Once We Get Up There is supposed to be THE villain song of season 2. Is it really, though? Let's see.
ONCE WE GET UP THERE VS HELL IS FOREVER
Once We Get Up There is the second song of 2X1, so it shares the same spot as Hell Is Forever in 1x1. The two pieces are villain songs that fulfill a similar role, as they have to establish who the villains are, what they want and why they are dangerous. At the same time, Once We Get Up There presents itself as the opposite of Hell Is Forever for two reasons.
1- Big Bad Villain VS Villain Trio
Hell Is Forever is a solo song, a shortened rock-concert, where Adam gets to shine as an idol. Once We Get Up There is instead a group song. The title itself says it all. It is Once WE Get Up There, which shows the Vees are a team, a villain unit. This is conveyed by both the lyrics and the visuals.
Lyrics
Vox uses the "we" throughout almost the whole song and calls ALL the Vees gods with the expression "unholy trinity".
Vox: Once we get up there
And snag that angelic throne
Our unholy trinity could make their realm our own
The beginning and the end of the song mirror each other. Vox opens up the musical number inviting Velvette and Val to join him (like you and you and me). Velvette and Val close it by singing the final chorus together with Vox (Once I... And I!... And I!).
Vox: With new management in charge
Like you, and you, and me
Vox: Once I...
Valentino: And I!
Velvette: And I!
The Vees: Get up there! (laughs)
The Vees all harmonize with each other. Sure, Velvette and Val sing together the most, but they also have solo parts and Vox and Val sing together here:
Vox and Valentino: And what's best is...
Velvette: That dumb princess showed us the way
Valentino: To make those haloed cabrónas pay!
Visuals
Vox opens up the song with a giant electric "V" aka the symbol of the group (and yes of Vox himself :P).
The visuals play with the Vees' colors. In the central part of the song they all appear with their defining color in the background (red for Val, pink for Velvette and blue for Vox).
Later on, Velvette and Val step on three platforms each: one red, one blue and one pink.
This shows that the Vees plan to social climb together by combining their abilities.
Their individual ascending platforms come together so they can dance arm in arm in the finale.
This may not be wanted, but considering the meaning of "platform" when it comes to technology, it's fun to imagine each one of the Vees on its own "platform" uniting into a bigger one as a metaphor of them creating their technological empire. Each one has their own "platform" and expertise that become intertwined with the others' to make the V-brand.
2- Angels VS Demons
Hell Is Forever is about an angel that uses his supposedly "moral high ground" to hurt weaker people:
Adam: Fair is fair, an eye for an eye!
And when all's said and done (Said and done)
There's the question of fun (Ah-ah)
And for those of us with Divine Ordainment
Extermination is entertainment!
Throughout his song, Adam constantly looks down on Charlie and puts himself on an elevated position.
Once We Get Up There is about a group of amoral demons that plan to take over Heaven. Once again both lyrics and visuals convey the Vees' nature and goal.
Lyrics - The Vees' Nature
The song is full of words and expressions that refer to the Vees' plan as an enterprise. Vox mentions a "new management in charge" and says "it's time for growth".
Vox: It's time for growth
Let's rule 'em both!
Take total control
This is not how a religious zealot speaks, but how a CEO does. In this way the Vees immediately set themselves up as very different villains from the Exorcists. The latters are brainwashed soldiers that are dangerous because of their numbers and their strength. The formers are a trio of successful business-partners that draw their powers from their influence and technology.
They are the "new money" of Hell, who strive to go higher:
The Vees: What's an overlord to a deity?
They ain't got a prayer!
In this way the religious symbolism of the series is tied with the concepts of "modernity", "abundance" and "progress". For example, consider the idea of "the promised land":
Vox: Once we get up there
Up to the promised land
A hundred billion souls await our every command
This expression comes from religion, as it indicates a piece of land God promises to Abraham's descendants. At the same time, the myth of a "promised land" is often associated to the "American Dream" as the new continent was supposed to be a new Eden. Here, Vox uses the saying to mix together a religious rhetoric with some kind of "heavenly dream" propaganda. In this way Vox empties "religion" of any moral meaning. To be "religious" and "good" means to simply be "successful".
Visuals - The Vees' Goal
The song makes use of ascending platforms and stairs to symbolize the Vees' "climb" towards Heaven:
In particular, whenever the words "Once We Get Up There" are sung one or more characters ascend.
The first time, Vox goes higher while playing the piano on an ascending platform
The second time, Vox symbolically reaches "Heaven", as the "Golden Kingdom of God" appears behind him
The third time combines the first two "ascensions", as the Vees all go higher on moving platforms and dance in front of a background picture of "the golden promenade"
The fourth and final time has the Vees go even higher, as they exit the tower to look at their future Kingdom (Heaven)
THE VILLAIN SONG = DANGER + CHARACTER + THEME
Once We Get Up There does a great job establishing the Vees as different from Adam. Still, does the song fulfill what a good villain song should? To be specific, what does it tell us about:
The danger the villain represents?
Who the villain is?
Which themes the villain embodies in juxtaposition with the hero?
Let's see and let's focus on the season's true villain: Vox.
1- DANGER - VOX THE COMMUNICATOR
Vox displays here for the first time his strongest power: communication. He puts up a show to enthrall Valentino and Velvette, so that they will back his plan up. This is made clear since the song's opening:
Vox starts the song by playing the piano, as a flash of light is on him. In short, he sets it up as a theater performance. He is delivering a big show for his squad.
How does Vox's show work?
He makes use of:
Two rhetorical techniques
His main medium (TV)
1- Vox's Rhetoric
Vox's performance is built on two tricks:
Vox promises Velvette and Val what they want the most (a new market and new resources for their businesses)
Vox: Think of all your dreams that could come true
Valentino: Even the wet ones?
Vox: Yeah, those too! Imagine what it could enable!
Velvette: For my label!
Vox: Yes! A heavenly host that bows to none but us!
Valentino: I can have hot new angel sluts!
Velvette: Tear off their wings and make 'em dresses!
Vox progressively involves Velvette and Val, until they stop being spectators and start performing too. Specifically, Vox starts by singing "a slogan", interacts with the other two Vees in the middle part of the song and finally has them join in the final part, where they all sing the slogan together.
This modus operandi is not unique to Once We Get Up There, but Vox replicates it in other propaganda songs:
In Bad With With Us, Vox wins the Overlords over by promising to fulfill their desires, even if he has no proof Heaven is going to be this famous "Promised Land"
In VOX POPULI, Vox progressively involves the crowd, up until they all sing his slogan, just like Velvette and Valentino repeat Vox's refrain in Once We Get Up There
2- Vox's Medium
Vox uses TV aka his artistic medium in three different ways.
Background Screens
Vox uses the screens in his office as props in his show. He projects background images to embellish his narration. For example, Heaven's pearly gates and its holy cities are not just some imaginary setting. Vox truly projects them on the screens, so that they can serve as sets.
Multimedia Experience
Vox is the Media Overlord, so he is "multimedia" :P As a result, he freely goes from a theatre setting where he dances in front of a screen to inside the TV, where he can experiment with more daring angles. All in all, he bombards Velvette and Valentino with multiple stimuli, so that he can generate more engagement. Hence why he interacts with them and even harmonizes with them from the screens.
Holograms
Vox uses holograms as extras in his TV program. First he has a bunch of faceless winners carry him. Secondly, he materializes "bowing exorcists" to bait Valentino and Velvette to "climb the stairs" towards Heaven. In the next frame Val and Velvette interact with the exorcists to have "new hot angels slut" and to "tear off their wings and make them dresses". In short, Valentino and Velvette get to use Vox's holograms to imagine their happy futures and this brings them onboard. Isn't this one of the greatest powers of fiction? To make you feel as if you are experiencing your fantasies?
2- CHARACTER - VOX, THE FAKE GOD/KING
Who is Vox? Once We Get Up There does not answer the question directly, but it gives some hints, like his piano number at the beginning of the song:
Vox opens the musical number playing a piano, which ties into his foiling with Alastor, since the Radio Demon has a preference for this instrument. At the same time, Alastor uses a traditional piano, while I think Vox prefers an electric one (I can't tell for sure, 'cause I know very little about music).
Vox reveals that the piano actually played itself, which fits both Vox's technological attitude and his tendency to "fake" things. His very first musical performance in the season (the piano intro) is after all a fake.
Vox chooses the piano to imitate Alastor and he symbolically "steals" Alastor's art to appear better himself. This small moment sets up Vox's pattern to copy others and it shows Vox's obsession for Alastor. In a sense, Vox sees the Radio Demon as an ideal self he aspires to become.
So, Vox's first moments in the song hint at who he is: a fake, who takes from others to look better. This tendency to always perform and wear a mask comes up throughout the entirety of the song. After all, Once We Get Up There is very upbeat and does not feel threatening. It is a villain song masked as a Broadway razzle dazzle number. There is only one moment where the mask drops and both music and character show their "true colors":
Vox: And once we're gods, I can't wait to say...
To everyone who doubted me
Your doubting days are done!
You'll be cornered, trapped, and tortured
Then I'll end you, just for fun!
Here, both lyrics and music become more sinister (and electronic probably :P). It is a small window into Vox's real self. What does it say about him? Two things:
Vox is a fake King, just like Scar
Vox is a fake God, just like Adam
Vox and Scar - Fake Kings
Once We Get Up There references The Lion King's Be Prepared. The stanza above makes the allusion obvious visually:
In general, though, the entire song is strongly inspired by "Be Prepared".
Both Scar and Vox are planning to change the world order. Scar wants to be King and goes against the Circle of Life, whereas Vox wants to conquer both Hell and Heaven and goes against Heaven's Order. They use the song to convince others to support them. Both songs use:
Imagery linked to "climbing up" - The hyenas and Scar go higher as the earth brings them higher + The Vees climb stairs and ascend
Imagery linked to propaganda - Scar says hyenas will "never be hungry again"+ the hyenas march like an army in a dictorial state / Vox promises Velvette and Valentino whatever they want + Vox bombards Velvette and Valentino from multiple screens to better get through them
A final frame of the villains at the top of a tower with a moon-like object in the background. Interestingly, Scar and Vox are above the people they are singing to. They say they are doing this for the hyenas and the Vees, but they are actually acting only for themselves:
Vox and Adam - Fake Gods
The stanza sets Vox and Adam up as foils:
Adam: And for those of us with Divine Ordainment
Extermination is entertainment!
Vox: You'll be cornered, trapped, and tortured
Then I'll end you, just for fun!
After all, both speak of tormenting and killing others to get a kick out of it. They exercise violence for "entertainment" and "fun". Even more importantly both Adam and Vox are satanic archetypes, since they both want to become Gods (which is the Devil's Sin).
Adam makes it clear with his last words, where he compares himself to a God:
Adam: No... you don't get to end this! I'm fucking Adam! I'm the fucking man, and you're just some fucking clown or something! I started everything on Earth! All of mankind came from these fucking nuts! You all should be worshipping me, you ungrateful, disgusting, fucking losers-!
Vox's whole song is about him wanting to become God. At the same time, Vox's "evil stanza" makes Vox's satanic motif very clear both visually and musically:
Visually
1-Vox goes down the stairs:
Vox is juxtaposed to Valentino and Velvette, who are ascending. The difference is also in the music. Val and Velvette are singing low-to-high notes, while Vox sings high-to-low-to-high
Vox goes down in a song, which is about him and the others "going up". This visual choice emphasizes how Vox is tricking himself and others. He talks of becoming God, but he is truly acting as the Devil.
2- Vox torments "Sinners" with fire in his imagination, just like the "Devil" would:
Musically
The following lyrics call back the idea of "never doubting God" and of "God punishing people who doubted him":
To everyone who doubted me
Your doubting days are done!
In other words, Vox and Adam are two satanic archetypes who act as fake Gods. This similarity is highlighted by Once We Get Up There with small parallels:
Both villains look down at the people of Hell from a position of power:
Both villains conjures "fake" exorcists to serve them during their musical numbers
Both are linked to the idea of "fake" during their villain songs in episode 1. As seen above, Vox fakes his piano playing, while Adam himself is a hologram hence he is a fake :P
In conclusion, Adam and Vox may superficially appear opposites, but they are very similar thematically. They are two satanic archetypes who want power for fun and are linked to the idea of "fake". Why these similarities? In a sense, Adam and Vox call out their respective Kingdoms' hypocrisy by being alike.
On the one hand Hell is going to cheer for Vox and to give him power without realizing he is just like the leader of the Exorcists that tormented them. They have escaped a violent abuser just to choose another one.
On the other hand Heaven acts as if Vox is a monster and calls his ideology blasphemous (which it is). Still, they are not as quick to call out Adam for the exact same behavior. In the end, even Vox's idea that if he wins he becomes God is really not that different from Heaven's own beliefs. I mean... it is not Vox, who came with the term "Winners" for people who are in Heaven. The angels are the ones who strongly links the idea of "goodness" with the idea of "success", "power" and "strength". All Vox does is to take their ideology and turn it against them.
Political Power + Religious Power
Once We Get Up There sets Vox up as a fake King (political power) and a fake God (religious power). This positions the Media Overlord as a foil to both Lucifer and Sera that he faces in episode 5 (VOX POPULI and VOX DEI). Here Vox successfully snatches for a little while both the political and the religious power:
Vox combines both Lucifer and Sera's poses in his. On the one hand he is in front of the Vee Tower (a symbol of political power) with his signature animal flying next to him, like Lucifer. On the other hand he is in front of Heaven (a symbol of religious power) with six wings and an eye in the middle, like Sera.
3- THEME - OUTSIDE VS INSIDE
What theme does Once We Get Up There convey? Why is it in juxtaposition with Charlie's ideals?
Vox and the Vees plan to reach Heaven physically, while Charlie wants the Sinners to do so spiritually. Both villains and hero want to "climb the ladder". However, for the Vees it is about "social climbing", while for Charlie it is about "redemption". This is something made clear in Hazbin Guarantee/Trust Us:
Charlie: We can live in harmony!
Valentino and Velvette: Why be nice when you can be famous?
Charlie: That's the Hazbin
The Vees: Sign and cash in!
Charlie: Guarantee!
Charlie wants people to change inside, while the Vees pursue an outside change. Charlie wants people to transform so they can fit better into the world. The Vees want the world to change, so it can better fit them.
TWO VILLAIN SONGS: ONCE WE GET UP THERE VS BRIGHTER
Once We Get Up There is definitely a well done villain song. Still, is it THE villain song of the season? Not really. The song that conveys who Vox truly is, his themes and why he is dangerous is without a doubt Brighter. In a sense, Vox has two big villain songs:
Once We Get Up There is Vox's facade. It is the villain song he performs for others.
Brighter is Vox's truth. It is the villain song he performs for himself.
As a result, the two songs have similar motifs, which are used in opposite ways.
Stairs: Friends VS Stepping Stones
In Once We Get Up There, the Vees climb a colorful stair that represents their team-work (red + blue + pink)
In Brighter Vox climbs a stair where each step is one of the people he used as stepping stones to go higher:
Screens: Outside VS Inside
In Once We Get Up There Vox's screens are part of his performance. He uses them to build an outside narrative
In Brighter Vox's screens mirror his inside world and tell us his past:
The Tower and the Flood
Season 2 has two main motifs that comment its major themes:
The Babel Tower/voice motif that comments the theme of Power
The Flood/meteorological motif that comments the theme of Identity
Once We Get Up There sets these motifs up, while Brighter has them fully bloom.
1- Vee Tower VS Vox's Tower
In Once We Get Up There the focus is on Vee Tower, which is a metaphor for the three Vees' media empire. The Vees' different platforms come together in one because the three Overlords combine. Similarly, Vee-Tower is decorated with three Vs whose colors (red + blue + pink) reference each Vee
In Brighter the focus is on Vox's tower of television, which is a metaphor for Vox's own media empire. It is a Kingdom Vox built by stealing from others and hypnotizing the crowd. Symbolically, his tower is a pile of TVs with Vox's hypnotic frequency inside:
2- Small Fish/Splash vs Shark/Storm
Once We Get Up There mentions the "flood" motif twice:
Vox: We'rе the biggest fish in Hell
How 'bout wе upgrade the bowl?
Valentino: With a splash of vice
They'll pay the price!
Brighter takes the "small fish" and the "splash of vice" and turns them into a shark:
Vox: Fish like to swim next to sharks
Yeah, you eat or you get eaten
And you're feasting on their hearts
And a full out storm:
CONCLUSION: FROM "WE" TO "I"
Once We Get Up There gets two reprises:
1-Don't You Forget Reprise
Vox: Now I'm the master
And you're my bottomest bitch
No more Al, the high and mighty
Now that I flipped the switch
Here, Once We Get Up There plays as Vox sings these lyrics. Symbolically Vox is getting "on top of Alastor" (and yes the sexual joke is clearly wanted and present in the song). He is now in control of his enemy and so he is "higher" than him. This moment is Vox reaching his most personal objective, which is to defeat the Radio Demon and to control him.
2- When I Think About The Future
Vox: Soon I'll be up there
The one and only true God
No more playin' house, once they're devout, I won't need a squad
Climb the stairway up to Heaven, live on every TV
Always knew the guy they're prayin' to was gonna be me
Once I get up there
This stanza is the opposite of Vox's first refrain in the original song:
Vox: Once we get up there
And snag that angelic throne
Our unholy trinity could make their realm our own
We'll pack up all their piety, and redecorate
Bet our tower would look powerful with pearlier gates
In Once We Get Up There Vox speaks of "we" and "unholy trinity". In When I think About The Future he says "I" and "one and only true God". He even mentions he won't "need a squad" and that he is "the guy they're prayin' to". In other words, When I Think About The Future cements Vox's villain journey. He starts as a member of a group, but he progressively drops his act and reveals himself as overly selfish and individualistic.
Deep down, Vox's arc in season 2 is one that goes from "we" to "I" and Once We Get Up There perfectly sets it up in all its layers and complexity.
Animation time works differently. Fifteen seconds for them is five hours for me. Kinda makes you wonder. Five hours for me must be like five days for my animator
Experimented a bit with a new way of detailing the tiles. Kinda like it? This particular piece took a hell of a lot of work. I’d love if you shared the vibes it’s giving off, for research purposes 💖
Just watched Perfect Blue but god I don't understand much apart that the main girl Mima is fucked up lol. But I still have an ask regarding the rape scene because it was really disturbing...like was it "real" or not ? I know the man say "sorry" at first but idk it really was just weird and so disturbing that idk. And who kill the men anyway ? lol yeah I didn't understand much I guess
Hi!
I love Perect Blue :) It has been a while since I watch it, but I wrote an analysis about it back then, if it can help: https://www.tumblr.com/aspoonofsugar/183221009287/perfect-blue-finding-ones-identity-between?source=share
In any case, long story short:
1- The rape scene is not real in the sense Mima is not being truly raped. It is a scene in the series Mima is playing a character in. However, Mima still perceives it as violence because it is a very strong scene that Mima feels deep down forced to do if she wants her career to advance. In general, the point of Perfect Blue is that Mima has a very weak sense of identity and she "becomes" her character. She starts as a pure and naive girl (the idol), she becomes lost as she changes careers (she plays a minor role without real character), she becomes "corrupted" by the industry (the rape scene) and becomes "dirty" (the sexy pics). Finally, Mima starts believing she may truly be a killer because she is playing the big bad in the TV series. However, that is not the case, 'cause Mima is not her character. By the end Mima realizes this and is able to catch the real culprit.
2- The real culprit is Mima's manager, who has been reliving her younger years through Mima. She projects on her and by the end she believes she is truly Mima. Mima stops her and by the end she is in a hospital. Someone could argue the story may leave it ambiguous if Mima is truly the real culprit and the manager is the scapegoat, but thematically I think it works more if Mima is innocent and appehends the real culprit. All in all Perfect Blue is a story about a child growing up and finding her own identity outside of society's pressure (the different roles Mima is asked to play).
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Interesting, alarming article.
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So everyone’s pointed out the whole cutting to Mari when Lara says “do you think I’ll find love here in Shiga?”
But we also have:
Mari saving Lara from drowning, both physically in the water and emotionally in her own despair of feeling like she no longer has a home, telling her “let’s go home”
Grace telling Lara about how her finding her “true love” is akin to her finding her light, and right afterwards Mari enters the room saying “it’s so dark in here” and TURNS ON THE LIGHTS. LIKE GRABBING THE AUDIENCE BY THE THROAT TO SAY SHE’S LARA’S LIGHT Ouugghhhh the cymbal isms….
Seeing the flashback to when Mari saw Lara in her full scaly mermaid form and choosing to help her. Obviously Grace asked her to, but also like. The Prince who had gotten to know Lara as a person before seeing her turn into a mermaid, was still afraid and willing to kill her upon seeing her change, unable to accept her. Mari on the other hand had just met Lara and shows no disgust, fear or judgement in seeing Lara’s true form.
The meet cute of Lara falling into Mari’s life and Mari punching her out of the sky to stop her descent and ground her (and subsequently is the one to ground her in an emotional sense in the following episode) . It’s hilarious, it’s iconic, it’s beautiful with how they’re framed against the golden moon with Lara’s ring flying off and in between the two of them (like foreshadowing they’re going to be engaged). It also comes right after the scene where Lara's sisters are telling her about finding her true love. It’s just such a great meet cute that starkly contrasts her picture perfect fairytale one with the Prince with how blunt, imperfect, and real it is.
Beyond any of the tidbits of symbolism and foreshadowing of Mari’s being Lara’s true love, I wanna talk a little about how great the two compliment one another and can potentially help the other to grow too, just from what we’ve seen in the first two episodes.
So Lara is a curious, passionate and outgoing girl who is very driven by her own emotions and what she wants. She clearly loves very deeply, but what’s interesting about Lara is that her impulsiveness is a flaw of hers, that she can be so focused on doing what she feels and what she wants, when she wants, (and I think being raised as a sheltered princess and the youngest child would have only fed into this, her being a little spoilt) that it can cause destruction and harm to those around her, even if it is not her intention. And they set that up right from Lara’s introduction to seeing her as a baby and toddler.
She’s so focused on eating whatever she feels like, whenever she feels like, to the point she destroys the head of her family’s statue:
And of course, becomes so focused on wanting to learn about the human world and pursuing the love of the prince that it destroys her family and home.
And when she arrives in Shiga and awakes in episode 2, she spends the whole episode very much wrapped up in her own feelings and problems, and has very little regard for Mari, as shown in her destroying her window and belongings. Yes, it’s completely understandable why she acts this way, (especially given Mari punched her in the face on their first meeting) given how overwhelming her situation is of being in modern day japan and having learnt her family has been destroyed because of her, but like. Mari is still the only person who has gone out of her way to help her and who understands her situation fully thanks to Grace, and who knows she’s a mermaid. And she calls Lara out on this too:
Lara: Because of you, I lost my ring!
Mari: What? Try not falling on me from the sky, then!
Lara: It’s important to me!
Mari: The things in my room are important, too! You even broke my window!
We’ve had less time with Mari than Lara, but so far her characterization has her as being very blunt, straight forward and no-nonsense, and this has the potential to balance out Lara’s more impulsive and romantic self.
Despite seeming aloof and cold, we see she’s also caring and kind. She saves Grace as a child and takes care of her, she does the same with Lara, calls out Grace for making Lara cry, goes after Lara and saves her from drowning even when she told Grace it wasn’t her problem to go after her and was going to training instead. And to go back to comparing her to the Prince, when we see the Prince showing Lara how things work in the human world, he finds her confusion and clumsiness amusing and cute.
Isn’t it cute when a girl doesn’t know anything? When she’s dependent on you for everything? (maybe I’m being harsh lmao but I’m still mad at this Danish twink). When Mari is giving Lara the hot chocolate, again, there’s no laughter, no judgement or infantilisation. She’s patient and demonstrates to Lara how to do it herself. …this is something I’m curious about if Lara learns to become more independent and to come into her own thanks to Mari’s influence. She was a sheltered princess, and then was living with a prince in his castle before becoming sea foam. I’m wondering if that, in order to grow to be more confident as her own person and find out about the outside human world (like she wanted to originally) all different kinds of “love” (that of friends, community, and self love) that she has to learn more about the real world, before she can find her “true love” (which is what she needs to do to save her home and family). And the beginning and end of that might just be Mari.
But I think Lara has a lot to give Mari too, since if Lara needs to be more grounded in reality, Mari needs to be more idealistic and open herself up to people more. Lara gives up her life to chase after a fairy tale love, to learn about a world not her own. Mari is far too content to stay closed off from everyone in her own world, her family making a point of how strange it is that Mari has a friend over or has made a friend at all, and Mari seemingly dead set on staying in her routine of doing her boxing training and nothing else. In the opening of the anime we see Lara enthusiastically taking people by the hands and pulling them along, and them subsequently being caught up in her charm and energy. So, due to her extroverted nature she’s very open to other people and the world around her. We also see her pulling Mari along too, like she’s getting her to come out of her shell and open up as well.
Mari has a very stubborn mindset of seemingly being opposed to fairy tale idealism (the kind Lara is defined by) despite seeing a mermaid fall into her face from the sky. She can accept that Lara is a mermaid, but not a princess:
Grace: She’s a princess who could end up destroying this place!
Mari: A princess? Yeah, right.
She can accept that Grace is a talking fish, but not that she’s a witch:
Lara: She’s a terrible witch, you know!
Mari: She’s just a cute little fish to me.
Again there’s something about this leading to her challenging Lara’s idealism and breaking from fairy tale roles of the princess and the witch (the opening also implies Grace, like Lara, was a princess who also fell in love with a human. Is there really that much of a difference between the heroine and the villainess?). But there’s a strength to be found in fairy tale ideals, of the love, beauty and hope that can be found in the world, of opening yourself up to endless possibilities. And that’s something I think Lara will help Mari to see.
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