#and thanks smario for the vid!

[fictionvssleep]

Calamity Trio Motifs

I really appreciate this compilation of the calamity trio’s themes- now I can finally recognize everyone’s motifs! (The better to have some heartbreak if, say, Marcy’s theme plays while Anne finally comes clean with her parents about what happened those last few moments in Amphibia and has to deal with it, or some other aching juxtaposition). And I (whoops!) have a bunch of thoughts on the possible implications of the composition choices in each.

Each of the girls’ themes is pretty simple: a short series of notes that hangs around 1 in the scale (as in do in “do re mi,” 1-2-3, etc.) and moves around stepwise or in (usually) small leaps. This means that they should be pretty straightforward to mash up at exciting moments in the show where they’re all together, like when they battled the volcakeno hornets in The Dinner. 

Sasha:

Sasha has two themes: the first is an ominous, calm, and quiet series of two alternate chords: a minor 1 and a diminished 7 (super discordant), while the melody just moves stepwise between 1, 2, and 3, played on something like a celeste. It gives a feeling of subtle and contained but sinister cunning. This plays when she’s plotting or being manipulative. It doesn’t go anywhere, it just loops around without changing or growing, like how for so long she’s stuck in her habits of always being in control and using other people to get what she wants.

Her second theme is Heartstomper. As it appears in Battle of the Bands and its full version (on Spotify and YT, definitely check out if you haven’t!), it’s an upbeat “I am” song where Sasha playfully casts herself as a regret-free villain (I think? I’m sure there are different interpretations of how self-aware she is here- it’s entirely possible she doesn’t see anything wrong with being a “heartstomper”). This is an interesting contrast to how she seems to see herself, or wants to be seen: until Anne starts standing up to her, there’s not really any sign that she thinks she’s in the wrong. It’s also surprisingly complex and aggressively major key, including chords that aren’t naturally major when 1 is major too- we have M1, M4, M1; M1, M6, M5; M7b, M6, M1; M1, M5, m3 (where M indicates a major chord rooted in the scale’s 1st, 2nd, etc. note, and m means a minor chord). An instrumental version of this theme feels heroic and determined and plays when she protects others or during feats of strength (think: beating the end of the third temple & baby Sasha standing up for baby Anne and Marcy). Biggest interval leap: 1 to 5. One thing I really like is that each phrase ascends: it ends at a higher note than it begins. This could symbolize how Sasha wants to improve, to be better for the people around her.

Marcy:

Marcy’s theme is most recognizable and I believe longest during the compilations of her being clumsy/oblivious back home (from Marcy at the Gates & First Temple). Its phrases always descend: they end on a lower note than they begin. Again, could be reading way too much into this, but it could be foreshadowing that even though Marcy seems to be doing well and is on top of everything, there’s a darkness beneath and an incoming or past fall. It initially is upbeat and synth-y after her love of video games, but its variations include epic sweeping orchestral (season 2B trailer) and melancholy (when her secret is finally revealed in True Colors). It’s also arguably the most complex: the other girls’ instrumental themes really keep to the 1 or 1-4-5-6 in terms of chords, but Marcy’s goes through M4 M3 m6 M5 (with a M2 in the jazzy extension ! wow ! also, o shit there’s no M1, so the theme doesn’t ever go to to the root, like Marcy doesn’t want to go home, or the other two have a sense of who they are and she doesn’t ???  yeesh). It also has one of the highest interval leaps, a 6, between the first two notes.

Anne:

Anne also has two main themes: the first is most recognizably in the end credits themes. The melody starts at the root (1), leaps up to 4, descends stepwise back to 1, leaps up to 5, comes back down to 1, leaps up to 3, back down, and circles around the 1. Her notes jump up but always return where they came- there’s adaptability, but also stability. The lower countermelody ascends when the upper melody descends, balancing it out- maybe like how the Plantars and Wartwood community support Anne in her times of need? Anne meets all the challenges that come her way, and she grows, but she doesn’t lose herself. This theme comes up at moments of connection, rising up to a challenge, and learning and growth.

Her other theme is arguably No Big Deal. It’s first introduced in Battle of the Bands as an upbeat, joyful declaration that even in a wild and completely unforeseeable situation, she’s doing all right and can manage: she’s coming into her own, she’s comfortable in her own skin. She’s back with her friends, she’s been able to deal with everything that’s been thrown at her, and her adventure is almost done. Unlike all of the other themes, in which notes mostly ascend or descend by one step, this one bounces all the way from 1 to 8 (a full octave) to 5 and back. These perfect fifth leaps are used in instances like the Star Wars and Star Trek opening themes to convey grand, epic, sweeping emotions, strength, fearlessness, and optimism. 

No Big Deal has an instrumental reprise in True Colors as Anne’s Power. When Andrias drops Sprig, Anne is confronted with the fact that on this big, epic adventure, she’s dealing with formidable evil and unacceptable loss.  The instrumental adaptation of the verse is in minor key, but the chorus is unchanged from major for some major-key-on-top-of-tragedy bittersweetness. 

At least in the versions I checked the chords on, both Anne’s and Marcy’s themes are in Bb major, while Sasha’s ominous theme is in Bb minor and goes up into D major for the Heartstomper instrumental. hmmmmm (edit: @nonexistent-ever has pointed out that everyone’s themes do appear in a bunch of different keys! so maybe this is less of a thing)

That’s all I’ve got for now, and I can’t wait to rewatch episodes and have these motifs smack me in the face with emotions!