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Shelly Fossilian: Gardenview's Forgotten Main (and why she works!)

Recently, I've seen many posts on social media discussing Shelly and her characterization of being forgotten/ignored. Specifically, they seemed critical of this trait and thought Shelly would realistically not fit that role. "Kids love dinosaurs!" or "Shelly is too kind!" are repeated rebuttals. However, I disagree with this. In fact, I think Shelly is not only the perfect character for this archetype, but giving it to any other character would fall flat, and to say toons like Vee or Sprout would fulfill this role better is a severe misunderstanding of their current roles.

A common misconception is that Shelly is "the dinosaur toon." I hear this often: "Dinosaurs are popular with children, so wouldn't they love Shelly?"

Shelly is not the dinosaur toon, she's the dinosaur FACT toon. The distinction, while not seeming important, absolutely is.

Shelly's dialogue gives us a look into how she fills her role: she spits info at people in a way that doesn't get them invested.

She's repetitive, awkward, and unengaging. Even toons that show interest in her facts consistently end their interactions with Shelly impassively.

The phrase "a good teacher can make a boring subject fascinating" goes both ways. A teacher who fails to spark intrigue in their students will make any subject dull. Regardless of how much a kid loves dinosaurs, if Shelly can't engage with them properly, it means nothing.

This is best illustrated with Shelly's interaction with Toodles:

Shelly actually manages to capture her attention, but quickly squanders the opportunity when she scares her by accident. And this is Toodles - a naturally curious kid. It's very difficult to put her off learning/exploring, even when she's scared.

This is a problem unique to Shelly. The other mains have no problem capturing Toodles' attention, sometimes without even trying.

Even Vee, who is dismissive of her questions, is still pestered by her until she gets her answer.

And speaking of Vee, an abudent number of people think that she would be a better fit for the forgotten archetype than Shelly due to her jealousy toward Dandy and her blunt personality.

First of all, Vee has a rivalry with Dandy, one that is anything but one-sided. He doesn't like her either.

Vee's superiority over Dandy seems to come from an abundance of self-confidence, something she would not have if she was unpopular.

Secondly, Vee is more than just "blunt." She is also charismatic and captivating. Her gameshow is one of the most discussed parts of the cartoon. In fact, Vee is everything Shelly SHOULD be. She knows all her dinosaur facts and she makes learning them fun. Her gameshow rewards intelligence with prizes, which encourages kids to listen and learn, similar to how teachers use Kahoot or Blooket.

Simply put, Vee renders Shelly obsolete.

Even the activity in Shelly's room is just a lamer version of Vee's.

Dig for fossils in a sandpit and win prizes... that aren't even guaranteed? What kid would want to do that over participating in the thrilling gameshow they see on TV? Shelly doesn't even dig with you! And even if they weren't interested in Vee, Sprout and Astro also offer kids a lot more than Shelly. Getting a cupcake from Sprout is equivalent to getting a Krabby Patty from SpongeBob himself. Astro, meanwhile, literally has magical abilities. Shelly just cannot compare. Besides, every other main character can break from their gimmick with ease. Astro is more than just "sleepy," he's a magical being who encourages kids to dream big and use their imagination. Sprout is more than just "baker," he's a friend to all who promotes generosity with Cosmo. Vee is more than just "gameshow," she inspires competitiveness and technological advancements toward the future.

Shelly is "dinosaur," but what else is there? She's nice? Fun? Caring? Most toons are. She doesn't offer anything good to children not already deeply invested in dinosaurs.

So, with all this in mind, Shelly's unpopularity with audiences makes sense. But what about her peers? Is the constant ignoring of Shelly by the toons she lives with absurd? Not exactly. Admittedly, some dialogue can be a bit on-the-nose, but that doesn't mean it's nonsensical.

Shelly is not ignored on purpose. This is important to note. Toons are not actively leaving her out, it's always accidental. When they do, they get sheepish about it, but never do anything substantial to rectify their mistake.

And when Shelly is given attention, she has a habit of getting way too excited about it. It comes across as desperate - an undesirable trait.

In this sense, Shelly is stuck in a loop of self-sabotage. But it's not that she's disliked; she's just painfully mediocre.

When she isn't being ignored, she's talking about dinosaurs, something that most toons aren't very interested in. That's all she's known for, to the point where her side hobby of sewing comes as a shock to multiple toons because it's unexpected for Shelly to have other interests.

At the end of the day, most toons just don't have a reason to hang out with her. If they don't care about dinosaurs or have a pre-established bond, then what's the point? Facts can only be entertaining for so long, and when they stop being so, what more can Shelly offer?

Truthfully, a lot, and that's the tragedy of her character. Shelly is so stuck in her own gimmick that she's ignored when it's not relevant, which is practically all the time. But Shelly IS so much more than her dinosaur facts, it's just that few people care to see that.

It is a role in the game that only a character like Shelly can fulfill, it's what makes her so well-written and why many fans love her so much. Her archetype just wouldn't work with any other toon. I hope this post can shed some light on that. Shelly is one of my favorite characters and I swear I could talk endlessly about her. If you got this far, thank you for reading, and stay tuned for more analyses! Have a great day!

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Why I Ship ReflectiveDetective (and why you should too!)

DISCLAIMER: 

This post does NOT insist that ReflectiveDetective is canon, nor does it insist you have to ship it. It exists solely as an appreciation and explanation post. Also, Glisten and Rodger are both canonically NON-RELATED ADULTS as confirmed by Qwel. Thank you.

PART 1: Interactions

Glisten and Rodger currently have two elevator interactions. In the first one, Glisten comments on Rodger's smudged glass.

In the second one, Rodger checks in on Glisten to make sure he's doing okay.

Though seemingly incidental, there's lots here to discuss:

Starting with the first, we're told Glisten cares enough about Rodger to notice something as small as the smudges on his face. This may come across as trivial, especially for someone obsessed with appearance, but it's pretty out of character for him to notice something so small! From his interactions with Cosmo, Shelly, and Yatta, we can infer that Glisten is actually really *bad* at noticing things about others. He forgets Cosmo's stars are a part of his appearance, writes Yatta's circus troupe off as "clown stuff," and even mispronounces Shelly's name. These aren't little details he just missed, they're basic facts about toons he lives with. He should've picked up on these things ages ago, yet they seem to slip his mind.

But Rodger's smudges? He comments on them immediately (and often enough for Rodger to know it's coming.)

"But maybe the smudges are really obvious!"

Maybe, but if so, wouldn't Tisha have said something about them? In the singular interaction she has with Rodger, she makes no note of his glass, and from what we know about Tisha, she *would* point something like that out. She's very adamant when it comes to cleanliness, sometimes to the dismay of others. It's practically her job to be.

This is what makes Glisten's comment so interesting. If he's noticing details that Tisha is missing, that means he's been paying *very* close attention to Rodger's face. Hmm... suspcious.

Interaction two gives us more insight into Rodger's feelings towards Glisten. He's one of the only toons he checks up on, and of them, he's the one that Rodger is the most worried about. The other two, Boxten and Brightney, get far less personal questions about their well-being.

It says a lot that Rodger will tell Boxten to count if he's feeling nervous, but he'll tell Glisten not to forget his "keen eye," implying that he's keeping watch over him specifically.

The obvious conclusion being: the two both give each other attention that they don't give to other toons.

But it doesn't stop there! Glisten's interactions with Toodles also give us some extra layers to his and Rodger's relationship.

The first one isn't much, but it is noteworthy that Glisten gets along so well with Rodger's daughter.

The second one, however…

What Toodles says here is extremely significant. Though easy to brush off Glisten "crying and complaining to Rodger" as a funny comment, it holds a LOT of weight! Glisten NEVER tells toons about his problems or insecurities. The mere implication of imperfect makes him deflect.

He won't let Astro discuss his concerning dreams in public. He panics when Sprout suggests his mirror is cracked. He won't even tell Tisha his morning routine.

But according to Toodles, Glisten has a habit of going to Rodger (and only Rodger) with his problems. Sure, these could be very superficial issues he's getting off his chest, but even the most shallow of problems are ones Glisten does not want others to know about. He has an image to maintain, after all! Yet Rodger is the exception...

...This goes both ways, which brings me to:

PART 2: Implications

Returning to Rodger and Tisha's interaction, there is definite proof that Glisten is one of the "trusted friends" Rodger is referring to. For starters, I've already covered the close bond the two share. But is Glisten also disorganized? YES!

Compare Glisten's room to Goob and Scraps', one canonically considered dirty. They're a very similar amount of messy. Crumpled-up papers, mismatched carpets, food lying around the place... none of that reads "organized."

Speaking of Glisten's room, there exists a particular note in which Glisten details an encounter he had with Rodger where he helped him carry files into the elevator.

Not only does this prove that Glisten is willing to help him, but also that Rodger would otherwise trust him to. This note also tells us Rodger gives Glisten the validation he craves from the other toons. Why else would he end it off with "I should spend time with [Rodger] more" if he wasn't flattered by his compliment? 

So we have the dynamic, but what can be done with it? Let us discuss:

PART THREE: Potential

This part will mainly consist of how I interpret Glisten and Rodger's relationship. It will focus less on canon itself and more on the fun ways you can build off of it.

Glisten yearns for attention; it says so on his title card:

And Rodger is someone who can give him not just the attention he wants, but also the attention he needs. In multiple ways, whether it be through compliments or concerns, Rodger makes Glisten feel seen. His praise means enough to Glisten for him to journal about it, and though he brushes off Rodger's regards for his safety in their elevator interaction, he'll still go to him to "cry and complain." Besides, Rodger is a detective. It's his job to see through facades. He'd know when Glisten is putting up a front of perfection and be able to look past it to see the real him. What else is that keen eye for, right?

And what of Glisten's part in their relationship? Considering how unpopular Rodger is with the other toons, particularly the mains, having someone like Glisten to help with carrying files and bantering about smudged glass is a lot. Even if it is "part of the job" as a detective, nobody enjoys being disliked or dismissed by others, especially former friends. Yet despite Rodger's reputation, Glisten is in his corner.

There is more I could discuss, but that will have to be saved for a continuation. This post is already long enough! But I hope this shines some light on ReflectiveDetective's charm. It's one of my favorite pairings and I hope to share it with more people. Thank you for reading!

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Silly lesbians/gay doodles

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Experiementing with drawing faces, poses, and backgrounds.

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Fossilcleaning!!!

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this is fuckjng stupid

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He’s THE candle queen 💕

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saw this post and immeditally thought of vee and tisha, so i knew i had to dub it. if people enjoy this, i'll probably post more dubs later!

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Life cycle of our Sun, from beginning to end~

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Tisha drawing

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The Mask Broke

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[🐇] Last one I promise/hj

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Vee's fantasy

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"She's so annoying... and yet..."

Vee x Tisha art!! Hoping the four other Antivirus shippers like it! ^v^

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FOSSILCLEANING FTW!!!

I can't fit more so there will be a second one

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Little sneak peak of my main designs so far, currently only have Dandy and Shelly done. The whole thing will be posted whenever I have all of them complete!!