#mostly again because of thoma's sister and that whole plotline

[skydigiblogs]

Digimon and Disability

Realizing I can't think of any Digidestined characters from any anime that are implied or stated to be physically disabled. Might just be me not remembering right, but idk? I know the series explores a lot of psychological topics, but I just can't really think of a character who deals with a chronic physical condition while the screen is on them.

The reason I'm thinking about this is because I want to design a cane you could imagine seeing in the Digital World (as a person who uses mobility aids, I kind of want to draw my sona with a cane sometimes), and, like... the closest I can think of in terms of a main character with disabilities is Hikari/Kari.

I haven't gotten to the Dark Master arc yet, but I know her getting severely ill was a huge plot point, and it's also heavily implied that she missed out on the first trip to the Digital World because of a cold (which is reasonable, even if you aren't disabled and deal with difficult periods of illness). At the same time, though I know that she gets used as a mouthpiece for the light when she's ill in Machinedramon's city, so??? I'm not sure what to think of that.

I also can't really say if that's backed up in 02 or other sequels because I just don't remember them that well at the moment.

The only other anime character coming to mind with a confirmed disabling condition is Thoma/Thomas's sister in Savers, but what I do remember doesn't instill me with confidence in the treatment of her character as a person with a disability. I'm sure I'll have more to think about in terms of her when I get to that part of Savers.

And the only example of Digimon I can think of are, like, Jijimon and Babamon, and that's only because they have walking sticks they use to whack shit with. Which like... ehhhhh. We'd really be putting the bar on the floor if we counted those two as disability rep, I think.

I also guess that Erika in Digimon Story Cyber Sleuth: Hacker's Memory counts but... I also don't know how to feel about that one as disability rep. Between her, Thoma's sister, and even Kari, their respective illnesses (regardless of how chronic they are) always seem to end up with emotionally constipated older brothers who feel obligated to "protect" their "weaker" sibling.

I at least like Erika as a character, and I do think CS:HM does a little bit more to interrogate what that means for her, but I still have no way of naming what Erika was even sick with in the first place. Wikimon doesn't even have a summary of her symptoms, and from what I recall the jist of her disability was "if I get too stressed, I pass out." Which. I know people who experience that due to things like seizures, but I still can't help feeling a little bit miffed that Ericka really is the closest to disability rep I can think of in the series.

I'd like to see more of us in the series, if only because it would make me feel a bit more welcome in my favorite series.

[sweetcloverheart]

Does Chloe still work as an Antagonist?

You know, I’ve come to the realization that one of the main issues with Chloe being an antagonist isn’t simply that Thomas doesn’t really use her unless it’s to have the episode follow her around with a big fat giant “Hate this character!” sign (much like he does with Lila and Felix too, I realize, but we might end up off topic so let’s move on), but the fact that once you go past season 2-3, Chloe has...basically no real role in the story anymore as an antagonist

Like, when the plot was contained to the Akuma-of-the-day formula and the slice-of-life stuff, Chloe was a spectacular “villain”, because everything was still very much small scale in terms of stakes, enough so for her to seem a big enough threat to Marinette daily life. After all, Chloe is a titular mean girl, the rich kid school yard bully who just had to flash a credit card or call in daddy dearest to make everyone miserable and leave Marinette and Adrien worrying about what person she’ll end up ticking off bad enough to turn into a Akuma next. It made you hate her, revile her, wish that she’d eventually get her comeuppance (and usually, she did, depending on how the episode ended)

And it worked, because that’s what she was built for, where she fit best.

But then the show expanded it’s stakes by bringing back Lila, who ends up having more influence and doing far more damage than Chloe usually would with her bullying (Like, Chloe for all her threats and insults, is more bark than bite. Lila actually had impact with the trouble she brought to Mari’s door). Then they expand again by introducing Felix, who ends up deepening the whole Gabriel plotline while being an active thorn in his and the heroes side (where as Chloe mostly just existed and was slowly becoming regarded as a nuisance). Then the show actually tried to give Chloe depth and a character arc (which they end up aborting because screw breaking the status quo I guess), showing the reasons for her behavior and that she could actually be decent when given the chance and right motivation. Then season 4 kicks off bringing in Chloe’s half-sister (who we only hear about just that episode) taking her place as the bee hero while Marinette deals with her new responsibilities of being the Miraculous Guardian while Felix is trying to sniff out Gabriel’s secret and - well, you get the picture.

With every raised stake and furthering of the plot, Chloe’s mean teen bullying kind of becomes small potatoes when compared to everything else going on in the show. Who really cares about her taking over a group film project or her trying to get out of playing in a class soccer match when the cast is busy trying to deal with Hawkmoth creating magical sentient doppelgangers, Master Fu getting amnesiaed, Marinette getting stressed out with all her new Guardian responsibilities, who will become today’s temp hero, the overarching mystery of Emilie Agreste and the wedding rings, and Adrien causing the apocalypse (again). Most shows at this point would have their bully character get sent “to military school” or move abroad with a distant unknown aunt, but there Chloe stands, still thinking she’s one of the big kids while the show desperately tries to keep her relevant despite her no longer having a miraculous and no real involvement in the Akumas attacking everyone (actually, now that I think about, Chloe isn’t even responsible for 2/3rds of the Akuma during season 4). We’re suppose to think of her as this powerful malicious force on the same level as Hawkmoth that’s ruining Marinette and everyone’s lives with her very presence because...well, the show says so. Did you not see the giant sign they’re holding over Chloe’s head saying “Hate this character!”? That means you have to hate her no matter what, even when there’s other things to focus on outside of hating her.

Not to mention she’s...very much irrelevant to the plot now. Sure, she still has that “crush” on Adrien/interference with the Adrinette side of the love square, but it hasn’t been a thing or plot-focused in forever, and Lila and Felix (much like with Lila’s bullying) are having and had more effect of that relationship progression than Chloe did. And as said, Zoe taking her place as the Bee hero has removed her from the temp hero plot (unless they plan on having a Chloe VS Zoe battle now that Hawkmoth’s stolen it), and her becoming friends with the rest of the cast had basically edged Chloe out of most of the slice-of-life stuff since “no one likes her anyways”, so there’s no point in involving her in activities they can invite her more “likeable” and nicer half-sibling to (and yeah, Chloe could force her way into those plots, but that’s what it’d end up being - forced). The only real connection she could have to everything still is Sabrina (Who gets barely any screentime as is! She finally becomes a temp hero too once, and is immediately replaced by Felix in the finale episode), and that “budding” relationship with Lila (that is literally last minute with no real build up. I want to say they’ll likely show them becoming “friends” in the fifth season, but knowing the show, it’s just gonna be Chloe playing the Sabrina role to Lila’s Chloe with no real self-reflection or interesting character dynamic exploration...). Hell, despite her betraying Ladybug for Hawkmoth at the end of season 3, almost no reference or callback is made to it, and everyone seems completely unaffected by Chloe brainwashing almost all of Paris considering they’re treating her like normal (in fact, if anything, they only seem just slightly more annoyed with her and her antics now - just not for the reasons stated previously)

And it’s sad. When I see Chloe pulling her usual stunts in the later seasons, I don’t feel the urge to hate and deride her like in season 1. When I see Chloe still trying to be the big bad mean girl bully in a season that had the show’s second apocalypse, sentimonsters being revealed as sentient beings with feelings (and one of the main cast potentially being one), families getting held hostage, and Hawkmoth successfully (with help) grab almost all the miraculous, I feel more bad for her than the other characters, because it’s clear that the show is just simply putting her through the motions since they don’t know what else to do with her now. It’s like watching a parent force their child into a costume that clearly doesn’t fit anymore to do a dumb little performances they liked to as a kid that they’ve clearly outgrown now.

And now we have Season five to wait on (and it’s likely going to be a long wait with all the protests going on about Zag not paying VAs Edit: Congrats to the VAs for succeeding in their protest and getting their raises), where Marinette’s going to be laser focused on getting the stolen Miraculous back, alongside the Emilie plotline still being a thing and Felix’s betrayal opening up a huge can of plot-theory worms - not gonna be much room in there for pull her “wait till my father hears about this!” shtick and leave an impression like before.

Honestly, if Thomas really hates her as much as he claims, he’d of just sent her off to New York with her mom now that they’re “Besties” (by the show’s word) or have her sent abroad for some sort of “fashion scholarship” or something. At this point, Chloe’s run her course as an antagonist and should be retired if they really have no plans of redeeming her or anything.

[rynnaaurelius]

Writing Updates

-So this post isn’t gonna be very long, if only because I just finished blocking out everything (Or as much as I can, before the characters flip me the bird and do what they want).

-Just a “Here’s where we’re at” thing, as much to keep me accountable beyond incomprehensible outline notes, as to entertain people.

(Uh, warnings for spoiler-esque things? Nothing big, though if you’re not done reading through a series, beware)

Sing, O Muse (Of Heroes Once More) (Time travel ‘verse):

-So this chapter’s looking like it might be a bit shorter than I’ve recently (ha) been putting out? Not for lack of things to do, but how it’s plotted now has a pretty clearly defined endpoint. This may or may not mean I post sooner. We’ll see.

-Basically, it’s got three sections: First one to establish the time jump between Ch. 3 and this one (As well as give Annabeth some grounding), second one to establish our questing trio in her, Clarisse, and Silena--as well as play around with the Golden Fleece quest a bit--, and the third one is. . .well.

-One word: Reyna.

-It’s also Annabeth’s POV, which is fun. Her feelings about Percy are complicated, though, fucking hell. Not that I blame the girl.

-Silena was not convinced to turn spy by Luke, for obvious reasons. Doesn’t stop her from having complicated feelings with the whole building war thing, and she’s difficult to nail down.

-I know there’s not a lot of Leo mentioned here, especially after his dramatic entrance last chapter, but I swear he’s relevant and important, it’s just not something directly connected to Annabeth’s plotline right now.

-Context-less Snippet: “How’s the ship, Captain Chase?  Crew still loyal enough and dead enough for you?”

-What I’m currently listening to for this chapter, because I can and should inflict my questionable music tastes on everyone: “Avalanche” (Thomas Bergersen)

The One Where Percy is a Magician of Questionable Competence (Magician!Percy ‘verse):

-Some days, I really regret naming this universe what I did in the name of validating my own cleverness. Mostly when I have to type it out again

-Anyway. This is the Training MontageTM chapter where Percy learns how to use a sword. As well as the one where Percy begins to unlock Annabeth’s Tragic BackstoryTM.

-But that’s after Amos, Carter, and Zia show up ready to kick ass and take names, only to find a sleep-deprived Sadie and Percy sharing looks and going, “. . .knew we forgot something.”

-Also a three section chapter. The first one consists of Brooklyn House being chaotic idiots because I love them--with a side of Percy lying/having an identity-crisis, plus a healthy dose of angst on the Amos front--the second one is the Nico update.

-He’s not having a great time, guys

-This is the last bit before the time jump, Kronos is an asshole, and Setne is the worst.

-But Nico’s still calling him Uncle Vinnie which is funny, at least.

-Anyway Nico “joins” the Titans. I’m not sure if it really counts when you’re a traumatized, grieving child with an evil ghost promising you your dead sister back/a Titan is threatening to destroy you, but there you go.

-Then it’s a time jump, so we can see Percy getting his ass handed to him by Clarisse a month later.

-*jazz hands* Training Montage!

-So Percy’s having a marginally better time at camp. Annabeth’s still half-convinced she should kill him, but she also likes him against her will, so that’s a net win, in Percy’s book.

-Oh yeah, there’s also Tragic Backstory unlocking, which is made more interesting by the whole “The Greeks got the shit beaten out of them” thing I’ve got going on in this ‘verse.

-Context-less bit:

“So. You are to be the child of the prophecy?” Nico di Angelo stared up at Kronos and back at Vinnie, who gave him a grin and thumbs-up.

-Yes, they’re literally that one How To Train Your Dragon meme, no, I don’t have regrets

-Music to be inflicted upon you all for this chapter: Child and the Guardian Angel (Peter Roe)

-This round of writing’s going to be fun, because this is where the next part of the story truly kicks into high gear.