characters, with their incredible connections, heart-breaking relationships, and difficult choices, drove/affected the plot. If you have not watched the show, I cannot recommend it enough. This is how storytelling should be.

Set in the video game League of Legends universe, Arcane is, at it’s core, the story of two sisters, Vi and Powder who love one another, but are torn apart physically and emotionally. Orphaned during a class-warfare revolt led by a man named Vander, Vi and Powder are then adopted by said Vander, who throws down his weapons and chooses to focus on protecting, not destroying. But the wake of Vander’s revolt, the villain Silko was created. Raised in the slums of Piltover, Vi and Powder do what they must to survive. And those actions have consequences. While in the erudite district of Piltover, a young scientist named Jayce, pushes for his advancements in magic and technology to help society. But, are these advancements for all, or just those with money/power? Denied his chance and stripped of his title, Jayce stands over a figurative and literal precipice, wondering if jumping is the best solution. A helping hand at a moment of personal low is all that spares Jayce’s life.

Vander does his best to maintain the tenuous peace between the two sides of Piltover, but Silko is waiting in the shadows to usurp his one-time friend and rule the under city through fear, power, and drugs. During the emotionally-fueled confrontation at the end of the first arc, the might Vander falls, Vi blames her sister, and Silko embraces the now emotionally/mentally broken Powder.

Moving into the second arc, the show then jumps a few years. Powder, now Jinx, is an unhinged-if-brilliant mechanical/chemical engineer and Silko’s daughter. Vi is a convict, released by the unerringly upbeat police marksman Caitlyn in order to track down the ones responsible for a series of heists. Although agreeing to help, the physically powerful Vi is still a broken girl who only wants her sister back. Vi will go through anyone to get to Powder. But, is Jinx still Powder? Jayce has become the herald of the new age, thanks in part by his partner Viktor, and the ever-plotting councilwoman Mel Medarda. Silko, now troubled with the burden of knowledge, comes to understand the late Vander’s ideals, that keeping the peace is its own kind of war. I dare you to watch this scene, even out of context, and not want more. (turn the music up!)

Season one culminates in the third arc, where conflict between all the cast members comes to a head in all its cinematic yet heart-breaking glory. And I cannot wait for season 2.

- Conclusion

Both shows, Wheel of Time and Arcane, have incredible representation and diverse peoples. Both shine a light on inequality, exploring what those with less are willing to do, while those with more fight to maintain control. Both shows reportedly had a writer’s room with unique voices and people. So why did I herald one’s brilliance while bemoaning another for floundering to find itself? Because one (accidentally or brilliantly) focused on telling a unique story that for me, allowed the characters to be flawed, beautiful, broken, kind, and cruel. Said characters created/drove the plot of their respective show. The other show, to me, seemingly aped the CW’s style of brooding drama and non-romantic romance while the plot moved unerringly onward, regardless of choices made. It reached for greatness, gained notoriety, but fell into middling popcorn entertainment. I’ll let you figure out which was which.

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As with all my critiques/reviews, let me caveat the above with this: don’t let me yuck your yum. If you loved Wheel of Time, then great! Don’t let some asshole on the internet tell you differently. Love what you love.

Special kudos to WoT’s attempt to create his own “Toss a Coin To Your Witcher” song. Hope they sold a few downloads with Thom Merrilin’s “The Man Who Can’t Forget.”

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Published on February 19, 2022 10:59

June 12, 2021

Defending Characters We’re Told to Hate -Or- Were Gaston and John Walker Really That Bad?

Anyone who knows me and/or my books knows that I do love me some villains and antagonists. They are, after all, the most important part of traditional storytelling. Sure, heroes are who people cheer for. But for the bulk of storytelling, it’s the villains who set the stage, move the plot, and create the tension. The right villain makes the heroic victory, or heroic sacrifice, all the sweeter. And without the villains, all those purported “heroes” would just be standing around the farm, living in the Shire, swimming under the sea, or looking for power converters at Tosche Station with metaphorical thumbs in their butts.

Trust me, all the destiny in the universe can’t cure thumb-butt.

However, I will not stand by and allow the good name of villain be besmirched by pretenders to the title. I refuse to blindly boo and gnash my teeth at someone who is presented as “Here’s your villain! Hate them!”

So, with my tongue firmly in my cheek, I will attempt to exonerate two such “bad guys.” John Walker, the New Captain America/US Agent from Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and Gaston from Beauty and the Beast.

First up, John Walker

Image from Disney/MCU

So, remember at the end of Falcon And The Winter Soldier ep 1 when John Walker was introduced? When Sam, and we the viewers, saw that knock-off standing there and smugly smiling at the camera, holding Steve Rodgers’ shield? Remember? Yeah you do. And you know for damn sure the internet remembers.

Even I wasn’t immune to that punchable face, just smirking at me. I couldn’t wait to hate that guy. But then from ep 2 onward, I felt … regret for my initial reaction. Remorse.

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The show, and the internet, went to great lengths to paint MCU John Walker as a villainous tool. But was he? The Wrap referred to John Walker as the “Toxic Masculinity Captain America” and an “Incel.” According to Epic Stream, the actor Wyatt Russell purportedly got death threats for his character, and was referred to as “{…} one of the most despised villains in the franchise.”

Despised? Really? Why? What did he do besides having the audacity of NOT being Steve Rodgers? Did he deserve the acrimony? Let’s see. He

Was given the shield that we the audience believed should (and knew eventually would) end up in Sam Wilson’s hands.

He admitted to his wife/best friend that he wasn’t sure he was good enough.

Expressed humility on Good Morning America by flat-out saying that while he was not Steve, he would do his best.

Showed up to help Sam/Bucky on the trucks and then admitted that he wasn’t who Sam thought should have the shield.

Asked for Sam/Bucky’s help multiple times. (FYI: referring to someone in the military as a wingman, especially in Air Force culture, is NOT an insult. It is the person you literally trust to have your 6 when things go Tango Uniform. Something Sam, an Air Force vet and later contractor, should have known. And frankly, the writers should have known that as well.)

Bailed them out of trouble in Baltimore.

Refused to be called a hero for his Medals of Honor because of the cost to human life it took to get them, referring to it as “the worst day of my life.”

Got his ass beat by the Dora Milaje for plot reasons and laughed at by Sam/Bucky.

And frankly, just did his best despite clearly having CTE (note how he was always touching his head as if in pain, or shaking his head to “clear the cobwebs.”) This man’s government trained him and said “Go forth.” He did, and was punished for it. They turned their back on him. Did he go evil? No. When he came for revenge against Karly, he instead dropped his shield and saved the busload of people. The people that Karly, our propped-up-by-plot pandering rebellion leader, was actively trying to kill. You know … like a sociopathic murderer.

Yeah yeah yeah, I know: He *finger quotes* killed a guy by bashing him to death with the shield. C’mon, who hasn’t? We’ve all played some kind of RPG. Besides, Walker was fighting a wanted criminal who was, despite said criminal’s speech in that episode to make him empathetic, part of a group that was trying to kill him in addition to being culpable in the multiple murders committed by Flag Shamshers leader, Karli Morgenthau. And after the shield bash, in the next ep, Walker was emotionally wrecked. Just like sad-sack Bucky had been the entire season. Just like every rational, redeemable person would be.

But ya know who’s never showed an ounce of remorse for the people he’s whacked? MCU’s Sam Wilson. That dude killed several dudes in the first episode alone by kicking them out of helicopters, blowing up the helicopters, or dropping them to their deaths over those canyons. And he did it with quips and without an ounce of remorse. But he’s the “hero,” right? So he gets a pass, I guess.

Sorry internet, you lose. Walker was never a villain. He was just a guy you were told to hate and you did. Because that’s what sheep do. They follow the commands of any barking dog. :)

Image from Disney

Now, onto a tougher challenge--defending good ol’ Gaston from Beauty and the Beast. Woof. Okay, let’s give this a shot. Ahem. *affects a comically bad southern drawl*

Your honor, I’m not a big city lawyer. I’m just a country boy from a small county, which one we might call a province. And our “provincial life” is a little slower, sure. But we have good people, with good hearts, who are full of pride in their community. And you know who hates people like us? Belle. How did she refer to people like us in her famous song? “Little town full of little people?” Well, politely fuck you very much, Ms. Belle.

Now fair being fair, the townsfolk of 1700’s Villeneuve, France did despise Belle so much that they secretly choreographed an entire song and dance number to express how much of a stuck-up b-word they thought Belle to be.

So anyway, your honor, Belle makes it clear she wants more than a provincial life. And like all “Disney Princesses,” she is meant for more than being an object of beauty. She wants, and deserves, agency, adventure, and to be in charge of her own destiny. In fact, she tells the bookseller that her favorite book had far-off places, daring sword fights, magic spells, and … a prince in disguise?

Wait, what? I’m sure that’s nothing. Romance is natural for young folk, after all. But a few lines later she says that her favorite part of the book was when the heroine meets Prince Charming. Oh, no, say it isn’t so! Prince fucking Charming? If we skip to the end, we see Ms. Belle hook up with a guy with money and become a princess in a castle, with all the traditional, anti-feminist feminist trappings that go with it. Seems like Belle didn’t want to leave the provincial life; she wanted to be a white woman of privilege.

Go get her, hard left-leaning Twitter. I’ll wait.

Now now, I’m sure the defense is thinking that I’m just badgering the witness. That I’m spitefully nit-picking, straw manning, gaslighting, and looking for holes to tear Belle down to exonerate my client, Mr. Gaston. And they’d be right.

I’m of course being obtuse and hyperbolic. It’s clear to anyone who’s seen the movie that Belle is more than a few out-of-context lines and a victim of Stockholm Syndrome. We’re meant to look past those things about her and see that there is something deeper to her. That the country life and repetitive nature of that time and place was trapping her.

We’re to understand that the depths of Belle’s being and the quality of her character allows her to see that Beast is more than the self-absorbed douchebag whose actions and vile core cursed not only him, but also the lives of his servants to an existence of cutlery, crockery, furniture, and at least one who had to have been a toilet. Through patience and understanding Beast is capable of learning from his mistakes, seeing his prideful ways, and come out a better person with the help of the right guide. Hell, I’d like to spend time with that shaggy bastard myself.

But what happens when we apply that line of thinking to my defendant, Mr. Gaston? Well, the movie doesn’t want you to do that. Why? Because Disney Writer Linda Woolverton wrote Belle to be liberated and reportedly redesigned the new character of Gaston to resemble her own ex-boyfriends: the epitome of toxic masculinity. An arrogant, brash, self-absorbed braggart who sees others as objects.

You know … just like Beast in first half of the movie. But unlike Beast, the defendant, Mr. Gaston, doesn’t get plot time to step out of the stereotype. He’s saddled with being the hyper-macho prick who selects Belle to woo because she’s the prettiest girl in the village.

But what if he wasn’t? I know, I know, your honor; that’s hogwash. But we do live in an era of revisionist history, where movies like Maleficent and Cruella exist to paint the villain in a new light despite the intent of the original creator (or the desire to skin and wear puppies as a coat.) We already learned that Gaston was not an original character and that Belle’s sisters were the ones who screwed her over in the classic fairy tale. C’mon Disney +, where’s Gaston’s redemption prequel movie?

So let’s examine the clues in the movies and piece together a plausible story. Perhaps Gaston sees something special in Belle that he doesn’t see in others. Not as a hunter’s challenge, but as something more? What if all the bravado is an act? The three blondes in the bar clearly wanna do some nasty, PornHub-premium-level sinning with Gaston. But he rejects them. Why? He’s a caricature, after all. Is there any reason that a walking mountain of Klingon testosterone would reject three thirsty hot blondes?

Image from Disney

Well, that’s easy. My defendant, Mr. Gaston, likes the girl who likes books. But he doesn’t know how to say that.

Gaston reaches out to Belle--blustering, of course. Because all he knows is what that society has taught him. Yet he does it anyway. Bucking tradition of seeing the father first, he proposes and is promptly rejected. Naturally, he is upset. Because perhaps Gaston was seeking to step out of his assigned societal role and was seeking a kindred soul. Someone who will see him not as how the village sees him, but for who he is. That’s almost romantic, isn’t it? Remember the song and dance number? This town hates Belle. Yet Gaston refuses to bend to popular opinion and grows to care for Belle, the misfit of Villeneuve and daughter of crazy old Maurice. If anyone could understand being more than what people see, it would be her. But that’s not in the script for Gaston.

Belle refuses to use that depth of personal character that she uses to see the real Beast in order to see Gaston as more than the stereotypical douche. And that’s fine. That’s the story. Just like in real life, no person is ever obligated to reciprocate the feelings of another.

So yeah, at the end of the day I can’t really defend my client’s actions. Regardless of what could have been, Mr. Gaston chose to be a jealous, scornful asshole who even tried to emotionally blackmail a distraught young woman into marrying him or else send her father to a mental institution. But the question is, would he have been such a prick if someone, anyone, took the time to try and know the person and not the package? If recent shows like 13 Reasons Why have taught us anything, then being cognizant of our actions, or inactions, towards others could save lives.

Alas, Gaston will likely always be seen as a villain. An oddly beloved one at that.

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So the defense rests. 1 for 2 in defending a couple of villains. But let me leave the jury with this: when it comes to our media villains, just like people in real life, we need to not simply accept what we’re presented. We need to be better. We need to ask questions. Imagine a world where we give others the same benefit of the doubt that we think we’re owed. Imagine the pain and loss that could be avoided if we take the time to listen to others and understand them as people instead of assuming their nature.

Just a thought at the end of a silly blog that tried to apply humor to a couple of Disney “villains.”

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Published on June 12, 2021 17:00

April 3, 2021

When White Women Explode -Or- Questioning Sci-Fi Fantasy Standards

There she is. A heroine of a sci-fi/fantasy show or movie. Beaten. Pushed to the edge. Her enemies bearing down on her. A lifetime of being told that she had to repress her incredible power. To be subservient. To be meek. Weak. In control. No more. Not now. When these forces of Hell come at her, she throws her arms wide, throws back her head, and releases all the cosmic, reality-altering power that they never wanted her to have. Boom.

Pretty cool, right? Or . . . is it sexist? Or even racist?

Lemme preface this with: I have no conclusions, hot takes, or hard-line stances with this mini-essay. Just something I’ve been thinking about and wanted to jot down.

In my latest Hammer of Witches novel, She Wakes in Water, I wrote a scene when my protagonist, Aggy Grae, is pushed to her breaking point. For Aggy, it was a place no person should ever be forced to reach. But that’s what writers do . . . treat their characters like red-headed stepchildren. So anyway, when Aggy reaches this moment in the book, she *spoilers* explodes in a moment of fiery power that I had been building towards. It is an intense, heartbreaking scene. But when I step back and look at what I wrote, and what was subsequently published, I wonder if I did right by the character. But I’ll get back to that in a moment.

Watching a lot of movies/TV, and being a writer (note: I never said a good writer), one can’t help picking apart the plot, acts, characters, motivations, etc. It’s a sickness. Like your one musician friend who tears apart band/artists you like because that’s “not real music.” Aren’t they always kind of a prick? Stop bringing your guitar to parties!

Image from Pinterest/Stringjoy.com

Anyway, in addition to story structure, certain repeating themes and elements become visible when you consume a lot of media. This brings me to the point. After watching WandaVision, I thought, “Wow, Wanda is so damn cool! I love her. But man . . . white women really like to explode with power in sci-fi and fantasy, don’t they?” I then ran down a quick mental checklist.

The Scarlet Witch? Check. Explodes with grief/power in WandaVision and Avengers: Age of Ultron.

Jean Grey? Oh yeah. Whether it’s Famke Janssen or Sophie Turner, the X-verse loves to ape the Dark Phoenix and all the destructive, cataclysmic power that character can unleash.

Captain Marvel? Yup yup. The entire shtick of that flick was about holding her down and repressing her power.

Wonder Woman? Well, kinda. In the first one after Captain America dies in the plane … oops, I mean when Steve Trevor bites it in a totally unique death scene, ol’ Gal G. goes into a blind CGI roid rage, smashing everything around her.

The White Violin? Well, yeah. Vanya in The Umbrella Academy season 1 has that moment when she kinda kills the world with her display of cosmic-like power when she breaks the moon. *Please note that I am fully aware of who Elliot Page is, and refer only to the female character he played at the time.*

Oh, how about Bloom from Fate A Winx Saga? Oh my. She goes so super saiyan that she actually grows fairy fire wings while scorching the baddies with her untapped potential.

Princess Ciri in The Witcher? What? I can’t hear you over that kid’s landscape-leveling murder scream!

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Images from Netflix, MCU/Disney, FOX/Disney, WB/DC

We marvel at these moments because, well, they’re freaking awesome to behold. Enough anime and animation have taught us that “going into your final form” is super powerful, super cool, and plain old badass. But these examples of female power displays got me thinking . . . are they inherently sexist? I’m not saying that they are, but follow me on this for a second.

The setup isn’t always the same, but typically, a patriarchal, oppressive authority figure seeks to control these women for the sake of innocents, normally suppressing either power or knowledge. Said authority figure postulates that, under the guise of public safety, the potential power these women hold is too great for their fragile psyches and thus must be controlled, curtailed, and diminished. See the exploits of Professor X (Stewart and McAvoy), Sir Reginald Hargreeves, Tony Stark, or Yon-Rogg for examples.

But as all the stories go, these characters inevitably break free and cut loose, normally because of emotional stress/torture, or simply being sick of putting up with people’s shit. These moments are framed to be a “breaking free of control” moment, and why shouldn’t they be? But do they actually (or accidentally) reinforce the historically negative stereotype of female hysteria/hysterical behavior they are meant to overturn? In some of these instances, people do get hurt, and not just the bad guys. In Wanda’s case, just ask the oppressed and mentally tortured people of Westview, New Jersey. And you don’t think that there were innocents on those ships Captain Marvel destroyed? #JusticeforKreeCafeteriaWorkers

Or, is this a chicken-egg scenario, where said females cut loose only because people sought to repress or control them? But said people also saw what they were capable of and repressed them in order to prevent collateral damage. But, then--oh fuck it, my head hurts now.

Setting that debate aside for the moment, I next wondered: why are only the white women exploding? Are female superheroes/powerful protagonists of color not allowed to go big badda-boom? Maybe there are and I’m forgetting, but I honestly don’t recall women of color going nuclear in the triple-A movies/shows.

Will Monica Rambeau release a wave of power as Spectrum/Photon that flattens friend and foe alike? Is Valkyrie authorized to let loose a 30-megaton blast of Asgardian whoop-ass? Will Allison “Rumor” Hargreeves yell so loud that her power dominates a state? Or maybe we’ll see Aisha cast her fairy water magic at tsunami-like levels. Hell, even Storm in the X-Men flicks, who is basically a walking goddess, only unleashes her fury in controlled, measured bursts. Speaking of X-Men, when Disney MCU finally gives us mutants, will we see beloved mallrat and Asian sensation Jubilee go thermonuclear when her back’s up against the wall? I mean, the closest I can think of is when The Witcher’s Yennefer of Vengerberg, played by Indian actress Anya Chalotra, unleashed an inferno on those ugly-armored Nilfgaardian troops. But then again, even she only did so because she was prompted by her mentor Tissaia. Meanwhile, pale-as-powdered milk Ciri gets to scream whenever she wants to and unleash devastation.

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Images from Netflix, MCU/Disney, Fox/Disney

Why? Why can’t these women “explode”? Is it racist that they don’t get to do it as often as their white counterparts? Is it because creative minds fear painting the already marginalized minorities as erratic and potentially dangerous? And if that’s the case, then why do it for white women? Because like I’ve pointed out, not every phoenix moment is a good one. Sometimes innocents get hurt.

Outside of Thor in Thor: Ragnarok, I couldn’t really think of a male hero in recent memory that exploded like that. And even when Thor did, he didn’t beat Hela. He barely scratched her. His explosion of electrical was backed up by Led Zepplin’s Immigrant’s Song, and we gave it thunderous applause. Superman and Hulk do a lot of collateral damage, but no one really questions them the same way, do they?

Image from MCU/Disney

When I wrote my female-led, urban fantasy/paranormal Hammer of Witches novels, I did it because I liked a tertiary character from my Technomancer books so much, I wanted to tell her backstory. Aside from the magic and monsters, I wanted to tell a story about a woman who, due to her height, build, and mixed ethnicity, never felt like she fit in. I based Aggy Grae, physically, on several women I served with while in the Air Force who, despite feeling like pariahs, persisted, persevered, and excelled. They had great strength, and I wanted to shine a spotlight on that strength while peppering in human issues that transcend gender. And like I said earlier, in the second book, she has an explosion moment, one that I felt that the character, and the story, earned.

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And frankly, I like seeing women cut loose as much as any typical male character. For me, if a character, regardless of gender identity, is well-written and propels the drama, and a display of power makes sense for the story, then go for it!

I guess I’ve written all this word-vomit because I question myself. Am I okay with these moments because that’s what I believe, or what I was inadvertently taught? In this modern age, it seems like everything is questioned, and maybe it should be. I’ve always believed in self-reflection in order to reassess core values as well as day-to-day outlooks. So, should a guy like me even touch subjects like these in his works, or should every creator work hard on trying to tell a good story while simply being conscious of the choices?

Image from Meme Maker

Anyway, as I said in the beginning, there is no conclusion to this rambling think-piece. Just something I’ve noticed and spent some time pondering. What are your thoughts?

As always, Live Long and Strong (and explode as necessary!)

~Gibby

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Published on April 03, 2021 17:24

March 9, 2021

Is Loki Responsible for Dwarf Cannibalism? -Or- Poking Fun at MCU Continuity

Ah, the MCU. The current gold standard for movie & TV HAH-style storytelling (Humor, Action, Heart). Whether you love or hate the MCU, you have to give credit where credit is due. Across twenty-three released movies, a TV show, and with so much more to come, Executive Producer Kevin Feige clearly has a vision. And focusing that vision with sixteen different directors (and even more writers) into a cogent, beloved universe is nothing short of herculean.

Except you Agents of SHIELD. Apparently, you’re the red-headed stepchild no one loves. Trust me . . . I understand.

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Images from ABC and Untapped

Despite the (likely?) small army of continuity directors the MCU employs, films are slaves to the editing process, and mistakes are made. As such, certain errors pop up, no matter how hard you try. I’m sure you’ve seen website articles exploring these oversights in plot-logic. And it’s one of these “mistakes” that had a buddy and me laughing the more we explored. So I give you a theory: Did Loki’s negligence force Eitri the Dwarven weapon maker on Nidavellir to resort to cannibalism in order to survive? Here’s the evidence:

We meet Eitri on Nidavellir in 2018’s Avengers Infinity War. He claimed 300 Dwarves lived on that space station, that Thanos forced him to make a gauntlet for the Infinity Stones, and that Asgard had abandoned them (the Dwarves.)

Image from Marvel

Ahh, but what else do we know?

Odin had, what we thought, was the Infinity Gauntlet in 2011’s Thor

Image from Insider.com

But we learned that it was “fake” in 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok.

Image from Marvel

In 2018’s Avengers Infinity War, Thor claimed to be 1500. But he didn’t know about his sister. So, Odin’s desire to wield the Infinity Gauntlet likely led to a prototype created over 1500 years earlier, which is why Hela knew the one in the vault was fake.

Image from Marvel

Wait, so how does this get us to Dwarf eating dwarf? Don’t worry, we’re getting there

At the end of 2013’s Thor The Dark World, Loki has assumed the mantle of Asgard’s king disguised as Odin.

Image from Collider

Thor then runs off and has adventures, including 2015’s Avengers Age of Ultron.

Image from Marvel

In the Age of Ultron post-credits stinger, we see Thanos say “Fine, I’ll do it myself,” and grabs the Infinity Gauntlet. So, by 2015, Thanos has the Infinity Gauntlet.

Image from Marvel

Thor reports Asgard in 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok that the nine realms are in chaos. Since Loki has been pleasuring himself with plays starring Matt Damon and building statues, it’s no wonder why. Shortly thereafter, Asgard is destroyed.

Image from Marvel

So this brings us back to 2018’s Avengers Infinity War where we meet Eitri the Dwarf. And like we said earlier, Thanos had come to Nidavellir and bid Eitri make a gauntlet powerful enough to wield the Infinity Stones.

But Eitri never said when Thanos requested the gauntlet be made?

Image from Marvel

And the answer, based on the MCU presented timeline, is likely Thanos came to Eitri between Loki taking control of Asgard (2013) and Age of Ultron (2015) where we see Thanos with the gauntlet. Eitri likely just used the mold he made for the fake prototype 1500+ earlier. For his efforts, Thanos spared Eitri, but took his hands.

So for anywhere between 2013 (Thor 2) and 2018 (Infinity War) Eitri was alone. I’m sure he rationed the space station’s food for as long as he could. But with no supplies coming in from Asgard, well . . . after a while, hunger takes over. 300 dwarves, but no bodies? Yet, aside from his hands, Eitri seems to be doing … okay? Even … well-fed?

So yes, our beloved God of Mischief piss-poor leadership likely resulted in poor Eitri resorting to eating his dead kin like my redneck family at an all-you-can-eat buffet. No silverware and face first.

Image from Vice

Can’t wait for that to be explored in Loki’s Disney Plus show, or that animated What If? (Maybe a second season bonus?)

Excelsior!

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Published on March 09, 2021 18:32

March 1, 2021

Did Quarantine Madness Make Me Like Fate The Winx Saga? -Or- Ranking Fantasy TV Can Be Fun

So as COVID quarantine reaches the year mark, I’m convinced of two things: sweatpants are the missing part of my life (sorry my one and only son), and that there is so much content on streaming services that I can’t tell what’s good anymore. I’ve gone through so much of it, I’m numb and jaded.

It’s kinda like excessive masturbation and/or porn. You consume too much that the “normal” stuff doesn’t do it for you anymore. A critique I’ve ascribed to people who leave extra-crappy reviews of my books. One quick Goodreads check of how much said reviewer consumes of a certain genre later and I’m convinced they have the literary equivalent of crotch-callouses. But anyway . . .

Image from IMDB

So knowing nothing about it, I recently watched Fate The Winx Saga on Netflix. And to be honest I watched 10 minutes of the first ep, met the main character, and turned it off saying “nope.” But a buddy of mine told me to give it a second chance. Sigh. Well, I made a NY resolution to be less critical, so why not? Lord knows I don’t want to be accused of acting like the crotch-calloused angry reviewers of my books who gave up early and never got to the actual characters or story. So since I love the fantasy genre, a Winx’ing I went. And I’m glad I did.

Fate The Winx Saga is freaking ridiculous. But a fun ride nonetheless. It lifts from so many other properties you can literally separate the vertical slices and see the borrowed story architecture.

Academy for magic beings - Harry Potter, Worst Witch, X-Men, Umbrella Academy, etc.

Non-Magical warriors who protect Fairies - Warders from Wheel of Time/Aes Sedai

Elemental powers based on region - Avatar The Last Airbender/Pokemon

A chosen one who doesn’t know who/how powerful they are - literally every 3rd book, movie, or TV show

A teaching staff hiding a dark secret - See above

In spite of these criticisms, I loved the show. But it had nothing to do with the main character. Bloom, the fire fairy (God I feel dumb saying that), was my least favorite part of the show. It was her friends, Aisha, Terra, and Musa that made it for me. Even Headmistresses Dowling, who had a draconian-yet-maternal nature, enhanced the show. Maybe it’s that everyone except Bloom had an English accent, thus making her seem like a whining dimwit? (British people are better than us.) Even Stella, the rich byotch-turned-ally of the show was a better character in my opinion. No fault of the actress, Abigail Cowen of Sabrina fame, it was just that the character that was written to be an angsty, darkly-troubled, audience surrogate.

“I’m so different, but angry, but unique, but…wait, am i repeating myself? Meh. I go full phoenix!

Image from Netflix - quote made up by me :)

While I don’t consider myself to be a great writer, it doesn’t take a great one to spot bad story structure. So, when you make your MC a hard pill to swallow, but use them as the window for the audience, you run the risk of losing the audience. What really hooked me, and kept me watching, was the tremendous amount of incredible world-building that was done in the season’s six episodes. That in itself will bring me back for a season 2.

So when thinking about this show, and the litany of fantasy TV on right now, I decided to rank/micro-review the shows I’ve binged during the quarantine.

Note: this is not an all-inclusive list. I’m limiting myself to “recent” releases and/or things I’ve watched (re-watched) during the COVID quarantine. So no Game of Thrones, Supernatural, or anything like that. As well, the following list is based on my enjoyment, and not overall quality, production, or critical acclaim. So without further ado, here we go. I’ve broken them into the bottom five, middle eight, and the top ten.

The Bottom Five! October Faction_IMDB.jpg

The first 5 minutes were solid and weird. The rest was a waste of decent comic source material. No S2 for this very generic Urban Fantasy show that forgot to make characters worth knowing.

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I’m told the anime-style comic was about an early crusade pagan warrior Aurelia, turned Templar. Wish we had gotten that story instead of the Beautifully-Shot But Boring Adventures of Snarky Khaleesie Granger. Shout out to Toya Turner as Shotgun Mary, who was one of the few bright stars in this “show.”

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Cursed was…okay? Reframing Arthurian myths through a feminist lens isn’t new. But I think they tried to cram in too much too soon and the result was a Nimue who was never fully realized. If you think that’s harsh, check out The Guardian’s review on metacritic. Woof.

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Well, I applaud the BBC’s Sherlock team for the attempt. It was interesting, but I couldn’t tell if Drac was supposed to be scary or an 80s gameshow host and/or weatherman. The Van Helsing angle was kinda cool

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What?! L&K in the bottom five? Yeah. The comic by Joe Hill was amazing. This show was a tonal mess that didn’t know if it was horror, teen drama, or dark whimsy. Some cool elements, but ultimately a binge-and-forget show.

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Holy crap! Scary murder-mermaids? Yes! If you have Hulu, check this one out. Little predictable, but a solid show about an underappreciated myth.

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This show is dumb. Full stop. But, it knows it’s dumb. So when you have a self-aware show where the magic academy of witches is in a war with werewolves, you get 2 seasons of fun. Vapid characters and all!

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This R-rated animated show was a solid “original” Greek Myth. While not as good as its Castlevania cousin, Blood of Zeus reframes the villain in amazing ways. The end felt a little rushed, but I hope for a 2nd season.

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Oh Magicians. High highs and LOW lows. But, I can’t quit you. If you’ve made it as far as S5, then you know what you’re in for. And for me, it is Elliot and Margo. Their arcs, and loves, is why I will always have a special place in my heart for Magicians.

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This is going to sound negative, but I’m glad the show is over. S1 and 2 were great. 3 was…okay. 4 was about Cthulhu-like eldritch beings, but never went hard on the subject. (The team defeats a monster an ep.) That’s a long way from the Satanic Riverdale murder show it started as. Nonetheless, a solid end to a solid show

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Canceled by Fox, Saved by Netflix. Lucifer is what it is, a devilishly fun (sorry) vehicle for a Tom Ellis to ham it up. I wish I liked Chloe better, but the Devil and the Detective always entertains.

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Did you skip this because you thought it was video game/anime fighting? It is…but isn’t. This is a story about loss, broken characters, each dealing with the fear/reality of being alone. Yeah, weren’t expecting that, were you? Plus…anime monster fights. :)

Image from The verge

You don’t need to be a huge fan of Stephen King to enjoy this twisted tale of creeping horror in Maine. The characters are great, the setting is practical, and the dread is real. Massive shout out to veteran King actors coming back to add to this Hulu original.

Image from IMDB

The Top Ten!!

Fate The Winx Saga. I already gave my thoughts. Loved these ladies, their story, and look forward to more.

Image from IMDB

This one was rough to rank. #9 and #8 are almost interchangeable. But, The Umbrella Academy is a solid show, with interesting characters. Massive shout-out to Klauss! If only S1 hand’t been a Dark Phoenix retelling it mighta been bumped up.

Image from IMDB

Doom Patrol is a “superhero” show about broken people. But as a family, they hold their broken parts together. The show embraces it’s “insanity” and just goes for it. I respect that. The musical number in the Danny the Street ep always makes me misty. Super props to the cast, especially Matt Bomer as Larry Trainor and Diane Guerrero as Crazy Jane.

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No the show isn’t over yet (as of writing this, 1 ep remains). But a character study about a woman suffering tremendous loss/mental struggles backdropped against TV sitcoms was an incredible gamble by the MCU. And for me, it worked.

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This animated masterpiece is everything I didn’t know I wanted. Reframing the DCU as an R-rated comedy that explores love, self-identity, and the need for family resulted in something I want more of now! As Kite-Man says, Hell Yeah!

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This one is contentious, as some people love the book so much they can’t get behind the show. I’m not one of them. This show is pure beauty. Flaws, wrinkles, and all. At least S1 and S2 were. Haven’t seen S3 yet, and Orlando Jones Mr. nancy will be missed.

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This is not just a kid’s cartoon. It’s a gateway to imagination that you should watch with your kids, or if you’re a kid at heart. The adventures, losses, wins, and bonds between Callum, Rayla, and Ezran will linger in your heart. Shout out to the animation team for making this fantasy piece so stunning to watch.

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What can I say that hasn’t been said? The Witcher, its cast, music, style, imagery, and non-sequential storytelling is in a class by itself.

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Over the top. Vulgar. Gory. Excessive.

Yup.

This deconstruction of superheroes was a groundbreaking comic and a profanity-laden breath of “fresh air” we all needed.

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The Victorian blend of the mythical with the very real issues of race, oppression, class warfare, and immigrants/refugees is something I eagerly await more of. Cara Delevinge and Orlando Bloom shine as Vignette and Philo while the amazing supporting cast brings the Row’s to life. This show, as well as all in the top 10, exemplify the rule “character first.”

Image from IMDB