laika is playing fetch. why do you think we get shooting stars? the cosmos throws, and she runs. her owner is now everything: the burning sun, the ageless andromeda, every nebula and cloud. every dog is scared of vacuums. i hope she knew the drawl of the rocketâs engine was just the sound of what it meant to run forever. she takes naps sometimes. but her ears are always perked up now. sheâs listening for the call of the cosmonauts: good girl, laika. go on, fetch.
we call them shooting stars. but thats just laika. she's fetching. on the biggest field any dog has ever seen. playing the biggest game there ever was. she slipped the leash of gravity. now she belongs to everything
I keep thinking about the gym scene with Flambae and how he could have easily dipped out and let Robert heavily injured/killed from the weights, but he still steps in to give him a hand. He is a huge asshole about it, but his advice is still in a ways true.
That and the fact he was obviously showing Robert his bulge. That bitch was totally flirting.
GOD, THE GYM SCENE. There are SO many interesting things going on in this scene! And not just with Flambae and Robert, but also with the setting, and how Flambae and Robert (and their worldview) fit into it?? And what bearing that has on Flambae's perception of Robert's lack of powers?? (And what that means for his attraction to Robert, of course, hehehe)
Like, this safety/motivational poster is pretty par for a gym. You shouldn't lift without a spotter! But it's INSANE to me that it implies you ONLY need to do this if you don't have superpowers?
Are we meant to interpret this as evidence that supers naturally have greater strength and constitution than "normies"? That they recover more quickly from injuries? That they're just straight up harder to kill?
(As an aside, this does slightly recontextualize Flambae hitting Waterboy with his car for me. If he's obviously a super, and supers can just naturally take bigger hits, then MAYBE Flambae knew he would be fine...? Still not great, but we don't love him because he's perfect ð)
Anyway, I believe Flambae also says Waterboy can bench more than Robert? (Couldn't find a screenshot of this, but it's when he calls him "Wetwipeboy"). So even though Waterboy looks like he has the upper body strength of a wet paper towel, he can bench more than Robert at upwards of 120 lbs. This corroborates the impression the motivational poster gives that supers are just naturally stronger than those without powers, even if their powers don't necessarily seem to have anything to do with strength.
Though in fairness, Robert is obviously reaching muscle failure at the end of a workout, and probably also recklessly pushing himself to muscle failure on a dangerous piece of equipment as some kind of form of masochistic flagellation to alleviate his diminished sense of self worth, or as a kind of punishment for his perceived failures. (Also, if he's trying to build his strength up he shouldn't be doing cardio the same day he's doing lifting, so either he's willfully biting off more than he can chew or his knowledge of proper strength training techniques is actually surprisingly low for a career hero).
MORE ON WHAT ROBERT'S WORKOUT CHOICES SAY ABOUT HIM: the bench press is a technique intended to build upper body strength, to the exclusion of other body parts. And this is the workout he fails to complete because he takes on more than he can handle. A metaphor for Robert's hyper-independence, and how he can't do it alone?? Flambae, save him from himself...
FLAMBAE, BY CONTRAST: is doing squats, which develop core strength and stability. Given identical weights, they're easier than bench presses--but Flambae is also batting 280 lbs on those things, so he's flexing on Robert completely here lmao. But you know, for the allegedly volatile, tantrum-throwing, loose cannon "walking fireball" character, I would have expected him to be doing something... flashier? Like curls, or something?
Honestly, the choice of exercises for both of them in this scene feels INESCAPABLY deliberate. Like maybe we're meant to understand Flambae has a surprisingly strong emotional foundation? Unexpectedly robust coping strategies??? He DOES come to Robert's housewarming party prepared to move forward after only a day of stewing in his feelings of hatred, which feels pretty big of him for someone who claims to have been "waiting a long time" for a rematch when Robert first encounters him in Crypto Night!
And Flambae's weird, backhanded way of showing support is so interesting. It casts a veil of enmity over all the good things about him--makes us biased against Flambae WITH Robert based on his/our first impression, so we take his "Bitch, you can't be stuttering on your first day" and "The important thing is you suck" at face value alongside the rest of the Z-Team's hostility and bickering, instead of recognizing the moments were he abstains from outright hostility (he doesn't bully Waterboy with the rest of the team at the beginning of his first shift, and he doesn't sabotage anyone). Once we get to know him a little better, it becomes clearer than ever that, despite his rough-around-the-edges attitude, Flambae is trying, in his own way, to help. He likes to help! He's concerned about things like accomplishing tasks in a timely manner and, as most of us haven't shut up about since we first saw someone mention it, he is uniquely qualified to rescue a kid's lost balloon in the very first mission of Robert's first shift with the Z-Team. Man, if ANYONE actually believes in the Phoenix Program, it's Flambae.
SO. ALL THAT TO SAY.
THE GYM SCENE.
Flambae LIKES HELPING PEOPLE. People in distress INDUCE HIM TO PROTECT THEM. So he comes to Robert's aid, and emphasizes that Robert is weak, and he is strong. Like he is trying to draw attention to the fact that Robert needs help, and Flambae is the one who can and will be there to help him. He's trying to SHOW Robert he can rely on him, by performing the most homoerotic display of protection (helping him with the weight), concern (you need a spotter, we need you, I don't want you getting hurt), and strength (IMMEDIATELY starts squatting while facing him. not looking away. MAINTINING HEATED EYECONTACT) EVER.
Also, maintaining heated eye contact with Robert while he squats and talks about how strong he is is fucking INSANE??? Bro, is that a challenge (it can't be, he just told Robert NOT to hurt himself) or a come-on? Are you imagining bouncing on it RIGHT now??? Or are you trying to show off how strong your quads are, so Robert knows you can pound that flat ass all night??? Trying to see if he's staring at your bulge??? Whore???????
I'm obsessed. Like. Yes Flambae is an asshole. We have established this is an irreducible facet of his character. However. His abrasive attitude is NOT all there is to him, and given what we know about him, and how much he has license to begrudge Robert (throwing food in his face??? come on, now), he is being EXCEPTIONALLY KIND to Robert in this scene. And more than that, it seems to me that, in this scene, there is a strong argument to be made that Flambae is trying to communicate that he is concerned about Robert's safety, that he is strong enough to protect Robert, that Robert doesn't have to be strong to earn that protection, that he values Robert's contributions to the team, that he wants Robert to look at him, that he wants to touch him, and that he has been looking at Robert's ass.
And Robert is basically pulling Flamabe by being the most pathetic guy ever? Like, look AT him. Flambae LOVES saving people and taking care of people and proving "Fuck you, I can be gentle." I bet he dries his fucking potpourri flowers with his flames. Guys he didn't even burn down the Sardine in that huge fight, his control is INSANE. I KNOW he can be gentle. And he wants to be. He wants to be good for Robert. So, SO fucking bad he wants it.
Flambae sees Robert moaning and grunting under that bar and he's like god fucking damn it he's soooo fucking pathetic. I need to take care of him. ð¥º
Like this is the gayest anyone has ever done it, folks. Adhoc Studio did NOT have to make this scene so charged, but they DID and they DID IT FOR US. Flambae x Robert truthers understand, this scene is gay as FUCK.
despite being a divisive character for his impulsiveness, hostility toward our protagonist, and his unchecked aggression toward Waterboy, Flambae may be the member of the Z-Team who's demonstrated the most compassion(?) thus far?
out of all the Z-Team, I believe he's also at the top of the leaderboard in terms of successful missions. say what you will about him being a vain, pickme loner with a "fuck you, I got mine" attitude who can't stop getting into stupid fights, but these are hero missions he's succeeding at. taking all this into consideration, I don't think pure ambition can be credited as the sole source of his success. I think he really wants this, even if it maybe heroism doesn't come naturally to him.
I believe jacksepticeye mentioned that the voice director (Coupe's VA) was very clear and thorough when instructing the other VAs on how to perform their lines, which makes me think it's not an accident that Flambae sounds almost, like, embarrassed? when Robert calls him out for starting that fire in the park. almost like he it's something he genuinely can't help (yes it is very predictable for the fire powers guy to be a pyromaniac with poor impulse control, but y'know, if it ain't broke don't fix it). but while he may have powerful destructive impulses, the fact that he's gotten this far at the SDN demonstrates to me that he has made a CONSIDERABLE effort to overcome them, and that's worth a lot!
I'm also EXTREMELY curious about the altercation between Flambae, Waterboy, and Robert in the break room in Episode 4. he acts like he genuinely doesn't realize he was being a bully by throwing trash in Waterboy's face? and the way he says "In fact--" just before Robert throws food trash at him makes me wonder if he was going to say something like, "YOU'RE the one being a bully," which wouldn't be completely unwarranted?! Robert gives them that big pep talk about seeing their pain/potential/fear and believing in them anyway, and still cuts someone after a big win, which would obviously make them feel like no matter how hard they try, their efforts don't matter--which feels especially cruel, after Robert made it seem like he actually gave a damn about their success (and I do think this is on Robert, since he's kind of demonstrated that the only member of the Z-Team he's personally invested in seeing succeed is Invisigirl; probably because she knows he's Mecha Man, so he isn't holding her at arm's length to try and hide that part of himself from her... but I'll save my thoughts about Robert's lack of commitment to the Z-Team for later)
back to the break room scene in Episode 4: Flambae demands to know if Robert is going to "snitch" on him, and then, pointedly, doesn't snitch on Robert to Blonde Blazer when she enters the room. maybe he just recognizes that if he does, Robert can justify his actions by saying Flambae started it.
he also seems kind of subdued when interacting with Waterboy during missions?? almost like he feels bad for bullying him after Robert pointed out that's what he was doing?? and then Flambae sounds like. abashed, when he tells Waterboy over the comms, "Listen. You tried, and you suck. It happens. The important thing is, you suck. And you... and you know this, now." (the subtitles differ slightly, but this is what the voiced line sounds like) Flambae honestly sounds like someone TRYING to give good advice to a rookie and failing miserably. But he IS trying?? which is so interesting?? after Waterboy threw out his lunch and it seemed like Flambae was going to begrudge and resent him for that forever??? bro is over it in an hour!
I can't tell yet if Flambae is like, the de facto leader of the Z-Team whenever they're between dispatchers, or just the one who's been on the team longest because his mission performance has kept him clear of cuts... but he definitely FEELS like he's going to be one of the more important characters in upcoming episodes. not least of all because he has some kind of positive(?) interaction with Robert in the gym, where Robert looks like he's going to have some kind of QTE flashback to their first fight.
but because this villain rehab program is LITERALLY CALLED "THE PHOENIX PROGRAM", and FLAMBAE IS THE FIRE POWERS GUY. like. come on. allegorically speaking, he's ABSOLUTELY going to be a major lynchpin in the narrative going forward.
get peer-reviewed @bruciemilf, nobody has ever been more right than you!!
THEY ARE EX-CONS!! I'M SURE THEY'VE COME A LONG WAY FROM GUARDING THEIR MISERABLE PAPER TRAYS OF UNPALATABLE FOOD FROM THEIR FELLOW INMATES IN THE PRISON CAFETERIA!! ð¥ºð
#PREV TAGS TY#further thoughts: it's so interesting to me how flambae genuinely doesn't classify his treatment towards waterboy as damaging#when he would've 100% flipped out if someone treated Prism and Punch Up like that#but it's like. If he doesn't think THATâS bad then he's seen way worse for way less.#the way he calls Robert soft for calling him a bully and the way he repeats it to himself. âhow am I being a bully?â#like he's actually trying to find a scenario where HE is the bad guy here.#because if he was back in the yard â he wouldn't be.#it's an asshole thing to do yeah but it's prison yard mentality more than anything else#ex Ex-cons won't just take a fork to the bathroom or ask permission 100 times before they do something like the movies say#sometimes it's this â itâs âi have to be horrible or else I won't be respectedâ#and I think it's a very interesting facet of his character and everyoneâs on the team!!#Iâm sorry but Robert should read less on leadership and maybe pick up âhow to talk to someone who's been in prison and who kinda hates you#for firing their friendâ#bc Yikes.#BUT YEAH
ONCE AGAIN, you're so fucking right... he's posturing to try and have his space and possessions respected! ): even the way he seems preoccupied with "snitching" is so interesting to me. he's got like, a criminal code of honor?? and i think you're spot-on to hone in on the way he repeats it to himself, too, his frustrated little, "how am i the bully?" in this tone of like, genuine bewilderment and confusion. like i really think he doesn't know!! and then he genuinely seems to have cooled off by the time the second shift starts. AND AS YOU POINTED OUT EARLIER, HE ACTUALLY DOESN'T RIB WATERBOY AT ALL WHEN HE JOINS THE CALL???? i can imagine him pinching the bridge of his nose and doing breathing exercises or muting himself to scream, but he doesn't make a PEEP. he just says this if they're sent together??
He's kind of? Setting a boundary and an expectation, so things DON'T blow up like they did in the break room?? I'm like, proud of him??? 𥺠He's trying!!
And god, you mentioning inmates "bringing a fork to the shower" just reminded me... I was thinking earlier to myself that I wondered where Flambae went to wash off, because we don't see him in the showers with Waterboy or anything (probably for the best, I think they need distance from each other at that point lmao). And maybe he just quickly got himself taken care of and got out... but I wouldn't be surprised if Flambae being an ex-con was reason enough for him to avoid public showers... ): my boy ð¢ð
Robert PLEASE learn something about connecting with and rehabilitating ex-cons because the "tough love" routine is just going to make them backslide, or reentrench their harmful prison pecking order bullshit... u need to be nice to them!! ððð
That's literally connects to the thing i've been thinking since the BEGINNING of the game:
Why Robert? Why him? How is he qualified to handle ex-convicts, there are literally JOBS that specialise in this kind of work, you could've taken any psychologist or social worker that specilises in resocialisation jfjsfjjdjf
I love Robert and I live for his motivational speeches but be fr man. That's why I've hated Flambae in the beginning as well because Robert is just so biased against him and we see Flam through his lenses ððð€§ðð
Itâs late so this might not make sense, but like Flambae taking care of Robert but like angrily. This was inspired by the gym scene. Slamming down food on Robertâs desk after getting back from the field because âThis is why your ass is flat, you donât eat enough.â Then stomping off before Robert can even process what just occurred. Robertâs drinking cold coffee again (heâs had the same mug for a while because he got distracted and now itâs cold) so Flambae just reaches over and warms it up. If Robert asks he was just trying to burn him how was he supposed to know it was cold?
Flambae keeping an eye out for when Robert is going to the gym after he caught Robert without a spot. He just keeps an eye on it and will follow in after to make sure heâs not doing anything stupid. If Robert catches him looking heâll start lifting heavier weights to seem menacing. He doesnât even realize heâs doing this and donât point it out because he doesnât want to know. Does this make sense? I donât know itâs almost four in the morning.
The VA who plays Flambae is Afghan like his character and just puts on a Spanish accent as a bit, like a character thing. I imagine that in-universe, Flambae just uses that accent because he thinks it sounds sexier. Imagine Robert's surprise the morning after they bone and a still sleepy Flambae talks with his normal voice and it makes Robert do a double take because, what? You never sounded like that- (he still thinks his voice is sexy, but now he's got another thing to tease him with, knowing he's been faking the accent in public for years now)
Robert would deadass wake up confused thinking âdid I take the right guy to bedâ or âwhen the fuck did you sound like this?â I can just imagine him hearing his real voice and turning to him in bed like:
Robert 100% teases him especially with his name being âChadâ. Like I can see him being like âI thought I was dating a sexy mysterious Spanish super hero instead Iâm dating some New Jersey dude named Chad who wears too much hair gel and wears sunglasses at nightâ
While waiting for the trailers for episodes 5 and 6, I'm starting to wonder how much pain I could heap on Flambert. Flambae, who learns Robert is Mecha Man and thinks their relationship was a game or revenge, or Robert, who lies because he's afraid Flambae will hate him if he finds out who he is?
When I see a video of a cat minding its own business with nothing else going on I unmute immediately cause I know that mf is about to make a funny noise
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