Okay, I saw someone say that Nimona, while being good representation, “didn’t take the big step forward in queer rep that everyone says it did”.
That is wrong. So wrong, my dude.
Yes, an explicit and open queer relationship in children’s cartoons is not new, per ce. Hell, just this year, two popular kids’ cartoons had the main character in an open, adorable, plot-based queer romance. But this is different for a few reasons.
Reason number one, it isn’t left in suspense. Yes, they had that split for three odd weeks, but they started the film as a couple. One of the very first scenes is them together as a couple, Ambrosius saying he loves Ballister, them holding hands, Ballister leaning on Ambrosius’ shoulder. Ambrosius says he loves Ballister three times during the film, and none of them are any more than halfway in. It’s very clear, from their very first interaction, that they are an established relationship, which isn’t something I’ve seen...at all in other animation.
Secondly, they are the plot. Ambrosius not believing Ballister, Ambrosius cutting off Ballister’s arm, Ballister trying to get the video to Ambrosius - this is what drives the plot. In any other children’s animation with queer relationships, the relationship is not the main focus. Even The Owl House, which is so amazing with its constant representation, would still make sense if Luz and Amity never happened. But Nimona’s plot wouldn’t make sense without Ballister and Ambrosius’ relationship. It, quite simply, can’t be erased. It could work as a friendship, yes, but that’s the point. They could have just been two close friends that fell on opposite sides of a fight, but they weren’t. They were two lovers that fell on opposite sides of a fight.
Thirdly, they aren’t sanitized for “family viewing”. An emerging trend in children’s animation is to only have mlm relationships as fathers to make them seem more “family friendly”. With the exception of Kipo, there really isn’t many tv shows or films that places light upon an mlm relationship. And if it does, it'll be a teen relationship because teenagers being queer tends to come across as less “dirty” and more “innocent”. But Goldenheart is none of these things. They are adults without the mollifying aspect of having a family. And on top of that, they fight. They wield swords and they get bloody and they shoot at things and get angry and yell. They aren’t “clean” and “innocent”.
As well as this, they are in a film. Films are far more accessible than tv shows. You have to watch twenty seven episodes before Lumity in toh is canon. Troy kisses Benson on the eleventh episode of Kipo. And there are two hundred and eighty three episodes of Adventure Time before Marceline and Bonnie kiss. But with a film, the queerness is much more forward - especially in Nimona, where it’s literally the second scene. Animated films hardly ever display queer relationships, but Nimona did.
Finally - they aren’t perfect. I don’t know about you, but three weeks of thinking your boyfriend/maybe ex is a murderer? Doesn’t sound like a healthy few weeks to me. I have only seen big relationship arguments portrayed in straight relationships in cartoons - think Star Vs The Forces Of Evil - whereas queer relationships either have the massive fight prior to being canonically gay - She Ra - or have conflict, not arguments, that are dealt with quickly - Dead End/The Owl House. But Goldenheart? Goldenheart suffers. Their relationship is pushed to such extreme boundaries as for them to be pretty much exes throughout most of the movie. And yet, they are clearly healthy, happy and very much in love at the end.
TL;DR - Nimona is amazing with the queer representation, and it is a milestone for LGBTQ+ cartoons. Not only is the relationship romantic for the entire movie, the plot is driven by Ambrosius and Ballister’s sort-of-break-up. In short, they are treated the same way straight people are. They have flaws, they have massive arguments, they have plot importance, they have backstory. They are in love. And that’s what matters more than anything else.
5K notes
·
View notes
when gamerbros get so pissy when you ship arthur and charles, and act as this ship came out of left field, its obvious to me that they haven't been paying attention to the game because like-
arthur compliments charles both so easily and constantly, charles is only ever talkative with arthur, sharing his thoughts and feelings on situations, these types of thoughts may be seen as disloyalty to the rest of the gang, but he shares them with arthur because charles knows he's safe and that arthur won't judge him.
charles talks about his past and shares his culture with arthur, he teaches arthur how to hunt with a bow and how to hunt bison, giving arthur the kill because he trusts arthur that much not to abuse it. arthur listens to charles thoroughly, taking in every word, he even shares his own past too, in hopes of making charles more comfortable.
charles can reprimand arthur and tell him off, and arthur, rightfully chastised, listens. he doesn't fight, he doesn't yell. he goes along with some (a lot of) grumbling, but he still follows charles and helps him save andreas.
charles tells arthur that he isn't as tough and dense as all that and that he doesn't believe in arthurs cruel and callous front, that he is more than that, more than what everyone else thinks arthur is. he sounds so confident about it too, as if he knows arthur better, and seems to know arthur m
charles saves arthurs life, and checks in with him after, seeing whether arthurs alright. arthur comes to charles and thanks him profusely and charles tell him that he'll do the same and he's right, arthur would.
every conversation they have in camp involves the two of them checking in with one another and arthur, again, constantly compliments him.
when going on a bank heist, charles refers to arthur as the "best man we've got," seeing arthur as someone he holds in high regard.
when arthur returns home from guarma, he hugs both abigail, and charles and the fact that he initiates it is so important, because arthur isn't one to initiate a lot of physical contact, preferring his space, so the fact that he initiates it is so significant.
when arthur asks charles whether he will ride with him, he doesn't answer with "yes," or "sure," he answers with "always," as he will always ride with arthur, no matter the time of day, if arthur asks, he'll go.
when things get bad in the gang, and survival becomes less and less certain, when going on a job, arthur tells charles to go on and get out of there if things were to get bad, valuing charles life and safety outside of his loyalty to the gang, a gang which arthur is still incredibly loyal to and is still protective of, yet he still tells charles to go on and get out of there.
and charles cuts him off, distressed with what arthur is proposing, as if the thought of abandoning arthur when a job goes wrong is simply not feasible for him.
arthur confides in charles, telling him that he's sick and dying, he's one of the few that arthur tells, he doesn't even tell dutch, being open and vulnerable with him, and charles listens and attempts to console him about his inevitable end.
even when he's actively dying, he, with some reluctant, still helps charles rescue eagle flies, he still wants to stay and help charles escort the wapiti tribe safely to canada, but charles tells arthur no, as there are still people arthur cares about in camp as if he knows that arthur would likely beat himself up if anything happens to them.
so they hug, and cling to one another, almost appearing as if they don't want to separate, as this is the last time the two of them will ever see each other alive... they separate, turning away from one another, both so clearly upset with the situation, charles sounding like he's holding back tears as he talks to the wapiti tribe.
and charles comes back, whether it be days, or weeks after. arthurs body in a state of decay, and yet he still works to find a spot he deems suitable for arthur, on top of that hill, facing the sunset- the place where arthur had always wanted to be buried so that he can reflect on all of the good times they've had. he painstakingly crafts a beautiful grave, taking great care to make sure that arthur is given a proper burial. he puts so obvious much care, and love into his burial, that just from this, you can clearly infer that these two shared an incredibly momentous relationship.
charles and arthur clearly care about each other so much, despite the short amount of time they've known each other (compared to the rest of the relationships). they hold each other in such high regard, both of them coming alive when the two of them are alone, obviously feeling more comfortable with one another than the other gang members.
viewing this connection as platonic is completely fine, but to act as if this ship came out of nowhere and that people shipping these two together are crazy for doing so is just, so downright stupid.
669 notes
·
View notes