fandomsecrets | [ SECRET POST #2137 ]

⌈ Secret Post #2137 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.

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Notes:

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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I can see your point about overkill, yes. I actually enjoy Starscream's buttmonkeydom, to be honest, but that's a matter of taste; and I agree that there's a fine line, and TFP doesn't always know where it stands on that, I think. I love the show as a whole, but I do think that sometimes it doesn't know where in the "light-hearted vs. dark" balance it stands. So I can see how it can get annoying.

I guess that part of the reason that I'm not surprised or bothered by this is that I don't really expect the cartoon continuities to fall very far on the serious side. We've got the comics for the more serious, politics-focused versions. The cartoons go more for the "played for laughs" side, even when there's a lot of darkness in the background - look at the third season of TFA, por example. I think that's a really clever move from Hasbro, to be honest, that the different 'verses also have different tones. More people buying stuff, heh.

Also, wow, we've just had a civil and reasoned conversation about Starscream. I think my faith in this fandom just went up.

I actually enjoy Starscream's buttmonkeydom, to be honest, but that's a matter of taste;

I would enjoy it as occasional comic relief (or as fatal-flaw-arrogance plot points SOMETIMES), but I am not a fan of it in general. I prefer badass- competent-queen Screamer.

TFP doesn't always know where it stands on that, I think. I love the show as a whole, but I do think that sometimes it doesn't know where in the "light-hearted vs. dark" balance it stands.

I agree. I don't like that inconsistency at all, though I truly love TFP and am generally quite impressed with it.

I guess that part of the reason that I'm not surprised or bothered by this is that I don't really expect the cartoon continuities to fall very far on the serious side.

Makes sense. I'm surprised and bothered to some extent because the darker, more serious tone makes me expect a stepped-up game. As does the age of many of us in the fandom -- they really aren't, to my mind, JUST writing for kids any more.

And a big part of this is a personal thing about me. I'm a very, very big fan of (many) Megatron(s) and I take that more seriously than I probably should. (I occasionally have someone call him Buckethead in my fics precisely to remind myself not to take it all so seriously sometimes.) I mean, he's a villain, and I don't like seeing that minimized, and yes, I know he's not exactly the best written villain ever anyway. But I much prefer versions of him that are regal and imposing and inspiring and Lawful Evil, like TFA Megatron or Megatron in the Origin comics.

So I'm torn about his crazy (and about how he's often depicted treating Starscream. I have no problem with creepy discipline that's kinda twisted -- he is a villain and a dictator, after all -- but endless abuse portrayed really darkly disappoints me.) It messes with something core to how I see him -- but it's also believable, understandable, and not a re-hash of something someone else did (well, that isn't true exactly either -- it's Galvatron, just not all at once.) I can deal with it in small doses, particularly if there's a reason behind it that I can understand. Like his obsession with Optimus -- that's personal and understandable to me, and I can see it being a place for a sanity-crack. I can also see the dark energon thing up to a point -- it could be part-obsession and part "high risk high reward" leading him to court crazy. But the flat out nuts stuff? That disappoints me. I don't LIKE Galvatron, goddamn it. ;-)

So to me, there are things I like about it very much but there are also calls I wouldn't make. And when I feel those calls are coupled with weak or unclear plot or writing, I feel disappointed, even though I love the show. I hope that makes sense.

Also, wow, we've just had a civil and reasoned conversation about Starscream.

Yeah, I noticed that too. *gives us a prize* XD

I think my faith in this fandom just went up.

I think part of it's that this isn't Tumblr, but my age or my bias might be showing ;-)

Ah, well, there goes taste again. I adore cartoon!G1!Starscream the same way I adore Wile E Coyote. I think it was a very good call, given TFP's tone, that he isn't always like that and he only reaches those extremes when he's already freaking out. But I do like Prime's balance. He's there to be played for laughs for a while, and then all of a sudden he does something scarily clever and competent and reminds everyone of how dangerous he really is. But, then again, that's all subjective.

they really aren't, to my mind, JUST writing for kids any more.
Not just for kids, definitely. The references alone prove it. We're still not the main target demographic, though, and while "it's for kids" certainly doesn't excuse bad or inconsistent writing, there are conventions of the genre that we're going to have to live with. I highly doubt they'll ever go really serious. (And I like that better than the darkness of the comics, but that's just me.)

But I much prefer versions of him that are regal and imposing and inspiring and Lawful Evil, like TFA Megatron or Megatron in the Origin comics.
Oh, I see how this particular Megatron might annoy you then. I get the feeling that TFP!Megatron is pretty much G1!Megatron taken seriously - it's not the eighties anymore so he's not that over-the-top, and thankfully we don't have to deal with "status quo is god" anymore, but the temper and, well, some of the flat out nuts too.

Haha, as much as I love Tumblr for the shiny, it's pretty terrible for this kind of discussion.

[ SECRET POST #2137 ]

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