Amphibia Season 3B Thoughts (Part 1)

Amphibia Season 3B Thoughts (Part 1)

Because of Tumblr’s image limit I split my thoughts into 2 parts. This part will cover “Escape to Amphibia” to “The Root of Evil”. (part 2 link)

With Amphibia entering its endgame next week I’ve decided to look back at all the episodes of season 3B so far and give my collected thoughts on each episode (I plan to do the same with The Owl House. Hollow Mind was insane). I’ve had a lot of fun with Amphibia as a show and want to finally give it the attention it deserves because I’ve had the luck of following this show since before season 2 began airing. I binged the first season on Disney+ in 2020 around the time that lockdown officially went into effect and I’ve been hooked since. This wasn’t a show I followed since the beginning like Korra or She-ra but I got into it early in its run and it holds a special place for me in the lexicon of cartoons I have watched because of this.

Matt Braly said on twitter that this week’s episodes were the last “fun episodes'' of the show before it officially entered its endgame. That coupled with his statement that the finale is pretty much a three parter that begins with “The beginning of the end” has made it so I would like to cover the final 3 weeks worth of episodes in one post (we’ll see I may become too excited to wait) and split my 3B review/thoughts into 2 parts.

Escape to Amphibia

Okay, I want to get this out of the way because it’s a bit nitpicky and just my personal preference. I said in my Amphibia series thoughts post that I thought this should have been the season 3A finale and I still stand by that statement. Would that have hurt me because of the cliffhanger it would have ended on? Yes, but I think that this would have been the best point to end 3A on because it would truly feel like the beginning of the end of Amphibia, the closing of the earth chapter of the story and the beginning of the endgame. 

I really love the Christmas episode but it felt like an odd point to end 3A on considering how close to the endgame Amphibia was. Though it is on brand for Amphibia considering 2A ended on “The Shut in” which was a halloween themed episode. With that nitpick out of the way I’d like to talk about the actual episode which I really like.

I really liked how the episode made the music box theme and design make sense on a lore level and really expand what I initially thought was just a cool design choice. The music working as coordinates for other worlds was such a unique detail that I wasn’t really expecting for them to incorporate. In hindsight this was really obvious but at the time I was shocked.

I like that the episode chose to focus on Anne’s struggles to say goodbye to her parents. The first time she went to Amphibia she didn’t get to do that. She disappeared without any knowledge about where she went or if she would ever be able to get back. There was no closure on either end. Her avoidance boils over because she can’t ignore the seemingly insurmountable tasks she must complete and the reality that her making it back home isn’t guaranteed this time either. She’s going to be saying goodbye to her parents for maybe the last time and that hurts. 

Anne’s parents are once again the MVPs of the season with their heartfelt assurance and support helping Anne forward. They are just so supportive. This is probably redundant because everyone knows this by now but Anne has the best parents. They made her a care package and helped her go against the FBI and knew how important getting back to Amphibia is to her even through her conflict. (They are also telling Mr. X about everything which I think brings credence to the theory that earth and Amphibia will have to fight together. If that’s the case Anne’s parents really are the MVPs on the earth side of the story)

This episode was full of visual callbacks which helped sell that this was the endgame. Everything has changed, all the characters have impacted each other in some way, and nothing can ever be the same. The contrast really emphasizes the passage of time. The two most striking visual callback are when Anne uses her powers and stomps on the ground to knock the FBI agents over and the final shot of Anne and the Planters overlooking what has become of Amphibia.

I really like the scene where Anne activates her powers and strengthens the portal. The visual parallels are really fun. The scene above is very reminiscent of Sasha during the third temple and I think that is intentional. Sasha’s redesign has her incorporate blue into her armor along with the red which symbolizes how Anne has changed Sasha and how she is incorporating the lessons she has learned throughout Amphibia and through Anne into herself. The effect on each other is mutual. Sasha was not a good friend to Anne before this point but her good traits (when not taken to the extreme) have rubbed off on Anne and in some ways inspired her like she said in “The Third Temple”.

The second parallel, the final shot with Anne and the Plantars overlooking Amphibia was so jarring and it was even more shocking because this is the exact same view that they saw when they first exited the valley and the world was opened to them. The contrast between those two moments is amazing. 

This really sells the feeling that this episode marks the beginning of the end of Amphibia. It also makes sure that the lasting impact of True Colors is felt. We saw it in “Olivia and Yunan” briefly but it hits differently when it’s through the eyes of Anne and the Plantars. We’ve spent more time with them and these are the characters we first explored this world with so even though this wasn’t the first time we saw this in some ways it felt like it was (hopefully that made sense).

Side note: I loved all the Star Wars references. I’m a massive star wars fan so seeing Anne in the dark hallway with the red light saber and knowing it was a homage to Darth Vader’s scene (you know the one) in Rogue One just elevated it for me. This was just pure fun.

I don’t have much that I wasn’t a fan of. It’s more there are things I wish we could have seen more of. I really liked the dynamic of Terri and Dr. Jan in this episode and wish that they had interacted earlier.

Commander Anne/Sprivy

I had fun with these episodes. I have the same problems with them that I’ve seen a lot of people voice about how it makes Anne less capable than she usually is so that they can rush Sasha being given back command but I do believe that Sasha was the better person to be in command because of her experiences as a lieutenant in the toad army and her natural cunning and leadership ability. 

Anne knows that she isn’t aware of all the things that Sasha is and she’s not quite ready to jump into a leadership role immediately. She’s having to go from earth and leaving her family behind again to leader of a rebellion in less than 24 hours. That’s a lot of pressure to put on anyone so Anne struggling to fill the role is natural.

Having Anne and Sasha form a partnership rather than a commander and subordinate role was smart. Sasha has a knack for warfare and leadership that Anne doesn’t have but Anne is more in tune with the feelings of those around her and can understand their needs. They both have different, complementary strengths that make them equals. The execution was a little off but the points the episode makes and the conclusion it comes to are all things I agree with based on the characters. (I wrote in my Amphibia series thoughts about how well Sasha’s experiences and traits make her transition to rebellion leader work)

I love Sasha’s new character design. The blue incorporated into her previously completely red outfit shows how Anne has changed her and how she has accepted it as part of herself now. Her hair is down in contrast to her usual updo and shows how she has loosened her stranglehold on having control and is more open emotionally (a very literal representation of “letting her hair down”).

She is also noticeably more muscular now which matches her strength gem and shows her dedication to training that has been talked about in every season (she literally wore weighted clothing all the time as shown in the third temple and was nonstop training in toadcatcher). This redesign is also just really cool.

I liked the idea that Sasha immediately gave up control because she doesn’t trust herself with all the power. She believes that she ruined everything last time (to be fair she sort of did) but she neglects to give herself credit for how much she has changed. The old Sasha wouldn’t have relinquished power in the first place and would have fought every step of the way to keep control. The fact that she is so afraid of falling back into old habits shows that she’s different.

Sasha has been faced with multiple crossroads throughout the series and until “Turning Point” she always made the wrong choice. Her decision in “Turning Point” and her continued attempts to be different than she was before is what I believe redemption is all about, continually choosing to be a different, better person every step of the way.

I appreciate that Anne thought that Sasha’s insistence that Anne needs to be in charge was a new manipulation tactic because even though Sasha has changed Anne hasn’t been there to see it happen. Sasha has betrayed Anne twice and no amount of verbal assurance that she’s a new person can change the damage that has been done in such a short amount of time. 

Now for “Sprivy”. I liked Sasha in this episode (not that surprising) because even though she’s turned over a new leaf she isn’t suddenly a completely different person. She calls Sprig and Ivy “Twerp and twerpette”, is completely done with their clingy fledgling relationship very quickly, and is still prone to anger (though she does hold it back much better). 

I don’t have much to say about this episode outside of this, the fact that I like that Wally’s father comes back as the rich benefactor that is supporting wartwood and Sprivy learning that they shouldn’t let their new relationship dictate all their decisions was nice because first relationships can be hard to find that balance in.

Sasha’s Angels/Olm Town Road

First up “Sasha’s angels”. This episode was fun but didn’t contribute to the plot nearly as much as I would have hoped. I had a lot of fun with Toadie but I was a lot more interested in the Anne and Sasha part of the episode even if it didn’t get much focus comparatively. Sasha’s redemption and reconciliation with Anne have been a long time coming so I appreciate all the points in the story where they are allowed to adress the cracks in their relationship. 

Anne doubts Sasha’s intentions when it comes to waiting for Mrs. Croaker’s team instead of charging in to save them. She understandably doubts that Sasha sees the frogs as individuals she cares for instead of disposable pawns like she did with the toad army. This is understandable considering how Sasha frequently saw others as stepping stones for her to use to gain control. But it’s made clear once again that Sasha truly has changed. She does care about those “beneath” her but she knows that she can’t charge recklessly in because that could make things worse for everybody. 

Anne really did show Sasha how to trust others to do things rather than take control and do everything yourself but she hasn’t been here for months and hasn’t had the chance to see the way the others have grown so she is also understandably worried. It’s not that she doesn’t trust them its just that her last time seeing them they would not have been able to escape the way that they did. It’s another case of seeing how Anne has changed the people around her, the frogs have learned to stand up for themselves and Sasha has changed her leadership mindset for the better, and how the others can help Anne.

Now onto “Olm Town Road”. Sasha steals this episode. She very clearly projects onto Lysil and Angwin and it adds another layer to Sasha’s guilt over her mistakes. Sasha’s anger on Lysil and Angwin’s behalf reflects her own guilt and desire for redemption and fear that she doesn’t deserve this third chance that Anne has given her. If they can’t find redemption then how can she? (though if we’re being honest Sasha is at least on her third chance, so her spiel about second chances is a little comedic in this context)

I like that they aren’t totally ignoring Sasha’s mistakes or downplaying her desire to make things right. There hasn’t been a big blow up or a confrontation like I think some people expected, I expected more pushback myself before the episodes started airing, but I think the Amphibia crew has done a good job showing how this has effected them in every interaction they’ve had so far. 

Sasha continuously overcompensates while trying to prove she’s changed and become the person “Anne deserves'' and Anne has doubted Sasha’s intentions and motivation on more than one occasion. Anne isn’t the type of person to blow up at someone. Her actions in “True Colors'' weren't the norm but they were necessary. She was standing up for herself and Sasha deserved to be told off for betraying Anne yet again. And if Sasha was to show that side of her again in 3B I have no doubt that Anne would blow up at her once more but Sasha has been genuinely trying and Anne can see that.

Anne wants her friend back as seen in her journal and if Sasha is willing to try then Anne will meet her halfway (this and Anne saw the start of change when Sasha fought with her in True Colors). This has always been Anne’s character. I can understand wishing there was more conflict because of how devastating the second betrayal was and how final her severing their friendship seemed at the time, but I don’t think this is out of character.

I also believe there is some guilt on Anne’s part for their last fight on top of the Newtopian walls. Anne was understandably angry but she was being vicious in their last fight, going for headshots and kill blows (crew members even pointed it out on twitter afterwards). Sasha was obviously holding back, constantly on the defensive and not even trying to go on the offensive, and could have ended the fight at multiple points if she wanted to (like in the photo below) but she chose to try and reason with Anne. I think Anne recognizes this and feels bad about it. She thinks they both screwed up in their last encounter. 

And Anne got to see the start of Sasha’s change. “Turning Point” was obviously the true start to Sasha’s redemption where she was at a crossroads and finally made the right choice, but “True Colors” was where she first decided to have Anne’s back and hold Andrias off so that Anne and Marcy could make it through the portal. We got to see them work together (in a “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” sort of way). Sasha finally gives up control to someone else by deciding to have their back and tries to take responsibility for her actions and set things right. Anne got to see Sasha’s good qualities shine through even if it was only for a moment.

Sasha’s moment of standing up to the Olm leader also shows a moment of growth. Sasha has stood in that very position and yelled at leaders before in “Barrel’s Warhammer” as shown below.

In “Barrel’s Warhammer” she is standing on top of a toad soldier, not caring who she has to walk on for power, and yelling at the leaders because they don’t want her and Grime to lead after hearing that Anne and Marcy were working together in Newtopia. In “Olm Town Road” she is standing atop a drill, a symbol of corruption and greed, that the leader is arguing is planted and defending Lysil and Angwin, two olms she just met, claiming that she doesn’t care what the Olm’s think of her if they can’t see what’s right in front of them, pointing out their hypocrisy.

Overall I had fun with these episodes and really liked how Sasha was used in them (she easily stole the show) but they weren’t exactly what I was expecting if I’m completely honest. The Plantars were kind of just there and they have a tendency to lose relevance within this half of the season. They haven’t had much focus in season 3B (Sprig gets a few episodes later but this doesn’t entirely fix the problem) and they don’t get much growth with anyone outside of Anne save for “Grime’s pupil”.

This was also a really odd cut off point for the episode. I remember watching this when I came out and being confused by that decision. It works better when you can go straight into “Mother of Olms” like I did on this rewatch. I think this odd ending point also played into why people were frustrated with the episode “Mother of Olms” because they had a week of anticipation and build up for what ended up being only 2 minutes worth of plot progression.

Mother of Olms/Grime’s Pupil

“Mother of Olms” was an interesting episode because on the one hand it did finally reveal the prophecy to the characters in the show and we got the implication that Anne could activate Sasha and Marcy’s powers on the other this is a prophecy that any fan that watches youtube or is active in the cartoon community would already know about. 

I watch VGMarkis’ videos (which are phenomenal by the way. I recommend watching his episode breakdowns. His channel is linked) and so I already knew about the prophecy before this episode which sadly made this less enjoyable for me. That and I’ve never been the biggest fan of gross out humor which this episode was chalk full of (though I did enjoy the magic school bus homage that the journey to mother olm’s brain evoked).

But on a much more positive note the music, colors, and animation in this episode were all phenomenal. I’ve always loved the softer color palette that amphibia uses for its world and characters and the coloring for mother Olm and the cave surrounding her were all really pleasing to the eye. The music that played when mother olm recanted the prophecy and answered Anne and Sasha’s questions was great and makes me wish that Amphibia could get  its score released (there are other great tracks like Sasha’s theme, Marcy’s truth, Anne’s powers, etc). 

On a rewatch I actually like this episode a lot more than I did the first time. It hasn’t jumped up to be among my favorites of the series but I wasn’t disappointed like I was when I first watched the episode. I think sometimes expectations can be built sky high when waiting a week, especially for an episode that promises plot progression in a show like Amphibia. I had a lot more fun with this episode and liked the reveal of the prophecy much more. I could sit back and take in the visuals and music without anything clouding my expectations which really helped me.

The extra ramblings of mother olm are also a lot clearer on re-watch. Mother olm talks about how Anne, Sasha, and Marcy are meant to save Amphibia from their worst selves while the screen shows them fighting off what has been confirmed to be “a symbolic representation of Amphibia’s greed and corruption”. This once again hammers home the themes of the show. Amphibia is about change and growth and becoming your best self. Anne and Sasha have both changed for the better from their first appearances and they have changed the characters around them for the better as well. 

This is also the case for Marcy (not to the same degree as Sasha and Anne but still). She helped Newtopia and effected Yunan, Olivia, and is implied to have at the very least seeded doubt into Andrias. This whole show is about change for the better and bringing out the best in others so it could be setting up Andrias to do “one good thing” with his life. I don’t think he’s had enough moments of doubt and genuine connection to set him up for a full redemption but having him do one good thing would be fitting.

Marcy is the only one of the three friends that still has an arc to undergo. Anne and Sasha have gotten to the point where they have been able to work through their toxic traits and have made genuine connections. Matt Braly said that Marcy didn’t make any genuine connections in her time in Amphibia and this hurdle is part of her character arc. I really want to see how this will be handled. I have faith in the Amphibia crew so I’m not nervous.

Also Sasha was pathetic this episode and it was really funny. The fearless leader of the rebellion who has never had to put her name in the book of cowards tried to sit out this mission because it was too gross. 

In the first 2 and a half seasons because of Sasha’s limited screen time every episode she was in was very plot and character focused. She didn’t really get the chance to be ridiculous in the same way everyone else was because her episodes were heavy in drama and angst. Now thanks to her upgrade in status to the main cast she gets to have these types of moments and I couldn’t be happier.

I unironically loved “Grime’s Pupil”. It wasn’t the episode I thought I would come away enjoying more between the two but it was. I really like the decision to pair up Grime and Sprig. They haven’t had much of a chance to interact in the series and none of their interactions have been one on one until now. I am biased because I love Grime and I have wanted more of him since the show returned to Amphibia. His dynamic with Sasha is my favorite in the entire series but I have wanted to see how he interacts with other characters when he’s outside of Sasha’s orbit for a while now.

Sprig and Grime was such a fun dynamic to explore. I didn’t really think that much about the level of animosity Sprig must have felt towards Grime for years until this episode and I liked how it handled Grime and Sprig learning to respect the people that each of them had become. Grime is no longer the tyrant who only wanted power and didn’t care for the people beneath him and Sprig isn’t a helpless, weak frog that toads are conditioned to believe all frogs are.

I love how exaggerated Grime and Sprig’s expressions would become in this episode. They got to have some of the most fun and dynamic animation in 3B. I liked how the exaggeration was used in the fights as well to emphasize Grime and Sprig’s strengths in their fight against the Hybeenas (I don’t know if I spelled that right).

I also enjoyed being able to see Sasha and Anne being friends and in a partnership leading the rebellion. Anne filling in Sasha’s blind spots when it comes to the feelings of Sprig and Grime and backing her up in her decree that made Sprig and Grime work together was just fun background development. That and the fact that we’ve gotten to see them be a lot more casual with their touches and interactions (like holding hands in “Mother of Olms”, Sasha slinging her arm around Anne’s shoulders, the “drumroll please”, etc). There isn’t the weight or awkwardness that was present in season 2 and we are seeing two people who are childhood friends interacting.

We get to see some cracks in Sasha’s usually put together facade (let's face it Sasha is a mess underneath. We all know it) during the cheer at Sprig and Beatrix’s matchup. “I’m very busy Hop Pop!” and not changing the cheer makes me question how exactly she is coping with the stress she is under. This is just a little thing that I would like to see more insight into if possible.

The Root of Evil

“The Root of Evil” was unexpected because I would have never in a million years thought that a cartoon airing on Disney channel would have an entire episode paying homage to Midsommar. I remember watching Midsommar in theaters when it came out (I am a fan of many A24 films and appreciate their horror) and so I understood all the references.

This scene in particular gave me chills. Anyone who’s watched the movie knows  what this is referencing and lets just say it’s not nearly as fun as this makes it out to be which should say something.

I really like how season 3 is bringing back aspects from seasons 1 and 2 so that the story really feels like it is coming full circle. This is a plot point I knew was going to come back when I first watched “Children of the Spore” and I’m only shocked that it didn’t come back earlier.

I appreciate that this is a Hop Pop centric episode. There isn’t any real new development on his end though which I wish was rectified. The Plantars feel superfluous at times and when they do get the spotlight it doesn’t really further their development as characters or their relationship to others (Polly is sort of just there in 3B). I understand that season 3B has a lot of ground to cover and I think the decision to focus on other characters and plot points works because of this. I just feel that most of the episodes focusing on the Plantars this season haven’t packed the same punch that episodes in seasons 1 and 2 did.

Side note: I love the Major Armstrong reference. This actually isn’t the only Fullmetal Alchemist brotherhood reference this show has made. My favorite is probably Anne pointing at Sasha when being dragged out of the throne room in “True Colors” being a reference to the scene where Edward swears to come back for Alphonse when he sees him at the doors of truth.

Also there continues to be Hop Pop death flags. 

Amphibia - All In Thoughts

I love Amphibia. The amount of hype I had coming into this episode was unreal and I have to say it didn’t disappoint. You could see the love and care that the crew put into every second of this episode and I was left breathless. I started watching Amphibia at the start of the pandemic and it’s been a very important show for me over the past few years. I’m really glad that I’ve had the chance to watch this show since before season 2 started airing and that I’m going to be able to watch it come to completion. I’d like to dive right into my thoughts because there are a lot.

I want to start with Sasha because I really thought her part of the episode was masterfully handled and the perfect completion to her arc.

Sasha has been consistently well written since the very beginning and they have yet to disappoint. And in my opinion Sasha is the best written character. Her arc really came full circle in this episode in so many ways.

The decision to have Sasha be the one to fight Marcy was brilliant and it draws interesting parallels between the two. The core is a collection of minds that couldn’t let go. They couldn’t abandon their control over Amphibia or those closest to them (namely Andrias) and they are confronted by Sasha who has learned to grow past that need for control and power.

The battle between Sasha and Darcy was incredible. The animation, music, lighting, and dialogue all hit home how important this fight is for Sasha’s character. Sasha teeters between crippling guilt and unbridled rage throughout the fight which clashes with Darcy’s overconfidence. Their respective weapons of choice and fighting styles, Darcy’s fluidity vs Sasha’s brutality, convey this contrast well. All the people who worked on this fight scene were clearly having the time of their lives.

Sasha’s unyielding determination has always been her strongest asset and that moment where she got back up despite her very serious injuries so that she could save Marcy, defeat the core, and protect those she cares about was such a powerful moment. It harkened back to the Third Temple and the little girl who stood up for two kids she didn’t know that ultimately set her on this path and brought her to this moment. Her determination that had lost its innocence and would hurt those around her earlier in the series has regained its selflessness and is bolstered by the experience, maturity, and love that she has now. It is ultimately what saves the people she cares about most as well as the world.

I really loved the culmination of Sasha’s arc in this episode where she rejects Darcy’s comparison between them and frees Marcy while saying the incredibly powerful line “I’m not that person anymore.” Sasha has been struggling with accepting that she’s really changed and that she’s deserving of this third chance she’s been given throughout the entire season up to this point. She’s been struggling under her own guilt and self loathing but at this moment she’s accepting that she’s changed and is a better person. That she won’t backslide and will fight to be better every day. It’s just like Anne said “It’s not who we were that matters Sash. It’s who we are now that counts.”

I don’t know if I managed to put into words how powerful this scene is and how well it encapsulates Sasha’s growth as a person so I’m going to put the clip here so you can see for yourself. This scene is a distillation of what makes Sasha such a great character.

I also love how she’s the one who takes Marcy’s hand and lets her know they forgave her. A lot of people who were getting mad at Sasha for being upset with Marcy last episode were sort of missing the point. Sasha in the first two seasons isn’t known for her forgiveness and her being upset with Marcy was setting up the completion of her arc over the series. It was the last step Sasha needed to make to become who she was always meant to be. 

Sasha is the one who reaches out her hand, even before Marcy is awake to ask for forgiveness, and gives it to her. This is a completely different Sasha from the one we first saw in Prison Break. The one who was obsessed with control, power, and manipulation and it really is a testament to how much she’s grown that this was the end of her arc. Not the big flashy fight with Andrias but a personal fight between her and the core away from prying eyes that ended with her saving and holding Marcy and ultimately forgiving her.

It also makes it clear that Sasha wasn’t sure that she had changed herself and part of her hesitance to forgive was projection onto Marcy. It's important that her verbally confirming to herself and Darcy that she’s not that person anymore is closely followed by her forgiving Marcy. These acts were intertwined for Sasha. One couldn’t happen without the other.

I’m a sucker for Grime and Sasha’s relationship and Grime sacrificing his arm to save her life was emotional. Their dynamic has been a rollercoaster where they both initially brought out the worst in each other but through their genuine care for one another they ultimately brought out the best in each other as well. Seeing how they filled in the holes in each other’s life has been moving. 

Sasha clearly hasn’t had a stable home life and Grime provided that consistent parental presence and support that she lacked. Meanwhile Sasha managed to worm her way under Grime’s tough exterior and open him up to connection and life outside of power and battle. 

This sacrifice and her pointed remark that she’s “not that person anymore” is even more meaningful in the context of Sasha’s entire arc. She spent so long not really knowing who she wants to be but desperately trying to cling onto how things were. In season 2 so much of her arc is punctuated with loss because of this. When Percy and Braddock leave her because she pushed them too far in Barrel’s Warhammer it starts a chain event where all she does is lose things one after another. She loses Percy and Braddock, she loses Anne, and she loses Marcy all because of the path she had chosen.

But Grime stays by her side through everything. He almost leaves in Turning Point but he comes back when she needs him most and voices that she’s the most important person in his life right now. That while his sister may have power and an army she doesn’t have his Lieutenant. She doesn’t have Sasha. He’s a constant pillar of support for her and was integral to her finding her way.

And because of her newfound conviction and the confirmation of Grime’s unconditional support she was able to gain so much on her journey of self betterment. She’s rebuilt a genuine and deep relationship with Anne, she’s gained real trust and companionship, she’s learning to forgive herself and others, she’s learning self-love, and she’s finally able to use her strengths for the good of everyone around her, not just herself.

This section of the episode had no shortage of powerful moments but the rest of the episode hit just as hard. Anne’s arc and battle this episode was also incredibly executed. It was just as emotional as it was visually stunning. I think I want to start with the flashback and the “who am I?” essay she was given.

Amphibia always excels at using its flashbacks to amplify the storytelling to the fullest and this one was no exception. This flashback really explored something that had been hinted at since the beginning, that Anne had always been the one in Marcy and Sasha’s shadow. The one others thought didn’t have greatness in her future. Sasha and Marcy were at the top of Amphibia within months of getting there but Anne slowly built her way up in this world. She put in the work and grew as a person and because of that she made allies all over. Her strengths weren’t as flashy or eye turning as Sasha and Marcy’s but that didn’t mean they were any less important.

Anne didn’t immediately burn brightly like Sasha and Marcy but she grew to be a light for so many people. And it’s because she didn’t burn brightly and intensely right away that she didn’t sputter out as violently. Sasha and Marcy’s respective power and influence came crashing down so quickly. They didn’t have the solid, steady group of allies that Anne had built for herself. They didn’t know who they wanted to be and kept doubling down on their flaws that held them back from growing into who they were meant to become. 

In their world Anne didn’t have the self respect to capitalize on her own strengths and her self doubt clouded and hid aspects of herself that ended up inspiring others. It’s through meeting the Plantars and living in Wartwood that she has been able to grow into the true warrior and leader that she is today. She confronted her flaws and learned from them. Her growth was gradual and because of this it was easy for others on the outside looking in to overlook entirely which was their mistake.

Anne was underestimated by Andrias, the core, and many other foes that she came across but she always stepped up to the plate and grew as a result. Andrias says as much when he finally comes face to face with Anne once again. “Y’know I think I finally figured out why the stones picked you as their champion Boonchuy. From the moment you walked into my throne room I underestimated you. A scruffy little girl with one shoe and leaves in her hair, yet underneath it all a true warrior. Such a brilliant deception.” And it was this moment of respect that made me sit back and think back on how far Anne has come. 

Her rematch with Andrias was also breathtaking. The scale, power, and stakes were all captured masterfully. Just like the fight between Darcy and Sasha this one portrays how Anne and Andrias are narrative foils. Andrias is a dark mirror of Anne. He shut himself off from connection and love after betrayals from his closest friends whereas Anne never stopped caring for others in spite of those same betrayals. Andrias is the embodiment of all the regrets Anne could have had whereas Anne is the embodiment of what Andrias could have been.

I will never get over the fact that Anne gets her second wind in the fight by her parents and the Plantars blaring her favorite song while chanting her name. I love that scene and it’s funny how accurate that actually is. Anne is relatable even in the middle of a fight for the fate of earth.

The animation, music, and transitions between the two fights were all amazing. The transition has got to be the best in the entire show. (You know the transition I’m talking about)

The visual parallels between their first fight in True Colors and their fight in this episode are great and the two images above are of my favorite one.

Marcy’s arc also comes to a powerful conclusion within her mindscape. She is given the perfect world where nothing will go wrong and Sasha and Anne want exactly what she wants. But this isn’t reality and those aren’t her Anne and Sasha. The fact that it's them saying “whatever you want Mar Mar. We only want what you want” is what makes Marcy realize all of this is fake is a testament to her growth. 

In season two Marcy was dead set on convincing herself that she made the right choice. That what she did was for all of them, not just herself, before she is forced to confront the reality that her choice was selfish. She did it to run away from her problems. She forced this choice onto Sasha and Anne and while they did grow and make irreplaceable connections that doesn’t make what she did right. (once again her choice was understandable but it wasn’t right)

“The real Anne and Sasha don’t want what I want and it hurts but forcing them to follow my dreams is wrong. I’ve learned that the hard way.”

The tragedy of Marcy is her loneliness and how it drew her to this fantasy in the first place but also how that fantasy came crashing down in the most horrible way possible. Andrias stabs her in the back (literally), she and Sasha and Anne all end up separated, and she ends up being possessed by the core. It was one horrible trauma after the next and she is forced to realize the perfect fantasy doesn’t exist and it never did. That running from her problems doesn’t solve anything and actually makes the inevitable moment where she must confront her actions all the more painful for both herself and those around her. 

I adore the moment that Marcy slaps Aldrich’s hand away (this moment was very dramatic but also kind of funny. He’s being all intense and trying to make her become one with their hive mind and she just straight up slaps away his giant hand) and rejects being assimilated into the core with another powerful line “No. Only a coward would hide away in this place. Well, I reject this sick fantasy and I reject you!”

He tries once more to keep her there by reminding her of what awaits her once she leaves. All that is there for her is rejection. She’ll still have to move and she’ll still have to face her friends, but she’s done running. She believes in her friends and the memories they have together. They become her tether as her world is enveloped into darkness as Aldrich tries to break her and assimilate her into the core. It’s her memories that help her hold on even away from Sasha and Anne in this moment just like they would be there for her if she moved away.

The reconciliation between the three may be my favorite scene in the show. I know I’ve said that about more than one scene already but that’s just a testament to how amazing this episode is. Sasha forgives Marcy, Marcy apologizes for what she did, and Anne reaffirms that things have irrevocably changed between the three of them but no matter what they will always mean so much to each other. They have changed because of each other and even if they grow apart nothing can take that from them. That message is so touching. Nothing is permanent but that doesn’t mean that it was pointless.

I love how the photo of the three girls is important even now and how it means something completely different to each of them. It’s outgrown the meaning it once had. The first time the audience sees that photo is in the opening where it’s stuck in a branch in the rain while lightning strikes. It’s the first hint that we get that Anne’s friendships back home weren’t as sunshine and rainbows as it initially seemed. The dynamic of the people in that photo wasn’t the healthiest despite the genuine care they clearly had for each other. That first sighting and these last ones show their respective growth.

When Sasha sees the photo in this episode she deflates. Looking at it reminds her of the old her and she’s not proud of who she was. It also reminds her of the doubt she has that she’s actually changed. It’s no longer the tether for her that it was at the beginning. She doesn’t carry it around like she used to because she is no longer dead set on returning to the way things were. She knows that can’t happen and doesn’t want it to. She wants to be better, different.

For Anne this photo is a reminder of how far they have all come. That who they were isn’t what matters but who they are now and that is punctuated by her leaving the photo inside her locker. It is always where she can find it just like the memories that they have made but they have all outgrown that old dynamic and left it behind. 

For Marcy that photo is a tether. A light in the dark. She now knows that she can’t keep holding onto the past and Sasha and Anne but that doesn’t mean that what they had can’t help her through the dark times. She may leave them behind to move when she goes back to reality but those memories will always be with her. That love and care will never leave.

I also want to talk about Andrias, Leif’s letter, and his final choice. Leif’s letter was all about trying to ensure that Andrias knows that she loved him and that she wants him to keep his heart open to other people so he doesn’t miss out on the connections and love he could have. And it’s so tragic because like Andrias said “It’s too late”. He’s done too many horrible, irreversible things and shut himself off for too long for any of that to be a reality. All he can do at this point is accept his defeat and take himself off the board. 

The flashbacks we got of him and Marcy also show that he really did care for her but once again that betrayal made it so that he tried to fight against it. Marcy wormed her way into his heart (like she did his pocket) but he wouldn’t let himself fully accept that he cared about her. He finds work arounds to keep her alive while also doing his duty. He was torn between the two sides of himself but when push comes to shove he sacrifices her to keep the core happy and stay on his mission. He recognizes this. He knows that he’s betrayed the only person who found a way into his heart after all these years and that he can’t undo any of it. He’s a cautionary tale to every one of the calamity trio, not just Anne. 

His breakdown and final moments in the fight were so amazingly voice acted and directed. He goes from sobbing uncontrollably at finally getting the closure he needed after so long to calm resignation when he opens his suit to allow Anne to perform the final blow. He’s revealed to be a cyborg when he’s torn apart by Anne’s final attack. He’s literally lost parts of himself to make sure he lived long enough to see this day until very little of the original Andrias remained. What little was left of the real him comes out when he asks Anne to save Marcy as he lies in pieces.

He seems to still be alive since he was in the castle at the end of the episode so he could play a part in the trio saving Amphibia and it would be fitting that he lives to see Leif’s terrible vision for the future come true.

I can’t believe that the episode once again ended on a massive cliffhanger. The Amphibia crew really wants to kill me with anticipation with how they’re going. They also want to see how emotional they can make their fans because they came out of the gate swinging with The Beginning of the End and have not let up for a second since. I don’t know if I’m going to make it through The Hardest Thing. The title alone is making me emotional. I can’t wait to see the end of this amazing series and I have full faith in the Amphibia crew to tug at my heartstrings and leave me with a goodbye I will never forget.

The only thing I am on the fence about is how quickly everyone bounces back after the battle, especially Marcy bouncing back so quickly after she reconciles with Sasha and Anne (I loved everything about her part of the episode up until this point) because she brushed everything that happened off very quickly.

Marcy’s arc is so deeply intertwined with trauma and breaking the fantasy that it felt a bit odd to have her go back to acting just fine, even changing into her old season 2 outfit, so quickly. I’m on the fence because while this turn was jarring within this episode there is still one more episode that could cover this issue. I have faith this will be touched upon in the next episode because of how amazing this finale has been so far so I will just wait and see.

That and Sasha and Grime definitely needed a hospital but instead just got a group hug. Not complaining because they deserved that group hug. I mostly just found it funny by that point and there has been no shortage of amazing fanart that has pointed this out as well. (These artists draw so quickly it’s insane) Sasha and Grime were practically dying before this group hug so seeing them up and about so soon and acting fine was a bit strange to say the least.

Extra thoughts

I loved that the thing that spurs the Plantars into taking on the Herons is their desire to protect the Boonchuys. They really became family during their time on earth. The Plantars gaining that closure by defeating the birds that took Polly and Sprig’s parents from them to save their surrogate family was such a nice moment.

Keith David’s voice acting was amazing. Actually all the voice acting in this episode was amazing.

The music was so good! TJ Hill keeps outdoing himself every episode and I really hope they release the score at some point.

The fights were incredible. The animation was so smooth and you could see how much fun the team was having with certain parts. The scythe animation and Darcy’s fighting style were particularly phenomenal.

I would talk about Sprig’s arc, which I really enjoyed in this episode especially with how it mirrored the calamity trios, but it felt more like set up for The Hardest Thing than a culmination of a character arc like we had with Sasha, Anne, Marcy, and Andrias so I’m going to wait for next week to go more in depth.

Whoever was animating Darcy’s hands was having the time of their life this episode.

Mrs. Boonchuy giving Sasha a hug was my favorite small detail of the episode. 

Sasha looked so tired and done this episode and she needs to go to the hospital and have a long overdue nap.

I feel really bad for Matt Braly and the Amphibia crew for the All In leak from Xfinity. They really didn’t deserve this to happen twice and to their biggest episodes too. 

This is the first time in years that I watched cable and other than the ads recycling during every ad break it wasn’t that bad (that Owl House ad was not good) and I’m glad I did it to support the show. 

Amphibia - The Shifting Symbolism of the Polaroid

I love how the photo of the three girls is important even now and how it means something completely different to each of them. It’s outgrown the meaning it once had. The first time the audience sees that photo is in the opening where it’s stuck in a branch in the rain while lightning strikes. It’s the first hint that we get that Anne’s friendships back home weren’t as sunshine and rainbows as it initially seemed. The dynamic of the people in that photo wasn’t the healthiest despite the genuine care they clearly had for each other. That first sighting and these last ones show their respective growth.

When Sasha sees the photo in this episode she deflates. Looking at it reminds her of the old her and she’s not proud of who she was. It also reminds her of the doubt she has that she’s actually changed. It’s no longer the tether for her that it was at the beginning. She doesn’t carry it around like she used to because she is no longer dead set on returning to the way things were. She knows that can’t happen and doesn’t want it to. She wants to be better, different.

For Anne this photo is a reminder of how far they have all come. That who they were isn’t what matters but who they are now and that is punctuated by her leaving the photo inside her locker. It is always where she can find it just like the memories that they have made but they have all outgrown that old dynamic and left it behind.

For Marcy that photo is a tether. A light in the dark. She now knows that she can’t keep holding onto the past and Sasha and Anne but that doesn’t mean that what they had can’t help her through the dark times. She may leave them behind to move when she goes back to reality but those memories will always be with her. That love and care will never leave.

The Owl House - Clouds on the Horizon Thoughts

There was a lot to take in about this episode. Not as much as Hollow Mind but that’s a high benchmark. The Owl House season 2 has been firing on all cylinders just about the entire season but since Hollow Mind it has been an almost non-stop barrage. I am so sad that there is only one more episode left in season 2 and then 3 specials because this show is really something special.

I want to start by talking about the Blight family. Since the first sighting of the Blight parents’ shadows in “Understanding Willow” there was an obvious complex and toxic family dynamic that I was interested in exploring and I like the way it paid off with this episode.

One of the most important things about this dynamic to me is the dichotomy between Alador and Odalia. Neither were good parents in the past but, where Alador wants to be better and get to know his kids, Odalia is stuck in her ways and only ever doubles down. And Amity is allowed to say that she will never talk to her mother again. She has a chance at reconciliation with her father but it’s made clear that the bridge between her and her mother is burned for good.

Amity and the twins don’t want to give up on their parents. Amity wants that connection with her parents. She wants them to love and be proud of her. This has been shown time and time again throughout the series. Even long before her parents were mentioned this was shown in her first appearance. The desperation for good grades, to be top of the class, to uphold her image. All of these were bids to gain the affection she was never given. But ultimately her mother won’t change and upon seeing this Amity makes the decision to cut things off permanently.

“Escaping Expulsion” was where we saw how controlling Odalia was and how “career focused” (This is definitely how she views herself but it’s my nice way of saying greedy and self centered) she is. She tried to back out on her word the second it didn’t benefit her then and in this episode she insists that Blights don’t go back on their word because she thinks she will benefit exponentially from this. It’s all for herself and always has been even if she tries to play it off as being for the family to other people. 

The second she realizes that her family will not work with her no matter what lies she spins or promises of greatness she gives, she abandons them. She doesn’t care for any of them. Not truly.

On the other hand Alador has been faced with his shortcomings and lack of understanding of his own children and wants to try and be better. In “Reaching Out” we see that Amity wants to connect with him but he’s stuck in the idea of what he thinks Amity wants rather than what she really wants. He’s so enraptured in his own work that he doesn’t get to know his kids, their lives, or their individual wants. He is faced with the fact that he doesn’t really know his kids and he doesn’t like that reality. He wants it to be different. 

It doesn’t change that he wasn’t a great parent in the past but it gives them a shot at a new beginning and a chance at a real relationship. And he commits to that. 

The second that he learns about the truth when it comes to the day of unity and what his abomatons will be used for he tries to shut it all down. He stands up to Odalia and her greed and is willing to help them fight the emperor. He destroys his life’s work and the factory. He does this for his kids.

I appreciate this duality in the Blight family. I was on the fence about how to feel about Alador’s arc in “Reaching Out” but I should have learned by then to never doubt the Owl House because as you can tell by the plethora of thought I have I appreciated how it played out moving forward.

Now to move onto Eda. Eda’s arc in this season really hurts. She’s opened herself up to genuine connection and stopped denying the reality of her found family. She’s allowing herself to care once again. In the first season Eda acted very nonchalant and okay with her loner status but as we see much more in depth this season that it’s all a front. Eda has been lonely even before getting the curse. She longs for connection and love but it became a case of Eda having faced so much rejection that she no longer reached out to others herself. She came to tell herself that she was fine with the isolation.

And now that Eda has opened up to connection again and gained so much from it. But while she loves all those around her she still doesn’t love herself.

She keeps putting herself in danger for those she loves. In this episode she commits to getting a sigil and cutting herself off from practicing all types of magic forever to protect everyone and stop the emperor. She even insists on it. She always hides her insecurity behind a facade of confidence which Raine seems to see right through in this episode if the worried glances and pained faces they made while watching Eda get the sigil are any indication.

They wanted so badly to avoid this. To avoid using Eda because they knew Eda would take the chance to sacrifice herself if it meant protecting her kids. But also because Raine knows how little Eda values herself. She was with Eda that day in the forest as they played Eda’s requiem to take out Darius and Ebberwolf. She saw Eda’s willingness to die and how replaceable Eda thinks she is. They are afraid for her because they know Eda has a lack of self preservation and doesn’t love herself.

I’m actually really scared for Eda. This plan was already dangerous for Eda based purely on the fact that she has to personally corrupt the spell which could consume her as well like it did in Eda’s requiem and there’s a whole slew of other reasons that this could go wrong. Now that we know that the emperor knows Eda is there I can’t see her being lucky once again. She barely escaped the emperor in the season 1 finale and she’s in a much more perilous situation now. And this season looks like it’s going to end on the darkest hour for the heroes. I could be wrong. In fact I hope I’m wrong and everyone gets out okay but it doesn’t look likely.

There’s the line that King, Eda, and Luz all day they’ll see each other after the day of unity which makes me almost positive that they won’t this season. (Again I Hope I’m wrong)

That cold open sets up so much stuff moving forward and it makes me sure that King is going to be the most important piece moving forward. He’s a titan and connected to the collector. The collector is getting impatient with Belos. They want out and they’re starting to lose faith that Belos will hold up his end of the bargain they made.

King has titan’s blood which is one of the most rare and powerful resources in all of the boiling isles. If the fact that King is a titan comes out to the wrong person, King's life will be in danger. There are so many factors that have been set up about King being a titan that can come back around in the finale. The titan trappers were going to sacrifice King to free the collector which means he is likely needed to complete Belos’ end of the bargain (not quite sure yet), his blood is the only thing that can open a door to the human realm which Belos and Luz both need, and to the people on the isles he is pretty much a god. All of this can come around in interesting and possibly emotionally devastating ways. 

Last but not least I want to talk about Hunter, Willow, and Gus. Until Labyrinth Runners came out I expected Hunter to be a part of the Eda, King, and Luz trio as another kid that Eda adopts. I still want that but I’m pleasantly surprised by how much I like Hunter’s dynamic with Willow and Gus. 

Willow and Gus have been pushed to the side for a lot of this season for understandable reasons. They had a lot of ground to cover after being unexpectedly cancelled that centered around our main characters and Hunter. But it’s nice to see how they’re doing now that they are in on what’s going on with Belos. And they get to interact with Luz again after a long interim where they were all off doing their own things. 

I can’t wait for next week. This show has really entered its endgame (I’ve used this word way too many times in my last few posts but it’s true) and there is so much going on and so many possibilities for how this can play out that I am on the edge of my seat. Whatever happens I have complete faith in the Owl House crew to put everything they have into it.

Extra thoughts

I just realized that Darius and Alador might have to work together now and I can’t wait to see it.

Luz and Amity kissed. I knew this would happen in season 2b but I wasn’t sure when. I’m glad it happened now and it was as hilariously endearing and awkward as I was expecting.

Odalia keeps Alador in line by threatening to make the kids be more involved in Blight industries and that’s just evil. She threatens Alador with their own kids’ futures. She is just a horrible person.

I love how King is the one who talks to Alador and lets him know about the day of Unity.

It’s really powerful that King saying that he never knew his father is what gets to Alador the most because while Alador isn’t absent in the physical sense he has been in the emotional sense.

Luz making her Palisman an egg so that it can choose its own form is really fitting.

It’s weird that they would send Hunter out to help Luz when he is most likely one of the most wanted people on the boiling isles. Willow and Gus I understand. They are probably still under the emperor’s radar but Hunter is actively in danger if he’s noticed. I liked the way it played out. I just thought it was a bit strange considering that fact.

  I love the animation hints that Luz and Hunter switched places before the reveal.

We didn’t see Eda get the sigil. It cuts away before it could happen and considering there would be no point to cutting away right before she gets it if she did in fact get it. I’m hoping that there’s a chance she didn’t.

Best of Animation 2021 - Where I Really Come From (Invincible)

“Finish high school I guess”

When I read that line in the comics for the first time I thought it was meant to sound defeated or unsure. Mark had just been beaten within an inch of his life by his father, who he loved, and wasn’t sure what to do with his life. I thought Mark was feeling defeated. But when Steven Yeun spoke the line in the show there is a much more hopeful tone to his voice that I think brings so much to the character and this moment that my initial interpretation lacked.

Mark is unsure of his future and he is hurting from his fight with his father but his spirit isn’t broken. He still has hope for the future and he still wants to do good. Mark’s spirit and drive are unbreakable, or invincible if you will, just like the title of the show. It brings new meaning to the moment and his actions that will follow.

The voice acting, animation, music, etc all come together to create an unforgettable experience that improves upon the source material. That final line reading by Steven Yeun blew me away in hindsight because it’s something so little but it has such a massive impact on the story and Mark’s characterization that I personally didn’t get when I read the comics (The comics are phenomenal and I highly recommend reading them so saying the show improves certain aspects of the story is high praise).

One rather impressive feat is how well the show translates how the invincible comics portrayed violence.

The invincible comics were well known for their bloody and visceral fights and translating that to the screen could have been a tricky task. Violence is something that could easily become gratuitous and be purely used for shock value if used incorrectly. The show sidesteps this by having every use in this episode serve a purpose. At no point does it distract from the personal conflict that drives the episode- the clash of ideologies and upbringing between a father and his son. 

For example, seeing the destruction in the city after Mark is punched through a building. We see Mark pulling a severed arm from the building rubble after he fails to save the building and a daughter soaked in the blood of her crushed father. All this shocks and horrifies you in the same way it does Mark. That is the arm of a mother he failed to save and it happens right after he tells the mother’s child not to be afraid. We are being faced with the same hard truth that Nolan is trying to beat into Mark. That Mark can’t protect himself let alone anyone else. 

And the same can be said about the train scene. This scene is easily the goriest and most brutal sequence of the entire show (which is saying something) but it very effectively gets across how fragile humans are to Viltrumites. Mark comes out of the ordeal physically unscathed while hundreds of people die. They splatter against Mark almost like a bug does on the windshield of a car (though much more mentally scarring). Nolan even compares humans to pets and talks about humans being lesser than viltrumites further accentuating this point.

There are a lot more examples but anyone who’s seen the episode I think understands. These scenes are gory and intense but they are used very effectively within the context they are being used. If you were to remove any one of them (at least in this episode) something would be lost.

JK Simmons is excellent at getting across that Nolan is trying just as hard to convince himself of these lessons he’s trying to beat into Mark. Each step he takes is him trying to prove to himself that he sees these people as inconsequential collateral in the viltrumite’s conquest like his upbringing taught him to believe.

The photo above may have become a meme but it is an excellent scene that puts Nolan’s desperation on full display. It conveys the conflict between who he’s become from his time on earth and the loyal viltrumite he was so well. And it leads into the best moment in the entire episode.

“What will you have after five hundred years?”

“You dad. I’d still have you.”

This whole episode was amazing. It is easily one of my favorite episodes of television ever but it was this moment that hit the hardest.

Even after everything Nolan has done- all the people he’s killed and how brutally he’s beaten Mark- Mark still loves his father. 

This episode manages to expand on what was ultimately a single issue fight and really dig into the core tragedy of it. 

The one moment I think the comic does better is the moment when Nolan flies away, leaving Mark alive, and crying once he reaches space. I don’t think it was clear enough that he was crying. A lot of people I know didn’t catch on to that fact and a few reviewers didn’t either. In the comics it was very clear and purposefully put into stark contrast so that no one could miss it. This is a little moment but it is one thing I wanted to point out due to how significant that tiny moment is for Nolan’s character.

I’ve seen a lot of people trash Invincible’s animation online and while I do agree there are instances of noticeable CGI that can take you out of it there are also incredibly beautiful and breathtaking sequences of animation as well. A lot of this episode has amazing animation. They spared no expenses on the fight. Here are a few of my favorite moments.

This episode isn’t short on spectacle but it also hits all its smaller moments as well. I’ve mentioned a few above but I want to shine a light on a smaller one near the end of the episode.

The moment I’m talking about is in the hospital when Debbie tells Mark she’s proud of him. She goes to touch his face and he turns away. There’s so much pain in that small moment. Mark is hurting because of the betrayal, the trauma of the events, and because he failed and lost his father even though he tried his best. It’s these smaller moments in the aftermath of the fight that works really well.

When it is trying to set up future events it distracts a bit from what the episode is trying to do but I’m grateful it takes the time to have the quieter moments that get across the heartbreak of the characters, especially Debbie and Mark.

Despite everything going on Invincible never loses sight of the vulnerability and humanity of these characters.  

I can’t wait to see the rest of the Invincible comics animated and brought to life for a new audience. Trust me this is just the beginning. It gets even better from here.

Extra Thoughts

I love the way JK Simmons emphasizes “believe” when he’s telling Mark the truth about Viltrum. “But I believe in our cause” He’s talking about the past but he makes sure to emphasize that this is a present belief which I think plays into how a lot of JK Simmons’ performance hints that Nolan is also trying to convince himself of the rhetoric that he’s spouting at Mark.

I really like how the Viltrumite’s uniforms are white. White is usually associated with good and purity. It’s typically seen as heroic which can be seen in the rhetoric that Nolan is regurgitating to Mark. He’s speaking of the Viltrumite’s actions and conquest as a good thing. It’s all painted in a positive light. There’s a dissonance between how the history is relayed to Mark and how it is seen on screen. Everything Nolan says is sanitized and belays the bloody reality of everything that happened. I just really like this detail.

The score for this episode was fantastic and I really hope it gets released at some point.

I didn’t want to put this above due to the fact I want to stay positive but I wasn’t a fan of Mark and Amber getting back together. With how the show did their relationship I would have preferred them staying broken up. I don’t hate Amber’s character and would actually like to see her friendship with Eve explored and I would have been interested in seeing her be friends possibly with Mark instead of a relationship. I just don’t think they wrote the relationship well enough to get me invested and it’s pretty clear even without reading the comics that they aren’t meant to be endgame. (If you like their relationship then great. It just wasn’t for me)

I know I already said this but I can’t wait for season 2 and 3!

Amphibia - The Hardest Thing Thoughts

(art credit to @kayseix)

Ever since last Saturday I’ve been trying to write out my thoughts on The Hardest Thing and after four drafts and almost 10,000 words written and deleted I think I’ve finally figured out how to organize everything I have to say about this finale.

Series finales are the hardest thing to stick the landing on and in many ways they can make or break a series for many people. This episode managed to hit all its emotional beats home just like Amphibia has always done. I have a few issues but nothing that will keep me from revisiting this series in years to come. 

I know I’m not the first nor will I be the last to say this but The Hardest Thing is saying goodbye. The girls have to say goodbye to the friends and family they made in Amphibia and in a way all these goodbyes encapsulate and close out their individual arcs and the show’s themes.

Marcy’s goodbyes were bittersweet in a way that was different from Anne and Sasha’s goodbyes. Unlike theirs hers was sad because of what could have been. She didn’t get to know Olivia and Yunan as well as she could have and now she won’t be able to. She befriended them but because of her outlook when she came to Amphibia she didn’t get to find a new family in them like Anne with the Plantars or Sasha with Grime. And her goodbye with Andrias was short and full of pain because if it weren’t for the core they could have been family but they can’t turn back the clock. 

Andrias has broken free of the core but he can’t undo his betrayal of her. He can’t stop himself from stabbing her or letting the core possess her. He cared about her but when the moment of truth came he chose the core and his mission over her. 

Marcy has insight into how the core treated and manipulated Andrias which gives her new understanding of him but it doesn’t negate his actions. It also doesn’t negate the impact he had on her life. It is a weird mess of emotions and complicated feelings because she did care for him and vice versa but so much has happened that they can never have that bond that the others have. But they will both forever carry the impact they had on each other. 

Their story is tragic.

Marcy’s goodbyes are a new beginning. Her big moment in All In was the equivalent of Anne’s big moment in Reunion where she stands up to Sasha or Sasha’s big moment in Turning Point where she decides to do the right thing. These were beginnings where the girls made the decision to be better, become who they were meant to be, and work to reach their full potential. And their subsequent actions in those episodes solidified this change. These goodbyes were the solidification of Marcy’s decision to change.

In a way this isn’t the end of her story and arc that Amphibia brought about but the beginning and I think that works perfectly for Marcy.

Sasha and Grime’s goodbye was about more than one thing but it was most importantly a close to their emotional arcs. Both Grime and Sasha build walls around their hearts and put up a tough exterior to hide their genuine care for each other and others. Throughout the series we’ve seen time and time again that they have chosen each other above themselves. Sasha stuck with Grime after Reunion and protected him in Toadcatcher, Grime returned for Sasha in Turning Point, Grime sacrificed his arm to save Sasha’s life in All In, etc. They have had each other’s backs at every turn no matter how dire the situation. They may not say it aloud but they have become family.

Sasha and Grime have developed a father/daughter sort of bond through their adventures and seeing them finally let their walls fall and break down crying at their goodbye was emotional. Neither would have dared to show this type of emotion around others before this point in the series. Sasha was determined to hide her sadness and hurt behind confidence and anger and Grime would never show anything other than ruthlessness before Sasha. They bettered each other and broke down each other’s walls.

But Sasha’s goodbyes also play into the idea that you won’t always get closure for everything. Sasha gets to have this heartfelt goodbye with Grime but she never did get to see Percy and Braddock again. She never got to make things right. And that’s an important part of her arc.

Sasha for so long struggled to see the consequences of her actions and it caused her to lose Percy and Braddock and it almost cost her her friendship with Anne. She luckily got a chance to reconcile with Anne and build a stronger bond than ever because of it. But this isn’t the case with Percy and Braddock.

This adds extra weight to Barrel’s Warhammer. Sasha’s actions in that episode made it so that she didn’t get to ever see them again. Her actions had lasting consequences that she will never get to undo. 

Even though that’s the case Sasha doesn’t stop trying to better herself and that’s important. She was very self destructive at the start and actively put her life in danger multiple times but now she wants to get better, to be better, for those around her but also herself.

Anne’s goodbyes come full circle as well. This goodbye really shows Anne and the Plantars’ personal growth. In season 2 during the episode A Day at the Aquarium they couldn’t bring themselves to say goodbye or even think of the fact that they would have to say goodbye but now they are faced with the reality that they will have to let go. They didn’t want to be reminded of their adventures because they thought it was too painful but after all this they surround themselves with mementos of each other and the time they spent together.

Anne and the Plantars are family they have been and always will be no matter what. This doesn’t change that. It can’t. They have irrevocably changed each other. Her goodbye with Sprig was understandably the one that was the biggest tearjerker out of all the Plantars. 

The friendship between Sprig and Anne is what started this series. It’s what got Anne to grow and what motivated Anne to stand up for herself. It’s what gave Anne perspective on what a healthy friendship looks like. It is, in a way, the catalyst for much of the growth and change in the show for the characters and the world. If Sprig hadn’t become Anne’s “first non-toxic friend” (in the words of Matt Braly) then none of the girls would have grown into who they were meant to be.

Spranne against the world was a catchphrase they used that grew into something much more than what it was that first time they shouted it in early season one. Since then they’ve faced down tyrants, toad rebellions, the FBI, an immortal collection of Amphibia’s greatest minds, and the literal moon and have always had each other's backs.

Spranne kicked this adventure off and it’s their goodbye that closes it out.

It’s simple and beautiful and heartbreaking all at once.

Now to come back to the space battle and the moon. Sasha and Marcy’s calamity forms have been teased since Anne first accessed hers back in True Colors and we finally got to see them in action.

Amphibia didn’t hold back and gave us the most fun and colorful fight sequence in the whole show. I love how all of their calamity powers have to do with their activities from home that helped them most in Amphibia. Anne’s tennis skills and natural athleticism helped her fight even before her lessons from Tritonio which is most notable in Toad Tax. Sasha’s cheerleading helped her stay alive from the heron attack in prison break and feeds into her fighting ability. Marcy’s passion for fantasy and DnD plays into how she is able to do so well in Newtopia as mentioned in Marcy at the Gates. I love that this keeps coming back around in the story.

I love this frame of the girls grabbing onto each other and laughing while they spin in space. It just makes me really happy about how far they have come individually and as friends. The fact that they all grew so much and were able to come back together always hits me. It brings me back to that photo Matt Braly shared on twitter of the sketch of the three girls on the coach leaning into each other so with the caption “it’s complicated”. Through everything they all cared deeply about one another and managed to grow so they could get to this point.

Most importantly this part closes out the arc of the calamity trio as a whole. Anne started out this series as a follower. She did what Marcy and Sasha wanted and took the easy path but that’s not who she is anymore. She asks for their permission to take the lead and they allow her to.

She accepts her fate and makes the hard choice. In a way this is the hardest thing as well. Sasha and Marcy have to take a step back and give Anne their stones and their trust. Anne has to make this decision knowing that she will be giving up everything.

Anne has grown to be a light for so many people. She’s grown to love herself and through that has learned when to take the lead. She’s what Sprig dubbed her in the very first episode, a hero.

Anne makes the ultimate sacrifice and dies. The Anne we know does in fact die. A copy was made of her right before she expired; she is “for all intents and purposes the same Anne Boonchuy”. It’s been a week and I still don’t know how to tackle this subject but I do believe that this is Anne. I am happy that at least a part of Anne does in fact get to live her life. (To be honest I still don’t know if I’ve fully processes this part of the finale)

And we come to one of those things I’m conflicted about which is the creator of the stones. I’ve sat on this for a while now and I think I agree with this take right here. It would work better if there were any indication of there being a god outside of the line of foreshadowing within the episode Adventures in Catsitting and the photo on Anne’s bedroom wall. 

No one before this point has been concerned about where the stones came from and there’s also the fact that someone/something we’ve never seen before in the series is what saves Anne from death. I don’t think either of these things fit the series as well as they should (The link explains this a lot better than I can).

That being said it works very well within the context of Anne’s arc and the themes of the show. Anne is given the chance to become a god and she turns it down. She isn’t perfect and she’s constantly growing, learning, and changing. Things aren’t set in stone. 

Amphibia is centered around the theme of change. That nothing is permanent. And how that isn’t a bad thing. Bonds grow and change and sometimes you have to let them go but that doesn’t make their impact less meaningful. People change. They can seem set in their ways like Anne thought Sasha and Marcy were but they can surprise you and grow. 

Nothing is perfect but with that comes beauty. The creator of the stones can’t grasp this. There is an inherent disconnect between an immortal being and a mortal one when it comes to this. They see Anne make this grand sacrifice and jump at the chance to make her their replacement. They claim she is perfect but she knows this isn’t the case. Anne understands this part of life now in a way she couldn’t before her journey.

Her understanding gives the god a new perspective and they allow her to go back and continue her life. Anne gets to continue her journey of growth and change. While she has an understanding and perspective beyond her thirteen years she still has so much life left to live and she deserves the chance to live it.

The epilogue shows a better world for Amphibia and shows just how much the world and its inhabitants have changed due to the trio. Sprig, Polly, and Ivy are going to go on more adventures and carry on in Anne’s memory by exploring a new continent. Grime, Olivia, and Yunan work together to facilitate peace and exploration. Hop Pop gets to grow his avocados. And Anne has a statue built in her honor.

Andrias roams helping fix the world he tore apart by planting seeds while carrying around the legacy and memory of Leif, Barrel, and Marcy through his keepsakes from each of them. He will never get the closure of his friends having seen him change and work to make up for past mistakes but he carries them with him and the lessons he’s learned from each. This ending fits perfectly with Amphibia’s themes. 

I talked in depth about the earth epilogue here but to sum my thoughts up I think the dialogue doesn’t fully get across the intention behind it very well. It doesn’t get across that the girls did in fact keep in contact and that Marcy did visit after Amphibia but drifted apart due to time and differing life paths. I was genuinely disappointed in how the dialogue made the trio’s relationship after Amphibia sound but I love the idea and themes that it tries to get across.

I love the message that people do grow apart and that they can come back together again. I love how the trio meets up on Anne’s birthday, brings her presents, catches up, and takes a new photo. I love the idea that things aren’t permanent and that sometimes you will grow apart but that doesn’t make your experiences together and the love you share pointless, it just takes on a new meaning. I love that all these years later they could come back together and reconnect.

The final frame of the entire show is of the trio having taken a new photo. It’s a beautiful bookend to their story. The polaroid was such an important thing for every girl throughout the story but it grew and changed in significance with each of the girls. This new one symbolizes their new change in dynamic and friendship perfectly.

The fact that our first sighting of the group was this polaroid stuck in a tree in the rain during the opening and that this is the last sighting of the group right before “Complete” appears in Thai bringing the series to a close is so poetic. This series was about the friendship of these three girls falling apart and forcing them to grow separately as individuals before coming back together as true friends.

Amphibia is first and foremost a story about friendship and how each one can change you. How some while you may be separated the impact of that friendship will always remain. That sometimes you can reconnect with these old friendships even after all the time, space, and new experiences have changed you all. 

Part of the journey is the end. This wasn’t a perfect goodbye to the series but it was a beautiful one that will be remembered. I know I will never forget it.

Extra thoughts

I want to give TJ Hill kudos once again. I love the upbeat rendition of no big deal that plays in the background of the trio’s space battle and the end credits music.

I have to say my favorite calamity form is Sasha’s. It’s just so extra with the flaming hair and abundance of spikes and it says more about who she is and what she represents than Anne or Marcy’s. (I still love their calamity forms too. Sasha’s just says the most about her in my opinion while Anne and Marcy’s have a lot of similarities to each other comparatively)

I absolutely love the moment where Andrias stands up to the core. They even hammer home the parallels between Anne and Andrias as well as Sasha and the core by having the scene where Andrias stands up to the core share the exact same dialogue as the scene where Anne does the same in Reunion. It even shares the red lighting and background.

I love how Grime kept Sasha’s sword. I love their bond so much.

My full expanded thoughts on the girls’ future careers is right here. I love all the career paths they took and feel like they were all extremely fitting and showed the effect Amphibia had on each of them.

Sasha is bi and I love it.

Olivia and Yunan are canon which I also love.

While it doesn’t hurt the finale for me I wish that we saw Sasha and Marcy’s parents. It just feels strange to have them teased in Froggy Little Christmas with the letters and All In during the phone call at the end only to never see them.

I also don’t think Anne will accept the god’s deal even after the next 78 years. Anne doesn’t want that kind of power and her response within the episode sums up how I think she will still feel after all that time. There is also an inherent tragedy to a mortal becoming an immortal, all-powerful being that I wouldn’t wish on Anne.

I also feel like the pacing of the first half of the episode was too fast. The calamity forms of the three girls is something that has been built up to for quite a while now and they come and go way too quickly. The pacing issue is very noticeable. I enjoyed what we got but it is jarring every time I’ve seen it.