Hi mega fucking hot take time.
This game is about Rebecca and Sam Colton and how antiblackness in MODERN America affected them and ripped them apart as well as how the child entertainment industry is inherently abusive towards children.
If we ACTUALLY cared about the themes of this game I would be seeing a LOT more discussion around:
The fact that there were very few children's cartoons with Black main characters like Amanda in the 90s, how hard it would have been for Sam Colton, first off to make and produce Amanda in the first place but also to get it made as a cartoon that was planned to be aired NATIONALLY in the first place. In the 90s and early 2000s? With relatively respectful/decent representation? A cartoon that allow kids across the country just like his little girl to see themselves in a show being adventurous, curious, kind, and brave.
The fact that they used the villainization of Black parents to their advantage after making Sam disappear to make NO ONE CARE. Well, technically the general population doesn't care or act nearly enough when Black people go missing or are killed. THATS THE POINT. THEY USED THAT THEY MANIPULATED THIER LANGAUGE IN THEIR STATEMENT TO PLAY INTO THAT.
WHITENESS DOES MATTER AND PLAY INTO KATES CHARACTER AND HER LACK OF ACTION Not because she is inherently a bad person who does not love or care for Rebecca but because our very White supremacist culture literally teaches us not to act. We are doing enough just by talking about it, by researching it, by sharing our kind words. But when it is time to act the majority stays motionless. That is what Kate represents. She is a well-meaning White woman who does not know how to take action.
Caroline took action but her friends did not back her up so that probably was what lead to her failing. Not because taking action was unwise but taking action alone against such a big force will usually not end in one's favor.
LETS TALK ABOUT HOW KATE EXPECTED AMANDA, AFTER ALL OF HER TRAUMA TO STILL ACT THE CHEERFUL HAPPY REBECCA SHE KNEW AND QUESTIONED IF IT WAS REALLY HER WHEN SHE DIDN'T.
Let's talk about the canon implication that Rebecca was wide awake during her brain surgery, quite possibly without any pain medication or anesthesia. Let's talk about how that plays into medical antiblackness and the belief that people of color do not experience as much as White people. LETS TALK ABOUT HOW THAT BELIEF IS STILL PREVELANT TODAY AND CAUSES PEOPLE OF COLOR TO GET DENIED ACCESS TO PROPER NECESSARY LIFE SAVING MEDICAL CARE AND BENEFITS AND INJURY COMPENSATION.
Let's talk about how child actors usually develop eating disorders, identity problems, substance abuse issues, mental health disorders, depression, anxiety, and more into adulthood and lets see more "unpleasant" headcanons for post-game Rebecca instead of imagining her healing process to be smooth and perfect and her to recover completely. People who have gone through less than her have lived their whole lives having never fully recovered. Their lives and her life is still 100% valuable, meaningful, and worth living even if they never are able to meet society's standard or expectation of being perfectly recovered.
Lets talk about Rebecca developing delusions, mental health disorders, self-harming habits, struggling with her identity post tapes. Let's talk about how easily regular society would trigger her how afraid of it she'd be the danger she would experience as a Black person with facial differences (from the rotting), mental illness, and developmental delays. Lets talk about how her trauma affects her even if it isn't pleasant or aesthetically pleasing because that's what real people go through in real life.
Lets talk about how the conditions she endured would leave her probably chronically disabled. Lets talk about how even without the fact that she is being chased down by Hameln who has public immunity, she would not ever get the complete medical and psychiatric help from society that she needs on a base level because people of all races especially people of color already cannot access that care. ESPECIALLY BECAUSE SHES A BLACK WOMAN. Realistically it is plausible that she could get addicted to pain killers, marihuana, and other substances because they would be the only way to relieve her stress and pain. Let's talk about the fact that even in the best case scenario she would not be able to get a job. Let's talk about the fact she did not receive an education. Let's talk about the fact as a chronically disabled person with these issues Riley would become her primary caretaker who she would be dependent on, lets talk about how Riley might financially struggle with this. Let's talk about how even if all of this was true she still deserves to be loved, taken care of, and alive.
I am not saying all of that is guaranteed to happen, but it also isn't guaranteed not to happen and I don't think it is soiling the ending to discuss how Hameln and societies behavior could affect the rest of her life in the world she lives in.
I AM NOT SAYING ALL OF THIS IS CANON, I'M SAYING THESE ARE POTENTIAL THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO SEE DISCUSSED MORE.
I don't sit and write a lot of post-game content, despite thinking about it ENDLESSLY because while I know quite a bit about this stuff I am no expert and I definitely do not feel I know these experiences personally enough to write from that perspective. And I have made some of my own posts on these things and before ATA 3 I saw a lot of mutuals posting about these things I had originally learned a lot about antiblackness from this fandom and it made me go and do a lot of research on my own.
I really wish people discussed Rebecca and Sam more. I can't even interact with this fandom anymore without seeing 3 or more posts with blatant or subtle ableism, intended or not, whether towards Rebecca or just within how you talk about certain characters, not even directed at the character themselves. This isn't new. The fandom has always had problems with discussing Amanda/Rebecca and Sam's story with the weight it deserves. It has always had problems with racism and ableism.
I still love these games, these games are why I started learning about antiblackness in the first place. They opened my eyes to much more than I knew and I probably acted uneducated in the past, maybe I still do and I recognize that. But the more I personally learn about these subjects and the world the more I've come to really really dislike this fandom. Its not fun. Very few people discuss this game from antiblackness perspective, especially post-ata 3. I love seeing posts from those who do talk about this especially hearing from the perspectives of people of color in this fandom I love you keep posting I love you I love you I love you don't let anyone shut you up about your experiences and how you relate to these games they are foremost made for you don't let anyone take them from you. I never see people talking about this from a children's rights perspective or how the games themes relate to the real world in a serious manner, especially post-ata 3.
And also I am so sick of seeing ableist language and even occasionally slurs in this fandom. You aren't cute. I am not causing an argument with every person who does this, but know you make people feel unsafe. I've definitely felt unsafe in this fandom. Which is why I don't interact with it like I used to. Believe me I still love these games they are my favorite of all time. I just- I just- can't anymore.
Also I know Wooly is important to the themes of this game but I DARE you. To try and comment on this post without mentioning him JUST ONCE. PLEASE. This post is about Rebecca and Sam Colton. DO NOT DERAIL. PLEASE I AM SO CLOSE TO LEAVING THIS FANDOM ALTOGETHER.
I am not trying to accuse any specific people, I am just sharing my thoughts on this game and it's fandom as everyone else does and I have equal right to do :) Have a wonderful day.












