I still think the MCU multiverse thing was a waste of time, because you could have made the same point in other ways, but I think seeing how Jinx could’ve been as Powder was one of its few saving graces. It highlights her tragedy,
Up to the point that point Ekko, whom had barely interacted with them, was the only one to actually care to stop her from suicide.
I think my favorite episode of this entire season was the Ekko episode. I know multiple-universe stuff is so overdone, but hear me out. For a brief moment, Ekko was given an absolutely beautiful world. He saw things as they could have been. His dance with Powder and furball's folk music really got to me. Ekko chose to go back because
he had to. He had responsibility. Where little fur was fine with living there forever, Ekko could never give up on the people he knew he had to help. When the other Ekko is in front of him at the portal, it felt like he didn't even realize the other Ekko needed to be back as well. His focus was on what he believed was right no matter the cost. He has one of the most complete character arc this season and I hate that's the only real screen time he gets.
Then she stops having hallucinations once Isha shows up, grows depressed after her useless sacrifice, and then tries to kill herself.
Isha's sacrifice feels so fucking stupid. There's an emotional musical montage of Jinx being saved by this adopted sister that comes out of nowhere. And then she died. For fucking nothing. Ekko comes back and saves a girl who fell in love with him in another life ... and it was for
nothing.
I realize Game-o-Thones has made people cry for the gritting, harsh gut punch of removing character's plot armor. But real risk still requires some emotional reward.
And that's what really got me about Season 2. It was incredibly well produced. The art was amazing, The show kept me engaged. But it was really fast and everything felt
unearned. When I saw Vi in that tent, I could easily predict it was a double-cross .. and it was, but
why? Why the hell would police-general switch sides here. If she had an episode like Ekko's, or hell even 30 min where she was confornted with the torture Black Warrior Bitch had used against her enemies, or questioning her fanaticism ... that would be something. But no. There are so many loyalties that just flip to keep the plot progressing, and they just don't work.
I did like the Viktor/Jayce arc in a lot of ways. This felt like moral ambiguity done right. Viktor seems like an incredibly benevolent prophet. But then Jayce murders one of his aocolytes. Viktor said there was darkness in Jayce, but I immediately wondered what we missed; Viktor was being a bit too Jesus/God like .. would that be the fall? Sure it's predictable, but it didn't feel as unearned. Even if it is the classic story of the "two alchemists becoming gods" idea we see in so many other stories (Record of Lodoss War, Sea of Stars, RWBY (sorta)). In that ending I was thinking "oh please god don't let them fag out" .. and thankfully they didn't. We saw the love of two brothers, both led astray by moral complexity, coming together to sacrifice themselves to fix this one thing (why did it need sacrifice? Who cares. They kinded needed to die heros. Acceptable).
But all the other deaths and story arc conclusions felt so damn hollow. Jinx's life is saved by Ekko, and he almost rips himself apart in the fabric of time, and then nothing ... all to kill Vanderwolf and redeam herself? .. again? Nothing of her being a "big fat hero" .. none of the three factions at the end with Jinx's bluehairs following her?
I didn't rewatch Season 1, just saw a few recaps .. and I'm glad I didn't bother because they basically threw out evey basic interesting story arc for the big Marvel Endgame battle.
..and the ending has the two lesbians. Several men just died to save the world. Most of the women .. and Ekko ... survive. They could have at least bookended with a memorial like the first episode, but with less mournful tone and more heroic .. with statues of Viktor and Jayce as the hero; the friends become brothers who layed down their lives .. with Ekko looking upon it just a little too close to Jinx. Instead we get "I'm the dirt under your fingernails" from the lesbians, not even morning all the people they had lost.
The production was so good, the music incredible, the art beautiful and yet ever emotional feeling I had felt
unearned. Like they stole heartfelt moments with a emotional music but shallow story.
Questions (I have so many)
- Who actually called the funeral hit? It seemed like it was implied black warrior bitch was the one who secretly ordered it and then defeated it for her gain? Is that ever explained? Why is there zero dialog between the girls about the funerl massacar?
- Was there an episode in season 1 where Ekko was out of character (where other-world Ekko would have swapped in?) I vagely thought there was .. that would have been a great foreshadowing (like the mage in the blizzard who gives Jayce the rune being Viktor, or the alchemist taking Vander's body).
- Did furball kick the other version of him into another universe? I thought he said "See you in a week" implying he knew he'd go back to that world, but maybe I misheard it. There's no season 3, so his story just kinda ... ends
I really liked season 1. I was entertained by season 2, but it just really didn't sit right with me.
