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My Spoiler Review for Steven Universe: The Movie

Six years and five seasons since it started, and Steven Universe is an undisputed global phenomenon. It’s easy to see ehy: great characters, catchy songs and dances, and as I said in my article on the subject, it’s done a lot to help LGBT portrayals in kids cartoons. Now it’s got a hit musical film that everyone’s been talking about.

Quick Warning: there are going to spoilers ahead. So if you haven’t seen the movie, then read my spoiler free review and go see the movie.

Last Warning. Good

Two years have passed, and life’s going great for Steven Universe. The Diamonds are learning to be nicer, the uncorrupted Gems are building a home on Earth, and peace reigns across the galaxy. It seems like Steven’s days of dealing with his mom’s (many) mistakes are done.

That’s when mysterious, yet silly, new Gem called Spinel shows up, and she’s got a grudge with Pink Diamond. Before Steven can react, this new Gem’s uses a mysterious weapon to poof the Crystal Gems. When they come back out, they have none of their memories: they’re basically reset to default mode. Worse, Steven has no control over his powers at all, and there’s a giant drill pumping death poison into the planet. Now Steven has to get his friends to remember who they are and save the world, while singing!

New Look to an Old Trope

While the amnesia story may not seem wholly original, it works well considering how it’s Steven Universe. Rebecca Sugar got the idea after she accidentally reset her smartphone back in 2015. Losing her early work for the show and the photos she took with the crew made her realize how big a role our experiences play in molding who we are. Without them, we see that the Crystal Gems have little to distinguish them from the rest of Gemkind.

Luckily, Steven realizes, with some help from a now-reset Spinel, that the key is to recreate the pivotal moments in the Gems lives. It makes the movie feel like a pseudo-microcosm of the show, reminding us of where the characters started from and just how much they’ve changed in five seasons.

At its heart, I think there are two themes at the heart of Steven Universe: love, and the many forms it takes, and change. Before Steven, Gem Society was more or less static, as unchanging as the Gems were un-aging. Steven’s a Gem that can grow and change and be who he wants, which makes him so revolutionary. He’s what drives the Crystal Gems and eventually all of Gem Society to change. The movie’s a condensed version of the impact he’s had on his friends, how they’ve impacted him , and changed for the better since the show began.

Pokes A Hole in The Show’s Idealism

Steven Universe has always portrayed change as a positive thing, something to make people better. This movie pokes a giant hole in that logic with its villain, Spinel. Once a happy-go-lucky Gem, she was Pink Diamond’s best friend and playmate. When Pink got Earth, though, she didn’t just abandon her: she lied and told her to stand still until she came back. So when she found out Pink started her new life on Earth with new friends, and now no longer existed, she’s mad. So she decides to get revenge on Pink’s other friends and her son.

The show’s made it clear that Pink Diamond/Rose Quartz made a lot of mistakes and did some bad things, but this takes the cake. Steven even admits that it’s something his mom would do. Then he ends up almost doing the exact same thing. He gets Spinel to stop the drill, but then ignores her. He’s too focused on his happily ever after, and Spinel even calls him out on his selfishness.

For all the show’s focus on change, Steven’s ironically fallen into the same trap the Diamonds were in. By the time of the film, he wants things to stay that way forever. He forgot what it means to change, and thus screws up with Spinel. That almost costs him everything.

Steven Universe: The Movie’s Lesson

That, to me, is the ultimate lesson of Steven Universe: The Movie. No matter how perfect things may get, things won’t stay the same forever. Once Steven accepts that, and that there may always new hardships on the horizon, he gets his powers back.

The movie then ends how’d you expect. Spinel’s redeemed and the Diamonds adopt her since they see so much of Pink in her, Steven and the others rebuild Beach City, and everyone accepts that there will always be more challenges ahead. And I think they’re fine with that, just like I am.

Steven Universe could’ve easily ended with A Battle of Heart and Mind with everyone getting their happily ever after. Steven Universe: The Movie shows the world, though, that Rebecca Sugar and the crew are not only willing to continue the show, but they’re willing to try new things. Rebecca Sugar has more adventures planned.

Bottom line, I loved this movie, I’d pay money to see it adapted onto Broadway, and I want to see it won an Emmy next year.

I Give “Steven Universe: The Movie” a 5/5.

In one week’s time, Cartoon Network will premiere the long-awaited film Steven Universe: The Movie. Based on their now legendary show, this movie promises to be every bit as exciting and emotional as the show.

Cartoon Network’s well aware how important Steven Universe is to them, so they’ve been pulling out all the stops to promote this movie. They even let Toonami make the trailer we just saw, and Toonami’s technically a part of Adult Swim now. That shows how much this means to them. And yes, TOM, you did do the show more than enough justice. It emphasizes how much like an anime Rebecca Sugar’s hit show is.

Two years have passed since the events of Battle of Heart and Mind, and Earth is at peace. Steven’s helped to dismantle the Gem Empire, and the Gems of Earth are moving on with their lives. Everything seems perfect. Then a new Gem that looks like Jenny from Teenage Robot mixed with rubber hose shows up and starts wrecking everything! Hero time!

A Cartoon For a Generation

I may not be as enthusiastic a fan of Steven Universe as others, but I appreciate what the show stands for. I even gave it the top spot in my list of best depictions of LGBT in animation. I found it impossible to do otherwise. Years from now, I hope that historians will look back on this cartoon and see it as one of the most important cartoons of the 21st century. It’s universal messages on love and kindness resonate with millions and help people around the world. That’s something we need now more than ever in this world.

Plus, it has a lot influence from anime, and that shows how anime now rules the world.

In short, I am looking forward to this film. Just like how last year gave us the end to Adventure Time’s run on TV, this Labor Day will give us the next chapter in Steven Universe. Grab your cheeseburger backpacks, everyone!

A Look Back on Rocko’s Modern Life and it’s importance

My fellow 90s kids and lovers of classic Nickelodeon, tomorrow is a momentous day. Joe Murray’s classic Nicktoon, Rocko’s Modern Life, shall make it’s return on Netflix. If the trailers are anything to go by, it’s going to have all the slapstick, satire, and adult jokes fans will remember. As a 90s kid, I feel I should be more excited about this, but I have a confession to make. I didn’t like Rocko as much as I could have as a kid.

I was born in the middle of the 1990s, so I was too young to watch the show when it was actually airing. By the time I graduated from Nick Jr. to Nickelodeon proper, all that they had were reruns. When I watched them, though, most of the jokes flew over my head, and by the time I was old enough to understand them, Rocko’s Modern Life had gone off the air.

Despite this, the years have given me a greater appreciation for the show for its satirization of our culture. The show’s setting of O-Town is basically a jab at the commercialization of everything in the 90s. Again, I don’t remember much, so I have to take others word for it. Or do I?

Camp Lazlo

Despite my limited childhood connection to Rocko, much of my appreciation for it comes from another show Murray did, Camp Lazlo.

Premiering on Cartoon Network in summer of 2005, it was a show about three best friends, Lazlo, Raj, and Clam, who spend their summer as Bean Scouts in Camp Kidney. I fell in love with this show as a kid, and, for a time, it was one of my favorite cartoons. I also noticed that it used a lot of the jokes and music from another show I liked, Spongebob Squarepants.

In hindsight, this observation makes sense. After Rocko’s Modern Life got cancelled, a good chunk of its actors and staff moved to work on Spongebob. According to Murray, they kept in touch, and when Lazlo got green lit, they jumped on board.

As a result, Camp Lazlo had a lot of its predecessor in its DNA. The actors, the writing style, the comedy of Rocko’s were all there. In many ways, it was like the second coming of Rocko’s Modern Life. Albeit, it’s one that toned down the adult jokes. It was a fun show, but then Cartoon Network pulled the plug on it in 2008. According to Murray, he ticked the executives off by refusing to appear in a commercial for McDonald’s or something.

Murray’s Uphill Battle

That wasn’t the first time Joe Murray faced issues. According to Vanity Fair, his dad didn’t approve of his desire to be an artist. I’m convinced that this led to him creating Ralph Bighead, the cartoonist and estranged son of Mr. and Mrs. Bighead on the show. He even voiced Ralph himself.

It gets worse. Around the time production of Rocko’s Modern Life got his wife Diane committed suicide. For a time, Murray blamed Rocko for what happened. He eventually got therapy, though, and working on his show helped. Then, when he started Camp Lazlo, he got a divorce from his second wife. Ouch.

Yet despite all the hardship, Murray never let it truly break him. He did everything he could to make sure that his team could have the freedom to do what they wanted. They worked at their own separate studio , and Murray’s contract ensured that none of the executives from Nickelodeon could show up unannounced. As a result, the team behind the show worked in an environment that was essentially controlled, light-hearted anarchy.

After reading all of this, I can’t help but respect Joe Murray, both as a person and a creator. He created the kind of work environment that I would have loved being in. I think because of this, many of the people who worked on Rocko’s Modern Life went on to make a big splash in pop culture.

Impact of Rocko’s Modern Life

As crazy as it may sounds, cartoons as we know them today may not be the same without Rocko’s Modern Life. Many of the team members have gone on to work on several highly successful cartoons, from the adult animation on Fox, to Cartoon Network, and of course, for Nickelodeon. Dan Povenmire and Jeff “Swampy” Marsh, who got their starts on Rocko, have gone on to create Phineas and Ferb and Milo Murphy’s Law. Phineas and Ferb was one of my favorite cartoons on Disney Channel for years, you know!

In terms of cultural impact, Rocko started the careers of two highly successful comedians, Carlos Alazraqui and Tom Kenny. Carlos’ got some pretty high-profile roles and a steady number of minor ones. As for Tom Kenny, there’s not enough time in the day. The guys practically voice acting royalty. He may be best known for playing Spongebob, but he’s got a lot of other big roles under his belt.

Speaking of Spongebob, we wouldn’t have Spongebob without Rocko. Stephen Hillenberg was the creative director of the show, and took most of the reins when Murray wanted to step back. After Rocko got the axe, Stephen went on to pitch Spongebob Squarepants. A lot of Rocko’s team joined him, and the rest is animation history.

That Was a Hoot!

So, while I may not get the level of nostalgia as some fans, that doesn’t mean I don’t see the value of this show. It left a big impact on the animation industry and helped make it what it is today. I’m looking forward to seeing Rocko’s Modern Life: Static Cling first thing in the morning. You can bet that I’ll be doing a review of it, too! It’s gonna be a hoot!

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Sword Art Online: Alicization Review/Recap, Episode 4

Remember how I had said that Sword Art Online: Alicization was going to be a slow burn? Well, a slow-moving story can be worth it as long as the payoff is worth it. As this episode of Sword Art Online shows, the payoff comes in the form of epic fight scenes. Say what you will about SAO, the fight scenes are always awesome.

LINK START!!

Recap

We pick up where the last episode left off: a horde of goblins about to fight Kirito and Eugeo, and Eugeo scared out of his mind. Given everything that Kirito’s been through, this is like another day at the office.

Kirito then comes up with a plan: he fights the boss, while Eugeo deals with the small fry. The fight that follows lives up to the standards that the show sets.

Quick note: unlike previous VRMMO’s, Underworld is meant to be as close to our world as possible. That means when people get cut with swords, they bleed. When they get their arms cut off, they bleed a lot. Just like that goblin leader when Kirito cuts his arm off.

Another quick note: pain is very much a thing in Underworld, and Kirito’s at a disadvantage here. He’s been playing VRMMO’s for so long, he hasn’t experienced pain in a while. When that goblin slashes Kirito across the chest, he is in agony.

Fortunately, Eugeo finally finds his courage and distracts the head goblin, but is mortally wounded in the process. Enraged, Kirito manages to decapitate the guy. The rest of the goblins quickly retreat.

After freeing Selka, she then leads Kiritio in performing an incredibly risky sacred art : transfer their life into Eugeo to keep him from dying. It manages to work, but just before Kirito passes out, he hears a voice. It’s Alice, telling him that she’s waiting for him and Eugeo at the top of the central cathedral in the capital of Centoria.

A few days later, Eugeo and Kirito are back on their feet, and Kirito tries out Blue Rose again. He leveled up from that fight before, so now he can use the sword. And it takes a chunk of life out of the Gigas Cedar!

Eugeo then begs Kirito to train him as a swordsman so he can bring back Alice, and he readily agrees. He also dubs his sword style “Aincrad Style”.

One training montage later, Eugeo can handle Blue Rose like a pro, and just like that, that giant tree’s chopped down. The whole village celebrates! And, in a convenient plot device, Eugeo is now free to choose a new sacred task. He goes with the swordsman, and so Kirito and Eugeo depart for Centoria to become master swordsmen and bring back Alice.

Review

As I said before, the fights in Sword Art Online, however brief they may be at times, can be worth the wait. I’ve read the light novels, so trust me when I say that this was just a warm-up. The second half of the season is going to have some Dragonball Z level fighting.

It was a good warm-up, though. The choreography was good, the pacing and animation met the standards the show has set, and the music was on point. You know it’s going to be good when they start using a remix of swordland.

On that note, though, I do have something I want to discuss: are they overusing swordland? I know that it’s one of the best songs in the show’s soundtrack; it always has. When you hear it, it conveys a purpose, letting the audience know that this fight is going to be good. But it seems like they are using it a little too often now. When they were healing Eugeo, I swear I could hear a soft instrumental remix of it playing.

I like the song, but don’t rely on it exclusively or else its going to get really old really fast.

Also, Selka, why would you go into the mountains on your own? I get that you were trying to prove to yourself that you’re not Alice, but trying to do what got her in trouble isn’t going to help that argument. At least she admits tbat she’ll find her own way of surpassing Alice through the Sacred Arts. She’s got latent talent, so I’ll give her that.

The only other gripe I have about this episode is that they missed a few scenes that were in the light novel. They say the goblins were supposed to fight amongst themselves to determine a new leader, but we never see that. Also, I remember reading that Eugeo announces he’s going to be a swordsman, that jerk guard fights him for it. He doesn’t even show up here. I think it was a wasted chance to see a jerk get clobbered. I don’t even remember his name at this point.

Actually, according to the wiki, there was a lot of creative liberty taken with this episode. There are a lot of differences for each of the previous episodes that I never even knew. Them’s the breaks for not reading the first half of the arc.

So, in the end, this episode was at least 40% action, and 60% dialogue and moving the plot forward. Since this is just the first fight, though, I will give it a pass. I just hope that the fights continue to get better as time goes on.

I Give “Departure” a 3.5/5

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*The following was originally published on FANDOM. Due to the FANDOM Contributor Program being shut down, it has been copied and moved to my blog. Thank you!

Well, homies, we all knew this day was coming: Adventure Time is clocking out. After eight years, the Adventure Time series finale finally premiered. It may seem sad now, but it has been a sweet ride. The show has had its highs and lows, but it has left us with so many good memories.

Adventure Time has given us moments on both ends of the emotional spectrum. From moments that made us laugh or start crying, we got plenty of great memories from this show. So, whether you’ve already watched the finale or are preparing to get blown away, here are seven mathematical moments from Adventure Time.

FINN BEATS THE LICH, MORTAL FOLLY

While Finn and Jake have fought bad biscuits like Ice King and the villains of the week, The Lich was a game-changer. The sole goal of this dark necromancer was the destruction of all life in existence. In Jake’s own words, he was the duos “first saving the world deal.”

While Finn and Jake would face The Lich several times in the show, nothing beats their first battle. The sight of Finn overcoming his mind control through sheer will and feelings for Bubblegum was impressive enough. Watching him use Bubblegum’s sweater to destroy The Lich, though, was flippin’ awesome!

UNACCEPTABLE!, TOO YOUNG

Before there was Rick and Morty, there was the Earl of Lemongrab. Justin Roiland first brought his voice for Lemongrab in the episode “Too Young,” and the fans loved it. As a result, the sour, neurotic Lemongrab became a recurring regular on Adventure Time.

While Lemongrab’s scenes are always bloobaloobie, nothing beats his first appearance. Seeing the state Bubblegum’s Castle is in, Lemongrab screams his now-famous catchphrase. That iconic moment is forever in the annals of internet meme-dom. We love you Lemongrab, even if you do act like a dingus.

ICE KING’S ORIGINS, HOLLY JOLLY SECRETS PART II

At the start of Adventure Time, Ice King was Finn and Jake’s main enemy. As the show went on, though, Ice King went from being a villain to their, sort-of, ding-dong friend. That transition started with this essential dramabomb about the Ice King’s origins.

An old VHS tape shows Finn and Jake, and the audience, the story of Simon Petrikov. Seeing Simon’s transformation into the Ice King is a massive revelation to everyone. Later episodes build on this backstory, revealing Ice King has almost no memory of his past. Ice King thus goes from villain to tragic figure, and this was the moment where it started.

FINN MEETS FLAME PRINCESS,INCENDIUM

When Finn became sad about his crush on Bubblegum, Jake tried setting him up with Flame Princess. He freaks out over her volatile personality, though, and she chases him back to the Tree House. Once there, she slaps Finn and storms out in anger. Stunned, Finn stands there and says, “Dude, I think I have a crush.”

This brief moment was a significant milestone in Finn’s development as he begins moving on from Bubblegum. Taking an interest in a girl his age is a clear sign that he is growing up and as a character. Giving Finn a girlfriend opened up many new story opportunities for the writers. Finn and Flame Princess were an enjoyable couple to watch, too … until Finn blew it, man.

FINN LOSES HIS ARM, ESCAPE FROM THE CITADEL

When Finn learns his human dad is alive, he and Jake go to meet him in the season six premiere. Too bad, though, that Finn’s dad is a total butt who bails on him first chance he gets. When Finn tries to stop him, he not only fails but also loses his arm in the process.

This was the moment in Adventure Time that made us all go “oh my glob!” Viewers had never seen Finn fail like this before or look so defeated. While Finn does get his arm back, he spends the rest of the season sorting out his feelings about his dad. To be honest, though, he is better off without that deadbeat.

LSP SAVES OOO, SKYHOOKS II

An unlikely hero saves Ooo in one of its craziest hours. After an elemental spell goes awry, Ooo’s split between the elements of Fire, Ice, Candy, and Slime. Yet, Lumpy Space Princess is one of the few unaffected by the elemental magic. This is because she is the anti-elemental, which can cancel out elemental magic.

With Finn and Ice King’s help, LSP uses her lumpy powers to boss Ooo back to normal. This moment is so algebraic because it gives us one of the best quotes in the entire show: “Clam your face, you noid!” More than that, this moment and the events leading up to it have lasting consequences for Ooo.

GUMBALD AND FERN ARE BACK,SEVENTEEN

When a green knight crashes Finn’s seventeenth birthday, two shocking revelations occur. First, the knight is actually Finn’s doppelganger, Fern, back from the dead. Second, Bubblegum’s Uncle Gumbald has returned from imprisonment.

These two revelations not only shock Finn and Bubblegum but set Gumbald and Fern up as the show’s final villains. While it is not relevant to the plot right away, it moves the show towards its grand finale. Now, all that’s left is an all-out war between Bubblegum and Gumbald for the fate of Ooo.

For those who do not want to say goodbye to Adventure Time yet, don’t worry. Starting in October, Boom! Studios will be continuing the story in comic book form. Finn, Jake, and all our favorites will be sticking around for a while.

*The following was originally published on FANDOM. Due to the FANDOM Contributor Program being shut down, it has been copied and moved to my blog. Thank you!

Can you remember the last time a DC film was good? Of course not. Aside from Wonder Woman, they haven’t made a good film since The Dark Knight Rises. With so many bad films lately, the last thing you’d expect to succeed would be DC’s latest film, Teen Titans Go! To the Movies. Yet, it manages to do just that.

Teen Titans Go! gets a lot of hate from the original show’s fans for being immature and childish. Still, its movie has a 91% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, compared to Justice League’s 40% rating. So, how is that possible, and what can the DCEU learn from the success of Teen Titans Go! To the Movies? They can learn a lot.

BETTER PLOT, SHORTER MOVIES

The DCEU’s films are long, each running more than two hours. When films are that long, pacing can be an issue. While good writing can make a movie worth the length, this was not the case with Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Fans would have forgiven the two-and-a-half-hour runtime if the titular fight was worth it. Spoiler alert: it wasn’t.

The premise for their fight in the film is flimsy at best. Batman’s tricked into thinking Superman’s a threat, while Superman’s blackmailed. It lacks the sheer excitement fans would expect from this clash of titans. Worse still, the whole fight gets overshadowed by the battle with Doomsday.

In contrast, Teen Titans Go! To the Movies is far shorter, at less than 90 minutes with a more focused plot. Since the whole movie is about the Titans learning to be themselves, each scene builds on that lesson. This culminates in the final fight where Robin admits that the Titans may be goofs, yet they’re still heroes. Combine that lesson with the Titans kicking Slade’s butt, and the audience enjoys a more significant payoff.

What the DCEU can learn from the plot and length of Teen Titans Go! To the Movies is that they can tell a good story in less time and with less content. Batman v Supermantried adding too much material, and it left fans with a confusing story. By the time the actual fight between Batman and Superman comes around, you wish the movie was over! Compared to that, Batman and Robin feels like an Oscar-winner.

STOP TRYING TO WORLDBUILD

DC had wanted to do Justice League so badly that it made the DCEU run before it knew how to walk. They crammed a gang of characters into each film but didn’t take the time to develop them. Zack Snyder thought that adding a bunch of famous heroes would be enough, and it backfired on him. The result? The DCEU is an unsatisfying mess.

Unlike Justice League or Batman vs. Superman, Teen Titans Go! To the Movies doesn’t try to worldbuild because it knows that it would be a waste of time. Fitting into a larger universe means conforming to pre-existing plots, which limits creative freedom. Not having to worry about that means Teen Titans Go! To the Movies has more time to focus on making sure the film entertains the audience. The result is a standalone film that is fun to watch.

Teen Titans Go! To the Movies is a wake-up call to DC: they need to stop trying to force together a shared universe. Instead, they should focus on ensuring their films can stand on their own at the box office and with critics. If enough standalone films are a success, then DC can consider more crossover films down the road.

DON’T BE AFRAID TO LIGHTEN UP

A big problem with the DCEU thus far is how it is so dark — almost depressing — in its tone. It feels like DC injected Batman’s darkness into its other films in the hopes of recreating that success. Instead of success, though, audiences watched overly-edgy, complex stories with bad ratings.

The DC films don’t need to be as dark and as heavy as an ordinary Batman film, and Teen Titans Go! To the Movies shows what they can do instead. Even if it’s at their own expense or makes them look like goofs, the Titans aren’t afraid of making viewers laugh. Besides, if they like prank calling Superman or pooping in a prop toilet, that doesn’t make them any less of heroes.

The DC films have tried being dark and gritty, and that hasn’t worked out as well as they hoped. So instead of doing that, DC should try to inject some humor into their films. It doesn’t have to be to the extent of Teen Titans Go! To the Movies, but throwing in some snappy comebacks and one-liners can take the edge off a tense scene. Finding the balance between the Titans and Batman is what DC needs right now.

Despite how goofy it can be, Teen Titans Go! To the Movies has enough charm, humor, and self-confidence to work as a stand-alone film. DC should take note of this animated film’s success and see what its fans are looking for in a movie.

*The following was originally published on FANDOM. Due to the FANDOM Contributor Program being shut down, it has been copied and moved to my blog. Thank you!

No matter how good a show is, it needs to come to an end, lest it ends up like The Simpsons. When that end finally arrives, it’s essential that the finale gives viewers a sense of closure. With that in mind, here are five cartoons that perfectly illustrate how to wrap up a show. The writers of The Sopranos and Lost should take notes!

PHINEAS AND FERB

The writers of the hit Disney show Phineas and Ferb end summer with a bang in the series finale, “The Last Day of Summer.” On the final day of summer vacation, Candacefails to bust her brothers for the final time. When she activates Doofenshmirtz‘s Do-Over-Inator, though, it causes the day to repeat itself. The resulting time loops erase things from existence, so the gang works to fix time before it’s too late.

The plot is reminiscent of Groundhog Day, with a twist. It also serves as a reminder that, as fun as some points in our life can be, we need to move on from them. Still, it can make for good memories, as in the final moments of the show, the cast sings a final song recapping the show. Seeing the cast sing about their adventures with clips of old episodes was the best “thank you” the show could give its fans.

ED, EDD N EDDY

Cartoon Network’s longest-running show, Ed, Edd n Eddy, got its send-off in the film, “Ed, Edd n Eddy’s Big Picture Show.” When the Eds‘ biggest scam ever goes wrong, the trio flees for their lives. The entire cast then goes on a road trip in pursuit of the Eds, while the Eds look for Eddy’s brother to ask for safety.

Two things make “Big Picture Show” the perfect send-off for the show: staying true to the series and character growth. Even though the film takes the Eds beyond the Cul-De-Sac, it remains true to the slapstick comedy that defined Ed, Edd n Eddy. It also shows the Eds actually developing as people and moving past their faults. By the end of the film, the trio’s bond has grown, and, in a happy ending, they win what they’ve always wanted — the friendship of the other kids.

REGULAR SHOW

How does a show that deals with crazy and surreal adventures end its run? By having the cast take part in an epic fight to save the universe. In Regular Show‘s series finale, Mordecai, Rigby, Pops, and all the park regulars battle Pops’ evil twin, Anti-Pops. The fight is filled with plenty of callbacks to the show’s run and leaves viewers guessing to the very end.

While we missed out on seeing Titan Pops fuse with the Hyperduck Mecha, the finale’s climax makes up for it. Its final minutes return to the first episode as reality falls apart. The icing on the cake, though, is the montage we get of the cast moving on with their lives set to David Bowie’s “Heroes.” Good show, Regular Show. Jolly good show.

GRAVITY FALLS

Dipper, Mabel, and the residents of Gravity Falls face Bill Cipher in Gravity Falls‘ finale. While “Weirdmageddon 3: Take Back the Falls” does stumble for a moment by wasting the potential of the zodiac, the rest of the episode makes up for it. From the Shacktronfight to Stan sacrificing his mind to destroy Bill, there’s plenty of action for all.

Like most great finales, Gravity Falls ties up most loose ends. Unlike most finales, though, the end credits reveal one final surprise for fans in the form of a scavenger hunt. Fans took to the road and social media to find clues leading to the location of a real-life statue of Bill Cipher. Way to throw the fans a bone, Alex Hirsch!

AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER

For three years, Avatar: The Last Airbender built up to this moment. With the arrival of Sozin’s Comet, Aang would finally face Fire Lord Ozai and end his war of conquest. No one knew what to expect from the finale. How would the final battle play out? Would Aang have to kill the Fire Lord? The answers exceeded everyone’s expectations in the four-part finale, “Sozin’s Comet.”

Almost everything about the finale was in perfect harmony. Every major character got a moment in the spotlight, the humor mixed well with serious moments, and the fights were amazing. While some called the way Aang defeated Ozai a cop-out, it was the only method that didn’t involve killing, and it was true to Aang’s character.

“Sozin’s Comet” may not have been perfect, but it is as close to an ideal finale as a show can get. Critics and fans heaped praise on it, with one review saying it deserves an Academy Award. Even the questions that it didn’t have time to resolve get dealt with in the graphic novel sequels. “Sozin’s Comet” is an example of how to do a series finale the right way, and shows should use it as an example of such. Plus, Aang and Katara finally become a couple — #KataangForLife.

Ed Edd n Eddy’s Hanky Panky Hullabaloo

Ahh, Valentine’s Day. The day of love and romance, of Cupid and Eros and candied hearts and couples! As a kid growing up, though, I was never really that into Valentine’s Day.

Perhaps it’s because for the longest time, longer than most boys, I held on to the notion that girls were “bleah”. Maybe it’s because I never had the time to form a meaningful, romantic relationship with someone. It could be a lot of reasons, but I’m still not that into it. Once I find that special someone, though, that might change.

Until then, though, I can always cheer myself up by watching some Valentine’s Day Specials. And next to the Spongebob Squarepants Valentine’s Day Special, the one I remember the most is (drumroll)… Ed Edd n Eddy’s Hanky Panky Hullabaloo!

If you saw my post on it, then you know that Ed Edd n Eddy was one of my favorite shows as a kid; and that my folks banned me from watching it. But when I saw that they were doing a Valentine’s Day Special, I decided to watch it anyway. I still got in trouble, but I’m not sorry and I don’t regret it.

Basic Plot

It’s Valentine’s Day at the Ed’s school, and they’re celebrating it in their own ways. Eddy tries to use the holiday to get attention from girls; Double Dee’s handing out science-themed Valentine’s Day Cards to his classmates. As for Ed, he’s doing his best to avoid “yucky, squishy, mushy girls”. Which is bad for him, since May Kanker asks him to be her Valentine. Here is Ed’s response:

Normally, I wouldn’t blame Ed for running away from a Kanker Sister, but I can’t help but feel bad for May this time. You can tell that she was making a heartfelt effort to reach out to Ed, and he trampled over her. Both metaphorically and very literally.

Feeling sorry for her despite the trouble the Kankers give them, Double Dee gives May one of his Valentine’s Day Cards, leaving her confused. Then, things get weird.

Unknown to most of the cast, these two little cupids that resemble Jimmy and Sarah are flying around to spread love for Valentine’s Day. They hit May with an arrow, and bam! She’s in love with Double Dee. Soon after, Double Dee gets hit, too, causing him to fall for May. Hilarity ensues as the unlikely couple enjoys the holiday while the remaining Eds and Kankers almost go to war over what’s happening!

Review

Two things made this special so memorable to me: the comedy and the way it portrays Valentine’s Day.

As a kid, I loved the comedy in Ed Edd n’ Eddy. The over-the-top slapstick that can range from faces burning up from hot sauce to Ed dropping a house on Eddy, it always made me laugh. This special is no exception. Aside from Ed trampling May, another great slapstick moment is the confrontation between the Eds and Kankers. I’ve rarely seen food fights that epic.

The other half of the comedy comes from the characters dealing with Valentine’s Day. Rather, it comes from two character’s refusal to have anything to do with Valentine’s Day: Ed and Rolf.

Ed pulls out all the stops to keep girls away from him: Eating raw onions, bags on his head, spiders, the works. He wants nothing to with the holiday, and he avoids it in a manner that a kid would, with comedic results. He represents the people in life who will avoid this day like the plague, with humorous results.

While Ed’s reactions to Valentine’s Day are hilarious, Rolf just looks at the holiday with disgust. He can’t stand how overly mushy and affectionate everyone gets on February 14th and it grosses him out to no end. Sad to say it, but at times, I am in Rolf’s boat. I appreciate the value of love, both to friends and family and to a romantic partner, but there’s a limit to how much I can take. Especially when it’s coming from a couple that, by all accounts, shouldn’t even be possible!

Just looking at how lovey-dovey they makes me wanna puke.

Which brings me to the other thing I liked about this special. Rather, what I liked to hate: the cupids, or as I call them, the Stupid Cupids.

As a kid, I hated these two because they represented romance. I still hate them, but for entirely different reasons. Despite my disdain for them, I think that they were a really great touch. Having two supernatural creatures to explain how Double Dee and May suddenly fall for each other is a creative way of getting the plot to make sense. It’s made even funnier, though, when you think of how they used Sarah and Jimmy to play the Cupids. Jimmy is sweet enough, but Sarah? Ed’s rude, obnoxious, spoiled little sister?!? The irony is hilarious.

As for why I hate them now, though, it’s simple: they are the worst cupids I have ever seen! They choose to pair up Double Dee and May in the hopes of spreading love, but it brings about chaos!

Their solution is even worse, though. They decide to simply hit everyone with love arrows, resulting in everyone pairing up in couples straight out of fanfiction. I just looked it up on TV Tropes, and they call it a “crack pairing”-

Shipping beyond all bounds of sanity. There are official couples, there are couples drawn from more-or-less subjective subtext, and there are clearly non-canon pairings that still kind of make sense… and then there are pairings that make you go “What?”

Crack pairings range from the making-you-scratch-your-head-in-puzzlement weird, to the gouging-your-own-eyes-out-with-a-fork weird. But they always leave you asking “WHY WOULD ANYBODY THINK THESE TWO BELONGED TOGETHER?!”

Thankfully, the day is saved thanks to the efforts of one brave boy, the savior of Peach Creek Jr. High, the one guy who was smart enough to stand up and say enough is enough: Rolf. I’m not going to even write anything. I’m just gonna play the clip and show his heroism in action:

And thus, the stupid cupids were defeated and sanity was restored. That was one of my favorite moments from the show, hands down.

In the end, the spell is broken thanks to Rolf, and life returns to normal, but with a few happy memories for Double Dee. As the Eds deal with the aftermath while cleaning the hallway, Ed manages to make a surprisingly insightful comment about love. Well, I thought it was insightful:

Love is like an onion, Double D. The more you peel away its layers, the more it stinks.

Yeah, love does stink at times, there’s no denying that. It may not always last, or even lead to any positive outcomes in the end. But if you keep trying, then maybe someday you’ll find that person you care about the most. I know I am: there’s a girl out there that loves anime and pop culture as much as I do! Even if you don’t have a lover to share the holiday with, though, you can always share it with family. I liked this special and I think it’s worth re-watching! Now then, let’s close this out with a message from Ed himself:

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Looking back on my childhood, there were two channels that I watched more than anything else: Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network. Despite its importance to me, I didn’t find Cartoon Network until the latter half of my childhood, but I got hooked right away. There were so many amazing shows on back then: the original Powerpuff Girls, Codename: Kids Next Door, The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy, to name a few. There was one cartoon that I loved more than all of them combined, though… Ed Edd n Eddy

God, I loved this show!! As one YouTuber who’s name I cannot remember put it, this show captures the fun of summertime and spending your childhood getting into trouble with your friends with slapstick overtones.

Ed, Edd n Eddy revolves a trio of boys known as the Eds, three best friends who spend their days coming up with ways to become popular with the neighborhood while tricking them out of their money. They then wish to use said money to buy the BIGGEST JAWBREAKERS I HAVE EVER SEEN. Look at them!

Ed Edd n Eddy are the Three Stooges

Unfortunately, the universe hates the Eds, as most of the kids do, and their plans almost always backfire on them. That YouTuber I mentioned also compared the Eds to The Three Stooges, Moe, Larry, and Curly, and I have to agree.

Ed

There’s Ed, the big yellow one with a uni-brow and no chin. Ed is the heart and soul of the three, as well as their muscle. He is crazy strong, even for a cartoon character, able to effortlessly pick up trees and even houses. Fortunately, he is a gentle giant who only ever wants to protects his best friends. His past-times are watching sci-fi monster movies, eating Chunky Puffs cereal, gravy, and pudding skin, and gushing over chickens.

Ed is also a gigantic idiot and the source of much of the show’s humor. He is almost always spouting non sequitur or thinking of some crazy thing. He’s basically living in his own world.

Ed was my spirit animal as a kid. I just loved him, and everything he did made my sides burst with laughter. At one point, I even started imitating his mannerisms. Big mistake, because that led my parents to ban me from watching the show so that I wouldn’t act up. True story. It’s one of two cartoons that I was ever banned from watching for a time (the other was Spongebob). That just made me love it more, though, and now I watch it whenever I want.

Edd, AKA Double Dee

Next, we have Edd, or Double Dee, as everyone calls him. He’s the genius of the group. A super-genius, actually, who can create complex inventions out of common household materials. He’s usually stuck with creating the machines for the scams.

Double Dee serves as the voice of reason amongst his friends, and often ends up getting exasperated at their antics and how they lead to their plans failures.

He’s not without his own faults, though. Double Dee has a compulsive need to clean and organize anything he sees as dirty or unsanitary and will freak out when he can’t. To this day, we do not know what is underneath that hat of his, but whatever it is, it cannot be pretty to look at.

Eddy

Last, we have Eddy, the self-proclaimed leader of the group. Eddy is, above all, greedy, self-centered, immature, and a loud-mouth. He’s the one who usually comes up with the scams that drive the plot of each episode, only to have them blow up in his face and leave him back where he started.

Despite being the least likable of the Eds, though, much of what we see of Eddy is a facade. In the series finale movie, it’s revealed that most of his negative traits stem from a misguided attempt to emulate his popular older brother. Coupled with the fact that said older brother turns out to be a bully who physically abuses Eddy, it’s easy to understand his behavior. All he really wants is to have friends.

It’s been ten years now since the show came to an end, and with it, an era of shows on Cartoon Network. It was the last of the 90s cartoons to leave the channel, and after that, I almost stopped watching it. But you know how that song and dance goes if you read my stuff on Adventure Time and Regular Show. Still, I loved this show as a kid, and I still consider it one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen. I’m also happy that it has remained part of pop culture in the form of things like memes and gifs. So on that note, happy birthday, Ed, Edd n Eddy!

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We open on a lone factory in the middle of a frozen landscape. Suddenly, an explosion rips the facility. A lone man, with a mysterious box in his arms, flees the building towards the hangar nearby. After shooting off the lock, he runs past the airplanes and jumps into a familiar sled pulled by nine reindeer. He cracks the whip, and the takes off into the sky above the North Pole.

He is not alone for long. Another man, with a long white beard and riding a hoverboard, catches up to him. A struggle ensues, with the bearded man seizing the box and jumping to the surface below. The thief then pulls out a pistol and fires three shots into his pursuer. As the man loses consciousness and falls towards earth, the thief says one final line “Merry Christmas, Santa Claus”. Thus begins one of my all-time favorite Christmas Specials.

The Christmas Special

I’ve said before, and I’ll say it again: I loved Regular Show. I discovered it at a time in my life when I had started to think I had outgrown cartoons. Most of the cartoons I grew up watching had ended or were no longer interesting to me. The beauty of Regular Show, though, was it’s ability to appeal to all ages. For a children’s show, that is an impressive feat. They did a lot of holiday specials throughout their run, but I think their first Christmas Special was the best.

In the Park, the entire gang is throwing a Christmas party and having a blast. Muscle Man is binging on cookies, Benson is flirting with his neighbor Audrey, and Mordecai and Rigby are throwing down some sick raps for the holidays.

They step away from the party to get Benson some more soda, only to see the man from before falling from the sky into Skips’ garage. If it wasn’t obvious before, that man is Santa Claus. His reaction to being found by Mordecai and Rigby: “Aw, man. You two?”

I liked the version of Santa that Regular Show gave us, especially since he barely resembled depictions of him in pop culture. He cares about people, but he can be grumpy and sarcastic. That is thanks to him once again being voice by Edward Asner. This had to have been the third time I had seen him play Santa, so I have a bias, but it’s earned. He brings a sense of realism to the role of Santa. Take the way he proves to Mordecai and Rigby that he’s Santa by telling them what they wanted for Christmas as kids:

Dear Santa, dude, give me an invisibility cloak. Santa, dude, don’t be a jerk. Just get me an invisibly cloak.

Priceless.

Lord of the Box

Anyway, the reason why he got shot and fell from the sky is that the box is like the One-Ring from Lord of the Rings. Santa’s lead toy designer, Quillgin, invented a box that would magically give whoever opens it what they want most. To Santa’s horror, though, anyone who opened the box would be consumed by greed. That ’s the risks of using dark magic, though.

Santa locked the box away and destroyed all of Quillgin’s research, leading him to vow revenge, hence the opening. If he gets his hands on the box, he’ll use it to destroy Christmas forever!

Fellowship of the Box

From here on out, the special is a tribute to J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings books: the Park Gang becomes the Fellowship of the Box. The box is the One-Ring that corrupts people. And Quillgin is either Gollum or a minion of Sauron.  As Skips notes, though, the box’s dark magic components prevent it from being destroyed by conventional means. The only solution is to cast it into molten lava. As luck would have it, the rival East Pines park has a cave with lava in it, but it’s guarded by several traps.

At this point, tvtropes.org says it becomes a partial tribute to the classic 80’s film The Goonies. I can see that with all the booby traps, though I actually thought it bore similarity to Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Both movies had to deal with dangerous trials that needed to be overcome, after all. From a deadly dance off to wrestling a bear, this is an epic adventure.

The best part, though, is the climax as Quillgin confronts the Park Gang at the lava pit. Quillgin gets his hands of the box and begins to bring about the destruction of Christmas. We are then given a montage of Christmas stuff around the world being lace with TNT to the ominous sound of “Carol of the Bells”. Normally a song that brings joy, this moment subverts it by highlighting how dire the situation is.

Then Mordecai tackles Quillgin and sends both of them into the lava pit, with Rigby following, as the music transitions to “Sarajevo 12/24” by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. The music is perfectly in sync with the action, with that epic guitar solo timed just as Quillgin and the box fall into the lava. Just like Lord of the Rings.

Not Your Normal Christmas Special

This was not a normal Christmas special by any stretch. But Regular Show is not a normal cartoon. It thrives on the use of pop culture and surrealism, and that’s what made it so entertaining to watch during its run. This wasn’t even the craziest thing Mordecai and Rigby had done by then. They had already fought demon spawn of the underworld, traveled through time, and gone to the moon. So saving Christmas was nothing out of the ordinary!

This was an unexpected but greatly welcomed present for me when I first saw it. Speaking of presents, Mordecai and Rigby got the invisibility cloak they had wanted as kids! Best gift ever! And, as all good Christmas specials do, it ends with Santa going “HO HO HO! MERRY CHRISTMAS!” Then his sleigh leaves behind rubber burns like in Back to the Future. What a way to end a special, J.G. Quintel!

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