Video games: The cute, the chill and the cuddly

Video games; why are we drawn to them? Although some people may dismiss them, they are simply another form of media to be enjoyed like movies or books. They can be a comforting break from reality, and where ignoring reality is never a good thing (though it is tempting), mindfulness and taking it easy are all part of a healthy existence. 

I think it's safe to say that video games have offered a specific comfort in the past year because *INSERT OBLIGATORY CORONAVIRUS MENTION HERE*, but the winter months can also weigh us down a little more than other seasons. With these things in mind on top of whatever else people may be going through, it's easy to see how games like Animal Crossing have become so popular even outside of the usual gaming demographic.

Playing video games can appeal to people for multiple reasons; deep lore and story, challenges, action and violence, and even community. It might be that those who don't usually play games wanted to see what the fuss was about. High scores and full completion are attractive for some, but ease of access and simplicity for those who are unfamiliar with the medium are a big part too.

I suppose it all comes down to personal preference, but "cute" and "chill" games have quite the following. Even if the game itself isn't especially deep, there are art styles, aesthetics, music and a lack of urgency that really do make you feel comfy and cosy. Sometimes simplicity is key. 

These types of games offer a cutesy charm that can help you relax while still offering engaging tasks to be completed in order to progress, how invested you get in doing so can be up to you depending on the game. I can still look back at these games and remember the hours of comfort they brought. Here are some cute games that I've enjoyed. 

Of course Animal crossing was going to be on here, even if I did already mention it. The overall zen atmosphere of the game alongside customisation and all around cuteness make it a fitting tool for relaxation, and how you play is your own choice. You might want to get all the latest new things in the game and fill up the nook miles achievements, but there's absolutely nothing saying you can't just wander around and take in the soft sounds and visuals. I mean, a big part of the game is decorating; placing around furniture in a way that is appealing to you and enjoying the satisfaction. This is especially true of the recent "Happy home paradise" DLC, though that comes at an additional cost. There's just something about the colours and lighting in Animal Crossing that evoke a feeling of cosiness 

Stardew Valley is a farming simulator with crafting and customisable elements. There are a few more specific tasks within the game in terms of progression compared to Animal Crossing, but once again if you want to you can just enjoy making a little farm. It takes a little time to really get going in the game, but once you do it's a lot of fun. There are plenty of collectables to find, though they can be a little frustrating to get a hold of. So if you don't want to do all of that, you can just take your time farming and listen to the music.

Wandersong is more like an interactive story with gameplay elements. The colours, characters and music are fantastic and the controls are even made with accessibility in mind, so those with disabilities may have an easier time navigating them. You play as a bard and your interactions are done through singing different notes by either pressing corresponding buttons, or moving the mouse in the corresponding section of an onscreen colour wheel. There are moments where you'll have to sing specific notes to interact with things, but these are usually simple and intuitive. Other moments where you go "wrong" have no consequence aside from the bard coughing and looking a little embarrassed as the music falters. The game has a story to follow, but how much you talk to each character to get greater depth is mostly your choice, and also if you just want to stop sometimes and learn to play songs with the bard like an instrument, you can! There's even a dance button.   

This game is fairly simple. You collect different slimes, maybe even combine them, and feed them so they can create "plorts" to be sold for profit. There is a small story element that you see through letters that your character is sent, but other than that it's mostly collecting cute slimes. There are some upgrades and additional areas to unlock if you're willing to do some grinding, but if you just want to run around looking at the silly slimes (or running from the dangerous ones), then why not? 

Spiritfarer has some very specific theming. You play as the new "Spiritfarer", someone who accompanies spirits to the afterlife (it's much more pleasant than it sounds, I promise!). There's more depth to it than that, especially as you learn more about individual characters, but if you don't feel comfortable playing a game about death, then you may want to skip this one. It might be therapeutic for some, I myself haven't experienced recent extreme loss so I can't offer much of a perspective, but the subject matter is handled delicately. The art in the game is gorgeous and tasks to be completed in the game can be done so at your leisure. This is another game with collectables, but like the others on this list they are either easy to find or optional. There are challenging moments, but the game is mostly about keeping the spirits on your boat happy. As long as you learn what they like and dislike, they'll be okay, even if some of them aren't very nice. There's even an option to hug them.

In webbed you play as a cute pixelated spider trying to save your boyfriend. This game isn't as casual as the others on this list, but it is very cute. The controls can be strange to get used to as you cast webs to climb on or sling yourself around the screen, but once you get the swing of it it's very fun. There are hidden areas and extras like finding lost baby spiders; they're not required, but they do bulk up the game a bit as it's quite short. Also if you complete them you get little hats or you can be a different type of spider. If you hate spiders to the point of not even wanting to look at a cutesy pixel sprite of one, there's an arachnophobia mode. This turns all spiders in the game in to little blobs instead, though I think the other insects stay the same.

This game is self explanatory. You unpack stuff from boxes and arrange it in a way that you find pleasing. At this time, I've only played the demo of the game, but there is definitely something very satisfying about arranging the various items. Aside from the odd item that might be required to be placed in a specific location, you have relative freedom over how you decide to set up your home. You'll also see which items follow you through each different location at different stages in your life, so there's some light storytelling there. As I said, I've only played the demo, and one complaint I've seen is that the game is quite short for the amount that it costs. Where I have enjoyed what I've played, I think I agree with that. I know I'll cave eventually, but if you're willing to pay, this game is very relaxing and you can replay and arrange the items differently as many time as you want. 

I was considering leaving this off the list, because there is a lot in this game that requires you to take pictures of a certain standard, but you can progress and unlock new areas as long as your scores are decent. Mostly this is a game where you go on a Pokemon safari and takes pictures and although sometimes (again, I know) frustrating, it's always cute to see the pokemon running around and hearing their little noises. You can even post your pictures online and add stickers and effects to them, it's fun to see other peoples photos too. 

                                                                            

These are just a few of the cute and zen games out there for those wanting to snuggle up and unwind with a good game. Things can be tough and we all need time to recuperate, so why not play? 

Pushing boundaries with The Owl House

It's been a while since I wrote a blog post, so here's a post about a cool cartoon I like, The Owl House.

The Owl House was created by Dana Terrace. It follows Luz, a human girl who enters a portal to a world of magic and demons. There she attends school with the intention of becoming a witch and eventually trying to get back home. 

Now, that's a very simplified summary. Though the "teenager goes to magic school" thing is a pretty standard foundation for a show aimed at teens and young adults, The Owl House has much more going on. This show offers a lot of fun and in depth exploration of both its characters and the world they inhabit. There are people in the animation industry, for both shows and films, who are making a difference with the kind of stories they tell. Let's take a look at some examples of how.

Dark magic

Right off the bat The Owl House has been accused of promoting witchcraft and Satanism, but seeing as Gravity falls faced a similar response, it feels like that might almost work as a seal of approval. 

I know dark themes and imagery in a Disney production isn't a new concept; I'm sure Chernabog faced some pushback with his debut, but what makes this show stand out is how much it embraces the world it takes place in. The Boiling Isles, the land in which The Owl House takes place, is literally made up of the bones of a dead titan. There are strange demons wandering the streets, both loveable and disturbing. There are bizarre magical world versions of real world things, a lot of which don't meet any kind of health and safety standards whatsoever. But haven't you always just wanted to summon magical elements with glyph circles?

As long as she doesn't draw a transmutation circle...

Everything that makes up The Boiling Isles contributes to the world building of how magic works and how the the inhabitants live with, or under its power. With the existence of Witches and humans across portals to separate worlds and the imposing presence of a mysterious emperor, there's a lot for the show to explore and have fun with. This brings me to my next point.

Story telling

In the age of streaming where episodes are neatly compiled in one place, you don't need to worry as much about viewers missing significant plot details; this means more modern shows are becoming story driven with strong emotional moments. I imagine the popularity of The Last Airbender and various anime probably play into this; the former being a game changer for children's animation in terms of themes and storytelling, and the latter influencing The Owl House in its story beats, stunningly animated action sequences, and even its art style.   

More story driven shows means more character development, more drama, more world building, and more heartbreak emotional investment. There's lot's of creative, sometimes creepy, fun that The Owl House offers to be enjoyed and obsessively theorised. What role do the bones of the giant titan play in the wider story and the origin of magic? Do they play any role at all? Is the golden guard a literal puppet created to be manipulated by the emperor? Is this fuzzy wuzzy demon baby connected to something catastrophic and sinister?

The king of demons!

I realise these questions sound like nothing if you haven't seen the show, but I love this stuff!

This is a terrible segway, but there's also another thing that this particular show has gained some notoriety for; it's LGBTQ+ representation. 

Representation

I know calling this "pushing boundaries" is patronising, but my main point is that writers and artists still have to really fight just to get this kind of thing in their shows. A lot more shows have been making progress in that regard over the past few years, and The Owl House is a significant example.

The bond between characters Luz and Amity doesn't feel slapped on, because you see their interactions as a developing relationship. Amity is first introduced as a kind of bully character, but throughout the show we learn more about her situation and why she behaves that way without sweeping it under the rug. She is a well written character who wants to do better, so she does, and in the process grows closer with Luz and her new friends. She's a significant character in the show and isn't just mentioned in passing. 

Two smiling dorks in love

Time is taken to focus on Amity and Luz navigating their new relationship as well; moments that can't be as easily brushed over or edited to make it seem like they're just really good friends. Obviously censorship is a whole other complex topic, but if kids out there know that the "true" versions exists, I can only hope that it provides some kind of comfort for them. Luz and Amity are a canonical couple, one lesbian and one bisexual, and I know that means so much to a lot of people. This includes Amity's voice actress, Mae Whitman, who recently came out as pansexual and has praised the show for providing representation that she didn't have growing up. With Dana Terrace being bi, and writer Molly Ostertag being gay, it's not wonder this show pushed so much for decent representation.

Another character worth mentioning is Raine Whispers, the non binary head witch of the bard coven. They are played by Avi Roque, a trans nonbinary latine actor, so there's a lot of good representation there too. Raine has only appeared in one episode so far, but they are sure to appear in more after having a bit of a reunion with one of the shows main characters. Also, they use a violin to create melee attacks and I just think they're cool. 

Unfortunately, The Owl House will only get three seasons, with it's third being made up of three 44 minute specials, but I'm still looking forward to whatever emotional dark magic shenanigans it brings.

The Brotherhood: The Night's Watch of Tangled

I'm sure I've heard Tangled the series being described as Disney Game of Thrones somewhere (genuinely can't remember)... in a GOOD way. There's a likeness... Does that mean Eugene is Jon Snow?

I really like the aesthetic of The Dark Kingdom and The Brotherhood, and I'm interested to see what role they all play in the season to come. This post is mostly an analysis with some predictions thrown in, but before we get to them let's do a quick recap. Also, spoilers.

Single drop fell from sun, boom: magical Sundrop flower. Healing powers, save Queen Arianna, Rapunzel is born, magic hair, movie plot, lose hair, lose magic. Series begins, unbreakable black rocks, Poke, hair back, different powers, Rapunzel is the Sundrop now.

but also 

Single drop fell from moon, boom: magical opal. Destructive powers, unbreakable black rocks form around it, Dark Kingdom built to safeguard for generations. King Edmund tries to destroy Opal, Nope, all kingdom sent away for safety (including a certain Prince), Edmund sends out three trusted knights to ensure opal is kept a secret.

Okay. So, Hector, Adira and Quirin were all chosen by Edmund and formed The Brotherhood to protect the world from the opal's destruction, but they don't seem to be all that close. Even before being sent away, they all seemed to have their own idea of what they should be doing. They must have found a reluctant balance while still in The Dark Kingdom, but separated they all sort of did their own thing, and it's hard to tell what King Edmund would think of each of their actions. Let's look at them individually.

Hector:

(Somewhere between Tormund and Ramsey.)

Hector is... a little extreme. He creeps in the shadows, grabs faces, has vicious bearcat companions, and even rides a rhino instead of a horse. He shows little hesitation when it comes to hurting people if he thinks it's the right thing to do, even threatening to kill Adira if she returns to the Dark Kingdom. He takes his mission very seriously, but is aggressive and reckless, even going so far as to remove a very important spear from the tree of Zhan Tiri. This ultimately puts everyone in worse danger as he ends up temporarily possessed.

I imagine Hector may have always had issues with showing restraint, but Edmund trusted him anyway; he's clearly a very skilled and loyal fighter. I doubt the King would be too pleased with some of his decisions, though he was also the only one to actually fully stick to his orders, just maybe to a fault. Hector does show small signs of remorse here and there, and Adira actually helps him to safety after the events of "The Great Tree", though there'll likely still be some conflict. Now that Rapunzel and the gang have arrived in The Dark Kingdom, Hector can't really dispute the existence of the Sundrop. His loyalty should hopefully still be to King Edmund, so he might have to apologise to him and the others, for more reasons than one. Probably with the most graceful "oops" he can manage.        

Adira:

(A more animated Sir Brienne of Tarth.)

Adira is the opposite of Hector. She's equally weird eccentric, but much more low key and mysterious, though also a very skilled fighter. She doesn't jump into a fight unless necessary, though she could be seen as a little reckless herself. Adira always believed in the possibility of a Sundrop being able to counter the power of the opal, leading her to completely disobey Edmund's orders and direct Rapunzel to The Dark Kingdom. Adira did this all without knowing what would actually happen if the two forces met, and to be honest we still don't truly know, just that things didn't quite go to plan. What we do know is that Demanitus has said the reunion is required to stop the spread of the black rocks, so she can at least brag about being right, which I'm sure she will.

Adira and Hector may have never really gotten along, and even Quirin seemed disapproving of her seeking the Sundrop as it was against Edmund's wishes, but Edmund himself was especially disappointed in her. He was convinced that she was bringing further danger and that their only option was to attempt to destroy the opal with her shadow blade, a sword made from a shard of the unbreakable rocks. With some convincing, Edmund eventually allows for her plan to go forward. Again, we still don't know the exact outcome yet, but I think Adira and Edmund may be on better terms now, gaining Rapunzel a powerful ally. Adira had been following Raps and the gang for a while, long enough to know about her fight with Varian and to know that he is Quirin's son. 

Quirin is still currently trapped in crystal as a result of one of Varian's experiments on the rocks going horribly wrong, but there is a theory that Adira's sword would be able to free him. It's possible she knows he is trapped, but wanted to avoid freeing him until her plan was complete; Quirin would likely have tried to stop her otherwise... assuming he'd be in any state to do so. He's clutching an important note that he had written for Varian; assuming she can free Quirin she will be instrumental in revealing what is on the note. 

Quirin:

(Ned Stark?... uh-oh.)

Quirin seems to be the midpoint between Hector and Adira. He's loyal to Edmund and wants to keep the opal a secret, but he's made some well meaning compromises along the way. He's heavy on the secrecy and we know the least about him, so this part is kind of hard to contextualise. We know he told King Frederic that there would be consequences if he removed the Sundrop, but we don't currently know how much else he may have told him, just that they kept the threat of the black rocks between them. Quirin had an ancient scroll piece with him the night he warned Frederic, a scroll piece that originally belonged to Adira when she left The Dark Kingdom. Though they eventually both believed in the existence of the Sundrop, Quirin still wanted to keep people away, whereas Adira may have wanted to take it just as Frederic did. Either Quirin took the scroll from her in a disagreement, or she allowed him to have it as Old Corona became his post. 

We can assume that Quirin settled in Old Corona upon hearing there was a search for the Sundrop. He must have stayed there even after it was found to keep an eye out for any repercussions. When nothing seemed to happen in the time that Rapunzel was taken and the years that followed, it seems he became less involved with his duties as part of The Brotherhood. He became a prominent member of his village, enough so to become their leader. He fell in love and had a child, and packed items of his past away in a chest and bricked them up behind a wall, not to be revealed until the rocks began appearing years later upon Rapunzel's return. 

Quirin may have relaxed his Brotherhood duties because he believed things really were safe, but another reason may have just been because the whole situation was too dangerous and he didn't want that for his family. We've seen what we're dealing with now, and it's clear why Quirin didn't think Varian was ready for any of it; he's already lost the woman he loved in one way or another and doesn't wan't to lose anyone else. I don't think Edmund would be too pleased to find that Quirin had essentially abandoned his role in The Brotherhood, but he would certainly understand him just wanting to protect his family. 

Whatever King Edmund's view of his three trusted knight's choices, I think it's clear that everyone's going to have to work together to fight the Night King Zhan Tiri. A Brotherhood reunion is probably necessary, and it's going to be tense, amazing and awkward all at the same time. It'll be interesting to see what they make of Varian, too. 

Varian and the note:

(Angry alchemy boy, brought to you by Disney.)

At some point, Rapunzel and the others are going to end up back in Corona. When this happens, Varian is going to learn about The Dark Kingdom and The Brotherhood, and with their help he may finally be able to free Quirin. The worrying part is that he's clearly not going to be ok, with the important note giving us the information that he is unable to. I think it's more likely he'll be in a "Disney coma" as opposed to dead. Varian's got a lot of trauma to deal with as is, he may believe Quirin is dead, but having a character genuinely be connected to their own father's death might be a little much for a Disney show... though it would certainly be interesting. Either way, there're going to be some big changes for Varian the next time we see him, let's break it down a little.    

I will make you proud of me dad, if it's the last thing I ever do.

This is the last line we hear Varian say back in season 1. I originally thought this seemed like some kind of sinister foreshadowing, but with only one more season left and much more to get through, I just don't know if there's time. There will likely be friction and the possibility of Zhan Tiri possessing people, but we still don't know what happened with Cassandra and the Twilight Zone Scary Door yet, so that might be a bit repetitive. By now we can trust that King Frederic is actually helping Varian understand the whole situation. I think Varian's last line may be for the sake of contrast. It really shows how far he has to go to improve whilst emphasising he's still all about pleasing his dad. 

A lot of time will have passed by the time we see Varian again and I think it would be strange for no change to have occurred, even if it's small. I imagine he would have a better understanding of his actions and how he confused his motivations for revenge along the way. Basically, he might be taken down a peg or two. Varian can be seen as arrogant, but I think a lot of his actions stem from insecurity. He's made some big mistakes and oversights in the past, overlooking potential dangers (blowing up his village) because he doesn't want to admit when he's wrong; he doesn't see that as something to be proud of. He was wrong about the flower and Rapunzel's hair being able to free Quirin, but was so convinced he was right that he did terrible things in the process despite any subtle reservations. I even think he only threatened to trap Arianna because he thought he could free her afterwards. When his attempts to free Quirin failed, his loss and guilt made him snap. Varian lacks patience in himself and is desperate to prove his capabilities, even his song was "Ready as I'll ever be" because Quirin told him that he wasn't. Frederic will tell him what he can, then Rapunzel and the others will do the same, leaving only the note to fill in any spaces.

(I'm sure it's something...noteworthy.)

The note will likely inform Varian on things we already know as the audience, but there has to be something new for it to be satisfying. Now, I know this is stupidly vague, but I think Quirin knows something big. There may be something or someone out there to find, or a possible connection to Lord Demanitus. Maybe he knows something about the Saporian separatists or Zhan Tiri, maybe he even has a hidden knowledge and love for alchemy. Whatever the note says, it is going to show that Quirin trusts Varian with what to do next. The note may show us how proud Quirin already is of Varian and his determination, and ask him to carry out a task that he couldn't himself.

Varian will probably be a little overwhelmed by the sheer scale of this whole situation, it will certainly put some things into perspective. There's a whole lot of danger, powers beyond comprehension, and victims of circumstance... and a big scary goat octopus man. If Varian didn't feel guilty before, he certainly would by this point. It may be that he'll already feel he owes Corona for what he has done, but knowing how disappointed Quirin would be in him post "Queen for a day" would be a definite contributing factor; this may be his last chance to make him proud. Varian could essentially become an unofficial member of The Brotherhood and continue in Quirin's stead, though of course his focus would still be inventions and alchemy. Demanitus once defeated Zhan Tiri with both magic and science, and as I've said before in a separate entry, that sounds like Rapunzel and Varian to me! Speaking of...

I think we're going to see some real developments with Varian and Rapunzel, I'd love for Varian to get some real closure with her as well as Quirin. It'll take time for them to adjust and I can see them creating a significant understanding in their shared experiences. I want to see the process; apologies, tears, acceptance and emotional growth. Everyone is this show is dealing with things beyond their control, making questionable decisions out of love/fear, even facing the fallout of astronomical events involving celestial bodies and inter-dimensional beings... as you do. I think Varian is going to be a great help and a valued friend to the group by the end of the series, truly redeeming himself and owning his past (Plus est en vous!). I don't know about you, but I for one would be very proud of him for making that kind of progress. I'm sure Quirin would too, though Varian is still probably going to be grounded after all this. His last line in season 1 has me concerned that he might do something drastic like sacrifice himself or lose an eye (like Demanitus?), but I'm sure Rapunzel and The Brotherhood will handle him well. I hope Edmund will see some potential in his eyes, and those bearcats better be nice to Ruddiger. 

So, I'm probably completely wrong about everything, and I might not be ready for season 3, but I'm still...

Ready as I'll ever be!

 

Tangled the series: Flowers, rocks, symbols and secretive dads.

I wanted to write about the Tangled series (now called Rapunzel's tangled adventure) at some point, and considering season two comes out later this month, why not now? 

I hadn't seen the series until quite recently, but this show is good. I'll admit I expected it to be more of a casual spin off than an engaging continuation, but considering the cast and crew from the movie returned to create this, I should have realised there was a bigger story here. You won't have been this invested in rocks since Steven Universe. Considering there's only one season so far, there's only so much I can put into perspective and speculate on, so I'll mostly be gushing about characters and plot points, so that means spoilers. Lots. 

The series (starting with Tangled before ever after) picks up 6 months after the end of the film and takes place "between the kisses", so after the movie, but before Rapunzel and Eugene get married. So why does she have long hair again? Basically, Casandra, Rapunzel's lady in waiting, sneaks Rapunzel out of the castle to where the sundrop flower used to be. They find some mysterious unbreakable rocks growing in its place that begin to glow as Rapunzel approaches. She touches one, sending out a shock wave as her hair begins to return, now indestructible. More spiky rocks begin to grow from the ground, seeming to follow her... 

(Can't blame her for wanting to touch them.)

One thing I like about this show is that it feels like a natural progression. At the end of the film, Eugene says that Rapunzel agreed to marry him after years of asking, which allowed the writers to explore that space of time, all while bringing back the signature hair. Another example of this is with Rapunzel herself. Though the idea of a princess getting accustomed to her role and the presence of an overprotective father seem pretty standard, with Rapunzel this kind of set up makes perfect sense. The show doesn't shy away from the fact that Rapunzel is still getting over being locked in a tower for eighteen years of her life. From not understanding certain interactions to having nightmares about being locked away again, literally or figuratively. She doesn't want her freedom taken away from her, we even see her return to the tower and how difficult she finds it just to step inside. 

This works from King Frederic's perspective too. He's finally reunited with his missing child and doesn't want to lose her a second time, and what's more is it's implied that he feels personally responsible for Rapunzel having been stolen away in the first place. When Rapunzel tells him about her hair, he says he wants it to be the last they speak about mystical rocks or magic of any kind to anyone. So, basically there's a conspiracy going on here. And secretive dads are a reoccurring thing in this show, believe me. 

There's lots of lore and world building in the show with a deeper connection between the sundrop, the rocks, and Rapunzel. I'm kind of going into theory territory here, but I can't help but feel there's almost a Yin and Yang situation going on, or at least there may be a bigger connection between Rapunzel and another of the show's characters. Varian is a young alchemist who decides to help Rapunzel find out more about her hair. He initially discovers her hair no longer has healing powers, but he becomes a more prominent character later on. What's interesting about Varian is how he's introduced. 

(A new compound, Flynolium!)

Casandra tells Rapunzel that what little is known about him isn't good and that he's considered to be dangerous. This is kind of disputed later on when we see he's just a kid inventor with a love for alchemy, but it's not entirely inaccurate. Not only does he perform dangerous experiments on Rapunzel's hair, he almost destroys his entire village with one of his inventions. He has good intent, but is reckless and overlooks safety and reason if it means the possibility of impressing people, especially his father, Quirin (secretive dad number 2). It becomes evident that Varian has done this kind of thing before, earning him his reputation and giving people a reason to keep their distance. It seems like Rapunzel, Casandra and Eugene are Varian's only friends. He even names some inventions after them, they clearly mean a lot to him. Together they agree to figure out the mystery behind the rocks as they begin to spread throughout the Kingdom of Corona.

Let's skip to a big episode in the series, "Queen for a day". The situation with the rocks is getting worse, with Varian's village slowly being destroyed. While Varian is determined to experiment on the rocks, Quirin is set on pushing him away from the idea, he even lies to King Frederic about the state of the village. Unbeknown to both of their parents, Varian tells Rapunzel the truth and she promises to help him. Varian continues his experiments in secret before he is confronted by his father, causing him to accidentally pour an entire beaker of an alchemic mixture onto the rocks. Crystals begin to form as he asks Quirin why he wont tell him what he knows. Quirin removes a glove, revealing a circular symbol on his hand. He observes it woefully and says he isn't ready. The crystals begin to grow rapidly from the rocks, trapping Quirin as he pushes Varian out of their reach. Varian rushes to find Rapunzel for help. 

(I'm sure he'll be fine...)

As Varian reaches Corona, a storm has enveloped the kingdom, leaving Rapunzel in charge as her parents are trapped out in the snow. Varian begs her for help, believing her connection to the rocks can help free Quirin, but with Corona in a sate of emergency she has no choice but to turn him away. Not only was this clearly a difficult decision for her to make knowing she'd broken her promise, but she had to watch as her guards dragged Varian out of the castle when she would have done anything to help otherwise. Varian returns home and finds his father, now completely encased by the crystals. In this moment Varian is at his lowest, completely alone without his friends or only family, leading him to seek vengeance. 

It may seem drastic, but remember his tendency not to think things through, it's completely in line with his character. What's more is Varian's obsession with making his father proud, he even has a song about it! Quirin's dismissal of his experiments must have been rooted in wanting to keep him safe, but as far as Varian was concerned Quirin was ashamed of him, pressuring him even more to gain his father's approval. There's so much going on and more we have yet to find out, but Varian knows his father being trapped is a direct result of his experiment. He's not just driven by a need for acknowledgement anymore, he's driven by guilt. Saving his father is his last attempt at making him proud and he'll do it by any means necessary, including shifting blame and taking revenge. He really loves his dad, even if they had a bit of a rocky relationship.

(Okay, not great timing, but different room different circumstances that would've killed.)

In later episodes we see how guilty Rapunzel feels about not helping Varian and she finds out that nobody had been to his village in her stead. She also finds out that the royal adviser is convinced that Varian attacked her during the storm, something King Frederic quickly interjects. This seems to be an idea that was spread throughout Corona as a cover up. If people don't know about Quirin, they won't know about the threat of the rocks. The King lies to her, saying that the rocks in the village have been taken care of, citing the importance of not drawing attention or causing a panic in the kingdom. 

Rapunzel inevitably finds out that the king lied, receiving information about a scroll from Varian depicting ancient text and glyphs, not just of the sundrop, but a moondrop as well. The scroll is damaged, the moondrop half partially missing. There must be more to it than just the rocks otherwise there would be no reason for the scroll to appear this way in the show. Whether it's another flower or some kind of crystal, there is some kind of opposite to the sundrop and its power. Though the sundrop had been secretly kept in the castle, it is later revealed that it no longer holds its power, Rapunzel does. Somebody may hold the power of the moondrop, and I think it could be Varian.       

(What's on the missing piece?)

Back in "Queen for a Day", We see Quirin observing a secret chest marked with the same symbol found on his hand. Inside the chest is a sword and a damaged helmet, also bearing the symbol. It's revealed that the night Rapunzel was born, Quirin warned King Frederic about taking the sundrop, telling him that it would release a darkness across the kingdom. He seems to have been part of an organisation that served the purpose of protecting Corona from the rocks and whatever evil would have come with them. The King not only knew about the rocks the whole time, he is responsible for their presence. Both Quirin and King Frederic kept this secret from everyone, all for the sake of keeping everybody calm in ignorance. The captain of the royal guard, Casandra's father, is also briefly involved at one point. That's 3 whole secretive dads!

(Complete with battle scar.)

Also in "Queen for a day", Quirin laments as he views the rocks from his window, and then a portrait of himself, his wife and Varian a a baby. Varian's mother isn't present in the show. In typical Disney fashion it's likely that's she dead, but either way it seems that the rocks and the organisation have a connection to her absence, and possibly even Varian. If the sundrop had the power to heal and give life, what if the moondrop had the power to take or exchange it? Suppose that Varian's mother had to use the moondrop to save her son's life in exchange for her own. It sounds almost like a philosophers stone, fitting considering Varian is an alchemist. I don't know how this would affect Varian, but if the moondrop is associated with darkness, it could explain his natural tendency for destruction, intentional or otherwise. 

(That is one smiley baby.)

The character writing in this show really is amazing. There's so much nuance and conflict that even when characters make bad decisions, you understand where they are coming from even if it isn't justified.There's lots of blame to throw around and no sole person to attribute it to. Varian is an incredibly interesting anti hero, depending on what the writers do with him I think he could be up there with Prince Zuko. He's become bitter and hateful, but he's better than this. When an attempt at using Rapunzel's hair to free Quirin fails, his first response is "I wasn't wrong, it's not my fault". I'm in no way excusing his actions, considering he actually ends up trying to kill people, but it's clear he's still just a scared kid consumed by guilt and desperation to make his father proud. If he's at the point where he thinks princess murder will do that, he needs help. I'd say he needs a hug, but no, he needs therapy. I'm certain there'll be a redemption arc, I don't think he would've been introduced as a good guy otherwise, though it will be interesting to see how that happens.

Direct or otherwise, Rapunzel and Varian are both connected to the rock conspiracy, and I think they'll end up working together again to fight a greater evil. Their actions make them opposites, but there are a lot of parallels between them. Both of their fathers are involved with the rocks somehow, they're both pressured by the need to meet expectations, they both have guilt to overcome, and they even both have animal sidekicks. Even if it it turns out Varian isn't the moondrop, these connections are still relevant. 

At one point in the show we hear the legend of Zhan Tiri, an evil Warlock who summoned a storm to destroy Corona. Zhan Tiri was defeated by an ancient engineer and inventor, Lord Demanitus, after he used a combination of magic and science to create a machine to redirect the storm out to the sea. A combination of magic and science? Sounds like Rapunzel and Varian to me. I do think Varian will get worse before he gets better though. With the mention of trapped spirits loyal to Zhan Tiri and a separatist group intent on destroying Corona, I have the impression Varian may be swayed to the dark side more before coming back around. It's possible he may have links to Lord Demanitus too.

(Demanitus looks pretty chill, right?)

At the end of the season we see Rapunzel leaving the kingdom, following a new path of black rocks to places unknown. She is followed by a mysterious warrior carrying a large sword. The sword isn't just forged from the unbreakable rocks, it can cut though them. Her hand bares the same circular symbol that Quirin has, meaning she can probably help him. It looks like she's going to be important to the plot. From promo footage of season 2 she appears to be friendly, but we'll just have to wait and see what more the show has in store. 

More family drama and angst interwoven with whimsical adventure? Most likely, and I can't wait!

(They cut just like butter.)

Moral Orel: A subversion of Biblical proportions

I'd start this post off by saying that adult animation isn't just limited to violent and vulgar comedies, but I feel like it's obvious by this point. Of course there's nothing wrong with said content, I just like seeing the growth of adult animation into deeper territories. Sure it's nothing really new, but with the popularity of recent shows like Rick and Morty and Bojack Horseman, serious themes seem to be becoming more prevalent in mainstream adult cartoons. Both humour and drama being used in shows is normal, but the series I want to talk about took that to a whole new level. It started out as a dark comedy, but by its third season had evolved into a sombre and very real feeling character study. The series I'm talking about is Moral Orel. 

Moral Orel is a stop motion show created by Dino Stamatopoulos that aired on Adult Swim from 2005 to 2008, with a prequel special airing in 2012. The show follows a young boy named Orel Puppington as he tries to do good in his strictly religious town of Moralton, often interpreting sermons literally with disastrous consequences. As you can tell, the show deals with the topic of religion, but the primary focus is on the hypocrisy of the people in Moralton. It questions how they use their teachings, but manages to do so without broadly stating "religion is dumb, nugh!". Albeit incredibly sceptical, you don't often see religion approached with sincerity in adult cartoon comedies.   

(Nugh!)

I may not have made the show sound like anything remarkable just yet, but I'll briefly go over each season and the special with some spoilers along the way. There are some specific things that happened during its run that I feel are worth mentioning as well. 

Season 1:

Early on in the show, Stamatopoulos was still figuring out what he wanted to do with the characters. Although the humour can be dark, the first season is mostly a comedy. Each episode in this season follows a similar formula: Orel goes to church, misinterprets a lesson and does something terrible, then gets punished by his dad (by belting) only to be taught another terrible lesson in its place. Despite this though, the show does begin to develop characters and plot threads that are explored more in the following seasons. We begin to see cracks in the Puppington's nuclear family set up with Orel's parents (Clay and Bloberta) clearly despising each other, the episodes eventually leading to their divorce in the season finale... which is why it's strange that the season finale was aired first.

The season 1 finale of Moral Orel happens to be a Christmas episode, so it was premiered as part of a Christmas programming block on Adult Swim before the rest of the season. It takes a darker tone, in some scenes making use of dramatic camera angles and a lack of music or dialogue. As you can imagine, without the build up and context of the previous episodes the finale just left people confused as to what the show was, especially after being advertised as a comedy. 

(Christmas joy...)

There were also some more issues regarding intended episode order when the rest of season 1 aired. This doesn't affect the show too much, but this way the episodes start relatively tame and get more twisted as they continue; just remember this show won't be for everyone. Here's the intended order:

• The Lord's greatest gift
• Waste
• Charity
• Omnipresence
• The blessed union
• God fearing
• Maturity
• Loyalty
• God's chef
• The best Christmas ever

This wasn't an ideal start for the show, but it still gained a returning audience. Stamatopolous knew that he wanted to go darker with the show and did so throughout season 2.

Season 2:

This season opens with the reveal that Clay and Bloberta will actually be staying together, but only for the sake of appearances; Orel thinks this means everything will be fine. He has always been naive in believing that things are okay if that's what he's told, but season 2 begins to play with this idea. We start to see Orel questioning people a bit more, sometimes coming to his own conclusions about his outlook and practices, but it's not often as pleasant as that. We also begin to see episodes ending with Orel saddened or hurt by the lessons he learns, and with wider interaction with other townsfolk in Moralton, how his trust in his authoritative figures begins to fade. This is most evident in the two part season finale. These are very powerful episodes, my description alone probably won't do them justice.  

Nature part one and two introduce an even more dramatic tone shift. The episodes are almost completely devoid of humour and hold on some incredibly tense and uncomfortable moments. Nature sees Clay taking Orel on a hunting trip, but Orel can't bring himself to kill anything, leaving Clay disappointed. Clay is a drinker and until this point it has been portrayed humorously, but these episodes reveal the worst of his alcoholism. Drunk and spiralling, Clay bitterly rants about his life and family, regressing into disturbing screams. For the first time we see Orel tearfully confront his father, but to no avail. As the situation worsens, Clay accidentally shoots Orel in the leg, but completely denies responsibility and shows no remorse.

(Clay Puppington: evil bastard.)

Through all these events Orel realises he has no reason to look up to his father in his "true nature", his positive and trusting outlook shattered.

Season 3:

Higher ups at Adult Swim loved the direction Stamatopolous was taking the show in and asked for him to make the next season as dark as possible, something they would later regret. When they saw some early versions of scripts for season 3, they cancelled the plan for 5 seasons and cut down the third to 13 episodes. It's strange considering that they asked for it, but they said the show was becoming too depressing. With the infamous episode Alone depicting themes of abuse, rape and abortion all in one place I can't say it's a complete surprise. There are also episodes about abandonment, emotional and physical numbness, and even an episode about Orel having enlightenment beaten out him... Take this season slow if it's too uncomfortable, it gets pretty heavy and can be a lot to process.

There are still some very sweet moments though, trust me.

(These two are adorable.)

Season 3 is mostly comprised of episodes coinciding with or leading up to the events of the hunting trip, becoming even more focused on the other inhabitants of Moralton. We learn about the pasts of certain individuals in Orel's life and how they were shaped. You'll find yourself understanding them more, but not necessarily sympathising with them. Most of the people in Moralton are horribly flawed, but that's what makes them feel so real and why this show really stands out. Unfortunately, because of the season being cut short, some plot lines and character arcs were dropped or rushed. It's understandable given the circumstances, it's just a shame that some developments couldn't get more focus, including the ending. 

As the still recovering Orel dwells on his father being beyond redemption, he realises that he can separate himself from the bad in his life and become his own person instead of forwarding his abuse. I would've loved to have seen more time spent on Orel's struggle and growth into possibly the only healthy adult in Moralton, but the cuts to the show meant that the revelation ended up being restricted to a few sentences in the final episode. I don't know if the show would have ended the same way had cuts not been made, but the ending we got is still so important, even if it's somewhat brushed off. Despite all the hell Orel went through, he still turned out okay and broke the cycle. 

(Hot dog, a happy ending!)

Beforel Orel, "Trust":

The prequel follows 4 year old Orel being sent to his distanced grandfather's house while Bloberta is pregnant with his younger brother. We see that Orel's highly trusting and impressionable nature has always been part of him, making him a target for manipulation at an early age. The prequel also tackles the idea of inter-generational trauma with some callbacks to the series. There's an interaction between Clay and his father that shows his reliance on warped religious teachings exist mostly out of spite and a need to feel worthwhile. Clay's father acknowledges his mistakes and trusts that Orel will know when to question those around him. With a sly little wink, we see that he may have always been wiser to his circumstances than it appeared in the series.

(The best awkward wink he could manage.)

"Dear Orel, always remember son, even though you are the perfect candidate for brainwashing in this town, you're also too pure and good hearted to be corrupted."

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Moral Orel is a fascinating show in its entirety and was ahead of its time. It can be silly, it can be brutal, and it makes foam resin puppets seem so real. I think Orel himself is adorable. I've never felt so protective of a fictional character before, he provides hope in a sobering coming of age setting that's full of broken people he could become. I don't feel that giving away the ending was too much of a spoiler, because it just feels so earned... plus knowing it going in probably makes the more depressing scenes more bearable.

As I've mentioned, even in its lighter moments this show is definitely not for everyone, though I highly recommend it to anyone who's willing to give it a try. It's a little obscure and deserves more attention. If you want to laugh uncomfortably and cry (sometimes at the same time), give Moral Orel a shot. 

(I couldn't resist.)