It turns out the drug H8, which Barbie is fighting her addiction to in the new short, has a very literal name. It seems to bring out rage (or hate) in the demons who take it.
But why would someone grow dependent on something with that effect, or even enjoy it in the first place?
Anger is a negative emotion, right?
The thing is, if you're spending a lot of time feeling things that are worse, anger is a better alternative sometimes. Walking around feeling grief-laden, depressed, scared, sorry for letting people you love down ... it's hard to get any relief for those feelings.
Rage simplifies what's hurting a person and allows them to fight it. It's not happy, but adrenaline comes with it, and it's the sort of adrenaline that can make you feel like you're right, and those you're facing down are entirely wrong. It's simple and explosive. It can even give you a kind of high. It can feel like you finally have agency.
Let's look at Barbie. Barb tries to distract herself with positive things- a good sandwich, make-outs with her adorable girlfriend, Kendra... and she summons some significant but hollow anger here and there (rightfully) as her day gets worse and worse.
BUT look at our girl during the quietest moments in the short.
Her anger, righteous or otherwise, is gone, and she's just miserable.
And when she's angry, her face keeps betraying her. She feels hurt and betrayed and guilty and worried underneath. She uses anger just like her brother does as a shield. Between herself and others' ability to hurt her if she shows vulnerability maybe, but also between herself and The Bad Emotions ™️.
The thing is, acting out of rage has consequences. And Kendra doesn't walk out on her over the job, or over the drugs she finds. She does it when Barbie lashes out at her, and from "don't give me attitude," one can assume that this is a bit of a pattern whenever this couple fights.
I suspect that this is why Barbie is so committed to getting off the drugs.
The H8 itself is.. I know... kind of a joke and a hopeful moment at the end of the episode. But it also brings to light a lot of complicated things: the way anger can turn into a crutch and a protective outer shell, how people don't always get addicted to things that make them feel "good," and how trying is a hopeful act, even if you're far from perfect.
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