Happy Valentine's Day Everyone And Here's A Little Special Gift For Everyone Featuring My Favorite Pair

Happy Valentine's Day everyone and here's a little special gift for everyone featuring my favorite pair of talking cars as a redraw since I drew one similar to it last year! So happy Valentine's Day everyone!! 🥰💖💝🚗♥️🚙

I approve of this headcanon!!

What is Lightning's least favorite piece(s) of merch?

Lightning is surprisingly chill with most of his merch–even the misshapen pillow pets; the creepy bento kits where the food is placed in his innards; the McGrill; and the CANDLE, the candle where, if lit, he melts into oblivion; and not even the RACE DAMAGE DIECASTS–because he’s never known a world where he was not frequently confronted with strange simulacra of himself. He was born in the uncanny valley and is at home in it as he is Ornament Valley. He doesn’t blink twice at all the super weirdly-shaped merch that always gives Sally pause.

Lightning actually owns a copy of every piece of merch that has ever been produced for him (not including bootleg merch–in which case, Sterling and Harv’s collections are more complete). Contrary to popular and possibly Lightning’s own belief, this is not the norm for most racers. Most racers have seen the gamut during autograph sessions, or having boxes shipped to give away at sponsor events (and, occasionally, manning their own merch trailer), but most racers do not personally own a lot of their own merch… That’s a holdover habit from Lightning’s lonely rookie year that he also sort of forgot wasn’t normal and has kept up over the years. He doesn’t keep it in his trailer anymore, or really anywhere he can actually see it, but such a collection does exist. 

Mater’s the one who keeps it catalogued and organized, so make of that what you will.

The one piece of recent merch that really does a number on his self-concept, though? 

Sphero McQueen.

LMQ’s not bothered by the scrunch-faced, floppy tire plushies. But Sphero McQueen is a little too realistic, to the point that if he’s tired enough it makes him begin to contemplate doppelganger/evil twin/Freaky Friday kinds of situations. (Even though Sphero is clearly v smol. What is scale?) 

He does not remember ever specifically recording the audio that comes out of the Sphero. Where did it come from? 

It’s unnerving, how well it captures his personality, his mannerisms. How does it do it?

The fact that Sphero likes to come alive in the night doesn’t help either.

Untrustworthy…

👻👻👻👻👻

Hey there again! Also hey Jackson got a question, what do you got against Lightning? It felt it was kinda unjustified that you antagonized Lightning, when he didn't do anything to you! Did something happened in the path that motivated you beat Lightning?

Hello again, friend! :)

Also, I feel like this deleted scene is necessary to refresh everyone's memory...

OK, laughs aside. This is going to be a loooong post, so sorry in advance lol.

So, this may surprise y 'all, but Lightning actually used to be Jackson's role model.

Why do you think he got interested in racing in the first place? Much like Cruz, he grew up watching Lightning "fly through the air" so to speak. So, when he turned 18, he began his journey on the simulators. And this next part may be a shocker to you guys, buuuuttt.....

Jackson never actually wanted to antagonize Lightning.

He was pressured into that stereotype by his boss at IGNTR. The guy was horrible and actually physically abused (more than just a few small dents, y 'all) cars that didn't follow his orders.

Ofc, Ray and Gale never approved of that kind of management (and wondered why they worked there, sometimes), and tried to teach Jackson that he didn't have to do that sort of thing just because the boss said so (and that's the reason why they stayed at IGNTR; to protect Jackson like their own son). He was still young, and had great potential. He already had multiple offers from multiple sponsors—he didn't have to agree with the one he just so happened to sign with.

Jackson grew up in a tough home. His father was a rich tycoon and his mother was a famous model; they never had time for him, and usually came home drunk and would treat him as their slave.

Because of this past, Jackson was programmed to obey and perform at his best to please everyone so he wouldn't get lashed upon. Therefore, when his boss threatened his career if he refused, he relented. anYWAy—wayyy off topic, you asked about Jackson snobby attitude towards Lightning.

So really, the only reason Jackson was such a jerk to the veterans, mainly Lightning, was because of his boss. However, overtime, when Jackson really got a taste of spotlight and his sponsor paid him more for his rude actions, it became second-nature to him.

That kind of came to an end at Florida, tho.

His boss finally got fired for the way he treated his employees (Ray finally turned him into the authorities after the Florida 500 disaster; he also gave Jack a firm talkin' to). Now, they have a new boss who is much like Tex in his treating and managing of employees.

Jackson is on the road to becoming a better competitor and respectable car, now. He's become good friends with the next gens, and even McQueen himself. It took a while to work up the courage, but with much encouragement from Ray (and Gale), he finally apologized to Cruz and Lighty for his antagonistic attitude.

He still has fun with the old man jokes, though.

Just some bros playing a nice friendly game of uno

😳 Why does he have a BETTER HANDWRITING THAN ME?! WHEN HE DOESN'T HAVE HANDS!!! 😱😭

I feel like there's a fluff story somewhere about how Doc has Lightning's racing paraphernalia in his garage (like that Rust-eze sign we see hanging on the wall)

If anyone thought I was going to answer this ask without Harv, prepare to be disappointed!

Some headcanons:

Lightning’s not great at making time for signing memorabilia. He loves meet n’ greets and the media circuit generally writ–thrives on it. But without the immediate feedback and social interaction of that, the autograph-signing is just tedious. See, what happens is Harv ships a gigantic box of hats, diecasts, antenna toppers, whatever, and Lightning is supposed to sign them all to they can be distributed via online contests, trackside giveaways, all the usual Piston Cup merch shops and online stores. It’s boring and he hates it.

Lightning has, at least once, in a moment of sheer desperation and real potential of being drowned in a barrage of Rusteze hats, tried to enlist the assistance of others to sign his things… But Mater’s penmanship was too bad, and Luigi’s was altogether too good.

Merch day is actually no one’s favorite day in Radiator Springs, because the FedEx truck that delivers it all is angry and always manages to double-park someone. And it’s just generally disruptive and industrial in ways that Radiator Springs, back on the map or not, simply isn’t. 

Sometimes, Lightning’s only incentive to get all his signing finished is he feels bad about the town having such a bad day while Mr. FedEx is waiting around. The townsfolk would like to say they don’t begrudge Lighting this, and they totally understand, and they love him no matter what, but they absolutely do begrudge him this, and they are angry about understanding even if they understand, and their eternal love becomes very questionable if it hits Hour 12 and Mr. FedEx is still passive aggressively complaining about Lightning’s attention span, work ethic, penmanship, etc. etc. etc.

Finally, FINALLY, Lightning gets to the last autograph. It’s a Rusteze sign. Just as he’s about to unleash his final flourish, Doc puts out a tire.

“Hold on, son. This one’s mine,” he says.

Doc’s never even bothered to be in town on Merch Day, he’s that unimpressed with that aspect of the noveau Piston Cup. And maybe it’s just a stupid sign, but… you know. Maybe it’s because Lightning knows it’s just a stupid sign that it means so much that Doc still wants to keep one for himself. Wants to display it in his office, even! The office, the contents of which Lightning still isn’t allowed to breathe on, much less touch. It makes Lightning really, really proud.

“I could sign it,” Lightning offers. Then he chuckles. “You know, for when you sell it on eBay fifty years from now.”

Doc looks at his sign, and then he looks at the pile of other signs. And he says, “For the sake of my sale, it’s best you don’t.”

First Sign Penmanship:

Last Sign Penmanship:

AWWWWW!!! THIS IS SO ADORABLE AND SO CANON!! WE NEED MORE CONTENT LIKE THIS!! 🥹❤️❤️

Ladies and gentelmen...

...the cars fan animation

It was hard, but I did it❤️