#nessa cheong

[urfavisalloaro]

Nesse Cheong from Moonbase Theta, Out is AlloAro (Canon)

[arojenniferwalters]

Canon Aros 233/?: Nessa Cheong (she/they) – performed by Elissa Park (she/her) Moonbase Theta Out (2019-2020)/ MTO Before the Moon (2020)

quotes from 2x3; 2x5; 2x7 (2019); Before the Moon Episode 4 Sweetness (2020)

Other appearances 2x4 (2019); 2x11 Nessa bonus episode (2020); offscreen presence in season 1

[aroconfusion]

okay but nessa being aro and also one of the most friendly and well liked of the crew makes me so happy

[violetren]

Started listening to Moon Base Theta, Out. Got to season 2 very quickly.

Fucking devastated over Nessa and it hasn't even happened yet...

[transratsactivist]

moonbase theta out is telling queer stories with nuance and detail that i haven’t seen in a lot of other media i’ve consumed. go check them out.

the podcast has

trans and nonbinary characters

singular they and neopronouns established as a normal and everyday thing

polyamorous relationships in various forms

an aromantic character who gets to have a lot of different meaningful connections and relationships

she/they and he/they characters 💛

ze/zir character!!

queer characters working through relationship conflict

dogs!!!

[representativecharacters]

Moonbase Theta, Out Multipost

Character: Roger Briagado-Fischer

Representation: MLM

Their Importance: A major part of the first season is the deeply moving messages he sends to his husband Alexandre which is the main source of emotional moments. Also, having a male/male relationship as a major center of a story with no mention of homophobia or indication that it’s unusual still isn’t common enough.

Character: Alexandre

Representation: LGBTQIA+ (MLM, nonbinary), Brazillian, depression

Their Importance: In the 2nd season we also hear his responses to his husband’s messages, which shows just how strong and deep their relationship is. His heritage is relevant as he frequently quotes poets from the same background in his recordings and he also has several lines of Portuguese. In the 2nd season he talks extensively about suffering depression after a trauma and seeing a therapist to help resolve it which is presented as a completely normalised thing. He’s also nonbinary as is shown in the episode descriptor where he’s stated to use both he and they pronouns.

Character: Ashwini Ray

Reprsentation: Nonbinary

Their Importance: Zei’s eccentric and reclusive and morally ambigious in a genuinely cnvincing and interesting way. Having a nonbinary character who use neopronouns (ze/zir) who is just another member of the crew is still unusual, particularly for AMAB people. Ze also gets a good line about respecting other people’s pronouns. Ze’s also voiced by a nonbinary voice actor.

Character: Michelle L’anglois

Representation: Trans man

Their Importance: The hot-headed and blunt head of security. A lot of the stories with trans characters cast them as helpless victims so having a more domineering, passionate character who is also, frankly quite a jerk a lot of the time was refreshing. Having a trans male character who’s a bit older and in a position of authority was also a The fact that he’s had little done to physically transition and has a more feminine-sounding voice is never used to invalidate his identity. He’s also voiced by a trans voice actor.

Issues: A major part of his backstory is based around an incident where he was subjected to friendly fire motivated by transphobia

Character: Nessa Cheong

Representation: Korean, LGBTQIA+ (aromantic/alloaromantic)

Their Importance: She’s the only alloaro** I’ve seen in anything. Contrary to stereotype she is a kind person and has fondness for her past partners even without romantic attachment and is mentioned to have much-adored children of her own. This is particularly significant as Alloaros are particularly popular targets of vitriol as they’re commonly assumed to be cold and manipulative to sexual partners and incapable of deep emotional relationships at all. She explains her orientation with a beautiful colour metaphor in the 5th episode of season 2. 

**Does not desire romantic attraction while still desiring sex.

Issues: She tragically dies in an accident mid-way through the series. One of her focus scenes is her recalling a past attempt at a romantic relationship with an a(ro)phic partner who attempted to intimidate her over her orientation.

Character: Wilder

Representation: LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, nonbinary, polyamorous), disabled (has prosthetics)

Their Importance: Wilder is just about the only crew member free of major angst and dysfunction (mostly). She’s another casually portrayed nonbinary character who goes by “they” a well as “she” pronouns. Another prominent part of her characterisation is her tinkering with her prosthetic arm. Unlike most other depictions of sci-fi prosthetics she still has realistic, relatable disabilities like pain in the affected limb and having to carefully monitor the prosthetic in case of malfunction. In episode 8 of the second season she conforms that she’s “gay as hell” and she also speaks fondly about the two women she’ in a triad with which is implied to be a normal part of the setting.

Issues: As the official description calls it as a “sci-fi tragedy” you can guess that there’s an overall pessimistic atmosphere and strong implications of an unhappy ending (though we still have another season to go).

Thanks for anon for the write-up!

[monkeymanproductions]

Moonbase Theta, Out - S3 To Now!

Welcome, Moonbaseians! We’re one week away from returning to the downhill run of the latest season of MTO (S3E8 on Sunday, March 14th!) I thought this might be a good time to do a quick summary of where we’ve been so far! We will get to some spoilers if you’re not completely caught up, so beware below the line! And keep watching the Moon! 

First, quick quick summary of where we’ve gone before: 

Season One: In S1 we met Roger - mostly just Roger - and learned about the rocky shutdown sequence for Moonbase Theta, the last base up and running, on the far side of the Moon. Most of the crew was already in stasis; we met the remaining few through his eyes and his descriptions. It did not go well, and after a few big accidents and a lot of heartbreak, Roger was left alone, the only soul awake, unsure of what to do next. 

Season Two: S2 told ... the same story over again! But where most of S1 was told through Roger’s official reports to his corporate overlords, now we heard his private journal entries, including in-depth messages to his husband Alex ... and we heard Alex’s messages back, along with meeting the other crew more personally - Ashwini, Michell, Wilder, and Nessa. Oh, Nessa. And eventually ... Tumnus, an artificial consciousness fostered by Ashwini, and in the post-S2 bonus episodes we found out Roger was not alone at the end - Tumnus was there as well, and they finally met. 

That’s where we were as we came to Season 3 ... with all our Theta crew in stasis save one lone human and a newly-born AC. The season consists of three prologue minisodes, and so far 7 of the 12 full-length episodes were released before the (kinda) mid-season break. (You can find everything through the S3 page here.)

S3P1 - “One For The Money” - Roger and Tumnus circle each other warily, trying to find a common goal and to figure out if they even could bring the crew back out of stasis. It’s not the best beginning. 

S3P2 - “Two For the Show” - Tumnus talks to herself, listens to music, and finally reaches out to Roger. They create a simulation to work through the process with the stasis pods, which starts out well but they wind up clashing again and Roger walks away. 

S3P3 - “Three to Get Ready” - Our two heroes join forces again and finally think they’ve cracked the secret to revivification - which involves both their special skills. Roger gives them a theme song. 

S3E1 - “Moonwatch” - We start out the season with a good old-fashioned Roger monologue, questioning his motives and pining for Alex. Tumnus calls him down to the storage level to start the work of reviving crew members - but where do they start? Finally, we meet up with Alex down on Earth, telling the story of their journey to Moddy Sarah’s folks in the Patrick Free Zone, and ending the night as they have so many, looking up at the Moon above. 

S3E2 - “Comeback” - Back on Base Theta, they proceed with their first revival - Dr. Just, base biologist and tardigrade wrangler. He convinces them to proceed by reviving more of the science crew, which is an adventure in itself. On Earth, Alex is settling in with their new community, and is recognized from their previous life. 

S3E3 - “Changeover” - We start this episode in a new location - behind the scenes of the Consortium management on Earth, where secrets, and our season’s villain, are revealed. On the Moon, the science crew is already causing problems, and Tumnus convinces Roger it’s time to wake someone up on their side ... a revival that takes particular skill. 

S3E4 - “Reclamation” - Moonbase society is starting to come together - there have been a few more revivals, and Wilder is coming into her own with all the memes your heart might desire. (And we meet Medic Pacey, who has zir own irascible charm.) Meanwhile, Alex is brought on the inside with the techno-anarchists who run the Patrick Free Zone - and their big project! Turns out there might be another way to get messages to the Moon after all ... and more than just messages. 

S3E5 - “Strategies” - The Science Bros on Base Theta are starting to throw their weight around, trying to ensure they maintain control as the community expands, and making sure they control the next steps. We meet Jaxon, Base Nutritionist, who worked with Nessa, absolutely captures our hearts, and turns out to have a lead on Nessa’s secret plan for Moonbase sustainability. 

S3E6 - “Pivot” - We start out in the Consortium offices, where the Enclave Officer is putting all his nefarious plans in motion, including a plan for taking back the Moonbases. On Theta, the scientists are struggling a bit, but still keeping a grip on things inside - while outside, Tumnus catches Wilder doing repairs and they have a private conversation about where things are going, who else they might need to pursue their own plans ... and the stirrings of revolution. 

S3E7 - “Arrival” - While wandering the base late at night, composing a message to Alex, Roger is pulled - literally - into the plans to fight back. Meanwhile, Tumnus is waking and recruiting another very important part of those plans - Dr. Ashwini Ray. On Earth, Alex is struggling with all the new discoveries and old memories, then the episode ends with another S2 voice come back to us - Nessa’s partner Elena, who has crossed the globe to send her own message to the Moon. 

That’s where we are right now! Next episode I can guarantee more big moments and reveals (and more Ashwini and more Jaxon!) ... one week from today! And the rest of the season only builds from there! (And I won’t even talk about the post-season bonus episodes!) There’s still so much left to tell in Season 3 of Moonbase Theta, Out! 

[aspeccharactersoftheday]

Nessa Cheong from Moonbase Theta, Out is aromantic!