It's quite fascinating to me just how much Roxanne haunts the narrative. I mean, in the way that she is so PRESENT in almost everyone's motivations.
She's first off-handedly mentioned in track 2, and her presence in the story only grows as the plot moves along and as we as the audience grow to further understand the protagonists. We learn just how MUCH Roxanne has done for the world. But more than that, we learn just how much she's done for our friends on a far more personal level (being something to idolize/aspire toward for Korsica, someone to follow for Macaron, etc.)
Roxanne isnt just an inspiration for our characters to act, she is THE reason the entire story happens. She is the reason Peppermint comes back to Vandelay Campus at all, the reason Macaron has any inclination to join the cause, the reason Korsica has any doubt in Kale/the way things are run in the first place.
She's so important to the narrative that none of this, none of the plot or character development would have happened if she were not so critical to these characters (and I know im not mentioning Kale right now. Kale falls into the same category as the 80% of the tea-m. YEAH, Roxanne's actions and behavior also entirely motivates and influences Kale's action and thought process as well. But this essay isnt about him so im moving on)
The only EXCEPTION to this trend is CHAI. Chai has literally no connection to this woman other than vaguely knowing about her (bc she is famous). He has no reason to allow her to motivate or influence ANY of his choices.
And what I've noticed over the course of the narrative is that everyone else's motivation/morale shifts from coming from Roxanne... to coming from Chai. They ALL go from doing any of what they do bc of their admiration and sense of duty/obligation (and it is, at least a little bit a sense of obligation) toward Roxanne, to instead doing what they're doing bc of their BELIEF IN and admiration toward CHAI. They believe in HIM and HIS ABILITY now and it fuels them so much more presently than their belief in Roxanne as an ideal.
Roxanne represents (between each character respectively) what was, what is, and what COULD BE. Chai is this force of all the same things as well (with emphasis on what could be, i think) but the key difference is that Chai represents something so much more TANGIBLE. He gives something for all of his friends to hold onto so much more tightly (until Roxanne comes back, ofc, but given the lack of ACTUAL textual evidence for this, I'm going to neglect this point as well)
I, at least personally, write and conceptualize Rox and Chai as being shockingly similar. But I cannot stress enough the ACTUAL. EVIDENCE. there is for the impacts BOTH of these characters have on everyone else
It is equally so important to me that Chai's lack of connection to any of ts is because he's some RANDO. He's literally just SOME GUY. He has NO RREEAAASSOOON to care, but he does grow to care anyway.
(And this is where I slip on my tinfoil hat)
And yk who else used to be SOME RANDO? You know who else was just SOME LADY??
She was literally just some woman selling robotics out of her garage, but she cared so DEEPLY. She grew to care so much about the world that she solved a whole-ass energy crisis!
(And, just to cover my bases, I'm saying Roxanne grew to care even though there isnt anything saying that her compassion wasnt ALREADY there. I think she was always a deeply empathetic person, but I also believe that the power that comes with dominating an entire freaking industry would also do a lot to bring a lot of societal/global issues ((like, for example, the disaster that Korsica mentions)) to Roxanne's eyes that would only make her care MORE.)
Both of Chai and Roxanne, who are people who are so integral to the plot and character development of every other protagonist, were complete nobodies before they were given a chance. They were nobodies who grew to CARE. And that impact, the way they motivate those around them, would not have otherwise happened if not for the miraculous circumstances that gave them their shot
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