#just thoughs

[rochenn]

Would anyone be upset with me if I completely decanonized midichlorians in my fics btw? I don't want the UNIFYING Force, the thing that "binds the galaxy together", that "surrounds and penetrates us", to be something physically measurable. Something genetic, even.

It's got a bit of an aftertaste

[disfordevineaux]

The show would have been so much better if Julia and Chase were true partners from the beginning or close to the start, instead of essentially at end. In reality it served no thematic purpose and didn't drive the plot forward at all to have them at either ends and a point of conflict until one particular moment at the tail of s4. And even that could have been solved a few different ways, that didn't involve their dispute being stretched out for so long. It was as if they couldn't find enough 1 vs 1 or group vs group outside the main conflict and had to force one because they couldn't go on without everyone being enemies. When there already was one half set up, so glaringly obvious that would have made so much more sense: Julia+Chase vs Chief.

If they wanted to still go with the whole 'I'm the only one who can see the truth', it would have been way more compelling to have both Chase and Julia passively against Chief's opinions and beliefs on Carmen Sandiego and her motives. Slowly pushing their agenda into the mainstream. It's way less depressing and disconcerting to watch two battle their way through adversity than one all alone. Instead they could have shown the ups and downs, the duality of them both having to grapple against what they have to represent as an organisation, and what they want to represent as a team. Only having one another for support. Constantly trying to work around and with ACME and Chief's ideals while actively pursuing the route they want to take. Both trying to not lose either team in the struggle, to create unity.

If they were adamant on keeping Chase's 'arc' of *Carmen is super bad*, then it should have been cut off within the first season. He isn't incompetent, if anything very far from it, based on all that we see of him collectively (finding VILE Island alone was whiplash compared to how they made him act before hand, as if they forget they wanted him to be incapable) but it's obvious they desperately tried to make him horribly so (while still being the most active and successful field agent within ACME?) to excuse why they had to pull out his realisation, with little build up, that his opinion was incorrect. It felt sort of like a last minute decision. Judging by how quickly he turned at the end s3, they had no real intention to make him the true third minor conflict. Or an idiot. It makes no sense based on who Chase really is, that he didn't try to force his way into a Carmen Sandiego mission as early as possible to see what Julia always got to witness throughout the seasons. To prove that he was right, ultimately resulting in the opposite. A end of s3 scenario but way earlier. You can't make him the one character to be able to catch up to her and still keep him blind to it all. You can't do both quick thinking and rock for brain. Come ooooonnnn.

Julia's acceptance for so long was unrealistic. She's not an intern or clueless. She's a well-educated and trained adult, previously hired as an inspector who was then presumably assigned alongside Chase due to the prelevance of the Carmen Sandiego case. I think people equate Chase's comments on how short her stint at Interpol is with her being unrealistically young. Young prodigals exist sure, but you're allowed to work hard, study hard, for a long, realistic amount of time, for good job and / or opportunity. It's obvious that she has work experience in the department and this isn't her first job like a lot of people assume which I find strange. This isn't her first rodeo, and it makes me feel way more comfortable considering her to be 29-31 rather than bellow that. As it makes 0 sense to what we know NOW with her being a professor/lecturer. But the whole age debacle is beside the point.

I understand that she's a patient person, and Chase is naturally boisterous, but wow. You can't tell me, Julia, a very openly opinionated person wouldn't have broken her professionalism sooner to give him a word. It's like they chickened out on actually making her a strong character for the sake of her being able to spew contextual dialogue. You can do both, it's not illegal. You find that she HAS the ability to do so as early on at the end of s1, and more so in her subtle if not non-existent comments thereafter, as if she was just fine with it all of a sudden.

She almost seemed to 'pack it in', despite 'packing it in' serving no plot relevance or even as an actual conflict. Julia had more tangable conflict with Chief, Zari even. Two characters who she was not a foil for, neither acting as a replacement foil in lue of Chase. I wish that the show really ramped it up, the dissolution and disagreements, rather than give us a mildly displeasing example of an unchecked ego in the workplace, complacency and a frayed adult relationship that could have been solved with 1) actual conversation they clearly had the ability to have all along.

They could have also maintained the Julia leaving ACME plot point as well. Originally, they really wanted us to believe that the complete reason she left was just because ACME kept going after Carmen Sandiego as the enemy. When clearly it's 30 Chase and 70 ACME. Again, they could have still had that, without the mild Chase conflict and truly played up the turmoil and frustration Julia felt with the ACME vs Carmen situation. Having to leave ACME and Chase behind for her own sanity, fed up with ACME's constant dismissal of the truth. If you're desperate for more conflict there, throw in Julia's guilt for abandoning Chase, her friend at that point, to deal with Chief all alone, knowing she needs to go in order to take care of herself. Would have made so much more sense AND AGAIN, 10000% MORE COMPELLING. And all the rest of the story thereafter can be kept, just skew it and bam, you're gold.

Again, CHIEF should have played that role for the both of them, separately and collectively, instead of Chase. Because she wasn't unintentionally and by chance not seeing the truth due to unlucky events, but could have actively and deliberately ignored the truth for personal reasons/vandetas until forced otherwise by the duo or the glaring truth. Would have been 1000% more complex, interesting and actually driven the plot forward from a whole other direction. Chase and Julia would have been able to properly play off one another, deal with multiple sides and silent enemies while we get to see a fun, comical dynamic between two adults on screen who clearly have chemistry on a platonic front minimum (way more so if they let s4 Chase shine like they should have from the get go, it felt like the Chase they originally wanted to show but had to go with s1 Chase instead). Decide guys. Is he bad or just masking/faking it I can't keep up.

They really wasted both their characters half the show on a meaningless, almost silent argument fueled by miss communications, verbally and physically just because they could for more content or something. All of that time reiterating the same thing over and over how 'Chase is so silly and rude when we need him to be and Julia is ignored and never raises her voice' is such a boring and outdated story line. Like come on if I want to see a man not listen to a woman for no reason I'd just step outside. I guess the writers were worried if they teamed up Chase and Julia, both powerhouses too early they'd be unstoppable and season 2, would have solved all the problems in existence. That's my guess.

Because wow, missed opportunity. Imagine the antics, the banter, the dynamic, the lessons learned. Ugh. Would have been hilarious to see them trying to make plans and combat the ACME agenda silently, playing devil's advocate at every turn while Chase is thrown into the thick of it by default/accident all the time with Julia trying to catch up. They can still not succeed for as long as desired as it would take some time to get it right. You still get that slapstick humour most shows can't live without, but with plot relevance, with more Julia and teamwork. But I guess that's what fan fics are for.

[isthisimprov]

Random idea: Bobby’s brother shows up to visit him out of nowhere, and after a very long talk catching up, we see Bobby having shades of being the chaotic brother.

Like for example:

Bobby’s brother about to tell the fam about a very embarrassing story when a pillow gets hurled at super sonic speed.

[thegirlintheweeds]

I think James and Betty are that deep, real-shit type of soulmates. Like from childhood, growing up best friends, falling in love, falling apart, and coming back together.

I imagine them being polar opposite but in that way that Betty keeps James grounded and James allows Betty to let go and feel relaxed/have fun.

I also imagine "seven" being from James' perspective, wanting to save Betty from a troubled home as a child.

[trans-road-warrior]

Symbiote hosts make for great trans characters. As the suit itself can change its host entire appearance, and still be the same person is radically amazing and should be done something with

[precognitiveignition]

no matter how much you love someone their actions are still theirs and ultimately it is up to them to own up to any consequences they might face as a result

[m3s99]

seeing a character who acts so much like you just have a bad ending is so gut punching to watch, what could've happened if your "negative" traits took over, it's like watching a game over screen of yourself showing how things could've and might have played out if things didn't happen, and that scares me, genuinely, the thought of alternate realities were one thing changed and every things different and you can see it through fiction no matter how extreme and goofy and out of touch the situation is