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wherearedagrapes · 7 days ago

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A Maddie Wachowski appreciation post

I think Maddie Wachowski deserves more love in the fandom, so I'm going to dedicate this post to her and how amazing she is. Tom deserves all the praise for being an amazing father and person, but this woman deserves the praise too!

We see how amazing she is right from the first movie.

For starters, Maddie is clearly someone who is loving, selfless and kind. She chose to be a veterinarian, a profession that is inherently focused on caring and compassion, which says a lot about the kind of person she is. Sonic points out how good she's with animals and we know that he only trusts people he deems to be good-natured.

If the boy with trust issues says you're kind to animals, you've got nothing but good bones in your body.

Next, she's a great wife and complements Tom very well. They're clearly best friends, have movie nights together, and spend quality time together often enough that Sonic can see a pattern. They joke around, are comfortable with each other, and it's obvious how much she loves him.

When the letter from SFPD arrives, she's eager to see her husband's reaction and while we get the joke about the two cakes, it just proves how much Maddie cares. She made sure Tom had her support no matter what the outcome of the letter.

(I also love how the rejection cake focuses on how SF lost Tom, that they're morons and the iconic Golden Gate Bridge is on fire. This woman is Thomas Wachowski's hype man, I tell you!)

And the next scene shows that she was already looking at apartments before, regardless of the outcome of the letter, demonstrating Tom's unwavering faith and that yes, she never doubted that he could get it, not even for a moment.

Maddie is also in tune with Tom's feelings, showing that she not only knows him better than anyone but always provides an environment for him to be vulnerable and comfortable opening up. She notices his hesitation and lightens the mood, playing along with Tom's witty comments until she gets to the heart of the matter.

When her husband asks if she's okay with the move, she not only assures him that she is, telling him how grateful she's for the sacrifices he made to make her dreams come true - which Maddie knows were many because they probably had a long-distance relationship while she was in Vet School while Tom paid for everything and apparently she repeats this enough that he knows it by heart - but she also states that is more than okay to uproot her entire stable life if it means Tom will be happy.

Not only that, she senses Tom's anxiety and that the real problem is that HE'S unsure if leaving the city is the right choice and doesn't press when he says he's sure, even though he knows it wouldn't be the best thing to do.

I also think it's cute how Maddie has a strict no-aggression policy. It's not that the woman isn't willing to throw hands - because she is - but rather that Maddie doesn't like gratuitous violence and is quite firm about that opinion, even scolding Tom about it.

Still on the subject of these two's relationship, I want to highlight how these two are ride and die for each other.

Tom was accused of DOMESTIC TERRORISM and yet he had no doubt that he could count on Maddie, showing her unconditional love and loyalty, in addition to seeing her as an emotional support and a person to turn to when anxiety is high.

She, on the other hand, was not suspicious of him but rather worried, and defended him from her own sister even with the evidence against her very clear.

Speaking of which, Maddie's unconditional love is not limited to humans and animals but also to aliens, which would become her children.

(the most valid crash out of the first movie after the Sonic one)

She does not show any xenophobia or prejudice against Sonic in their first meeting, but she was empathetic with the hedgehog from the beginning, moved by his condition. And despite the initial shock, she always saw him as a living being, worthy of care and support.

To the point of tying up her sister so she wouldn't interfere and becoming an accomplice to a domestic terrorist to help Sonic. Maddie doesn't mess around!

Not only that, she agreed to help Tom without reservations and handled the chaos thrown at her like a champion, focusing on helping Sonic and then embarking on all the madness without question.

She also went against Robotinik, and supported Tom and Sonic in the final battle. Where after everything is over she sees that Tom has solved his internal problems and seen what she always knew.

And the highlight of the first film: she agrees not only to cover up Sonic from the government, but also agrees to adopt him, helping to set up a room in the attic and everything! Maddie looked at this boy and said my son, without thinking twice!

(gif from @welcome-to-green-hills)

It gets even better in the second film when we see that the Wachowskis have a very common and mundane routine, with Maddie being the mother and a great one at that.

She continues to be Tom's emotional support (and now Sonic's too) and has the same unconditional faith in her husband that she has in her son. She gives Tom space to work things out with his son and shows a lot of affection, which Sonic reciprocates.

In the scene where they leave Hawaii, we see how Tom and Maddie are relationship goals and how Maddie plays with Sonic, making him feel comfortable.

In Hawaii, we see once more of her focus on Tom and how she is the emotional support and place where he can be open, in addition to their usual partnership. In addition to her love for her sister.

Tom is worried about Sonic and how lonely he can feel even with them as parents, and Maddie once again shows the absolute faith in her son and the emotional stability that is so essential for this family to function.

Then we have the scene where Sonic and Tails arrive after escaping the avalanche. Maddie is immediately worried about him and while Tom is a nervous wreck, she controls the situation so Sonic can explain himself.

After GUN shows up and arrests Sonic and Tails, Tom is detained and we see how Maddie takes charge of the situation, trying to reason with Walters to free her husband and son.

When that doesn't work, Maddie simply decides to take matters into her own hands and break into a place guarded by the feds to save her family! And it worked!

(Which also shows that she - like everyone else in this family - is okay with possible violence to ensure the safety of her loved ones🙂)

The next scene shows her taking care of Tails before Robotinik gives signals and Sonic goes to take care of everything alone. Maddie still tries to help but he doesn't listen.

So she and Tom try to solve the problem in Green Hills and we see how they are trying to help before going after their son! (Ugh, I love Found Family!)

And we have THE scene.

(original gifset @yellenabelova here)

Not only does Maddie is the one who catches him when he's almost crushed, but it's SHE who starts saying that they are a family and kicks off this statement. Coherent since she is the emotional core of this family and it's on her that Sonic rests his head when he's about to die, probably because - again - Maddie is the emotional support of the family. Tom follows here and they hug.

Then Sonic turns super Sonic, returns to normal and we see how affectionate Maddie is. Probably the most physically affectionate with Sonic!

(original gif @iwasbored777)

And not only with Sonic but with Tails and Knuckles who have become her children too. She even shows that she has already become attached to Knuckles!

And we have the third film.

The beginning is pretty normal. We see how the whole family is united and Maddie is a loving mother and wife. She helps her children run and is clearly loving her position as a mother.

Despite the somewhat… er, questionable characterization at times, I have the impression that Sonic 3 tried to give Maddie more depth, making her temperamental side more visible and that sometimes she and Tom may have friction, but that doesn't mean they love each other any less. Or the boys.

On the contrary, she loves her husbands and children! She even threw a surprise party celebrating one year since they officially adopted Sonic! And she makes it very clear that when he arrived on Earth they formed a family! She loves this boy!

(original gif @@iwasbored777)

Everyone is together and celebrating until GUN arrives. And ruins everything.

I love that Maddie asks what they did because she and Tom have already committed so many crimes against the government and apparently continue to do so lol. TOM has to point out that it was probably their children's work.

The next scene she appears in only further proves that Maddie has fully embraced her new life as a mother.

She and Tom have spent the last few hours pursuing new hobbies and activities that they can do now that it's just them, and it's clear that they can't get used to life as a couple anymore because the boys have become such an integral part of their routine!

And of course, she continues to be a ride and die with her family agreeing to invade GUN's private property in another country at the drop of a hat 😃

One interesting trait I noticed about Maddie during the planning is that she is a very pragmatic woman. She brought up Sonic's Super form as an efficient and quick way to take care of things. You know, the ultra-powerful and indestructible form? Yeah, Maddie really did say let's cause chaos and end this.

As I said, they brought out Maddie's more temperamental side - shown when she talked to Tom about the mini-Tom and disguised herself as Rachel - and that she likes to act like that from time to time, showing that her patience is something more constructed than natural to her.

I also found her relationship with Tom kind of funny and just a little poorly written in the next scenes, in which they prepare and invade GUN headquarters.

To start, the joke when she's dressed as Rockwell is TERRIBLE because Tom has never had eyes for any other woman other than Maddie. On the other hand, the scene showed that Maddie is just as capable of playing hands as her husband ¯⁠\⁠⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠⁠/⁠¯.

(Maddie knowing how to fight wasn't in my bingo but it makes sense. Good for her 👍🏼 And the next scene is them getting along again so, eh. Forgivable but I hope they don't do it again.)

However, they and Tails are captured and then trapped in gravity and almost die because of the debris if it weren't for Sonic, who saves them at the last minute.

I think it's really cute that she thanks him btw.

But nothing good can last, because Tom is then knocked out by Shadow and Maddie finds her husband unconscious, with the middle son in a panic and to make matters worse, the thing they were trying to prevent happens.

One detail that the novelization brings is that the paramedics said that Tom was alive but unresponsive. He could then be in a coma or even BRAIN DEAD for all Maddie knew.

I don't even want to imagine how she was feeling. Tom is Maddie's best friend and clearly the love of her life and seeing her significant other so close to death must have been devastating. The novelization says that she was in grief!

Not only that, as the only responsible adult she had to go with Tom and leave her children - already unstable - to their own devices.

The look she gives Sonic and the others, God it's so haunting because Maddie is clearly SCARED. She can't tell her kids that everything is going to be okay and she can't even be with them because her husband needs her. Not only that, she now also depends on them because the worst has already happened and they have to stop the eclipse cannon and this mother has to ask her traumatized children for help to solve this mess because there is no other way.

Maddie had been the emotional pinnacle of this family for the entire 3 movies and that clearly took its toll here (more on this scene in @wherearedagrapes amazing analysis)

Maddie's inner turmoil is very understated, but the movie doesn't forget that we have a scene of her in the hospital with Tom unconscious behind her, as the cannon prepares to activate. For all Maddie knows, her children could be dead too. And she can't do anything about it because they are the only defense Earth has. That's horrible! A mother who has to accept that her children will put themselves in danger again and again. And now when ber husband is fighting for his life.

Luckily, everything works out and Maddie has her family complete again.

However, I hope that Sonic 4 brings more attention to her and the traumas that she certainly has now and develops her more in general.

Because Maddie Wachowski is amazing and deserves more love ❤️

#great post! and thanks for the plug #i love Maddie i really hope we get to see more of her in the next movie #pretzel mom #sonic movie 1 #sonic movie 2 #sonic movie 3

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