Spoiler Warnings for:
Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts: Season 1
Star Trek: Voyager: Season 3: Ep 13: Fair Trade
I'm working my way through my second watching of season 1 of Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts. If you haven't watched Kipo it's good. I love it.
There is an episode or rather scene that I'd really like to talk about.
There is a situation I see a lot in the media. It plays out different ways, but there is a certain way that it is usually handled that I find uncomfortable and possibly toxic. One member of the group will end up doing something that's not in the best interest of the group or even some cases may betray the group in some way.
In season 3 of Star Trek Voyager there is an episode where Neelix is becoming very concerned about whether or not he's going to be useful to Voyager any longer. Throughout the show it is displayed that he is accustomed to having to be useful to people. That is probably how he feels safe and secure. And now they are in a part of space where he no longer has the information they need.
He goes to the station that they're at in hopes of finding a map so he can better guide them. A very genuine desire to help his friends. He finds an old friend of his and after catching up and talking about their current situations his old friend offers an opportunity to get a map. Neelix just has to help his friend with a job that will help get him back on his feet. Neelix is led to believe that everything is above the table. However as the plot progresses he starts to feel unsure about the legitimacy of it all. But his old friends prods him to stay on course and even uses the insecurities that he divulged to his old friend to keep him from alerting anyone to the plan. Neelix finally realizes that things are not as he was led to believe when it's too late and things have already gone too far. And so now he feels torn between his allegiance to his new friends and his old. As well as the threat of permanent jail time.
He spins a plot to make everything turn out well for everyone and manages to succeed. And when faced with the captain to explain his actions afterwards he never brings up the fact that his old friend manipulated him. He doesn't bring to light that he thought everything was okay until it was too late. the way he tells the captain it almost seems as though he's letting her think that he knew he was doing criminal activity from the start.
When I saw this it sort of rang similar to a lot of things I've seen before. It seems to send a message that those feelings, those insecurities, and the trauma experienced before are not relevant. It also seems to suggest that if you are tricked into being involved in something that is also not relevant. It suggests that all of those things are a personal failing of the character. It also leads me to think that the messaging is that you should trust the people you are with implicitly.
In Kipo a situation that presents itself as a possible betrayal arises. Wolf finds the clue, a letter, Kipo’s dad left for her and at first thinks it would be the perfect birthday gift until Dave mentions that this means Kiko can go back to her burrow and forget all about them. Dave isn't the best individual to consider people's emotion. It is at that point that Wolf considers not giving the letter to Kipo. In the next episode Wolf continues to keep the letter to herself until the end of the ordeal that they go through in that episode. After which Wolf hands over the letter to Kipo. Kipo is excited until she realizes that they've been going in the wrong direction and Wolf knew this the whole time. And she becomes angry and upset. Wolf says she's sorry and Kipo demands to know why she would do this. And for probably the first time in the season Wolf is crying and emotional. She expresses that she was scared this would mean that she would lose Kipo and they would go their separate ways. Kipo forgives her. Hugs her.
The difference I find in this rather than so many of the other shows is two things. One, the anger is not drawn out for the sake of “drama.” And second, Wolf’s emotions and insecurities are valid. They are not an excuse for her to be selfish, but she is allowed to have them and express them. It was nice to see this difference.
Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts: Season 1
Star Trek: Voyager: Season 3: Ep 13: Fair Trade
I'm working my way through my second watching of season 1 of Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts. If you haven't watched Kipo it's good. I love it.
There is an episode or rather scene that I'd really like to talk about.
There is a situation I see a lot in the media. It plays out different ways, but there is a certain way that it is usually handled that I find uncomfortable and possibly toxic. One member of the group will end up doing something that's not in the best interest of the group or even some cases may betray the group in some way.
In season 3 of Star Trek Voyager there is an episode where Neelix is becoming very concerned about whether or not he's going to be useful to Voyager any longer. Throughout the show it is displayed that he is accustomed to having to be useful to people. That is probably how he feels safe and secure. And now they are in a part of space where he no longer has the information they need.
He goes to the station that they're at in hopes of finding a map so he can better guide them. A very genuine desire to help his friends. He finds an old friend of his and after catching up and talking about their current situations his old friend offers an opportunity to get a map. Neelix just has to help his friend with a job that will help get him back on his feet. Neelix is led to believe that everything is above the table. However as the plot progresses he starts to feel unsure about the legitimacy of it all. But his old friends prods him to stay on course and even uses the insecurities that he divulged to his old friend to keep him from alerting anyone to the plan. Neelix finally realizes that things are not as he was led to believe when it's too late and things have already gone too far. And so now he feels torn between his allegiance to his new friends and his old. As well as the threat of permanent jail time.
He spins a plot to make everything turn out well for everyone and manages to succeed. And when faced with the captain to explain his actions afterwards he never brings up the fact that his old friend manipulated him. He doesn't bring to light that he thought everything was okay until it was too late. the way he tells the captain it almost seems as though he's letting her think that he knew he was doing criminal activity from the start.
When I saw this it sort of rang similar to a lot of things I've seen before. It seems to send a message that those feelings, those insecurities, and the trauma experienced before are not relevant. It also seems to suggest that if you are tricked into being involved in something that is also not relevant. It suggests that all of those things are a personal failing of the character. It also leads me to think that the messaging is that you should trust the people you are with implicitly.
In Kipo a situation that presents itself as a possible betrayal arises. Wolf finds the clue, a letter, Kipo’s dad left for her and at first thinks it would be the perfect birthday gift until Dave mentions that this means Kiko can go back to her burrow and forget all about them. Dave isn't the best individual to consider people's emotion. It is at that point that Wolf considers not giving the letter to Kipo. In the next episode Wolf continues to keep the letter to herself until the end of the ordeal that they go through in that episode. After which Wolf hands over the letter to Kipo. Kipo is excited until she realizes that they've been going in the wrong direction and Wolf knew this the whole time. And she becomes angry and upset. Wolf says she's sorry and Kipo demands to know why she would do this. And for probably the first time in the season Wolf is crying and emotional. She expresses that she was scared this would mean that she would lose Kipo and they would go their separate ways. Kipo forgives her. Hugs her.
The difference I find in this rather than so many of the other shows is two things. One, the anger is not drawn out for the sake of “drama.” And second, Wolf’s emotions and insecurities are valid. They are not an excuse for her to be selfish, but she is allowed to have them and express them. It was nice to see this difference.
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