frankie-talks-starkid

[frankie-talks-starkid]

had a NPMD thought. all three of the survivors have lost something ; pete lost his friends, steph lost her father and grace lost her chastity. and i am 100% sure they each wished for it at some point.

peter got annoyed with his friends and wish they would just leave him alone for once.

steph thought about how free and happy she would be without her father around.

grace thought maybe she could fit in more with people her age if she just acted like they do.

the guilt must be crushing, no?

[frankie-talks-starkid]

Something that I haven’t seen anyone talking about is the parallels in lyrics between The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals and America Is Great Again

The greatest stories ever told

I don't know what you've been told

Have a hero who must be bold

Against those that are far too bold

They learn a sense of right and wrong

There's only room for right and wrong

And better learn this sense through song

The loudest become the strong

Blue: TGWDLM

Red: America is Great Again

[frankie-talks-starkid]

ruth fleming moodboard + spiderman related aesthetic!! ⟡

- self-indulgent !

x x x / x x x / x x x / 🕸️

[frankie-talks-starkid]

same exact energy

[frankie-talks-starkid]

Holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit

Not only did he come around to it, but it was specifically when he heard the Whos singing together, hand in hand.

I've been rewatching TGWDLM to brace myself for the reprise. And I caught something in the opening song. Paul is called a "Grinch". Which is AMAZING foreshadowing because we all know the story of the Grinch. He HATED Christmas.

But he came around to it, didn't he.

[frankie-talks-starkid]

Melissa my beloved :D

Honestly, favorite Mariah character by FAR

Two types of Hatchetfield fans: people who slander Melissa and people who are Melissa fans.

Melissa fans please interact

[frankie-talks-starkid]

Sadly, I think you're right

Sometimes I wonder if the fandom would suddenly be ok if starkid brought Rob back. Like I imagine almost everyone do a 180

~~~

[frankie-talks-starkid]

Totally, I think the two were pretty bad for each other, and she's definitely manipulative. That's part of why I like her role in the story, particularly that "poke at my wounds" reveal in Black Friday. It's somewhat disquieting to get an actual peek at her flawed treatment of Tom after he's been putting her on a pedestal and reducing her to an angel the whole show. I also hope they explore it more! (I'm also a HUGE Barneston fan so,,)

Maybe this isn't that controversial but I actually really don't like Jane as a character. Nothing to do with Jamie's portrayal in Janes a Car (she's a star) but I actually hate how she's written. I had an ex just like her who was very manipulative (as she's noted to be in nightmare time) and disregarding of my boundaries (as in BF, 'shed poke at each of my wounds to see what I'd say') which if that is what they were going for then cool well done. But I feel like (especially her being a psychiatrist and Tom having explicitly mentioned mental health issues that are mentioned like twice in the show (I.e. ptsd) their relationship raises so many red flags for me. I kind of hope they go into this more around the theme of Tom not wanting to move on bc their relationship was kind of iffy power-wise.

~~~

[frankie-talks-starkid]

I’M GOING TO LA TOMORROW AND I’M SEEING TGWDLM:R IN TWO DAYS FUCK YEAH

Anyway here’s mild pain.

[frankie-talks-starkid]

@loverlylight

I thought I was the only one.

“THEY’LL REMEMBER TOMMY, THE MUSTANG-FUCKING MAN!”

[frankie-talks-starkid]

Sometimes I just think about how lonely Emma Perkins’ life is, especially in TGWDLM.

She came back to Hatchetfield because it’s the only place she had any roots but the roots she did have were thin. Her parents aren’t around, her sister’s dead, her brother in law doesn’t want anything to do with her, her nephew doesn’t know her. The only people she really talks to are her co-workers who don’t seem to like her that much and vice versa.

She’s been alone for a while. She liked it, she enjoyed it. Enjoys it still. Yet, now she’s stuck in one place. One place where everyone kind of knows who she is. And no one really cares what she’s did (backpacking across the world is actually so cool and so brave).

She goes to work. She goes to class. She goes home and sleeps and then does it all over again. She probably got groceries for Hidgens because she saw herself in him, and also maybe feared that she would become something similar. A recluse. Remembered by no one and cared by no one.

But then there’s this regular at Beanie’s who everyone knows is absolutely enamored by her. “Some things are worth it,” he says. He always tips her. Always makes small conversation. So when the chance comes to maybe actually get to know this person, Emma takes it. Because then maybe she’d be remembered by someone. Cared for might be a stretch.

She finds herself reaching for him in ways she never has before. Always holding onto him, to have something physical. He does the same, for his own reasons yes, but he holds her back nonetheless. When the impossible happens, she finds herself opening up to him. She doesn’t let herself break, not completely , but she lets him know her story, her baggage. Maybe it would scare him off. It doesn’t.

And then he’s gone.

And then she wakes up in a hospital where the one place she had thin roots is completely gone and the one person she began to open herself up to is gone too. Emma Perkins is dead. All that’s left is Kelly.

But then Ben Bridges waltzes in. And she’s not alone anymore. He starts singing, and like being dunked in an icy lake, Emma is alone once again.

There must have been something so terrifying yet comforting about joining the hive. Emma Perkins would finally get to die and whatever was left of her would never be alone again.

[frankie-talks-starkid]

Colored these guys yesterday

[ID: Digital artwork of Curt and Owen; Owen is hurt on the floor and Curt is holding him. One hand of Curt's clutches the back of Owen's head and the other holds his hand. Owen is lovingly touching Curt's face. Tears subtly run from both their eyes and there's a bit of blood on Owen's lip, slightly smudged. His shirt is stained deep red from a wound at his side. /end ID]

[frankie-talks-starkid]

Paul is not as much of an asshole as Ted; he's stubborn and selfish, but also perseverant and loyal. Ted also has good qualities--he's devoted and sensitive--they're just buried under entitlement, misogyny, and rudeness. As for Wilbur, we really don't know anything about him before he was corrupted.

Given this, I wouldn't say it's obvious that there is a through-line of "assholes" being targeted by the lords, just average, flawed people who bother them for different reasons. However, I don't think that Bill is a saint as some people portray him. Definitely a better person than Ted and Paul, but we see him shutting down Alice in Watcher World, hypocritically wanting to know more about her life and also wanting her life to conform to his own. He exhibits the same controlling behavior with Melissa in Hey, Melissa.

So I don't think it's that simple, but also yes, these people are targeted by the lords for their bad qualities, and Bill has bad qualities.

Also they all alliterate--another anon pointed that out but it's interesting. When are we going to see Nibbly's person whose name starts with N? Imagine an AU where we got a Nightmare Time story about Charlotte and Cuddly or some shit.

let me get this straight

If Paul is an asshole… and Pokey is after him,

if Ted is an asshole… and Tinky is after him,

if Wilbur is an asshole… and Wiggly is his master,

Generally, it seems that assholes are LiB magnets.

Then, does that not make Bill an asshole because his LiB, Blinky, is after him (“I love you sir” at that)?

~~~

[frankie-talks-starkid]

Watcher Girl - Alice Woodward

The eyes... They're spreading...

This will be one of the prints I'll be giving out at the show!! I'm really glad I was able to draw Alice, she's so pretty <3

[frankie-talks-starkid]

I'll do the ones I've watched as well:

AVPM: You changed my answer from Quirrel to Dumbledore. I know Quirrel makes Voldemort's humor and Quirrelmort possible but like... Dumbledore man. He's just so

Holy Musical, B@man!: Robin; Nick Lang makes such a grandpa-core child it's amazing.

Twisted: The objectively correct answer is probably Ja'far, but I love the Princess so so so much.

Trail to Oregon: McDoon, need I say more?

Firebringer: None of them stand out to me much, but Emberly is really cute.

TGWDLM: Genuinely can't decide between Paul, Emma, and Ted. Paul and Emma are so fantastically written and real and relatable. I really appreciate Ted's role in the story as a subversion of the "horror movie asshole." I think Emma's my genuine favorite though.

Black Friday: Linda Monroe, which is saying a lot since this musical also has Becky, Tom, and Frank in it. I love those other guys with all my heart but Linda is literally just a perfectly written villain.

NMT1: Chumby

NMT2: So hard to pick between Gerald and the Jerries. It's gotta go to Girl Jeri since I literally RP her. Oh and Ezekiel, dammit there are so many good characters this season.

NPMD: I think Richie? I like how his arc perfectly outlines and bookends the first act.

Workin' Boys: That one part where the instrumental of Show Stoppin' Number comes in climactically over the massacre. That's my favorite character.

Cinderella's Castle: The Stepmother. Special shout out to Sir Hop-A-Lot though because I'd die for him.

BONUS: TCB

Spies are Forever: Unconventional choice but I really like Cynthia. Also the Informant is fantastic and underrated.

Solve-it-Squad: SCRAGS SCRAGS SCRAGS SCRAGS which is saying a lot because Esther is stiff competition.

@disguised-as-a-flamingo @coffeecupcaper

Hey, let’s start a new trend!

Favourite Starkid characters from each show!

Trail To Oregon!- McDoon, the bandit king ➡️✌️

The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals- Emma, the lesbian awakening

Black Friday- Linda Monroe, we all know I would never leave her if she was real

Nerdy Prudes Must Die- Ruth, she’s honestly really relatable

Nightmare Time- Miss Holloway, I don’t need to explain

Nightmare Time 2- Boy Jerry, he just says the goofiest things and that makes me love him

A Very Potter Musical- Dumbledore, like, what the hell is a Hufflepuff?

I know I missed some, but this is just to start a trend

No pressure tags: @sprites-blight @m1dgemodge @pavl-art @mrecury42

[frankie-talks-starkid]

it’s jasmine and aladdin! call us jaladdin

[frankie-talks-starkid]

Wow, this is brilliant.

I especially love what you said about Hidgens' heel turn and how it's not just comedic, but a chilling kind of acquiescence to authoritarianism. Also, your analysis of how Paul and Melissa view pets is fantastic.

What's In Your Soul? | A Hatchetfield Character Analysis of Paul Matthews

Alternatively: I've dissected this character under a microscope for months because his story requires so much work for me to understand, but I think I've cracked it and my friends lightly peer pressured me to post my writing online. I don’t know who will be bothered to read all of this, but I’m sharing it anyway. 

Paul Matthews, the eponymous Guy who doesn't like musicals, is one of my favourite characters in the Hatchetfield series, and also the most difficult to get a good grip on. Because he's a non-traditional protagonist whose development is so subtle you could even argue it's not there, you legitimately have to take his advice and think about the implications; of the way he presents himself, of things he says, of the narrative he's stuck in. Think about it all.

I think that it's difficult to talk about Paul and what his stories say to the audience because his life presents things about him and ourselves which are difficult to face. In many ways he's a mirror, in many ways he's an enigma. He's just some guy. He is THE Guy. A guy with multiple stories investigating what makes him tick. And I've tried to disassemble the watch. 

This analysis is subject to addenda in the future if Paul is featured in more stories, especially considering any new information provided by the upcoming remount of The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals. A thank you in advance to anyone who takes the time to read this.

Introduction: Here He Is

Essence

A few things to establish before we begin.

Part 1: Some Things Echo

Humanity

Paul is one of the most interesting everyman characters I've ever seen because although he is an ordinary person acting as the audience surrogate, the series plays around with the idea of what an “average” person actually is.

Part 2: Ben Bridges

Integrity

The bridge of “Let it Out” globalizes the core of Paul's story (as in, details and extends it to every Hatchetfield timeline): across multiple installations and appearances, Paul's character is centered around the interrogation of a “happy life.” What it means, how it's achieved, who it involves, what it's worth.

Part 3: Puss and Patches

Egoism

In works following TGWDLM, we come to learn more about Paul in the specific, maintaining his character as a vehicle for exploring the psyche of an ordinary, average person, while also expanding on his individual quirks.

Part 4: Dogs in the Closet

Rationalization

Paul has a few skeletons in the closet, a few clones in the basement, a few dogs dead and their blood on his hands. But he’s not a bad guy, he swears.

Part 5: What Do You Want, Paul?

Desire

What’s interesting about the simulated scenario isn’t that Paul wants to be a squirrel, but that he’s (mostly) still himself. It is mainly perception and circumstance which change in his dream world.

Part 23: Forever and Always Us

Love

There are a lot of discussions of love and happiness outside of Paul’s stories.

Conclusion: A Long, Happy Life

The Secret

The messages of Paul Matthews’ life are simple, but ubiquitous, and true.